Safari - Day 3

 The morning of our third day was spent following the pack of wild dogs. It appeared the day before when we saw them that they had not been successful in their hunt that day so our guide said that this would be the day for them to hunt aggressively. We found them early in the day and they were actively moving along looking for prey aka impala. Carlton drove the Land Rover right through the bush, driving over the small trees at times when the overgrowth was heavy. The trees would just snap back up after we went over them.

There are 21 dogs in the group, seven of which are pups, just learning to hunt. The African Wild Dog can travel long distances and run up to 35 miles per hour. It was an exciting challenge to follow them in the hunt. We lost them for a moment, but saw a fish eagle and some vultures in some trees not far off so we knew which way to head. Sure enough they had been successful and were disemboweling a baby impala, fighting over the small thing. The vultures, now on the ground, closed in waiting for the leftovers.

In the afternoon we came across warthog, those hideously attractive creatures that I hate to love. There were birds aplenty, many of which are brilliant in color. We saw a couple of rare Ground Hornbill in the trees either looking for a nesting spot or guarding one they already established.

By far, the favorite bird for all of us is the Southern Carmine Bee-eater. As the truck moved through the tall grass, insects would rise up into the air. The bee-eater would fly alongside and around the truck, snatching up the tasty things.



For our sundowner that evening we stopped at a small dock along a waterway, ate some nuts and dried fruit, had a drink, and enjoyed the beautiful sunset, once again.