The change in seasons at Londolozi is always something to behold. After months of dusty drives, brown grasses, and clear blue skies, the bush begins to come alive again. The first clouds of summer gather on the horizon with thick air of anticipation. As we transition from the dry season into the first rains, green sprouts rise from the now settled soils and pools of water fill the wallows and pans scattered across the reserve.
At first glance, a muddy pool or a shallow depression might seem insignificant across the Londolozi landscapes. Yet for many of the smaller critters, and even the larger animals, the mud wallows nothing short of essential. They are the spas of the bush for many animals and an essential place of life for others.
This blog looks at both the advantages of the dry and wet wallows, but focuses on the changes we expect going into our rainy season. For much of the dry season, the mud hardens and cracks, leaving patches of dust for the animals to roll in. Elephants, warthogs, and buffalo still make do with these important depression by throwing and rolling in the surrounding dust to coat their skin against the sun and biting insects. But as the first rains fall and the earth softens, a remarkable transformation begins.
Suddenly, old wallows spring back to life. These mud wallows that were once barren are filled with fresh, crisp rainwater, and the once lifeless dust turns to cool, sticky mud. The first to take advantage are often the warthogs. Watching them flop down and roll, grunting in satisfaction, is pure joy. Their muddy coats become armour against parasites, sunscreen for the midday heat, and perhaps, a statement of contentment after months of dryness.
Buffalo follow closely behind, churning the mud with their hooves until it’s thick enough to plaster across their hides. While other animals rush to these wallows to drink before animals as mentioned above mix the water to form a thick concentration of muddy water.
Buffalo in a waterhole is one of my favourite sightings. Often, a herd of over 500 buffalo can pass by, so you can sit there for hours watching them mud wallow and wade through the water.
For elephants, this seasonal shift is particularly special. During the dry season, they often walk long distances between shrinking waterholes. But now, with the landscape dotted with new pans and mud pockets, their bathing opportunities multiply. It’s common to see a herd of elephants approach with speed to a fresh wallow after a shower of rain.
They drink deeply first, often followed by scooping trunkfuls of mud and spraying it across their bodies in thick layers. The sound of slapping mud and soft rumbles produces a chorus of natural beauty for us in the vehicle. Once done, they sometimes wander to a nearby patch of dry sand to dust themselves off, creating a perfect mix of mud and dust.
An elephant covers itself is mud on a warm summer’s day. We watched it for 30 minutes, drinking and splashing about.
As these wallows refill, they do more than offer relief. They become miniature ecosystems, alive with frogs, insects, and birds. Terrapins emerge, dragonflies hover, and even predators take note of the new activity. This is important for predators as they might not need to concentrate around perennial water sources and spread out throughout their territories, knowing that smaller antelopes will be drawn to drink.
For guides and guests alike, these subtle seasonal changes are some of the most rewarding to witness. What was once a quiet, dusty pan becomes a focal point of life, movement, and sound. It’s a reminder that the arrival of the rains doesn’t just transform the landscape – it transforms behaviour, rhythm, and the very energy of the bush.
African Bullfrogs are something of a rarity here, and seeing this one poised on the edge of this mud wallow, potentially freshly emerged from an underground winter slumber, was a real treat!
As the season turns, the air smells different, fresh and rejuvenated. Sounds of thunder rumble in the background, and wildflowers begin to sprout. The first rains wash the dust from the trees, and the grasses flush with green. For the animals that endured the dryness, these muddy pockets are not just for comfort – they are symbols of life.
Standing beside a wallow after a recent storm, watching a warthog emerge caked in mud and utterly content, it’s hard not to smile. At the end of the day, the dry seasons may be harsh, but in that chaos lies restoration. The bush knows how to heal itself. And as life stirs once again in the puddles and pans across Londolozi, we’re reminded – every drop of rain brings with it the quiet promise of abundance.
Dean Jenkins
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