Taking a chance

Ernie, my tracker and i new that there was only one thing that our guest where hoping to see. We had had some great sightings up until yesterday afternoon. But our guests where continuously asking for cheetah. We had searched long and hard for cheetah, but they where no were to be found. We did have an idea where to young males were hanging out though. The only problem was that it would take us most of the afternoon to get there. After informimg the guests that this would be a big risk in heading up into the far north western part of the reserve, where few rangers dare to venture. The guests where keen. With some luck, we did find a huge male lion on the way up to the distent corner of the reserve. But not what we where looking for. So we carried on.At about 17h15 we found tracks of the two boys. But still we where loosing light and needed to find them before the fading light was all gone. We where stopping and doing alot of scanning around with the bioculars hoping to see them anywhere, until suddenly, at 17h35 the two boys came walking up the hill from right in front of us. relaxedthey walked right passed the vehicle and proceeded to drink from a pan called plateu pan. We did not have much light. But enough for us to follow them until the natural light had gone. Enough for the six of us tobe more than happy with the chance we had taken. And that was enough for the hour and a half drive home in the dark,to be a worth while drive.

Posted: South Africa Wildlife by Robin Marc Cheesman, Date: 1 August 2010