Singita Kruger National Park Wildlife Report April 2016 · spotted cuckoo feeding on the ground and...
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Photo by Barry Peiser WILDLIFE REPORT SINGITA KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA For the month of April, Two Thousand and Sixteen Temperature Rainfall Recorded Sunrise & Sunset Average minimum: 19°C 66.2 (°F) For the period: 3 mm Sunrise: 06h15 Average maximum: 32°C 89.6 (°F) For the year to date: 103 mm Sunset: 17h23 Minimum recorded: 15°C 59.0 (°F) Maximum recorded: 38°C 100.4 (°F) We’ve had another fantastic month here at Singita Kruger National Park. The re-alignment of Lebombo is finally complete and the lodge is looking awesome. The team seems to have a fresh energy too! The lodge continues to lead the way in terms of design, and now offers guests a much more holistic experience – from food and wellness, to an intensified connection with nature and so much more. The view from the new roof terrace and wine studio is quite something. One can see the N’Wanetsi River meandering all the way from the north, past the lodge to the east towards Mozambique. The views over the Granophyre Ridge are outstanding! We have had almost no rain this month (a few drops of drizzle) and the water that filled up the N’wanetsi River last month is slowly drying up. There is still quite a bit of standing water at the weir, at Dumbana Pools and in front of both Sweni and Lebombo Lodges. Hyena Pan, in the Lebombo Hills is still holding water and is attracting a fair amount of game. The depression is bare of grass and visibility is amazing. This has been a great month for game-viewing.
Transcript of Singita Kruger National Park Wildlife Report April 2016 · spotted cuckoo feeding on the ground and...
PhotobyBarryPeiser
WILDLIFEREPORTSINGITAKRUGERNATIONALPARK,SOUTHAFRICAForthemonthofApril,TwoThousandandSixteen
Temperature RainfallRecorded Sunrise&SunsetAverageminimum: 19°C66.2(°F) Fortheperiod: 3mm Sunrise:06h15 Averagemaximum: 32°C89.6(°F) Fortheyeartodate: 103mm Sunset:17h23 Minimumrecorded: 15°C59.0(°F)Maximumrecorded:38°C100.4(°F)We’vehadanotherfantasticmonthhereatSingitaKrugerNationalPark.There-alignmentofLebomboisfinallycompleteandthelodgeislookingawesome.Theteamseemstohaveafreshenergytoo!Thelodgecontinuestoleadthewayintermsofdesign,andnowoffersguestsamuchmoreholisticexperience–fromfoodandwellness,toanintensifiedconnectionwithnatureandsomuchmore.Theviewfromthenewroofterraceandwinestudioisquitesomething.OnecanseetheN’WanetsiRivermeanderingallthewayfromthenorth,pastthelodgetotheeasttowardsMozambique.TheviewsovertheGranophyreRidgeareoutstanding!Wehavehadalmostnorainthismonth(afewdropsofdrizzle)andthewaterthatfilleduptheN’wanetsiRiverlastmonthisslowlydryingup.Thereisstillquiteabitofstandingwaterattheweir,atDumbanaPoolsandinfrontofbothSweniandLebomboLodges.HyenaPan,intheLebomboHillsisstillholdingwaterandisattractingafairamountofgame.Thedepressionisbareofgrassandvisibilityisamazing.Thishasbeenagreatmonthforgame-viewing.
Autumnhasarrivedandthetemperaturesarestartingtodrop.Towardstheendofthemonthacoldfrontcamethroughanditwasthefirsttimethatsomeoftheguideswereseenwearingfleecesandjackets.Withthechangeinseasonsmanyofthemigratorybirdshavelefttheareanow.Wehave,however,hadsomespecialbirdsightingsthismonthincludingafewsightingsofwhite-backednightheron,asightingofaflockofcrestedguineafowlandafewsightingsofTemminck’scoursers.Margauxreportedseeingagreat-spottedcuckoofeedingonthegroundandoneofourguestsatSweniCampevenmanagedtogetaphotographofared-cappedrobin-chatfrominfrontofhisroom.Ourwildlifereviewforthemonthisasfollows:Buffalos: PhotobyBarryPeiser
Wehavehadquiteafewsightingsofbuffalosthismonth(atleast28reportedsightings).Wehavenotseenanylargeherdsofbuffalosinthearea,possiblyduetothelackofpalatablegrass,althoughthegreenervegetationinthehillshasenabledsmallgroupsofdaggaboys(oldermalebuffalosthathaveseparatedfromtheherds)toremain.Leopards: PhotobyBrianRodeTherewere23reportedsightingsofleopardsontheconcessionthismonth.Towardsthebeginningofthemonththereweretwolargemaleleopardsinthesouthernareaoftheconcession.Itwasinevitablethat
theywouldcomeacrossoneanotherastheywerebothvocalisingregularly.On10AprilweweredescendingdowntheroadnearGreenAppleHillwhenwespottedthetwomalesveryclosetooneanother.Theyhadobviouslyjustbeenfightingandoneofthemaleshadbloodrunningalldownhisthroat.Hewasrunningquicklyawayfromtheotherleopard,whowashotonhistrail.TheinjuredleopardrantowardstheStickyThornthicketsanddisappearedintothethickshrubbery.Thesecondmalecontinuedfollowingthescenttrailleftbythefirstandwasconstantlyroaringashetrailedhim.Hethenlostthescentandwelefthimlookingfortheother.PossiblythereasonthetwomaleswereroaminginthesameareaisthattheStickyThornFemalemusthavecomeintooestrous.Shewasseenonquiteafewoccasionsinthearea,oftencalling.ShewasseentogetherwiththeNdlovuMaleononeoccasionthismonthupinthehillsnearcamp.WehavealsoseentheNhlanguleniFemaleafewtimesthismonth.Shehasbeenmovingaroundinthehillsinthecentralandnorthernpartoftheconcession.Thisparticularfemaleleopardisquiteunusualinthatshehaslightbluecolouredeyes,asopposedtotheamber/goldeneyesthatmostleopardshave.WehadquiteanamazingsightingofherlyingupinatreenearSisalLineasshewatchedaherdofover100impalaswalkingtowardsher.Wewereanticipatingseeingherstalkingtheimpalas,butshedisappearedintoabushydrainagelineandwelostsightofher.Wewaitedaroundforawhilehopingtoseesomeactionbutshedidnotre-appear.TheXinkelenganeFemalehasnotbeenseenveryoftenthismonth.SheseemstohavebeenpushedfurtherwestintheconcessionbytheStickyThornFemale.WesawXinkelenganeononeoccasionnearGudzaniDam.Shewaswalkingalongmarkingherterritorywhenshesawanimpalaaheadofher.Shestartedstalkingbuttheimpalagotwindofherandranaway.ShethenwentandlayupontherocksnearGudzaniLookout.Cheetahs:
PhotobyBrianRode
Wehavehadawonderfulmonthofcheetahviewingandtherewereatleast22reportedsightingsofthesemagnificentspottedcats.Margauxreportedseeingsevencheetahsontheconcessiononemorning!Towardsthebeginningofthemonthwewereseeingthefemalecheetahwithherthreeyoungsters.Theyoungstersaregrowingupquicklyandarealmostlookinglikeadultsnow.TheywereseenmainlyintheareaoftheCentralDepression,whichisnowbareofgrassandisagreatplaceforcheetahstobeabletohuntprey.Acoalitionoftwomalecheetahswasseenonafewoccasionsthismonth.Oneofthetwomalesisveryrelaxed,whiletheotherisslightlyshyofthevehicles.Theyhavebeenmovingbetweentheopenareasinthenorthern-centralpartoftheconcessionandintothehillsnearSisalLine.AsinglemalecheetahwasalsoseenonafewoccasionsontheH6publicroadbetweencampandShishangaan(thestaffvillage).Thestarsthismonthwereafemalecheetahandherfouryoungcubsthatarrivedontheconcession.Weestimatethecubstobeintheregionoftwomonthsoldandhaveruffsofgoldenhairontheirbacksandverydarkbelliesandsides,makingthemlookalotlikehoneybadgersfromadistance.Itissaidthattheyoungcheetahcubsarecolouredlikethissothatpotentialenemiessuchaslionsandhyenasmistakethemforbadgers,whicharenotoriouslyaggressive.Wehavehadamazingviewsofthemotherandhercubs,particularlyintheopenareasoftheCentralDepression.Whenwefirststartedseeingthemthecubswereveryshyofthevehicles,althoughtheyhavenowbecomefairlyrelaxedandwehavehadsomegreatviewsofthem.Elephants:
PhotobyBarryPeiser
Wehaveseenelephantsalmostonadailybasis.TheyhavebeencomingdowntodrinkatthewaterintheN’wanetsiRiver.Johnathanreportedseeingaherdofover70elephantsdrinkingatDumbanaPoolsone
day.OnanotheroccasionwesawabreedingherdofelephantsbathinginthepoolatHyenaPan.Whiletheywereplayinginthewatertheyweresurprisedbyahippobullthatsurfacedrightinfrontofthem.Itwasamusingtowatchthemastheygotstartledbythehippoandthentriedtochaseitaroundthepool.Generally,aftertheelephantshavebeenbathinginwatertheyliketodust-bathe,throwingsandanddustontotheirbodies.Itisthoughtthatthesandthenadherestothewetskinandprotectstheelephantsfromthesunandfrombitinginsects.Theyobviouslyenjoythedust-bathing.Wehaveseenquiteafewyoungandbabyelephantsinthearea.Elephantsgivebirthatanytimeoftheyearandarenotrestrictedtocertainseasons.Withthelackofgrassintheareatheelephantshaveresortedtopushingovermanyoftheknobthorntreesinthehillyareasandtherearepatcheswherethetreesarealllyingontheirsides.Lions:
PhotobyBarryPeiser
Lebomboiscertainlytheplaceoflions.Atleast70sightingsoftheselargecatswerereportedthismonth.WehavehadsomegreatsightingsoftheShishPride.Theyhavebeenseenclosetocamponafewoccasions.WehavehadregularsightingsofbothportionsoftheShishPride(thesmaller–threelionessesandsevensub-adults,andthelarger–fivefemalesand13oldersub-adults).ThefivebigShishmalesdominateovertheentireconcession.Theyareanimpressivebandofbrothersandcoverthefemalesofallthepridesweseeregularlyinthearea.On20AprilbothShishportionsandthreeoftheShishMaleswereseentogetherfeedingonabuffalointhehills.Therewereoverthirtylionsatthatkill.Wow!ThewhitelionfromthelargerportionoftheShishPridehasbeenseenthismonthandislookinghealthy.HewasseenfeedingonabuffalocarcasswiththerestofthelargerportionoftheShishPriderightoppositetheriverfromthecamp!BarryhadhadanamazingsightingoftwoShishlionesses,justthedaybefore,stalkingandcatchingawaterbuckclosetoEuphorbiaCrossing,ashortwayupriverfromLebomboCamp.TwoofthefemalesoftheShishPridealsocaughtanotherWaterbuckrightwherethewaterendsnorthofEuphorbiaCrossing.
WehavehadsuperviewingoftheMountainPride.Atthemomenttheyconsistofthreelionessesandseventinycubs.Ithasbeengreatwatchingthecutecubsplayingwitheachother,jumpingalloverthelionesses,bitingtailsandnursing.TheyhavebeenseenquiteoftennearHyenaPan,inasecludedvalley,inthenorth-eastoftheconcession,ontopoftheLebomboHills.ThreeoftheadultShishMaleshavebeenseenregularlyaccompanyingthepride.JaniwasluckyenoughtoseetheMountainPride,alongwiththemales,stalkandkillalargemalebuffalointhehillssouthofthepan.TheXhirombePride(oneadultfemale,onesub-adultmale,onesub-adultfemale)stilloccupytheareaalongtheN’wanetsiRiverfromthecampstotheMozambiqueborderandsouthwardsinthehills.TheywereseenfeedingonamalewaterbuckatthebottomoftheN’wanetsigorgenearThePoort.Towardstheendofthemonththerewasadisturbanceamongthemembersofthisgroupandthesub-adultmalewasseenaloneandthesub-adultfemalewasseenaccompanyingtwooftheShishlionesses.Therewasanuneasyatmospherebetweenthetwoadultlionessesandtheyoungersub-adult.EarlyonemorningweweredrivingupalongthebankoftheN’wanetsiRiver,withthesunjustrisingovertheLebombos,whenwefoundthreeunknown,black-manedmalelionswalkingquicklyinanortherlydirection.Theywereshyofthevehiclesandobviouslyhadnothadmuchcontactwithcars.TheyweretrailingtheShishPrideandfromthetrackswecouldseethatthepridewasrunningtogetawayfromthestrangemales.TheychasedtheprideallthewayintothehillstowardsMozambique.Weknewiftheforeignmalescaughtupwiththepridethattherewouldbeabigfightandsomeofthesub-adultmalescouldgetkilled.Fortunatelytheydidnotcatchupwiththem.Spottedhyenas:
PhotobyBarryPeiser
SpottedhyenaswereseenregularlyduringthemonthofApril.ThehyenacubsatthedenalongtheH6publicroadhavebecomeveryusedtothecarsandhavebeenquiteinquisitive.Wehavehadtochasethemawayfromthevehiclesonoccasionastheytrytochewtheplasticmudguardsofthegameviewer.Oneof
thesub-adultswasseenwithporcupinequillsstuckalloverinhisthroatandneck.Hehadobviouslybeentooinquisitiveorhadgoneintothewrongburrow,onethatwasalreadyoccupiedbyalarge,spinyrodent.TheNyokeneclanhavemovedbacktooneoftheirden-sitesintheNyokeneValley.Towardstheendofthemonthwefoundtwoofthefemalesnearthedrainageline.Wecouldseeasmallheadpeeringoutfromunderneathalargeflatrock.Ablackcubthencameoutofthedarkcreviceandjumpedontotheclosestadultfemale,itthenstartedrunningaround,playingwiththegrassandbranchesnearby.Itapproachedthesecondfemale,whoseemedquiteapprehensive,andjumpedonheraswell.Wethennoticed,inthefadingafternoonlight,thatthereweretwotinyblackballsoffluffsucklingonthefirstfemale.Thereweretwotinypupsthatliterallycouldonlybeafewdaysold!TheCassiaClanisdoingwellandhasover16individuals.TheyenjoyspendingtheirtimeinthevicinityoftheGudzaneEastWindmillandtheCassiaOpenAreas.On13Aprilwehadbeendrivingthewholemorninginthewestoftheconcessionandithadbeenratherquiet.Itwasgettingquitewarmandwedecidedtogoandseewhatwashappeningatthewaterhole.Asweapproachedtheturnoffwenoticedahyenarunningawayfromthewaterinasoutherlydirectiondowntheroad.Thenanotherappearedandfollowedthefirst.Wefollowedthemandsoonwefoundasmallgatheringoftheclan.Theyhadsurroundedawarthogandwereallexcited.Thehyena’stailswereraisedandtheywerecallingloudly.Moreandmorehyenasarrived.Thepigfoughtback,butthenumberofhyenaswastoogreatandtheyliterallytorehimapartinfrontofus.Thenoisewasincredible,withthehyenaswhoopingandgigglingandthepoorwarthogsquealing.Otherinterestingsightings:Janiwasluckyenoughtoseeacaracal.Wehavehadquiteafewsightingsofporcupineonournightdrives,andgenetsandcivetswerealsoseenfairlyregularly.Athick-tailedbushbabywasseenintheriverinevegetationborderingtheN’wanetsiRiver.Honeybadgershavealsobeenseenonafewoccasions.Wenormallyseemoreoftheseanimalsduringthewintermonthsandperhapsweareseeingmoreofthemnowbecauseofthedrynessofthearea.Althoughmostofthesnakeshavealreadygoneintohidingaswinterapproacheswehavehadafewsightingsofpythonsandothersnakes,includingatwometrelongblackmamba.Butterflies
Bluepansy–PhotobyBarryPeiser,Citrusswallowtail–PhotobyBrianRode,Scarlet-tip–PhotobyBrianRodeLastmonthwehadalittlebitofrainupinthehillsandthiscausedagreenflushinthearea.Thisiswherewehavebeenseeingmostofthegamethislastmonth.Althoughtheareawasgreenthereisnotmuchgrassbutrathersmallherbaceousshrubs.Manyoftheseforbsareinflowernow,includingtheHeliotropes(StringofStars),thesmalldevil’sthornandtheChascanums.Thishasattractedalotofbutterfliesintothehills.Malesofmanybutterflyspeciesmaybefoundflyinguptoandstayingonahilltop.Females,lookingtomate,flyupthehilltofindpartners.Malesflutteraroundthetop,competingforthebestpartofthearea-usuallytheverytop.Themalesintheprimelocations(usuallythefittestmales)thengettomatewiththefemales.Thisisaformoflekkingbehaviourandisknownashill-topping.SouthAfricahasmorethan670knownspeciesofbutterflies.Manyofthesespecieshavelife-cyclesthatarespecificallylinkedtocertainplantspeciesandonlyoccurinsmallconfinedareas.ManyofSouthAfrica’sbutterflyspeciesarevulnerable.Twotothreespecieshavebecomeextinctrecentlyandafurther38
speciesarelistedontheRedDataList,meaningthattheyarethreatenedwithextinctioninthenear-futureifnothingisdonetospecificallyprotectthem.Butterfliesplayanimportantroleintheecosystem.Notonlydotheypollinatemanyflowersbuttheyalsoformfoodformanyothercreaturesandbirds.Manybutterflieshaveexquisitecoloursandpatternsandtheyareajoytowatchastheycertainlybrightenupthecountryside.Aprilmomentsintime
ThewhitelionofthelargerportionoftheShishPride PhotobyBrianRode
Spottedhyenasattackingawarthog PhotobyBrianRode
Elephantsurprisedbyahippowhilebathing PhotobyBrianRode
SunriseovertheLebombos PhotobyBrianRode
ArticlesbyBrianRodePhotosbyBarryPeiser,&BrianRode
SingitaKrugerNationalPark
SouthAfricaThirtiethofApril2016
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