Watch the Sighting:
Trevor Lagerwall and his son are self-proclaimed “Krugerholics.” They have been on countless safaris in Kruger National Park and are always one of the first through the gates at 4:30 a.m.
This trip to the Kruger had been particularly special for the father-son duo, having seen a pack of wild dogs, a leopard, and some sparring sable antelopes during their previous game drives. By the third day, Trevor and his son were sure that their luck had run out, but the day had another big surprise in store for them.
An Unusual Encounter on Manungu Mountain
After spending the first portion of the morning at Pretoriuskop circle, Trevor and his son decided to make their way over to Manungu Mountain, a location famous for baboon sightings. Sure enough, as they made their way down the road, Trevor immediately spotted a troop of baboons on the side of the road.
Initially, he didn’t think anything of it, but his son’s keen eye noticed that some klipspringers were present at the sight as well! Trevor immediately hit the brakes to see what was going on.
The group of baboons was quite large, surrounding the two small klipspringers who stood frozen on their rocky perch. Baboons are known to eat klipspringer calves, so the two species aren’t necessarily the best of friends in the wild.
Testing Boundaries
All of a sudden Trevor’s son pointed out that a few of the juvenile baboons seemed to be provoking the klipspringers. Like naughty school kids testing their limits, the young baboons made a game out of the situation, tauntingly running up to the klipspringers and getting as close as possible.
On the other side, the klipspringers were clearly not impressed. Rams and ewes are known to have long-term bonds and establish permanent territories that they will defend fiercely — which was exactly what was going on in this encounter.
While the baboons were having fun and playing a mindless game, the klipspringers were involved in an intense territorial dispute. Every time the young baboons came too close, the klipspringers would charge at them, trying to defend their beloved rock.
The Fun Comes to an End
In the end, the baboon alpha let out a commanding howl, and just like that, the troop lost interest, scrambling down the mountainside. The two klipspringers were visibly relieved that their tormenting had ended and that they could resume their peaceful day.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
Trevor couldn’t believe his eyes — “I have spent over 500 nights in Kruger Park and had never seen baboons and klipspringers facing off. Even though they often share the same territory I knew this was indeed rare”.
Lessons from a Safari Enthusiast
Trevor shared two of his key pieces of advice for all present and future safari-goers.
Firstly, he emphasized the importance of waking up early and getting through the gates as early as possible. “Three early morning outings brought us wild dogs trotting, sable antelope sparring, and then a rare sighting of baboons and klipspringers having a go at each other.”
Secondly, safaris are entirely what you make of them, every animal should be regarded with curiosity. You never know what a wild animal will do, or if there are any other animals nearby that will interact with it.