An Obstinacy of Buffalo Besiege the Jamala Madikwe Waterhole

Having spent the last four years living on the Jamala Madikwe property, we have enjoyed rather rare sightings of buffalo on the open savannah in front of the main lodge. Always revered and considered with great respect as an occasion, such sightings are greeted with much enthusiasm from the entire Jamala Team.

Little did we realize that both the number of sightings and individuals within the group was about to change … for the better!

Over the past few months both the Jamala Team and our guests have been treated to multiple, and dare I say it, fairly regular sightings of “herds” or “gangs” or (a particular favorite) an obstinacy of over two hundred buffalo that absolutely love the waterhole which is situated a mere 30 meters from the deck of the main lodge.

Nico was particularly lucky to grab a few visuals, early yesterday morning, as this large herd moved in to enjoy a drink and a relaxing mud bath. The group was of such magnitude, that there was little room to accommodate the continuous stream of individuals and the odd scuffle between the less jovial of the big boys, made for a dramatic and energetic visit!

All it takes is a bit of a short fuse and these big cantankerous boys go head to head at the waterhole. The fight escalates and the two get well and truly stuck into each other.

The clash of boss on boss reverberates across the open savannah which in turn upsets the tranquility of the entire group.

The herd panics and the thunder of their hooves echo across the plains.

As the pandemonium dies down and the last of the gang of buffalo find cover in the thickets around the waterhole, a calm settles and the stage is clear … for the moment!

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