Heightened Senses

Heightened senses

It’s 06H00 AM. The air is crisp and alive with birdsong. You’re in one of the best wildlife viewing destinations in the world – the greater Kruger National Park.

Between the radio chatter in your earpiece, the guests asking you questions, your tracker informing you of what he sees written in the sand, safely operating and navigating the safari vehicle, responding to the radio, listening to, identifying and filtering every sound you hear and scanning the bush for anything out of place as well as trying to meet guest expectations and time constraints, your tracker gestures with his hand. A subtle gesture, but one you know all too well from countless hours spent in the bush together. ‘Mafasi Yingwe’ he says in his local tongue. ‘Fresh’. Fresh tracks of a female leopard. You bring the vehicle to a stop, switch off, and mention this to the guests. You tell them that you and your tracker are going to try follow these tracks to find out where the leopard went, and that you’ll be back in a few minutes. You further state that the keys are in the ignition and the lodge is ‘that way – just in case’ with a pointed finger. Looks of surprise and amusement adorn their faces.

You turn to face your tracker and take a deep breath. Silence fills the air. You feel eyes on your back. You scan the ground for irregularities. Subtle shapes that have been imprinted into your memory after years of repetition. You look up and see your tracker already quite far ahead of you. Like a bloodhound on a scent. You listen for any upset birds or animals nearby. Nothing. You move forward, each step deliberate, each sound amplified in the stillness. Before you know it you are surrounded by wilderness. The guests in the vehicle are well out of sight now. Suddenly, a francolin bursts from the grass, its alarm call echoing through the bush. Your tracker freezes, then points. The faint outline of rosettes blends seamlessly into the dappled shade ahead. The leopard is there - silent, watchful. For a moment, time holds its breath.

You retreat quietly, returning to the vehicle with a smile that needs no explanation. The guests’ eyes widen as you gesture in the direction of the leopard.