Me (on the left) and my brother David, who came to Djuma for a visit. My name is Jake McDaniel. You may remember me from a few months ago when I was an intern in the Maasai Mara. During that time I assisted in the production of the daily internet TV shows [...]
SABI SAND (Tingana on the look-out, Photo: Gabi Hossain, safariLIVE, Djuma) TINGANA December 22 While WE were taking a morning bumble we stumbled upon fresh leopard tracks which quickly led us to Djuma’s dominant male- Tingana. The leopard was sawing, his gaze consistently pointing south. The assumption was [...]
Place matters. Cultures did not develop in a vacuum, but in response to people’s surroundings. The flora and fauna in which humans were immersed determined the rhythm of daily life, social dynamics and banks of knowledge. To live so close to the land, groups of people were required to be experts in their environments. [...]
Hyenas get a bad rap. Thanks to a combination of sources, from myths to media, hyenas are seen as “bad” animals. Perhaps their appearances don’t help: they’re hardly pleasant to look upon, resembling beefy dogs with powerful, slavering jaws filled with a mouthful of bone-crushing teeth and ‘laughing’ in a fashion that disturbs many. [...]
SABI SAND MYSTERY MALE LEOPARD (Who was too sly for a pose for a decent photo...) December 19 Although WE only caught brief glimpses of this reclusive leopard, it was enough to be able to identify him as the new male leopard that was seen mating with the Ingrid Dam female last week. [...]
Last May I was watching safariLIVE from Alaska, a world away from the African wilderness. I sat, eyes glued to my screen, along with so many other viewers around the world and felt wave after wave of sympathy at the sight of Fang, the beloved elephant, in distress. The herd matriarch showed clear signs [...]
SABI SAND (An injured and dejected wild dog, Screenshot Credit: Agnes Zsiga, safariLIVE, Djuma) INVESTEC PACK (IMBALI BREAKAWAYS) December 9 WE witnessed a wild dog’s worst nightmare this week: an injury that prevented it from sticking with the pack. When we found the dog, it was alone, limping [...]
As many of you know the team has been hard at work preparing for the recently broadcast Nat Geo Wild TV show. Last week WE had an action packed private rehearsal and couldn’t help but share it with all of our loyal viewers. In this 2-hour show you will get to see lions and [...]
New life, whether human or animal, has a way of bringing everything into focus. The sight triggers a sense of awe and an overwhelming desire to care for both mother and newborn. To experience all of this with a leopard is particularly special as leopards are reclusive creatures, not inclined to interact with any [...]
When life is on the line, whether human or animal, it is instinctual to be on the side of life. But just as death requires life, life requires death. Our awareness of our own mortality and concepts of morality make this truth uncomfortable to many of us. Collectively we tend to be at odds [...]
