Our monthly Wildlife Watch Wednesday, a release of images from our guests and guides from the last month, is showcased here this week and is anything but the regular.
Guests were writing to me this month about a spectacular interaction between a lion and a buffalo that was captured on film. Meanwhile, a leopard, during a separate sighting, spent the day near one of our vehicles, repeatedly calling for a mate. At the time, I was sitting with painted dogs at Sitatunga Private Island. Later, a young leopard ‘was playing’ with some warthogs. All these were amazing moments to share in, so the FOMO didn’t kick in, but it is hard not to want to be everywhere.
We are getting up close and personal in each of our safari camps, almost as if we (as humans in a vehicle) no longer exist, invisible to the intricate dance of nature all around us. This is a true nirvana for me, something I have always strived for in our interface with wildlife.
We have always believed that in our job, if an animal notices us and looks at the camera, we have failed; if it charges and interacts, we have failed a second time.
This is one of those well-trained guiding principles we adhere to at Great Plains, which allows for these stunning images. It is based on being as invisible as possible and learning to be patient. We do not tolerate the clicks, hisses, and banging against the side of the vehicle to get wildlife to look up for ‘that shot’. I am delighted to see none of that in this month’s submissions.
Good guides make for great experiences and good images on a photographic safari. When you have been with an excellent guide, who lives by a code of ethical conduct, it feels right – a real accomplishment and satisfying, especially if you return home with fantastic images too.
Please remember that all our Réserve-Collection safari camps – Sitatunga Private Island, Duba Plains, Zarafa, Selinda, Tembo Plains, ol Donyo Lodge, Mara Plains, Mara Nyika, and Mara Toto Tree Camp – are equipped with the latest Canon cameras and professional lenses in each suite. This means you don’t have to carry your own gear around the world when embarking on a safari with us.
Come as you are!
All the best
