Africa’s bush bumps the Kalahari Desert
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An ascending piercing call, and suddenly the red-crested korhaan shoots straight-up like a shuttle. And, just as suddenly, he tumbles back down towards the ground, as though his been shot. And, then gently gliding to land. It is his way of advertising undisputed control over his territory, and to attract his love. It’s rather impressive to spectate, and as we know, positive first impressions are powerful!
This was my first encounter in Madikwe, an unpredictable game reserve lying in the north west province of South Africa. It is unlike any other game reserve I have been to! Stephanie Kulak, assistant head-ranger at Madikwe Safari Lodge enlightens me, “Madikwe is home to the Big 5, is a malaria-free area, and lies in a transition zone where bushveld meets desert. As a result it sweeps with ever changing geological progressions which will ensure its continuous and capricious nature into the future”.
Jumbled hillocks of Tshwene-Tshwene, ridges of the Dwarsberg and stark contrasts of hills abruptly rising from severely flat plains are all detectable characteristics of Madikwe. Well-known for their wild dogs and with two active packs we set off at sunset with the sky painted orange in search of. Heading towards the Botswana border, because wild dog have learnt to work their prey into the fence; that would be a prime spot to find them. However, we arrive at a swampy muddy situation due to rain a couple of days prior and our route is aborted! We turn our 4×4 vehicle around and find another way in.
Yearning to find them, we trail another route and continue our journey. It wasn’t long before we could smell these animals; an intense pungent body odour. And, before us lies twelve untroubled dogs sound asleep. However overjoyed we were at finding them, tonight we would let sleeping dogs lie… It’s time to return to camp!
Wild dogs are considered a highly endangered species and are currently the scarcest carnivore in South Africa. But, Madikwe Game Reserve is one of the few places with a viable and flourishing population where the collection pack has quite a history including highlights, heartbreak and loss. Bonds between pack members are continually reinforced at ‘greeting ceremonies’! And, unlike other wild animals they are seldom seen fighting amongst themselves. A close knit society, and sociable team spirit is reflected in their efficiency to hunt in packs. Also, energetic animals by nature with an enormous home range; they can easily cover thirty-fifty kilometres per day, and enjoy a stamina that tires out most prey.
A window to a new day realises some fascinating sightings from male lions roaring, to elephants splashing under the summer sun! What really caught my attention though, was one of Africa’s deadliest snakes, a black mamba slithering past us at top speed (they can reach speeds of nearly 20kms per hour). And not just slithering but with a third of its body raised off of the ground – a defence mechanism.
Not knowing what else was in store for us we eagerly headed off again in search of my dog. I couldn’t quite believe our luck! It wasn’t long, and we spotted them! But again they were sound asleep! It wasn’t looking promising for me.
And then suddenly, in the distance from out of no-where we could see two dogs meandering towards us along the water’s edge. Unexpectedly, approximately twenty odd dogs before us jumped and rallied about. They were hurdling around our vehicle in what was the most spectacular ‘greeting ceremony’ I could ever have imagined. These two young dogs, had left the pack to start their own. It didn’t work out for them! But that didn’t matter!
Muzzle to muzzle, we watched the dogs running and darting about making contact with each another. Twittering and whimpering with excitement, they welcomed their friends back home! We embraced this emotional encounter with awe!
Thrusting through the reserve it’s certainly fascinating to absorb how the terrain drastically alters within short distances from Kalahari scrubland with its acacia species to bushveld. As a result Stephanie Kulak describes how it’s not at all unusual to see what would be a rare or non-existent sighting in another game reserve! From springbok grazing with impala; brown and spotted hyena together; or the pied & arrow-marked babbler. Another unusual feature is the largely unexplored limestone cave at Derdepoort Main road with large-leaved rock figs jutting out. These gnarled, yellow-white smooth trees have earned the reputation of being a true rock splitting fig!
The area is also rich in cultural history reflecting times of turmoil and peace. Many explorers, traders, missionaries and Mzilikazi with his followers passed this way during the making of South African history.
Contributing to this history was a great short-story teller, Herman Charles Bosman who taught in Madikwe near Abjaterskop gate. He wrote many of his best work here. Some of his finest literature being the imaginative, humorous and romantic tales of the Boer herdsman Oom Schalk Lourens. And driving through Madikwe Game Reserve one can easily imagine his Oom Schalk sitting under a kareeboom contemplating life. It is with this and the humble warmth of the Tswana people and by no means forgetting the call of the African fish eagle, that one is welcomed to Madikwe Game Reserve.
Contributing to this history was a great short-story teller, Herman Charles Bosman who taught in Madikwe near Abjaterskop gate. He wrote many of his best work here. Some of his finest literature being the imaginative, humorous and romantic tales of the Boer herdsman Oom Schalk Lourens. And driving through Madikwe Game Reserve one can easily imagine his Oom Schalk sitting under a kareeboom contemplating life. It is with this and the humble warmth of the Tswana people and by no means forgetting the call of the African fish eagle that one is welcomed to Madikwe Game Reserve.
3 Comments
Juliet
April 15, 2023 at 9:48 amWhat an eloquently written piece that I really enjoyed reading. When I think of visiting South Africa I always think of and visit the Kruger but now this is some serious food for thought.
Andrew
April 15, 2023 at 10:48 amIt is one of natures beauties how our painted wolves work together and no hard feelings. It is something I thrive on as a safari guide to watch. You were lucky to see a greeting ceremony, the sound is unlike anything else when they get whimpering in a pack.
Juhar
April 16, 2023 at 5:15 amYour photos alone make me want to visit Madikwe but you truly captured the essence through your writing