The carcass of a young hippo, scarred and bloodied, is seen lying in the mud.

But, tragic and upsetting as this may seem, the lesson to be taken from the scene is that nature never wastes, HeraldLIVE reports.

In a new episode of Shamwari TV, head ranger Andrew Kearney explains that the long drought in the region has resulted in hippo bulls becoming very territorial.

This causes infighting between younger males and the more established bulls, sometimes to the death.

Sad as the young hippo’s death may seem, Kearney explains how its carcass has become a source of nutrition for various animals.

Later in the episode, a pride of young lions comes across the carcass.

They don’t just devour it, but frolic and play on and around it, in the process learning lessons that will one day help make them successful apex predators.

Shamwari TV started during the hard lockdown to showcase the internationally renowned Eastern Cape reserve’s wildlife and help neighbouring communities.

The online safaris have entertained thousands around the world, and encouraged them to donate towards food parcels for families in the nearby towns of Alicedale and Paterson.
Kearney started the live safaris armed with just a rifle and cellphone.

He would record his morning drives and post them for viewers to virtually enjoy a few minutes in the wild.

“We had been doing these short videos for years, but when the lockdown started and a lot of people’s holidays were cancelled, we thought to start what we called a Shamwari lockdown series, so that people can still be entertained while at home,” Kearney said.

The series was only meant to have lasted for the 21 days before the lockdown was extended. 

Shamwari re-opened two of its seven lodges, Long Lee Manor and Sarili Private Lodge, in mid-September, and, though visitors are once more able to go on game drives – subject to strict Covid-19 protocols – the video clips have proved so popular that Shamwari TV is continuing.

Kearney says the channel also gives viewers a glimpse of what they could expect when visiting the reserve.

Find Shamwari TV on YouTube