The passion that every one of our staff members have for the wildlife that frequents our lodges is second to none. Each of our lodges are treasure troves for wildlife viewing opportunities and in honour of World Wildlife Day earlier this month we invite you to hear some incredible wildlife tales told by our Sanctuary Retreats team. These stories capture some of the fondest and most treasured moments they've experienced working in some of the richest ecosystems.
A remarkable Baby Kudu at Chobe Chilwero
Beatrice our general manager at Sanctuary Chobe Chilwero shares with us an incredible story of animal survival that she witnessed while out in the bush in Botswana.
"When I was on a morning game drive in Chobe National Park, I came across wild dogs chasing a young female kudu roughly' around two months old, the Kudu escaped them by jumping into the river. A young crocodile then approached it and got hold of it but twice failed to capture it. At this point, the wild dogs were still waiting and salivating by the river bank, however, eventually, they lost hope and continued on their hunting journey. The young kudu swam back to the mainland and just before it got there, a huge crocodile about 3 meters long approached, again the baby kudu managed to escape and ran into the forest at full speed. This was the luckiest baby Kudu alive. She escaped three enemies, wild dogs, and two crocodiles in a short space of time. What a remarkable sight to see."
Photo credit: Angela Norman
Elephants at Okahirongo Elephant Lodge
Hilma our lodge manager at Okahirongo Elephant Lodge in Namibia tells us about the local Elephants in Kaokoland.
"At this picturesque lodge guests will encounter a vast range of wildlife including Zebras, Springboks, Gemsbok and Elephants. My favourites are the elephants, those surrounding our lodge are unique in the fact that they are more white in colour because the white sandplains within the park make them look different. We have noticed that our elephant guests never tend to disturb our local people when they are planting and beginning the process of growing vegetables. However, once a few months of harvesting have passed the elephants will always come and help themselves to everything that is planted in the gardens. We have now tried numerous times to have a garden at Okahirongo Elephant Lodge, however, the one problem we face is not because of water it is because of our greedy elephant neighbours! These creatures truly are treasures of our land."
Climbing lions at Sanctuary Swala
Bianca Eramus our Operations Assistant shares with us one of her highlights of visiting Sanctuary Swala, located in Tanzania.
"Tarangire National Park has become renowned among our guests for its tree climbing lions that enjoy putting on a spectacular show for those fortunate enough to witness. The lions can be spotted resting on top of tree branches on giant acacia trees from our open safari vehicles during game drives. Resting here allows the lions to view their prey from panoramic views and it enables them to escape the bush heat. What an incredible sighting that few to get the opportunity to witness."
