How a rhino started a wildlife journey

Safari……a word so regularly used today and a holiday/trip in which many from all over the world venture on to discover wildlife, culture and adventure. The word “safar” actually derives from the Arabic verb which translates to mean “to make a journey” – “safari” being a Swahili synonym of safar.

Safaris started around the trade industry where prized items – even people – were sold across vast landscapes. This fortunately changed in the 20^th century with the slave trade being abolished, which resulted in safaris becoming a leisurely focus with fun and exploration as opposed to a business focus.

This is what the Tshukudu Private Game Reserve aims to consistently provide – a wildlife journey full of excitement and experience. Showing people the alluring nature of South Africa and it’s richness in biodiversity – taking people on their own unique endeavours – haven’t we all watched Indiana Jones and wished we had the hat and the excitement?!

Such game reserves would not have been possible if it wasn’t for the increased price of wildlife in comparison to the price of cattle! Cattle farming used to dominate the area of what is now Tshukudu Game Reserve and the farmers used to shoot the wildlife to protect the cattle – how times change! The cattle also introduced large encroacher tree species (i.e. sickle bush) which took over the landscape and prevented other tree species and vegetation to grow – to this day we are still fighting to rid of this!

30 years ago, the Sussens family bought the farm and transformed the area into what is today known as the Tshukudu Game Reserve – named Tshukudu as this is the Sotho word for “Rhino” and the rhino was the first animal to be reintroduced into the area after the years of cattle farming. The rhino was just the start…..

With 5,000 hectares of beautiful landscape, the reserve habituates the most incredible animals I have ever seen, from a family of lions, elephant herds, hyena, a rhino and its calf, to orphaned leopards, and orphaned cheetahs that join you on bush walks or chill around the lodge pool.

There is nothing like sitting around the tranquil pool at the lodge, with an array of bird calls surrounding the air and all of a sudden hearing the distinct sound of the lions roaring close by. You get visions of watching Mufasa in The Lion King stood on Pride Rock and think to yourself how you never thought when watching the Disney film as a child that one day you would see such scenes in reality!

Spending each day here at the reserve is a dream and living here in South Africa is me “making my journey”!

 

 

Ever imagine you could walk side-by-side with a wild cheetah?

What do you think of when you hear the word cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)?…..the fastest land mammal, a big spotty cat….well my way to describe them through my experience at Tshukudu Lodge – working with two orphaned cheetahs, Floppy and Hantas is…

A majestic mammal that encapsulates you as you see it sweep through the iridescent South African landscape, as if it was a Ferrari, yet more nimble – making sudden turns to pursuit prey. At other times however, as chilled as Bob Marley, lounging in the shade or posing for photos. This is exactly the nature of Floppy and Hantas!

A perfect example – the cheetahs have warmed to me now so I stopped by Hantas having a chill on the lodge grounds and thought I would share his debut selfie – he also has amazing skills with an iPhone!

Don’t get me wrong they’re still wild predators with the potential to be lethal (Floppy and Hantas hunt in the reserve during the day – cheetahs being diurnal animals) but at times, join you for a stroll on a bush walk with guests – just like the bush walk I joined today. What a unique and exceptional experience, especially when cheetahs are typically known to be fairly solitary animals!

The way that the staff at the lodge understand them is incredible and it is this expertise why the opportunity to walk side-by-side with them is possible.

On this particular walk today, we also bumped into a herd of buffalo (Syncerus caffer) crossing over the dam near the lodge. Buffalo are gregarious, occurring in herds of about 50 – their huge presence confirms the reason why you should always keep your distance!

The cheetahs posed at the close of the walk for the guests as if they were Naomi Campbell and the day came to a close….what a great way to spend the day!