In Search of Hippos

Sunday:

Alan met us at 7:30 AM. We headed for the canals in the park. Zulu Nyala, within the past year, completed two dams. The animals are happy with this change. Hippos can stay under water for six minutes. We looked for bubbles, tracks—any sign of them. No luck.

Along the way, we came across many “zebra crossings.” Standing this way, zebras rest, keep a watchful eye in nearly a 360 degree arc and one tail keeps the flies from pestering the other one’s face.

Many more bird sightings along the water kept us busy. We were treated to village weaver birds, scarlet-chested and collared sunbirds, African-paradise flycatcher, and a spectacular look at an African fish eagle.

Baboons on their way from another reserve skittered through the trees. Hard to believe that giraffe can hide so well in the bush but I’m sure we drove by many.

There have been several movies made in the area and on Zulu Nyala is the set from the film I Dreamed of Africa.

In the early afternoon, Martha, Pam and I were looking for a way to get a bit of exercise since the pool is drained, no exercise room in sight and you can’t walk very far off the property for safety reasons. A nice woman at the reception desk suggested that we walk around the fenced-in tennis court! Enter Kyle, a ranger and professional hunter at Zulu Nyala looking for an afternoon walk. He drove us to toward the dams, grabbed his rifle and off we went—bold explorers—sort of… To walk in this park among the nyala, giraffe, eagles, and more, with no man-made sound except our voices is to feel such a sense of vulnerability mixed with a hefty dose of OMG excitement that comes with the realization that WE are walking in the bush in South Africa!

Our group spent a couple of hours with Joe at the Emdoneni Animal Care & Treatment Center. Here many cats are cared for with the intent to release them and/or their offspring back to the wild. Just before the end of the tour of this facility, Joe threw a chunk of zebra to a cheetah and invited us into the pen while she munched away on her supper. As long as we stayed upright, bigger than her and about 4 meters away, we would be safe he assured us. Joe planned to offer help to those who stood their ground if she approached. If you run, you’re done for and no help will come your way. The only incident: she hissed at Joe when he came a bit too close to her zebra prize.