Quick Facts

• Where: Botswana/South Africa Border
• What: Big Five/Migratory
• When: May to October
• Cam: 30s Refresh

Tau cam is situated at Tau Game Lodge, in the Madikwe Game Reserve, on the Northern border of South Africa with Botswana. Madikwe Game Reserve is a relatively new conservation initiative under the control of the North West Parks Board and was set up as a three way partnership between government, the local communities in the area and the private sector. The reserve was formed in 1991 when a number of agricultural farms where consolidatedto form what is now a 75 000 ha (140 000 acres) reserve. It was also home to the largest ever animal relocation and reintroduction program ever undertaken in Africa, know as Operation phoenix. Tens of thousands of animals made up of 27 species where introduced from other wildlife reserves in Africa including wild dogs, cheetah, lion, black and white rhino, elephant and buffalo. Madikwe is currently South Africa’s fourth largest game reserve.

Best Pictures

Picture of cam location

Location and subject matter The cam is situated at Tau Game Lodge over looking the waterhole in front of the lodge. From the cam you can see a number of rocky hills that stand high up above the surrounding landscape forming one of the main features in this area. The reserve is host to a wide variety of habitats, and as a result one is able to see an astonishing array of herbivores including impala, springbok, nyala, kudu, red hartebeest, eland, wildebeest, blesbok, and the rare sable antelope. You will have look far and wide to find a greater diversity of herbivores and large mammals in Africa.

When to view
The newly upgraded digital pan tilt zoom cam is operated by the lodge staff who pan the long length of the watering hole for daily visitors, the images are normally refreshed at 30-second intervals. The cam does have low light capabilities and can be viewed at night. The best times to view is during the middle of the day between 12am to 3pm Central African time. The waterhole is quite seasonal with the best viewing over the winter months from May to October but there is always wildlife around so keep watching.