Rare Mammal and Bird Tours

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Rare Mammal and Bird Tours

Rare Mammal and Bird Tours leads indelible expeditions in search of the rarest species in Africa

11/09/2026

Black-footed Cat (Felis nigripes) male
09 September 2026
Khoisan Karoo Conservancy, Northern Cape, South Africa

Last night was one for the ages! Our 6 UK clients from Wildlife Worldwide were treated to a 20 second visual of one of the world's most elusive and exceptional wild cats. The encounter allowed time for both video and photos of the deadliest cat in the world in action.

A male Black-footed Cat, named Brutus, is gradually becoming more habituated and confident around us, and we are starting to enjoy greater success with him.

If this awesome creature is a bucket list species for you, get in touch and join one of our rare mammal tours.

On the same 3 hour night drive, we also encountered Aardvark, Smith’s Red Rock Rabbit, Aardwolf x 3, Cape Fox, Bat-eared Fox x 3, Cape Porcupine x 6 including an albino, Cape Hare x plenty, Springhare x plenty, mouse/rat species x 2.

Thank you to PC, Ricky, and Nanti for another great night drive, and big thanks to the for their great conservation efforts and project facilitation, which make these special experiences possible.

06/09/2026

We have just completed our custom 𝟭𝟭-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮, lead on behalf of Wildlife Worldwide for 5 UK clients and 1 Australian client.

Our explorations led us to Khoisan Karoo Conservancy, Marrick Private Game Reserve, Mokala National Park, and Madikwe Game Reserve, where we enjoyed many spectacular sightings, including 𝟱𝟮 𝗺𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗹, 𝟮𝟬𝟬 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝗱, 𝟲 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟯 𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀.

Tomorrow I repeat the tour with a further 6 UK clients.

Hope you enjoy the many images.

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝟮𝟬 𝗠𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀: Aardvark x 4, Cape Fox x 2, African Wild Dogs x 3, Cheetah x 3, Southern Aardwolf x plenty, African Wild Cat x 3, Large-eared Mouse x 2, Meerkat x 11, Eastern Rock Sengi (Elephant Shrew) x 2, White Rhinoceros x plenty, African Lions x 14, Bat-eared Fox x plenty, Mountain Reedbuck x 7, Black Wildebeest x plenty, Roan Antelope x plenty, Sable Antelope x plenty, Common Tsessebe x plenty, Cape Porcupine x plenty, Common Dwarf Mongoose x 10, Four-striped Grass Field Mouse x 2.

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝟯𝟬 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗱𝘀: Blue Korhaan x 17, Karoo Korhaan x 2, Ludwig’s Bustard x 7, Blue Crane, African Rock Pipit, Southern White-faced Owl, Marsh Owl, Swee Waxbill (out-of-range), Burchell’s Courser x 9, Double-banded Courser x 3, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse x 6, Namaqua Sandgrouse x 9, Lanner Falcon, Large-billed Lark, Pink-billed Lark, White-backed Vulture, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Lesser Flamingo, Greater Flamingo, Blue-billed Teal, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Cape Penduline Tit, Fairy Flycatcher, Pririt Batis, Namaqua Warbler, Black-faced Waxbill, Violet-eared Waxbill, African Snipe, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Greater Kestrel.

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀: Puff Adder and Ground Monitor.

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗔𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗮𝗻: Poynton’s River Frog.

01/09/2026

It is day 7 of 11 for our custom 𝟭𝟭-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮, lead on behalf of Wildlife Worldwide for 5 UK clients and 1 Australian client.

We have explored Khoisan Karoo Conservancy, Marrick Private Game Reserve, and Mokala National Park so far and have enjoyed many spectacular sightings, including 36 mammal, 156 bird, 5 reptile, and 2 amphibian species.

Next we head to Madikwe Game Reserve for 3 nights, which will turn up a lot more.

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝟭𝟮 𝗠𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗹𝘀 so far: Aardvark x 4, Cape Fox x 2, Southern Aardwolf x plenty, African Wild Cat x 2, Large-eared Mouse x 2, Meerkat x 11, Eastern Rock Sengi (Elephant Shrew) x 2, Bat-eared Fox x plenty, Mountain Reedbuck, Black Wildebeest x plenty, Cape Porcupine x plenty, Four-striped Grass Field Mouse.

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝟮𝟱 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗱𝘀 so far: Blue Korhaan x 17, Karoo Korhaan x 2, Ludwig’s Bustard x 7, Blue Crane, African Rock Pipit, Swee Waxbill (out-of-range), Burchell’s Courser x 9, Double-banded Courser, Large-billed Lark, Pink-billed Lark, White-backed Vulture, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Lesser Flamingo, Greater Flamingo, Blue-billed Teal, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Cape Penduline Tit, Fairy Flycatcher, Pririt Batis, Namaqua Warbler, Black-faced Waxbill, Violet-eared Waxbill, African Snipe, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Greater Kestrel.

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲 so far: Puff Adder

𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗔𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗮𝗻 so far: Poynton’s River Frog

Photos from Khoisan Karoo Conservancy. Species photos to follow soon, so stay tuned.

16/02/2026

At Rare Mammal and Bird Tours we believe in always being conservation-minded, community-oriented and socially responsible.

As such, we are pleased to be a registered and recommended tour operator member with BirdLife South Africa for 2026.

This registration and membership speaks to both our accreditation and our dedication to deliver exceptional service and create meaningful experiences for birding visitors and the broader birding community.

20/10/2025

Tomorrow we commence our Rare Mammal and Bird Tours 11-day safari for UK clients - 5 nights exploring Madikwe Game Reserve on the Botswana border, and 5 nights exploring Manyoni Game Reserve in Zululand.

Mammal targets include: Cheetah, Brown Hyena, African Wild Dog, Caracal, African Civet, Temminck’s Ground Pangolin, Black Rhino, Leopard, Side-striped Jackal, White-tailed Mongoose.

Itinerary:
* 2 nights at Kopano Lodge in Madikwe
* 3 nights at Tau Game Lodge in Madike
* 5 nights at Zebra Hills Safari Lodge in Manyoni

It should be an adventure!

20/09/2025

Harlequin Quails (Coturnix delegorguei)
18 September 2025
Madikwe Game Reserve, North West, South Africa

16/09/2025

Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
06 September 2025
Atlantic Ocean, Cape Town, South Africa

15/09/2025

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) male feeding on Impala
15 September 2025
Madikwe Game Reserve, North West, South Africa

It's day 8 of 11 of our South Africa Rare Mammals and Bird Tour and we arrived in Madikwe today to this scene.

Our lodge is truly special - Matla Game Lodge - an exclusive 14-bed sister lodge to the larger Tau Game Lodge. I have been fortunate to experience well over 200 across Africa, but this one is real quality!

There are so many pictures to post of great species and moments we have shared at our previous destinations, and these will come soon.

Address

40 Frangipani Street, Helderview
Cape Town
7130

Website

https://www.raremammalsbirds.com/

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