While You Were Sleeping

May 2026

“A bait tree, many visitors, no fixed schedule ”

Place bait in a tree and it quickly becomes a focal point for the surrounding wildlife.

Leopard bait trees are one of AfriCat’s most effective tools for monitoring these elusive cats. By placing bait in selected trees alongside camera traps, researchers can capture clear identification images of individual leopard over time. Each visit adds to a growing dataset, revealing movement patterns, territory use, and changes within the population, all without physically interacting with the animals.

But a baited tree does not belong to a leopard alone.

The scent of meat travels far, cutting through the landscape and drawing in a wide range of species. What begins as a targeted research method quickly becomes an ecological hotspot. Carnivores arrive to investigate or scavenge, opportunists test their luck, and even unlikely visitors are occasionally drawn in by the promise of nutrients.

This month, the cameras reveal not just who came to feed, but how an entire community responds to a single resource.

Climbing for Science

It’s Not Just the Animals Putting in the Work

Behind every perfectly placed bait is someone who had to get it there. In this case, Field Operations Manager Sven Geider, mid-climb, is doing exactly what the job requires. Setting bait trees is not as simple as it sounds. Height, placement, and accessibility all matter. Too low and everything gets it. Too high and nothing does.

So yes, the leopard climb. The hyenas reach. And the researchers? They do both. Because the better the setup, the better the data. And the better the story, the camera traps get to tell.

Nuka, But Make It Scar

The Villain Arc Is Strong with This One

Meet Nuka. Named after the slightly chaotic character from The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, but if we are being honest, this particular leopard has grown into something closer to Scar from the first movie. That damaged third eyelid gives him a permanent edge, a look that suggests he has seen a few things and probably caused a few as well.

The injury dates back to at least 2022, likely the result of a fight or a run-in with the wrong thorn, but it has healed well, and he retains full vision. At over 70 kg, he is a dominant, regularly sighted male. Moody, unpredictable, sometimes social, sometimes not. Exactly the kind of leopard you build a reputation around.

Tippy-Toe Bandit

Stretching Every Advantage

This brown hyena is not about to ignore a bait simply because it is inconveniently placed. Brown hyenas are not climbers. Their bodies are built for endurance, long distances, and efficient scavenging, not vertical ambition.

And yet, here we are. Standing upright on its hind legs, balancing on that signature sloped back, this individual stretches every possible centimetre to reach a bait just out of range. Forelegs up, toes working overtime, fully committed to the effort.

In February’s edition, we saw one climb. This time, it adapts. Different strategy, same determination. They may look like dogs, but they are more closely related to cats. And in moments like this, you can see it. Flexibility, persistence, and just enough problem-solving to make it work.

Same Table, Different Reservations

Dinner Is Served, Just Not Together

A leopard, two mongooses, and a honey badger all visit the same bait tree within two days. Three carnivores that would rather avoid each other entirely, yet all drawn in by the same irresistible scent.

This careful scheduling is called “temporal partitioning”, where sharing happens without ever actually sharing. Each species arrives separately, feeding or investigating in its own time slot to avoid direct conflict.

All three can climb, all three can scavenge, and all three are fully aware that arriving at the wrong time could be a very bad decision. It is less of a dinner party and more of a rotating guest list with strict boundaries.

Bone Appétit

A towering bone chomper

A giraffe at a bait tree is already unexpected. A giraffe going all in on a bone is something else entirely. This is “osteophagia” in action, a behaviour where herbivores supplement their diet with minerals like calcium and phosphorus that are not always available in sufficient quantities from vegetation alone. And yes, it looks exactly as strange as it sounds.

Using that long, dexterous tongue, the giraffe lifts, chews, and works the bone to extract surface nutrients before casually dropping it again. No swallowing, no fuss, just a quiet mineral top-up. Not your typical scavenger, but clearly not above improvising.

Last Call Clean-Up Crew

Nothing Goes to Waste

By the time the tawny eagle arrives, the main event is over. The heavy feeders have come and gone, leaving behind scraps, sinew, and whatever else was not worth the effort. That is where the eagle steps in. A capable hunter in its own right, but more than willing to take advantage of an easy meal. Scavenging like this is efficient, low risk, and an important part of keeping the system clean. And for the field team resetting the bait, it is appreciated.

Smells Great, Tastes Like Nothing

The Disappointment Is Visible

This is the look of a spotted eagle-owl that followed the scent trail all the way in, fully expecting something worthwhile. Instead, it finds a site that has already been picked clean. No meat, no reward, just the faint smell of what used to be there. Enough to raise expectations, not enough to satisfy them. Typically a small-mammal hunter, this species will scavenge when the opportunity presents itself. However, this was not the right time, and the slight droop of the head says everything.

By the end of the sequence, the bait is gone, the visitors have come and gone, and only the timing of each arrival tells the full story. Because at a leopard bait tree, it is not just about who shows up, but when.

While You Were Sleeping – May 2026

When night falls at Okonjima, a hidden world emerges. Through AfriCat’s extensive camera trap network, While You Were Sleeping reveals rare nocturnal moments that shape conservation research and deepen our understanding of wildlife after dark.

May 30, 2026

Wildlife Photography in Namibia: Behind the Lens Photographing Brown Hyena and Pangolin at Okonjima Nature Reserve

Some of the most significant wildlife photography moments at Okonjima Nature Reserve have nothing to do with dramatic action or perfect light. A brown hyena pausing to scent-mark at dawn. A pangolin moving slowly across the ground under the red glow of a research lamp. These are the moments that stay with photographers long after the drive is over, and they are possible because Okonjima has spent thirty years building the kind of knowledge that turns a sighting into something deeper. Part 2 of Behind the Lens, told through the eyes of OKMedia’s Pascal and Ricco Seebach and Crew10’s Robin and Nina Maeter, looks at what that depth actually means for the people behind the camera.

May 14, 2026