Namibia
Etosha Waterholes
Rateldraf & Klippan
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Rateldraf
Backed by low-lying hills, Rateldraf is another picturesque spot. The stonewalled reservoir and windmill are about 150 metres away from the trough and don't encroach on the scene. Also, the light for photography is good throughout the day. The action usually starts around mid-morning when Zebra, both Burchell's and the less common Hartmann's Mountain species, Giraffe and Springbok start to appear. Wary animals and expectant photographers can easily scan the distant scrub and vegetation to see what's on approach and the reddish soil adds another element when kicked-up by animals during a sprint or scuffle.
At first glance it looks as though this male lion is King of the Rateldraf waterhole, but he`s actually seriously injured. It was only when he stood up and began walking that I saw he had a very bad limp, possibly as result of a fight with another lion, or sustained during a hunt. Unable to defend himself or get his next meal, it`s doubtful that he`d survive more than a few days.
Once the lion left, this Great Bustard appeared, arrogantly strutting around before sitting in the trough to cool off. A long line of thirsty Helmeted Guinea Fowl followed.
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These Giraffes feeding among the trees were spotted beside the main Dolomite loop, just beyond the turn-off for the Klippan waterhole.
Klippan
As mentioned in the Etosha West page, other accommodation options within Etosha National Park, and most of those outside the perimeter, offer an early breakfast so that guests can take advantage of the prime game viewing period around dawn. Possibly due to the fact that there are no gates at Dolomite, the earliest you can breakfast here is 7am which is just when the sun comes up. Luckily, the two nearest waterholes, Dolomietpunt and Klippan, are only a 10-15 minute drive away, which allows over 2 hours of wildlife watching before returning to eat. The only disadvantage as we discovered, was that there probably wont be much left on the buffet table when you get back!
Our early start paid off, finding this lion and lioness, obviously on a mission, just a few hundred metres along the Klippan waterhole road. They crossed and re-crossed the road several times before locking their sights on a mixed herd of Oryx and Wildebeest beside a distant tree-line. There was no one else around and it was just like watching your own real-life wildlife documentary!
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Rather than utilise the area with thicker vegetation to their left for cover the lions made a direct approach but their intended prey took flight, throwing up a big dust cloud in the process. Fortunately for the Ostriches in range, they weren`t on the breakfast menu.
The lioness burst from cover and charged on ahead but her attack failed. Exhausted, the pair lay down and had a short nap.
The big guy must have had some energy left, however, and despite having nothing to eat for breakfast....
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Time for Seconds...
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It certainly looked as though missing out on breakfast once in a while isn`t too much of a problem!
​The local vultures had to make do with the scant remains of a putrid zebra carcass, which had no doubt been killed by this pair of lions a few days earlier.
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