Our afternoon drive started off with a hunt! As we left camp
we found fresh leopard tracks heading east on to kaalkol, we tried to follow as
we circled the area more than three times but could not find a track, we
suspected it was Xivambelane as he is well known for his bush antics. We left
the area and drove around looking for anything we could find. First was a big
bull elephant completely relaxed browsing off the sickle bush as we watched.
After a short drive we found vervet monkeys curiously pondering our presence in
the tree tops, the youngsters more curios and more cautious making for a
comical show as they struggle to decide what to make of us. 
We headed west and
on our arrival we came across the styx pride at red dam. Only one female showed
her face as the rest of the pride was at the water with the cubs (we could not
see them for the cubs would be blinded by the spotlight) we sat a while before
she started yawning, giving us a glimpse of her pearly whites! We left her as
she headed back to the pride. It was already late so we headed back to camp. As
always it never ends there, on arrival before we turned into the lodge we herd
jackal alarm calling, we turned west towards B&E road and we spotted the
side striped jackal calling in distress. 
We sat and waited to see what the
commotion was about but nothing appeared, as we pulled out of the noisy jackal
we spotted movement further west in the road, we headed towards the moving
figure and to our excitement we found Xivambelane! He crossed over towards
Jacobin and moved north through
the drainage line, we followed him right up to
the open area where he sat and rolled in wildebeest dung, we gazed upon the
magnificent cat and left him after he strolled right past us to mark his
territory. This morning we headed out to complete our big five and we've done so
successfully with a big dagga boy in one eye pan scratching his horns against
the trees making a big fuss before he left us on our own.
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