There is also the Animal Crèche close to the Kiosk. This is the place for hands-on
contact with groups of lion cubs in their play areas. The kids watched the cubs at
play and dodged huge storks while I paid the R30 a head fee and completed the indemnity
form. Then it was time for us to enter. Last time we went into the lions’ enclosure
with the tiny cubs but this time they took us to two older white lion cubs. They
were bigger than my three 3-year old grandson would be on hands and knees and definitely
would be much taller if they were to stand up against him. ‘Approach from the back,’
said the guide. Looking at those teeth and huge paws, I knew why Justin was holding
my hand like a vice. He was being appropriately respectful towards a wild animal.
‘Lions bite,’ he warned me. The lions clearly did not find him equally intimidating.
Within a few minutes he was radiating joy – ‘He likes me,’ he crooned happily as
he stroked one blue-eyed cub. When the same cub rolled over onto his back I reached
out to rub his chest as I would one of our dogs. Immediately the paws grabbed my
hand and the jaw flashed forward to bite. Lesson learned! Lions do bite!
The wildlife in the reserve is prolific and provides more frequent viewing than the
vast Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga. The difference is that you won’t see a kill
happening in this part of the Cradle of Humankind. Animals roam free and safe on
these gentle hills while predators have their own dedicated encampments. There are
no elephants, giraffe or most other tree eaters because such animals are sensitive
to toxins from trees that aren’t in their natural habitat and would die here. The
variety of other game is super and the animals are in great condition!
After the spring lambing there are abundantly more animals in the veld than we saw
last June in mid-winter. The veld is lush after a hot rainy summer season. The long
green grass provides a secure and comfortable place for antelope to rest. Often the
only sign of their presence is a long neck or horns emerging from the grass. A tick
bird on a large mound turned out to be perching on the largest of a pair of Cape
buffalo. Moving grass alerted us to small families of warthogs trotting from place
to place, as they foraged between bushy weeds. A big tortoise watched an ostrich
take a dust bath as two mongoose trotted closer. Even the rare sable antelope was
there - several stood proud and alone in the veld. There was no need to repeat my
2002 dawn game drive in Namibia to see sables and gemsbok – they were right here
in all their splendour in the Cradle of Humankind.
Part 1, 2, 3, 4
