Tent Travels: An evening with the painted wolves

ANY virtual tour of South Africa’s national parks has to start with our flagship game reserve, our great and diverse, wonder-filled and world renowned Kruger National Park.

A huge slab of conserved wilderness, this pristine piece of Africa, roughly 20 000 square kilometres in area, is about the size of Wales. To give an idea of its magnitude, the drive between Pafuri Gate, at its northern tip, and Malelane Gate, at its southern boundary, is 454km long, a journey of about 18 hours, travelling at the Kruger speed limits.

Together with conserved areas and game reserves in Mozambique and Zimbabwe, the park is now part of part of The Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, in area some 35 000 square kilometres and one of the largest protected areas in Africa.

Given its size, it is not surprising that Kruger offers visitors such variety. Situated in the well-watered eastern section of South Africa, it is a place of mighty rivers, sweeping valleys and broad, lush flood plains, of undulating savannah, low, rolling hills, striking granite formations and hazy blue mountains. The vegetation is as varied as the topography – bushveld, grassy plains, endless vistas of mopane woodlands and scrub, beautiful mixed woodlands, giant baobabs and regal riverine trees. Tree huggers can look for more than 300 tree species within this well-endowed park.

With all this variety, it is not surprising that Kruger is home to an amazing number of creatures great and small. There are about 150 mammal species and visitors have a very good chance of spotting the big five, even on a fairly short visit. It is a paradise for birders, too, boasting a bird list of over 500. Then there are the reptile species, more than 100 of them, the 50-odd fish, about 35 amphibian species and more than 200 types of butterflies.

Kruger grows on you. On our first visit, used to more untamed, less populated wild places, we found it a little too commercialised. However, its is such a magnificent park, offering such superb wildlife experiences and excellent, well-maintained facilities, that we have learnt to overlook its disadvantages.

On our many subsequent visits we have come to appreciate its comforts and conveniences and to tolerate the crowds in popular camps, the rather busy main roads and even the notorious lion traffic jams. We’ve also discovered many quiet back roads and lesser known places where we can escape from the madding crowds. Every visit to Kruger offers new perspectives and understanding of its dynamics – and greater appreciation of what it has to offer.

I have had so many wonderful experiences in Kruger. We once spent a few days in Satara just after a mega-pride of lions had moved into the area. What amazing lion sightings we had there. We’ve had a couple of quality leopard sighting in Kruger, too, and it is hard to beat the joy of watching bath time for a large family group of Kruger elephants.

If I have to single out a favourite memory it is of a peaceful, relaxed and, as it turned out, a very special evening drive along the little loop roads around Pretoriuskop.

The sun is low in the sky and we are on our way home. We turn a corner and there, lying in the road, right in front of us, is a single, heart-stoppingly beautiful African wild dog. Many, many years ago, I caught a tantalising glimpse of a pack of wild dogs melting into the long grass at Mana Pools in Zimbabwe. Since then this animal has become my `unicorn’, the creature everyone else sees regularly but, to me, remains so elusive I am beginning to doubt its existence.

We edge a little closer. So intent am I on the magical creature in front of me that I don’t even notice what is happening behind us. Bill tells me to look back and I am thrilled to see four more painted wolves walking in single file towards the car. They walk right past the passenger door of our vehicle, almost within touching distance, and join the one in front of us, twittering their greetings.

The wild dogs are almost clownish creatures, quite adorable with their big, round ears, bright eyes and plumy tails. Each one sports a unique shaggy coat in striking patterns of black, white and tan. They are so alert, so inquisitive, so filled with life. I want to reach out and hug them.

A few other vehicles have stopped to watch the wild dogs. We reverse a little to allow new arrivals a better view. Looking around us it is clear that everyone else is as awed by these painted wolves as we are. It is an unforgettable, magical experience.

The sound of a vehicle engine starting up breaks the spell. It is getting late and we all need to be heading back to camp. The vehicle edges forward and we all reluctantly follow suite. Amazingly, the wild dogs join the procession, loping along in between the cars, quite relaxed, as if they were joining in some sort of game. Then, at some unseen signal, they suddenly peel off the road and disappear into the surrounding bush.

It is sobering to think that the gorgeous creatures that have given us so much joy are so very endangered. Will there still be painted wolves to enchant our grandchildren one day?