The Elusive Predators of Zululand

Most predators could be elusive and troublesome to seek out, however you solely should look in the correct place on the proper time to get a glimpse of the predators of Zululand.

Listed here are a couple of tricks to get you began:

African Wild Canines are diurnal hunters, and run lengthy distances to catch their prey. They’re most lively throughout the early hours of the day and late within the afternoon when the bush is good and funky. Search for them whereas they’re on the hunt and also you may get fortunate, but it surely does imply that you’ll have to get up additional early!

Cheetahs, like Wild Canines, are additionally daytime hunters and like to be lively when temperatures are cooler. They do, nonetheless, spend a whole lot of time resting to preserve their power as their quick, excessive pace sprinting may be very exhausting. Search for them mendacity flat on the bottom beneath the shade of some timber on sizzling days.

Leopards are nocturnal animals and use their stealth to hunt their prey. This makes them much more troublesome to see, like many predators of Zululand. They’re usually shy and really nicely camouflaged. They do, nonetheless, prefer to climb and can typically pull their kills up a tree to maintain it away from scavengers. Make sure to look out (and up) for these elusive cats, as they is likely to be hiding within the timber. To extend your probabilities even additional, go on an evening drive, the place you may see one on the prowl.

African Wild Canines, Cheetahs and Leopards are three of the precedence species and predators of Zululand that Wildlife ACT screens every year. Be a part of our Endangered and Precedence Species Monitoring programme in case you are occupied with becoming a member of us within the area.

Textual content and pictures by Wildlife ACT Precedence Species Displays on iMfolozi, Chris du Toit and Gareth Robinson