The mother waterbuck and her baby provided a picturesque sighting, as they stood nearby a bridge which went over the Crocodile River.
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This poignant moment, however, was soon to be interrupted by unexpected turmoil.
Waterbuck and calf get stranded in middle of Crocodile river
Dave explained they had spotted the pair close to the bridge by the waters of the Crocodile River, which were moving with strong force. The river itself was fairly full following heavy rains.
“In the summer season, the Kruger National Park’s rivers can rise rather rapidly with rains further inland,” said Dave.
The rising waters of the river had more than likely caused the mother waterbuck and her calf to become stranded on an island in the middle of the river.
“The mother decided that she needed to get to the southern bank to get herself and her baby to safety before the water-level rose even more,” said Dave.
Mother waterbuck makes decision to cross river
The mother started crossing the river, unaware that her calf had been left behind.
Waterbucks usually give birth to a single calf, following a gestation of around 280 days. The newborn waterbuck will then remain hidden for about a month before joining the rest of the herd.
The mother will do everything to safeguard her young from predators, including concealing them in dense vegetation. However, this protective mother hadn’t anticipated what would happen next to her little one.
The calf soon followed after its mother, and it initially appeared it was having success in traversing the dangerous river terrain.
The mother looked on as the calf fought against the currents., powerless to intervene. She was by this stage safely on the other side of the river, and watching from the refuge of the river bank.
Baby buck fights to keep head above the water
The strong currents of the river proved too much for the little one and while the small animal fought with all its might to walk against the current, it finally got washed away by the water under the bridge.
However, it wasn’t over for the calf. Dave said that they waited to see what would happen next and that fortunately, the calf managed to escape the waters, and fight its way onto a rocky island which was on the other side of the bridge.
“We are not sure whether the little calf survived the night on the island as it wasn’t there the next morning,” he said. “We really hope the courageous calf made it across to its mom once it had some energy back.”
Waterbucks are generally excellent swimmers. These semi-aquatic animals commonly found near rivers, lakes, and wetlands. When facing danger from predators, they frequently seek refuge in the water, where they are excellent swimmers.
However, even excellent swimmers can take some strain when facing strong river currents. With this sighting, as with many sightings, it was not known how the story ended; but perhaps that is the pull of nature: the need to find out what happens next, and the thrill of experiencing the full gamut of emotions in a single viewing.