Posts Tagged ‘lions and trackers’

Back from leave and almost back in the saddle. Been a rest in the big smoke, the big smoke being Johannesburg. That is if you can rest in the big smoke? Had a chance to reflect again on the last couple of weeks in the bush, some funny moments and then some more funny moments.

Rock Python

Had to chuckle when I think of our poor trackers, those that sit on the little seat on the front on top of the bonnet, looking for game and spotting spoor, indicating to us rangers where to possible go according to the tracks they find. They (the tracker) and I work as teams to try come up with the four legs and a heartbeat. Most have amazing eyes and can spot a green snake in a green tree or a lion swoosh its tail at 50 yards.

Shame, I have lost count of how many spiders have built there web across the road and I have driven my tracker right through that web, leaving the poor spider hanging onto my tracker for all it is worth, until he gentle deposits it on the next tree close to the road. They never complain , my trackers no matter how many spiders they get a face full off nor when I take the corner (we go back later and out it back) and they are halve buried in the tree that was on that corner. How many close brushes with thorn trees I give these guys every drive is embarrassing and they do not moan.

They need these thorn trees in there lap like I need to take a bowling ball on drive with me, some of these encounters are close though, I had been driving down a particular “tall grass on the side of the road” patch with the sun below the horizon, visibility not so good, out the corner of my eye I saw a snake crossing , just at the last minute, that is to say, he was about to go under my front left wheel should I continue, so naturally what do I do, I hit anchors. But on the front left is where my tracker was, and I say was, as I hit brakes hard, he went flying off the vehicle, almost onto the snake. Managed just to doge the snake as the car flung him forward. Not a word, just a look in my direction, a look that said it all and back onto the bonnet with a smile just reaching the corners of his eyes.

I have had my tracker sit patently on the front whilst lions were a mere two or three meters from where he sat. All exposed on the front and all. Never forget Devance (a tracker) and myself tracking (no pun intended) the group of 7 lions down by the big dam, we saw where they walked, we saw where they stopped and lay to rest and where they were heading. After a half hour further along there chosen route, we bumped into them (they is they were obscured by grass until the last minute, then I was on top of them) engorging themselves on a buffalo cow they had killed no more than a half hour before. Here with fresh meat and nervous lions eating, all deviance did was sit back on his seat in front and enjoy the show. Having munching and crunching lions 2 meters away, glancing up and growling every know and then and all he does is seat back on his perch on the front of the Land rover , throw a cheeky grin  at the guests and smile. Gotta love the nerves!

Buffalo herds, elephant herds, rhino, male buffalo dagga boys and coalitions of cheetah and more, all no sweat for our trackers, there “office” on the front of my vehicle gives them the best seat in the house.

Poor Phillip (another tracker) on route home, him with the spotlight, tying to get the eye shine, when a bushbaby (small nocturnal monkey type) jumps the tree and lands no less than in his lap, Phillip of course unceremoniously dumps the bushbaby off his lap, onto the nearest bush, this little nocturnal creature then turns and jumps again onto Phillip, he of course now things this is a estranged  bushbaby out for vengeance? Attacking him? Yes even grown up trackers can shriek like girls. This poor little bushbaby attacked Phillip three times before I could control my laughter and speed of away from the scene, of the almost violation by a bushbaby. Elephant charge he can take, but an attacking bushbaby?

All respect to the guys who sit in front and take it all in.