The entire Big Five is well represented in Sabi Sand and other rare animals, such as the cheetah and hyena are often sighted. Various antelope species, from impala, waterbuck and duiker to kudu, bushbuck and nyala can also be seen, as can giraffe and warthog. However, it is the leopard that is the real star of the show at Sabi Sand, with the area well known for some of the best leopard experiences in Africa. This shy and elusive animal, normally the most solitary of the African cats is often viewed both in daylight hours and during game drives.

A number of lion prides have territories in the Sabi Sand area and are regularly spotted on game drives. Although not as common as the leopard or lion, the cheetah is also a frequent sight at Sabi Sand. Built for speed instead of power, this formidable predator generally hunts during the day when its rivals, the lion and the leopard, are resting. This daytime hunting habit occasionally creates spectacular sightings of the fastest animal in the world in action. The fascinating social structure of the spotted hyena can also be clearly observed in a number of packs in the Sabi Sand.

Sabi Sand also boasts an ample array of bird life, ranging from water birds, which congregate in the riverside reeds to a staggering array of birds of prey. The bateleur, with its distinctive shape and energy-conserving flight technique, is a frequent sight in Sabi Sand’s skies. Africa’s largest eagle, the martial eagle, is also often spotted on the reserve. Their gigantic nests, in the shape of an inverted cone, decorate many a knob thorn or other large trees throughout Sabi Sand.     

Recent Sightings from Wildwatch.com

Challenges of life. - 12 March 2010
This time of year is an exciting one as the impala rutt is nearing. This means that the bush will be filled with the bellowing and roaring of the impala rams as they do battle to hold the breeding rights of the herds. While on game drive yesterday...
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New wonders of Kirkmans Kamp. - 12 March 2010
One of the most fantastic things about working in an unfenced environment like Kirkmans Kamp is that we often see individual animals that we have never seen before. The other day it was a giraffe bull that was so dark it was almost black. This morning...
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A rare kill - 22 February 2010
It was late in the morning at Kirkman’s Kamp. After a couple of nights with rain this morning the sun showed its power and heated up the area quickly and intense. We came across three white rhino snoozing inside a mud wallow on the side of the...
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