This morning started out with the lionesses and cubs from yesterday walking right by our tent shortly before our alarm went off. We heard them go by, but weren’t 100% sure what had been out there. Our guide told us they had come through the camp at that time and that they had been right by our tent. Hot tea is brought to us (or rather, me) around 6am, and he had to escort the woman who brings that to me because the lions had just been at our tent.

The cubs were actually born at this camp under the main lodge and the lionesses feel comfortable having them here. That speaks very well to the staff and their interactions with the wildlife. They told us that the lionesses bring them back here frequently.

We headed out on our morning safari drive and saw a few elephants, including one who shook a palm tree to make the fruit fall down to be easily eaten.

Southern ground hornbill

swallow-tailed bee-eater

Much of the land of the delta is formed by termites. They form colonies that make termite mounds that can be 9-10 feet high. After these colonies die or are abandoned, trees and other plants take root, breaking apart the hard termite mound and forming soil. These eventually form small islands in the marshy delta.

The abandoned termite mounds also serve as homes for other animals like mongoose.

The termites, themselves, collect decaying plant material, but they do not eat it. They take it underground to grow fungus, which is what they actually eat.

Our guide told us about the large fever-berry trees around here. Locals say that the bark and berries of this tree are traditionally used to treat fevers from malaria. He also said that the bark can be rolled up like a cigarette and smoked to treat cough. Elephants eat the leaves to make themselves vomit. I could include a picture, but they really just look like ordinary trees.

We did see a rock python slithering up the middle of a tree trying to get bird eggs, but it was not in a position for me to take a picture.

During or midday break we had a number of visitors by our tent. First was a red lechwe walking in the marsh out front. As I was videoing her, an elephant walked out right next to our tent to go eat the water lilies. She hung out in the area for a long time. A bit later we had a large herd of impala eating the grasses right off of our porch until some birds scared them off. Impala are jumpy like that.

We found our lions again after lunch. They were taking a siesta.