The special sighting was filmed at the Elephant Walk Retreat by our Ting Vision system.
Ting Vision is an animal spotting system which uses an AI Wildlife Detector. This system turns any camera into a real-time safari guide; scanning, analyzing, and alerting viewers the moment lions, leopards, elephants, or any other animals arrive on the scene.
In this instance, a waterbuck was picked up by the system. This, and a sneaky croc!
Waterbuck notices crocodile in the distance.
Life around waterholes in the bushveld is abundant. This is because water is a source of life in the bushveld. Animals, birds and a variety of water species congregate here.
The waterbuck ram was walking a few metres away from the water’s edge when it noticed a creature moving in the distance. It was soon evident that this was a croc!
The croc was making its way back to the water and the buck watched as a silent audience.
While there were no drum rolls playing as the croc skulked across the grassy bank towards the water, what was significant about this moment was seeing how the croc held the buck’s focus.
Croc walks across riverbank with determined steps
The croc dragged its spindly tail behind it, and moved on short legs at a brisk, determined pace.
Waterbuck are among the largest antelope species on the continent. Unlike many antelope species, they are strongly tied to permanent water sources. They spend much of their lives near rivers and lakes because water offers both grazing opportunities and escape routes from predators such as lions, leopards, and wild dogs.
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Rams such as this one can weigh more than 250kg and stand over a metre high at the shoulder.
Still, from the buck’s unshakable focus on the crocodile, it seemed that, in spite of the crocodile’s relatively small size, it didn’t feel too safe with the croc in the vicinity.
Crocodile heads towards the water
The feisty fellow walked with unshakable confidence. While out of the water it might have been easy to avoid, in the water it could present a nasty surprise for an animal leaning down to drink. For this reason, most successful crocodile hunts happen in the water.
Nile crocodiles can exceed 5m in length and are among Africa’s most formidable predators. They feed on fish, birds, reptiles, and mammals, sometimes taking prey as large as zebras or buffalo calves.
Ram remains alert as crocodile saunters past
The ram remained alert as the crocodile walked past. Although crocodiles are known for explosive ambush attacks, they are also cautious animals outside of the water.
The waterbuck’s behaviour reflected the survival strategies of many antelope species living around crocodile habitat. Prey animals constantly assess danger levels rather than reacting blindly. Running unnecessarily wastes energy and may attract attention. By standing still and observing, the ram could judge whether the crocodile posed an immediate threat.
It’s a good thing that the crocodile’s presence was identified, and that a potential threat was brought into the spotlight before the waterbuck neared the water to drink.