We arrived at the Nare Suite to see three giraffes at the watering hole, followed that night by elephants trumpeting, bathing and drinking through the night – and then got to watch a family of baboons play as we each got massages! And a warthog bathing as we packed to leave!
Laura and Peter
Animals in Madikwe
The game guides of Madikwe prefer to focus on the “Top Ten” rather than the Big Five. So, in addition to boasting more sought-after African species such as lion, buffalo, leopard, elephant and rhino, malaria-free Madikwe is home to hippo, giraffe, wild dog, hyena and cheetah.
Of these, the cheetah, wild dog, brown hyena and black rhino are the most endangered species.
Madikwe’s location close to the edge of the Kalahari Desert means there’s an overlap of a number of species, offering visitors greater viewing diversity.
The reserve supports a number of large antelope species, such as eland, gemsbok, sable and nyala, to name but a few. Smaller buck species such as springbok, oribi, duiker and klipspringer also abound.
There are many animals to be seen during the day, while some species are active under cover of darkness and are likely to be seen on a night drive.
Some of the smaller animals to be found here include the honey badger, otter, serval, fox, meerkat, antbear, baboon, porcupine, warthog, bushbaby and hedgehog.
And that’s before one considers the plethora of birdlife to be found in South Africa’s arid northwestern corner. Attracted by tree species such as the shepherd’s tree, weeping wattle, lavender fever berry and marula, and the range of wild grasses, Madikwe truly is a birdwatchers paradise.
More than 340 feathered species have been recorded in Madikwe – too many to mention individually. Safe to say, however, that bird families as diverse as flycatchers and firefinches, babblers and buzzards populate the trees, shrubs and grasslands of the region.
From Twitter
- Dates for the new Photographic Workshops have been set and they are selling out fast. http://t.co/2vk08Ao1 – 6 hours, 17 minutes ago.
- You've heard of Black Rhino's and White Rhino's, but have you ever seen a Red Rhino? http://t.co/eKcYHTpG – 7 hours, 15 minutes ago.
