What goes grunt in the night?
In the heart of the African night, the darkness was not just a lack of light; it was a living breathing entity.
I zipped up my tent, shifted my backpack onto my shoulder, switched on my headlamp and walked 10 meters to the main path. At 5:30 am it was still pitch dark in the African predawn. Turning my head left then right, I scanned the path looking for my ascari (Maasai security guard) to accompany me to meet up with our safari vehicle. No response, no sign of a flashlight bobbing down the path. A couple of hundred metres in the dark. What could go wrong?
When people hear about my safari adventures, I’m often asked, “aren’t you scared?” It’s a fair question considering we get close to some of the most dangerous predators in the animal kingdom. My response is consistent, “No, I’m not scared, I’m excited and enthralled being so close to African wildlife!”
Humans are seen more as a threat than a meal to carnivores. Reports of humans being killed by wildlife are usually because a wild animal was threatened and attacked or a person did something stupid. I feel safe in a safari vehicle. Animals see the whole image of a large vehicle, rather than a container of tasty two-leggeds morsels.
It is essential, however, to practice common sense when out in the wild. I often stay in camps that have no perimeter fencing. I’ve gone to sleep to the roar of lions, found hippo tracks outside my door in the morning and been woken in the night by the ferocious cries of a deadly attack underway nearby.
There is one cardinal rule for safari guests. Do not leave your tent alone after dark. Wait to be escorted by your ascari. The camps are patrolled all night by ascari who grew up co-existing with wildlife. They recognize threats and know how to stay safe. They carry traditional weapons; a spear or stick, a rungu (club) and maybe a machete along with the modern addition of a flashlight. They do not carry guns.
The Maasai take pride in their lethal throwing skills
On the morning in question there was no sign of my escort. The path to the main lodge was outlined by solar lights. The windows of the dining room shone ahead in the darkness. The most wildlife we’d seen in camp were monkeys, zebras and gazelles. The clock was ticking, how risky could it be? After years on safari, I felt complacent? confident? foolish? I started down the path ….
Can I come in? Photo credit Cathy Langen
A loud snort broke the silence followed by staccato grunts. I froze – What the hell was THAT?!! A baboon? A warthog? I backed up calling out in a tremulous voice “hello? jambo? sopa?” then turned and fled up a short cut to the closest lit building. I thought the snort was probably an impala but … those grunts? I made it to the Landcruiser in record time much to the amusement of my guide Joseph. No more foolish chances for me, I would not be travelling in the dark again without an ascari by my side.
A week later I had more reasons to reinforce the cardinal rule. On the way to meet up for our morning game drive in Tsavo East National Park, our ascari regaled us with news he met a leopard on patrol in the night. My friend and I were eager to meet that leopard too, just not while we were walking on the path.
On our final morning as I waited to be picked up by our ascari, I saw the shadowy outline of a hippo on the path near our tent. It was likely the hippo that woke me up splashing outside the tent at 3:00 am. Without hesitation I yelled “JAMBO” “SOPA”!! (hello in Swahili and Maa) and waved my flashlight.
Our ascari appeared seconds later. “Did you see that hippo?” I asked excitedly. “Yea, I scared him away. Lots of action last night” he replied with a grin. “I love being on night patrol.” And I love being protected by a Maasai Warrior.
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