It was a very overcast morning with a gust of wind or 2 swirling in the bush when we went out on drive.
We originally decided on trying to go for lions as the weather conditions were suited for them. But no lions were anywhere to be found! A little bit later on in the drive, we found a dead giraffe that looked like it died because of old age. Even though this is something we as rangers see often, what made this carcass so special was the fact that over 80 vultures were feeding on this carcass.
With some fighting going on, and these scavenging birds scattering to find a spot to forage some food, they suddenly stopped and ran into the open. Next moment, the sun came out and immediately, almost as if they were in sync, they all turned their backs and opened their wings to soak up the sun. And then, as quickly as it appeared, the sun disappeared they all ran back to the carcass and continued feeding.
This was definitely the highlight of my day as it just goes to show that a little bit of sun goes a long way.

Story by Rassie (River Lodge)
2013/12/17