Frank has been a guide with Thompsons for the past 3years, based in Hazyview, a small town just outside of the southern Kruger National Park.  It was whilst Frank was guiding Thompsons' guests on one of our Kruger Wildlife Safaris, that an awesome wildlife spectacle unfolded right before their eyes! FRANK'S DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTS THAT UNFOLDED IN HIS OWN WORDS:

'It was during an afternoon drive when one of my colleagues called over the radio reporting the presence of lions at a place called Transport Dam between Pretoriuskop and Skukuza.  Safari vehicleS had been visiting the scene for a short stop and had left. On my arrival I found 7 lions lying on the dam wall watching a herd of buffalo drinking at the dam.  The lions were all quite young except for an adult female and I did not believe they would take on the buffalo who in any event were too far from them to approach effectively.  I decided to stay on the sighting a while, for my clients to view the buffalo at leisure, whilst they drank at the river and they then began to move away.
 
The adult lion female at this stage had moved off the dam wall and was lying out of sight behind a rock near where we were parked.  The buffalo started moving slowly away from the water and the young lions were lying watching them.  For some inexplicable reason the herd of buffalo led by an adult followed by another adult, followed by a calf and then the rest of the herd, started to walk onto the narrow dam wall, directly to where the young lions were lying.  The lions had no cover and I was then intrigued by the developing situation.  One of the guests asked me what I thought would happen and based on past experience I told them the lions would run away.  I had no sooner expressed this opinion than one of the lions did in fact turn and slink off out of sight.  The buffalo kept walking in single file towards the lions apparently unaware of them and the lions moved closer to one another and crouched down in a threatening posture.  When the lead buffalo was about 15-20 metres from the lions, it suddenly stopped and started tossing his head about.  At that stage everything happened so fast that I cannot recall whether the buffalo turned and started to run away or if the lioness charged and they then ran.  In any event the lions all charged the fleeing buffalo.  They ran past the two adults and jumped on the calf who fell into the dam with the lions still attached to it.  The rest of the lions were all busy attacking the buffalo calf in the water while the rest of the herd ran away.  Suddenly a huge crocodile grabbed hold of the buffalo calf and a tug-of-war ensued between the lions and the crocodile.  The lions were victorious dragging the buffalo calf out of the water and up the bank with the crocodile hanging on its' leg before it finally relinquished its' grip.
 
By now the herd had regrouped, turned and amidst a cloud of dust they charged the lions who were busy mauling the poor calf lying on the ground.  The lioness tried to stand her ground but was tossed into the air by one of the buffalo.  The other lions lost their nerve and fled with the aggressive buffalo behind them.  As if this wasn't enough the calf stood up and was enveloped by the herd who moved off.  UNBELIEVABLE!!'

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:

What other fantastic game sightings have you experienced in Kruger?
I have seen interactions with buffalo and lion but never on this scale.  I saw a chameleon crossing the road and was about to get out of the vehicle to move it when a snake shot out of the bush and grabbed the chameleon!  On a night safari on the Wolhuter Safari I saw 2 adult porcupines with 2 babies.  Three of the porcupines walked away and one of the babies walked underneath the vehicle and stood next to it calling its' mother.  I saw 3 lionesses kill a zebra right next to my vehicle and 2 wild dogs once killed a steenbok next to my vehicle.  Etc etc

What humorous wildlife encounters / game sightings can you tell us about?

I was watching some guinea fowl having a sand bath on the side of the road.  A squirrel was running across the road watching us and most have thought the guinea fowl was a rock because it jumped onto its' back!  Both the squirrel and the guinea fowl nearly had a heart attack!  I find baboons  humorous, there was a troop playing in the trees - one jumped from one branch to another and the branch broke - down came the baboon looking very embarrassed!

What do you enjoy the most about your job?
Being with people who are seeing wild creatures for the first time.  It makes me appreciate what I have and ensures that I never take things for granted.

What are your qualifications and where have you worked previously in the 'wildlife business'?
I am a level III guide with special knowledge of dangerous animal behavior (SKS III).  I have worked at a game lodge in Hluhluwe in KwaZulu Natal where I was responsible for guiding, marketing, anti-poaching and game capture.  I have worked in the Sabi Sands for a private lodge guiding as well as management of the lodge itself.  I have also worked for the Kruger National Park in management, guiding and wilderness trails.

What is your favourite 'place' within the Kruger Park and do you have any special connections or love of any particular animal or bird within the Park?
My favourite place was Shimuweni, a bushveld camp that I used to manage in the Kruger.  My favourite place now is the Wolhuter Camp and surrounding areas which I visit on the walks.  I try to get across to my guests, that all animals and birds are equally important and we should not put a species above another just because we find it beautiful but being human and fallible I would say that the leopard is my favourite - its sheer presence even if you only catch a glimpse of it, is breathtaking.

What is special about a Thompsons Wolhuter Safari?

The camp at the Wolhuter makes it a special experience.  Everything about it - the staff, the setting, the food and the ambience.  When the game drive is over and the sun goes down, that's when the adventure begins!!  The sounds of the bush, knowing what could be out there - the stories around the camp fire.  Just doing it!!