I think one of the things we love most about our job is the unpredictability of what happens at Londolozi. Driven by meeting new people, making friends, and of course, the wildlife, no day is ever the same. Personally, what drives me a little extra is the possibility of witnessing a dream sighting. That dream sighting, however, may be completely different from that of another guide or guest. And it’s not just one dream sighting—it’s the potential for many.
The funny thing is that when you eventually, if at all, get to that moment, you either find yourself wanting to see it again, or something entirely new suddenly becomes the next dream. Personally, one of my dream sightings has always been to see a cub being carried, either by a lion or a leopard. But to be honest, any cub carry would be a dream. The possibility of seeing this is low, but there is still a possibility—and sometimes that’s all you need.
What I’ve come to realise over time, though, is that even with these dream sightings in mind, there is so much more that drives us. From big animals to the smallest creatures, from beautiful flowers to the incredible vistas we are lucky enough to experience here at Londolozi, it all plays a part.
It was an early morning the other day when one of these unexpected moments came to me. I was walking to camp bright and early to grab a coffee before my guests came down to the Varty Deck for their morning warm-up. As I walked through the car park, I noticed a thick-tailed bushbaby. But there wasn’t just one—three tiny fluff balls followed close behind her. I had never seen bushbaby babies before, and seeing them just five meters away in the open had me completely losing my mind.
What happened next was something I never expected. The mother ran across the car park with two of the three babies, climbed a tree, and then ran back across again. This time, however, she was carrying one of the babies. Now I can’t technically call it a cub carry, as there isn’t a specific term for a baby bushbaby, but to me, it felt exactly like one.
One of the guests I was driving that morning was an ex-head guide at Londolozi from the early 2000s. I told him the story and showed him a video of the sighting. He assured me that not many people had ever seen something like that before, nor had he heard of it in over 30 years in the safari industry.
It was an incredible way to start the day, and I honestly don’t think I’ll ever see that again. So please feel free to tell me—have you ever seen something like this, or heard of anyone who has?
Dean Jenkins
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