22 Aug Our Game Lodge’s Next Generation of Big Five Babies
Our Game Lodge’s Next Generation of Big Five Babies
Amongst all the fine game lodges in the South African bushveld wilderness areas, establishments that are home to the famous big five species – like our exclusive game lodge, Fifty Seven Waterberg – are undoubtedly the most sought after. The principal reasons why this is so are straightforward.
Because of these wild animals’ reputation as being the most dangerous land mammals, which may attack and kill human beings, given certain circumstances, visitors to game reserves and guests at lodges all want to see and observe the fabled big five, free in their natural environment and behaving as nature intended.
Big Five Little Ones
Fifty Seven Waterberg’s lodge is situated in a private Limpopo wildlife conservancy, Welgevonden Game Reserve. The varied terrain and lovely landscapes create the ideal wildlife habitat for most species, as well as the guests who come to the Waterberg to see them in a pristinely natural, completely wild environment.
All animal babies are cute, none more so than the babies of wild animals that one does not see every day, particularly Welgevonden’s and our lodge’s fascinating big five’s little ones.
- African elephant calves are the sweetest looking little replicas of the largest land mammals on earth, minus tusks. From birth, a calf is welcomed by each member of the herd. It is a treat to watch these tiny elephants clumsily try to emulate their seniors, while their mothers remain ever watchful of their antics.
- A lioness typically gives birth to a litter of three or four cubs, occasionally fewer or up to six. She will seclude herself in a thicket, where she feels safe during the birthing process and stay there, feeding and tending to her cubs or move them to a new safe location, where they will all remain until the mother lioness is ready to introduce her rapidly growing babies to the pride. Little kittens are cute; lion cubs are curious, playful, and simply adorable.
- Solitary leopard mothers’ litters consist of two or three cubs. These cuddly looking, soon to be fierce, tree-climbing kitties stay with their mums until they are able to hunt and sustain themselves, generally at the age of about 18 months, when each youngster goes off on its own to eventually perpetuate this elusive game species.
- After a gestation period of approximately 16 months, rhino cows produce one calf. Twin births are rare. Little ones remain with cows for roughly two years, learning how to be an often cantankerous, seemingly bad-tempered rhino, which charges at almost anything, because its hearing is excellent, but eyesight is comparatively poor.
- Baby buffalos are cute, as are all game and big five babies, but since they somewhat resemble domesticated cattle, they possibly attract a little less attention than the other members of the big five group.
There is every likelihood that you will see your big five favourites when you book your accommodation at our five-star game lodge in Welgevonden.