S. Africa 2000: Night Safari

By Dr Khalid Siddiqui
Ohio

My son and I took a night safari in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve in South Africa. In the evening we had a light meal. My son, Sameer, developed a taste for a local soft drink, and drank the whole can although I had advised him against it.

As the night fell, we found a female lion resting. We drove very close to it. At that point Sameer told me that he needed to pee. I passed the message to the guide. He said, “We can’t drive away from here because the other tourists are enjoying it. It wouldn’t be fair to them. And I can’t allow him to get off the van because there may be other members of the pride in the bushes. So, he may either have to hold it or, worse, pee in his pants.”

(A pride of lions consists of several females and cubs, and one male.) Fortunately, after a few minutes the lion went into the bushes. Only then did the driver drove us to an open area. He had to be extra careful because it was ‘intentionally’ a moonless night with very limited visibility.  (If you are wondering, Sameer was able to hold it.)

In short, a responsible guide will never take a chance with himself and the tourists when surrounded by a thicket of brushes and bushes. Watch the short video clip.

https://youtu.be/q41yfS9WUx8

Note:  If anyone decides to go on an African safari, and is interested in the night safari also, then he/she should choose the moonless nights. Full moon shines brightly in the African jungle as the air is very clear. The predator and the prey both would be visible just like during daytime. So, on those nights they stay put in their resting areas until the clouds have covered the moon, which may or may not happen.

Keeping that in mind, I intentionally planned the trip around the moonless nights. Except for cheetahs, all the other members of the cat family prefer to hunt at night.

Botswana 2010: Lunch

As mentioned above, we get off the safari van only in large clear areas to avoid any nasty surprises. We had stopped for lunch at one such area in the clear view of two lions, but maintaining a safe distance.

Earlier, another service van had arrived there with hot food, and the staff was busy setting up a table. The lions never attempted to come closer. One strict rule is not to leave behind any food, not even any scraps or crumbs. Everything had to be taken back to the lodge. This is to ensure that no association of food is established between animals and humans.

Birds are very quick to figure out what the humans are eating could be their food also. Watch the short video clip.   

https://youtu.be/LqLxbsmagso