A couple of days ago, my guests asked me to do a guided walk, specifically to go out and look for one of Africa’s notorious Big 5. They were really interested in experiencing the bush at a more in depth level than from the normal way – on the back of a game vehicle. After the morning game drive and a lovely, filling breakfast, we set out to an area where some rhinos were seen on the morning drive. It was a fairly cool morning, and the rhinos had moved swiftly away from where they had been seen earlier in the morning. Given, my friend and tracker, had the opportunity to show all of us his amazing tracking skills by following a track for a long time, and being able to find the animals we are looking for. Given told us that they had been feeding intensely during the early hours of the morning. How do you know that, the guests asked him enthusiastically? He turned around and explained to them how the grass is broken off really close to the ground, and the way the rhinos had moved in the area, suggested that it had been breakfast time. After this more difficult tracking exercise, we realized that it looked as if the rhinos had started to move in a more direct line, indicating that they might have been looking for water or a place to rest in the warmer parts of the day. We eventually found the sleeping rhinos at the in-flow of a dam. As we started to head back for the lodge, I appreciated the skills our trackers have, and the amazing gift of being able to walk in nature.

Story by F.W (River Lodge)
2013/08/14