November 7, 2021

 

I left Umlani yesterday.  Umlani is a lovely small, rustic camp run by good people who are trying to survive the experience of the past two years. When Luke and I left yesterday, we were the last guests for the next two days. While they do appreciate little breaks like this, they’re obviously having to adjust to severe changes in travel. It’s a huge financial hit for the entire industry. That matters both because it’s a major source of employment in South Africa, but also because the conservation of the wild is tied to the ability to make money. Wildlife is seen as a commodity and is valued only if it makes more money than it costs. If enough tourists are willing to travel to the bush to experience its beauty and wildlife, take photos (or hunt), then there’s a reason to protect it. If not, well…  the land can be turned into farming or some other use that is more profitable. And the protections (imperfect, yes) currently enjoyed by elephants, rhinos, lions, etc., will be gone. And those animals will largely disappear from the wild. It’s a long way to go to say simply that if conservation of our natural world is important to you, you can’t rely on a sense of social altruism to make it happen.  It appears that humans are not wired that way.  If conservation is important, then as individuals we need to find ways to support it personally - whether that’s spending money on tourism, or making donations, or volunteering or hounding our political decision-makers.

 

·      Yesterday morning’s drive was eventful. We tried to ignore lions and look for the leopard that had (finally) been reported in the area, with her very young cub. First, though, we found a second mamba (also unphotographable) and spent time watching hyenas crushing bones of a zebra that lions had abandoned in the night. Then we were called into the sighting of leopard mom and cub.  This was the first time the cub had been seen (typically mom hides cubs for several weeks before beginning to introduce the little one to the world), and the sighting was tightly controlled with no more than one vehicle present at a time. All the guides manage a queue and time at the sighting for each vehicle is very limited, to allow as many guests as possible to witness what may be the most adorable being in all of nature. The sighting was also in very dense bush, deep in a block with no road access so significant off-roading and work was required just to get to it. And photographically, the sighting was poor with no unobstructed viewing. As a photographer, you try to make the best of it and often try to incorporate the obstructing bush to create a sense of mystery. I tried at least. But it’s a great thing to witness. I’ve seen teenaged leopards, but this is the first time I’ve seen a very small baby. We probably spent 15 minutes at the sighting, then wished the little one the best (less than 50% survive the first year) and headed back to the lodge for breakfast and then to pack up and begin the next chapter.

·      The next chapter included Luke taking me back to Eastgate airport where I picked up my rental car for the next three weeks (a VW Tiguan).  Then I went into Hoedspruit to pick up a cooler and some supplies. It was a busy Saturday afternoon, and the grocery store was frantic and way overstimulating. But mission accomplished. Then drive into Kruger, sign in at entry gate, and go to Orpen reception to sign in for Tamboti. Then to the shop at Orpen to buy a few additional supplies, including a travel mug that subsequently dribbled coffee all over my shirt. Then to Tamboti tent camp.

·      Tamboti is considered a satellite camp so there are no services on site. I stayed in a permanent tent, with two single beds, no plumbing, no A/C. I’d forgotten how hot these tents were.  Jeez man. It was almost 100 F outside and stifling inside. But opened all vents, turned on the fan, unpacked and made the best of it. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich with chips and a Windhoek and that wrapped up the day.

·      When I went to bed it was stinking hot but not a cloud in the sky.  Woke up at night to a major windstorm, followed by a dramatic thunderstorm and heavy rain. Frantic and beautiful.