This is my last day at the WildTalk Wildlife Film Festival. It’s been a great week networking with old friends, making new friends and discussing the industry.
The vibe has been really positive and wildlife filmmaking is blooming in Africa!
Monthly Archive for August, 2007
30th August 2000
Tjololo had found himself a perfect tree, a large Jackalberry, to rest up in when we found him and he was in no hurry to leave this perch. Some time after sunset he moved on north but at the same time we saw Tjellers move by heading south. He hadn’t seen her but soon picked up her scent and was groaning and calling. Eventually she responded and he headed south. That was the last we saw of them as they disappeared into the reedbeds in the river.
The little we did see of them, the initial encounter was very aggressive with Tjololo climbing into Tjellers. They moved out the river briefly and on several occasions Tjellers took refuge in a tree while Tjololo made his stand at the base scrape marking.
When they moved back into the river, from all the sounds the relationship was still tense and aggressive. This went on till after midnight, the tension slowly easing and they ended up mating.
Only just before dawn did they venture out the river and carried on mating on and off till we left them mid-morning. They at least behaved and allowed us to view this very private affair of theirs.
So what is it with Tjololo? Last week a young leopard is all over him and he chases her off. But now with the old Tjellers he’s very quick off the mark once they’d got their initial greeting sorted out. Maybe he likes them old. Experienced?
Chipfongwe definitely had a different attitude this day and decided he could take me on. He approached the vehicle all on his own, ears spread and trying his hardest to look huge and intimidating. And seemed totally confident in himself, as only Chipfongwe could.
But his sisters are always keeping an eye on him and soon they came to his rescue to save him from further embarrassment.
He’s such a cool dude and going to be quite the boy in his time.
29th August 2000
Not always so lazy again, Tjololo only rested up around midnight for a couple of hours otherwise again moving along his river boundary. I don’t know what got into him but he came across a subadult hippo grazing on the bank and decided it was meal time. He stalked as it slowly moved on back and into the river. That was too much for Tjololo as he seemed mesmerized at this animal disappearing under water. How could it?
At dawn we picked up Tjololo having come out the river but with the bony remains of the head and neck of a bushbuck. Not sure who he stole it from but proceeded to knaw on the nothing forever.
Sable antelope have to be one the most impressive of the African antelopes. Those adult bulls with their pitch-black coats and massive horns that curl almost onto their backs. These make efficient weapons too and have been known to keep lions at bay. The sable go down on their knees and bending their necks to the ground threaten any danger with weapons capable of inflicting a fatal stab!
Sable antelope used to be plentiful across the country and were often shot for rations but with the invasion of cattle ranching their numbers were decimated and today they’re endangered but are making a good come back in protected areas.
28th August 2000
I don’t know why but it just felt extra special to be with Tjololo last night. He didn’t do anything new or different. Maybe that’s why, ‘cos he went about his normal self in a fairly predictable way.
We found him resting up in the Sand river at dusk obviously having finished his bushbuck carcass.
He was on the move most of the night, north up the river then a long way east, stretching further northeast than he has in months. Hassled a couple of times by hyaenas when he tried to rest he moved about half way south in his territory before resting up soon after sunrise.
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