Babies, Babies, Everywhere Babies!

The difference between the safari and Mkhuze is the search for specific animals.  On safari, we would just drive around and whatever we found, we found.  Occasionally we would get a tip from another safari vehicle that a particular animal was in an area and then we would go check it out.  At Mkhuze, we were assigned each day with finding specific animals.  As I already said, the dogs needed to be tracked twice a day.  Even if we didn't see them, we had to be able to find them on telemetry.   The other animals we tried to find at least once a day between one of the two camps.  

The winning lotto ticket on any of these searches is to see the animal itself.  Even better would be to see the babies.   I knew the wild pups were in a den and we had a general idea of where the den was, although it was inaccessible by vehicle.  I knew I would never see the pups.  We also knew Misty, the cheetah, had 5 cubs, but I really never expected to see Misty or her babies as they are so shy and well camouflaged.    I don't think cheetahs walk up the road like the dogs, elephants and rhinos apparently do!  Although, the other camp did see a leopard in the road one day. 

So, on what turned out to be my last day there I was given the gift of a lifetime. Not only were we able to track, find, and see Misty, we saw her cubs too!  All 5 of them!  And, there was some National Geographic stuff going down as she was facing off against a mamma wart hog and her babies (what are baby wart hogs called anyway?  Anyone? Bueller?) 

5 ladies in a truck all kinds of excited!!!! In all my days, I don't think I will get a chance to see something like that again.  Back to camp we went, feeling satisfied with ourselves.... not to mention something we can brag to the other camp about1  What did they see? Nothing!

In the afternoon, it was our turn to track the dogs.  Meghan had taken us to a place far up on a hill and we picked them up immediately.  They were also on the move so we would drive, stop, track, drive, stop, track.  Eventually it was was drive and track at the same time!  And then, up ahead, just around a bend we saw this!

The entire pack!  Babies and all!  It was like the first day of school.  They took off into the grass and we tried to track and follow them but never saw them again.  We did however spend the next 3 hours driving around chasing them with the telemetry.  

It was an absolutely  perfect day, and a perfect way to end my stay at Mkhuze.