There’s a Meerkat On My Head!

Share on:  

When I heard we were going to visit Jack’s Camp, as part of a whirlwind trip recently to Botswana, I was so excited, as I had heard of the meerkats there that have been habituated to humans.

Guide extraordinaire, Super (yes Super is SUPER!), realising that my colleague, Wendy Bruens, and I had only one night at Jack’s Camp, decided to take us out for a special drive so that we could get to see as much of the beautiful area that is Makgadikgadi, before leaving the next morning.

Super teamed up with Cobra, a Bushman who has been part of Jack’s Camp and the Bousfield Family staff for over 50 years!   I had always heard of the legendary tracking skills of Bushmen, but had never seen it in action until this day.  They headed out and even though it was midday and the light not right for photography, I really wanted to get a shot of zebra on the famous pans.  True to his word, Super got me in position and whilst not, the best shot, I got one!

Cobra                                         Super!

Then we went onto the pans proper, and this is where the tracking came into play.  Lions had killed a zebra earlier, but all that was left was a carcass and the lions had moved off.  I have been on more game drives than most, but have never had the interpretive experience that followed.  Cobra and Super had us get off the vehicle and showing us the clear spoor on the ground recounted the events of a few hours earlier.  We were shown where one zebra had been attacked, but managed to get away, another spot where you could see where the lion had jumped onto the back of the zebra, how its front hooves had dug in and where the fatal bite had been administered,  and then how it is been dragged off.  Another baby had just escaped and jumped clear – it was an incredible experience to see the whole event unfolding through their interpretation of spoor and marks on the ground.

We then headed out onto the vast pans.  This area is strkingly beautiful and stark.  Super decided to have a little fun with us here!

Then once again, we were off and a final stop at the meerkat den.  Let me make it clear – these are WILD meerkats.  They have not been tamed and you are told not to try and stroke or touch them.  However, for the past few years, a human has been with them from day to day and they have got used to his presence.

They were happily foraging when I went to sit close to one of the many burrows they have.  I now was the highest point in the landscape and a great vantage point from which to look for their enemies.  One of them had soptted an eagle and so he climbed up my back.  However, he needed his fellow spotters to verify this and  that is when the flood gates opened!  Suddenly I had four of them sitting on my shoulders and on my arm.  As soon as they realised the eagle was closing in, I had served my purpose and they were gone – all off them into their burrows.   As for the eagle – even with binoculars we could not see him –that is how strong their eyes are!

Next morning we popped by to see them again on our way out.  After a delicious breakfast in the bush, we were on the plane again and heading up to Selinda where another treat awaited us at Zarafa Camp.

Click here to see more of my pictutres from Botswana!