Collected Moments of Survival

A Rüppels Griffon vulture coming in to land. A Lappet-Faced Vulture up close. Sometimes, one writes something and uses references from personal experience only to find out later that perhaps what you said isn’t quite accurate. And so it was pointed out to me that the information I had been given about Africa’s vultures was not quite correct.  This set me off on a research binge and then I discovered that the correction to my information was not quite correct either, or should I say, it could not be set in stone as the only behaviour of certain vultures. I will explain. The incorrect information I was given is that the Hooded Vulture is the vulture first on the scene at a kill/carcass and that they will open up the carcass if there is no predator already doing the job. The correction I was given is that it is the Lappet Faced Vulture, with its strong beak will be first on the scene and will open up the carcass. However, there is a danger in generalizations and of course, I think...

The divine brunch prepared by the Sorceress in the kitchens of Tree Camp at Londolozi goes down a treat. Then it’s off to our heavenly “chateau” – you can’t call the digs at Londolozi “rooms” – it is tantamount to an insult to the glorious luxury in which we are ensconced between the game drives.  After a quick spit and polish and a short 40 winks it is time to head off again. The rain has lifted slightly and although there is still cloud cover the quality of the light is encouraging. Decision made we head back to the Lion sighting of the morning. More likely than not, the Lions will have found the unfortunate Wildebeest as the Vultures had been gathering when we left the sighting earlier. From a distance we can already see the circling Vultures. As we near the sighting the presence of the birds of doom is overwhelming. They adorn every tree and bush while there is an ominous gathering taking place on the ground. The Wildebeest is no more and one of the coalition Lio...