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Limpopo-Lipadi Wildlife Blog
Reserve
Tue
21 Mar
2023
It’s all in the (ground hornbill) family
Besides the smaller hornbill species (yellow-, red- and grey-billed) Limpopo-Lipadi boasts the presence of some Southern ground-hornbills. If they are…
Community
Mon
13 Mar
2023
Art Week at Limpopo-Lipadi
In March, 12-15 invited artists, crafters and curators will be gathering at Limpopo-Lipadi for Art Week – the first event…
Sightings
Fri
10 Mar
2023
A new generation of wild dogs
Shareholders Paul and Cheryl have over the years compiled an incredible amount of data and stories of the Reserve’s wild…
Sightings
Mon
06 Mar
2023
Those rare tawny eagles
Birding season is still very much on. And although theses tawny eagles are not migratory but year-round residents, shareholder Conny…
Sightings
Sat
25 Feb
2023
Counting our wildlife
Bi-annually we at Limpopo-Lipadi do an elaborate count of our animals, to see which animals are thriving, others who may…
Sightings
Mon
20 Feb
2023
Limpopo-Lipadis giant baobabs
With our bias on wildlife animals (and often less so on the abundant flora of the Reserve), shareholder Conny wants…
Sightings
Sun
12 Feb
2023
Feeding frenzy
It had been a couple of weeks since the Limpopo-Lipadi wild dog family had made a (visual) appearance. They seemed…
Sightings
Sat
04 Feb
2023
Of fledgelings and birds of prey
Birds’ breeding season is in full force. So many birds raising their fledgelings before they fly off from their place…
Sightings
Wed
25 Jan
2023
In love with the leopards of Limpopo-Lipadi
Every once in a while shareholder Anton takes his family to Limpopo-Lipadi. It may not seem obvious to some of…
Sightings
Thu
19 Jan
2023
Boisterous baby elephant
There are times at Limpopo-Lipadi that you don’t see our elephant breeding herd at all, but then there are days…
Sightings
Mon
16 Jan
2023
What was on the croc’s menu?
Shareholder Conny recently visited the reserve end of November with her friends and they were witness to some rather unusual…
Sightings
Wed
04 Jan
2023
Meet the ‘house pets’ around the lodges
Some of the nicest or cutest ways to encounter wildlife is not always when you drive out in the Reserve,…
Sightings
Mon
26 Dec
2022
Leopards galore
The number of leopards that shareholders Paul and Cheryl spotted during their recent stay is incredible. Although there still is…
Reserve
Fri
16 Dec
2022
Bush dinners: the best way to spend an evening
One of the most fun things of safari life is that nature provides the best décor for your everyday routine…
Sightings
Thu
08 Dec
2022
Patience pays off
Nature is quite unpredictable, so we all as shareholders accept that there will be visits with many good sightings, but…
Sightings
Wed
23 Nov
2022
Leopards are thriving at Limpopo-Lipadi
Shareholders Paul and Cheryl Freund finally made it back to Limpopo-Lipadi last October after almost three years of Covid break….
Sightings
Sun
20 Nov
2022
Youngsters are the cutest
Shareholder Guido spent some fabulous weeks in the Reserve. Read what he contemplates: “In my view all young animals are…
Sightings
Wed
16 Nov
2022
Why elephants love fresh Mopane leaves
After winter’s dryness and sometimes well before the summer rains start, the mopane trees begin to pop their ‘elephant ear’…
Sightings
Wed
28 Sep
2022
Wild dogs at play
Limpopo-Lipadi’s emblematic wild dogs travel across the reserve in a matter of hours. The whole reserve of 20,500 hectares is…
Community
Fri
23 Sep
2022
Motse
During the Covid 19 pandemic we all realized the importance of hand-washing as a means of preventing the spread of…
Community
Sat
17 Sep
2022
Motse
Community representatives from the 4 schools in Tsetsebjwe and Moletemane urgently requested duplicators, as they had been unable to create…
Reserve
Mon
12 Sep
2022
If you’re small, you must be smart
“If you’re small, you must be smart Limpopo-Lipadi’s elephant breeding herd roams across the reserve, but there is a pattern in where they prefer…
Reserve
Thu
25 Aug
2022
Eye to eye
Shareholder Mauro has lots of reflective moments when driving around in the Reserve and looking eye to eye with the…
Reserve
Fri
19 Aug
2022
The joy of taking a mud bath
As shareholders we cannot emphasise enough how incredible it is to be able to enjoy the bush at your own…
Reserve
Fri
12 Aug
2022
Medical equipment for the clinics
Earlier this year, the Motse Committee (the community outreach arm of Limpopo-Lipadi) purchased much-needed medical equipment for clinics in the…
Reserve
Mon
08 Aug
2022
Happy baby tidings!
We are over the moon to announce the birth of an impressive litter of 12 wild dog pups! They were…
Reserve
Fri
29 Jul
2022
The amazing privilege of being a shareholder of the Reserve
During a recent stay shareholder Mauro described how amazing it is to be a part of Limpopo-Lipadi and its eco-system:…
Reserve
Thu
21 Jul
2022
Leopard lazing on marula tree
Stumbling across a leopard is the safari goer’s dream, especially when this elusive cat is sitting perched on the branch…
Community
Fri
15 Jul
2022
What is Motse?
What is Motse? Motse means ‘community’ in Setswana, the language most widely spoken in Botswana. By happy accident, the word…
Sightings
Wed
13 Jul
2022
Camera trapping – science…but fun!
Operations Manager Duane keeps a close watch on Limpopo-Lipadi’s flora and fauna and works with a Reserve Management Plan to…
Reserve
Fri
08 Jul
2022
Winter skies and the Milky Way over Limpopo-Lipadi
Recently, shareholder Mauro spent some exceptional days with family and friends at Limpopo-Lipadi. One night he took out his camera…
Sightings
Mon
27 Jun
2022
Impala crossing
There are days that it is quite a challenge to spot animals, especially when the bush is thick in some…
Sightings
Sun
19 Jun
2022
Morning coffee with giraffes in queue
That we as shareholders are mere intruders in the space of the wildlife in our Reserve, was once again made…
Sightings
Mon
13 Jun
2022
The early bird catches the… cricket
This European Roller had a good start of the day when his breakfast was simply flying past it one morning,…
Reserve
Wed
08 Jun
2022
Cold winter mornings, bright sunny days
Oh my, Botswana winter nights can be cold – if only to warm up very quickly after sunrise, usually with…
Sightings
Wed
25 May
2022
Best way to start the day
Picture this: a beautiful morning where the cry of the African fish eagle resonates far and beyond the African horizon. We…
Sightings
Tue
17 May
2022
Peek-a-booh: brown hyena pup
With an endangered brown hyena population across Southern Africa, Limpopo-Lipadi is very lucky to have a healthy brown hyena population….
Sightings
Tue
10 May
2022
All out for a sunset with the wild dogs
Limpopo-Lipadi’s shareholders have the exclusive front seat to the best things a safari has to offer, like enjoying the bush…
Sightings
Thu
05 May
2022
Our plentiful visit
Shareholders Guido and Nancy were at the Reserve in March and were – as you can read here – very…
Reserve
Mon
25 Apr
2022
Wild dogs at play
Wild dogs at play Limpopo-Lipadi’s emblematic wild dogs travel across the reserve in a matter of hours. The whole reserve…
Reserve
Sun
17 Apr
2022
Never be in a rush
Never be in a rush, you never know what is behind the next bush Shareholder Conny Krauss spent some fantastic…
Reserve
Sun
10 Apr
2022
Vulture Safe Zone at Limpopo-Lipadi
It is often the case in modern day Nature Conservation that iconic animals, especially the cute and cuddly, or majestic…
Reserve
Tue
05 Apr
2022
Rainy Season’s Finale
On his first trip in three years, shareholder Ian took his 85-year old father with him, so this was a…
Sightings
Fri
25 Mar
2022
The elusive Leopard
As it happens, Limpopo-Lipadi has quite an impressive leopard population, but even the regularly visiting shareholder sometimes finds it hard…
Sightings
Thu
17 Mar
2022
The incident with the crocodile and the waterbuck
More adventures of Martina and Jost during their stay at the Reserve. “In front of our lodge we saw a…
Sightings
Thu
10 Mar
2022
Birders best season
The green summer season is sometimes viewed by some as less exciting, as it can be very hard to see…
Reserve
Sat
05 Mar
2022
Traffic in the Bush
Shareholder Martina and her partner Jost spent about four weeks in the reserve. So many incredible adventures to tell. Here…
Reserve
Fri
25 Feb
2022
Sundowner bliss with animal parade
Sometimes you need a bit of luck and some calculations. While driving around the reserve on a rather uneventful evening…
Reserve
Fri
18 Feb
2022
Fly, pray, dive, catch, swallow, repeat
Sitting on the banks of the mighty Limpopo river is like going on a game drive without using your vehicle,…
Reserve
Fri
11 Feb
2022
Southern Plains is a place of abundance
With a second year of good rains the reserve is looking so green and lush and the animals seem to…
Reserve
Sat
05 Feb
2022
Summertime… and the livin’ is (slightly more) easy
After some good rains in the past months, the reserve looks in mint condition: the grass stands tall, the Limpopo…
Sightings
Mon
31 Jan
2022
The story of the croc and the water thick-knee
These are harrowing times for some creatures. Shareholders witnessed a lot of wing-flapping and screeching going on at one of the sandy islands in the Limpopo River. Read more about the water thick-knees and the small croc in the Limpopo-River.
Sightings
Mon
24 Jan
2022
Wild dogs thriving at Limpopo-Lipadi
The emblematic Limpopo-Lipadi wild dog is critically endangered. We used to have more than 35 wild dogs until rabies wreaked havoc on the pack. Now, with a new alpha male and female, this pack is looking strong and healthy again.
Sightings
Mon
17 Jan
2022
So many birds!
Limpopo-Lipadi has such a variety of birds that are often overlooked when searching for the bigger animals. These beautifully colourful birds are hard to find at times, but it’s interesting to learn about their behaviour.
Sightings
Sun
09 Jan
2022
A Bit Too Close for Comfort?
This photo of Nigel Nicholls in Limpopo-Lipadi is magnificent. Alison managed to make it look like he was sitting quite peacefully on a folding chair right in front of the lions.
Reserve
Tue
14 Dec
2021
Summer means fresh leaves
It’s summer in the southern hemisphere! The first rains have fallen, some animals are dropping their babies, and fresh chewy, green leaves are decorating the trees for some that can reach high enough, like this giraffe.
Sightings
Tue
14 Dec
2021
Is This Elephant Left-handed?
Did you know that elephants usually have one tusk that they use more than the other (just as humans have one dominant hand)? This elephant bull seems to be left-handed.
Sightings
Tue
14 Dec
2021
Elephants splashing
Spring and summer days in Botswana can be incredibly hot and what is better during these hot months than taking a mud bath at sunset. It cools the elephants off, protects them from insect bites and serves as sunscreen.
Conservation
Mon
13 Dec
2021
Such luck to witness real-time conservation
Shareholders Guido and Nancy were lucky to witness a few conservation projects during their stay at Limpopo-Lipadi. Read the story of their first adventure, the relocation of some of our lions to other parts of Botswana.
Reserve
Mon
06 Dec
2021
All is well at Limpopo-Lipadi
Longtime shareholders, Walt and Thea finally made it back to the reserve after a long break from travelling. They are soaking up the goodness of being back.
Sightings
Mon
29 Nov
2021
Sit and Wait
Sometimes you see more by sitting in a hide (blind) and waiting for the wildlife to come to you. Alison filmed these beautiful zebras one quiet morning.
Sightings
Mon
22 Nov
2021
Stuck in the Middle of the Breeding Herd
On her recent stay, Martina Glatzl got stuck in the middle of an elephant herd, but it wasn’t an ordinary herd.
Conservation
Mon
15 Nov
2021
Wildebeest Re-introduction
We released 124 blue wildebeest into the reserve at the end of October. The capture and release went flawlessly, and we didn’t suffer a single mortality, which is amazing since it was 42ºC—in the shade!
Reserve
Mon
08 Nov
2021
How far is far enough?
When we did the initial planning for the 2020 Elephant Translocation, the DWNP indicated that one of the prerequisite permit…
Reserve
Fri
29 Oct
2021
Did You Set the Alarm?
Have you ever been woken by a real bushveld alarm clock? Alison Nicholls has. She recalls being woken by the sounds of an alarm clock one morning, only to realise that it was in fact a crested barbet.
Reserve
Mon
25 Oct
2021
Weird and Wonderful Giraffe Anatomy
Have you ever wondered about the anatomy of giraffes? Well, wonder no more.
Sightings
Mon
18 Oct
2021
Nightlife in Limpopo-Lipadi
Shareholder Martina had a nice long stay at Limpopo-Lipadi. She was lucky to have the most amazing sightings—especially at night.
Reserve
Mon
04 Oct
2021
New hope for endangered wild dogs
Our operations manager, Duane recently spotted a wild dog pup, bringing new hope to the reserve’s endangered but beloved wild dogs! They are the second most endangered animal in Africa, with a population of ± 6 600. What a great way to start the week!
Reserve
Mon
13 Sep
2021
Wild dog puppy spotted!
What a great way to start the week! Our reserve manager, Duane spotted a wild dog puppy a few weeks ago. We’re not quite sure if there are more, but for now, we’re just over the moon about this one new member of the pack!
Conservation
Mon
06 Sep
2021
To Be an Acacia, or a Vachellia, That’s the Question!
In 1986, Australian botanist, taxonomist and geneticist, Leslie Pedley, made the suggestion that Acacias be divided into three groups, as it was generally felt that the genus, acacia—with 1 400 species—was too complicated. Read more.
Reserve
Mon
23 Aug
2021
Getting to know wild dogs
It’s no secret that we carry a special torch for wild dogs here at Limpopo-Lipadi. These endangered canines are protected on our reserve. Here are ten interesting facts you might not have known about African wild dogs.
Sightings
Mon
16 Aug
2021
Hippo Life
Hippos are living the life with the Limpopo River still flowing strong. In a while, the river will drop and they will have to find refuge downstream, but for now, we can still enjoy them at Harry’s Camp.
Sightings
Mon
09 Aug
2021
Keeping an Eagle Eye
With the exceptional rains of the summer, the grass is still standing tall, and bushes and trees are still full of leaves. Although it’s beautifully green, it does make it difficult to spot game. Luckily birds are easy to spot higher up in the trees.
Sightings
Mon
02 Aug
2021
A rare enough encounter with the wild dogs
Operations manager Duane seems to have all the luck, seeing Limpopo-Lipadi’s pack of wild dogs more often than anyone else. Recently, he noticed that the alpha female is showing signs of pregnancy. Hopefully, we’ll see some pups soon!
Conservation
Mon
26 Jul
2021
Giraffe capture and relocation
July kicked off a busy wildlife management month for us at Limpopo-Lipadi, with our first order of business being the sale and translocation of three giraffes to a neighbouring game farm. Read here how the capture and relocation process works.
Sightings
Mon
19 Jul
2021
Elephants in the River
On the riverside, where most lodges are, you’ll regularly see a group of five roaming elephant bulls. Recently, they were spotted crossing the water into South Africa—without papers, passports or PCR tests. How lucky that we get to see them in the reserve!
Sightings
Mon
12 Jul
2021
Morning Traffic
Mornings are cold this time of year, and the guinea fowl have taken to the habit of warming up on the sandy roads. Run, run, run… That is what they do before at long last they lift off and get out of our way.
Reserve
Mon
05 Jul
2021
Happy To Be Back
After one and a half years and two cancelled attempts, shareholder Eric was delighted to finally be able to return to a beautifully plush reserve and spend some time in the Botswana bush.
Reserve
Mon
14 Jun
2021
The Lions of the Southern Pride
The lion is king of the African bush, even at Limpopo-Lipadi. Alessandro Gruzza took some beautiful photographs of a nine-year-old male and his pride when he visited our beloved reserve earlier this year. Read his story.
Reserve
Mon
07 Jun
2021
Autumn
To some people autumn signifies the end of a year of life. The grass that was still bright green a month ago is now a soft gold, and although this seems like the end, this is exactly when the African bush shines brightest. Read more about the beauty of winter in Africa.
Uncategorized
Mon
17 May
2021
Opening the box in a very green season
When the borders opened, new shareholder Alessandro couldn’t hold himself back any longer and made his way to Limpopo-Lipadi, equipped with a deep and genuine love for nature and a camera driven by a passion for photography. Read his story.
Conservation
Mon
26 Apr
2021
The lesser-known moss
Limpopo-Lipadi’s operations manager, Duane recently conducted a vegetation survey and was pleasantly surprised to find a reasonably extensive range of moss in our beautiful, but arid woodland environment. Read more.
Reserve
Mon
12 Apr
2021
Working on our beloved wild dogs
Working with animals has always been a part of Gabriella Postiglione’s plan. Her journey has taken her from Italy to America, Tunisia, South Africa and Botswana, where she completed her PhD working on our beloved wild dogs.
Reserve
Mon
15 Mar
2021
Cute and noisy: bush baby
During your evening drives in the reserve, you may spot their shining eyes bouncing around in your torch beam, or they may wake you up in the early hours of the morning to their ear-splitting shrieks: the elusive and incredibly cute bush baby. Read more about these cuities.
Reserve
Mon
08 Mar
2021
After the Big Five check out the Small Five
On the list of wildlife spotters is always the ‘Big Five’ (rhino, lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo). But did you know, there’s a complimentary ‘Small Five’? At Limpopo-Lipadi you can find the Big Five (save the buffalo), but also the Small Five.
Reserve
Mon
01 Mar
2021
Black-backed jackal: monogamous, social and smart
Jackals have somehow never really made the safari A-list. Monogamous, social and smart, jackals are also highly vocal and often you can often hear them calling each other while you’re having your sundowner drinks on one of our plains, so keep your ears peeled.
Reserve
Mon
22 Feb
2021
Small Five’s star performer: the dung beetle
Dung beetles spend their entire lives rolling dung uphill, living in it and fighting off pirate beetles that try to steal their hordes. Watching them puts the past year of our lives into a rather harsh perspective.
Reserve
Mon
15 Feb
2021
Remembering Limpopo-Lipadi
Shareholder and artist, Alison Nicholls takes us down memory lane to one of her fond memories of Limpopo-Lipadi. She remembers sitting in a hide with a friend and enjoying a constant constant procession of different species at the waterhole.
Reserve
Mon
08 Feb
2021
The Importance of Having Good Grass
In 2019, management and the game reserve council approached shareholders about the importance of selective bush-thinning in the reserve’s encroached and formerly overgrazed areas. We’re happy to report a positive difference in the past year.
Reserve
Mon
01 Feb
2021
Don’t Want to Leave
Shareholder Malcolm and his family made their way to our beloved reserve for a trip that way too short. Crossing borders again wasn’t as easy as it usually is due to restrictions. Read all about their experience.
Reserve
Mon
25 Jan
2021
Stuck in the Mud
We appreciate every drop of rain that as fallen during December, especially after a couple of years of sub-optimal rain. The bush is lush and the roads are like streams. Read Malcom’s story about what can happen if you try to avoid an obstacle on the road.
Reserve
Mon
18 Jan
2021
Rebirth After the Rains
So happy to be back after so many months, shareholder Malcolm and his family were soaking up the experience once again. Read all about the regeneration of the bushveld after record amounts of rain over December.
Reserve
Mon
11 Jan
2021
The Crossing
Shareholder Malcolm and his family were some of the first to make the trip back into Botswana after so many months of closed borders. His trip on the main road to the reserve was a tricky affair after record rains had fallen in December. Read his story here.
Anti Poaching
Mon
07 Dec
2020
Dehorning our rhinos to keep them safe
Dehorning of rhino has become a top poaching mitigation method over the years and is now required by law for all rhino living in Botswana.
Reserve
Mon
30 Nov
2020
Play-fighting or…?
With the first rains upon us, it will not be long before we see the first impala and wildebeest lambs. Read more about the ram’s playfighting to prepare them for adulthood.
Conservation
Mon
16 Nov
2020
Vulture Safe-Zone Initiative
Limpopo-Lipadi’s operations manager, Duane, writes about the importance of keystone species, like vultures, in our ecosystems and the role our reserve can play in preserving this vital species. Read more!
Reserve
Mon
02 Nov
2020
Botswana sunsets are the best
On one of his late afternoon inspection drives in the reserve, general manager Glen counted himself a lucky man to be able to enjoy the beautiful Botswana sunset at Tholo Dam in the company of some thirsty zebra’s.
Reserve
Mon
26 Oct
2020
Elephant Says ‘Hi’
General manager, Glen has the privilege of wandering off into the reserve whenever duty—or sometimes leisure—calls for it. And sometimes he makes a friendly encounter, like this up-close-and-personal with an elephant.
Reserve
Mon
19 Oct
2020
Those Small and Smart Steenbokkies
The season just before summer really hits us, is an excellent game-viewing season for small and shy antelope like the steenbokkie, who is proof that if you’re not strong, you’d better be smart.