Rangers Report, Rhino Ridge, Hluhluwe

Writing and all photographs by: Rhino Ridge Ranger Armand Steyn

This has been an exciting week with some sightings of rare animals that one does not see too often.

On one of the night drives this week as Warwick was getting closer to the lodge he came across six Bush pigs. These are one of the pig family that we get in the park but unlike the warthog that we see during the day time these animal are strictly nocturnal and if you are lucky you might see them along a river bed in the early morning – so this was quite an exciting moment at the lodge for us all.

We have taken a policy not to report on Rhino sightings in an effort to protect them from poaching.

Rhino resting – photograph by ranger Armand Steyn

This week started off with two leopards at the watering hole in front of the lodge but unfortunately no one with a camera was around to capture it as all the guides were out on game drive the time this occurred. We have had good leopard sightings this past week, the longest of the sightings being around fifteen minutes which is not bad at all for the usually furtive leopard.

On the wild dog side of things, we have been seeing the pack of five around the same area as the previous week, but unfortunately it looks like the female has lost her pups as she is no longer pregnant and also not lactating. Hopefully next season she will have pups close to the lodge and then we can have our own wild dog family on our doorstep.

It is getting drier by the day and one can see this in the movement patterns of the elephants as they are moving great distances from day to day between water and feeding grounds. We at the lodge are all hoping for a little rain in the near future to help us through this long dry and hot period that we are experiencing.

There are some photos included for your enjoyment.

‘Till next time

Rhino Ridge guiding team

Rhino baby – photograph by Ranger Armand Steyn