June 2010 : Sabi Sand Reserve, South Africa

June has brought with it some refreshingly cold mornings and evenings. The days have been shortening and, with the winter solstice passing on the 21st of June, it seems that we are over the worst of the winter. The cold weather doesn’t seem to have had an effect on the game viewing and we have had some amazing interaction with large breeding herds of elephant as they move through our property in search of the dwindling green vegetation as the dry season takes hold. We have also been privileged to view some new additions to our predator population, which has been a real bonus and has provided some very memorable experiences. The crisp, clear, winter evenings have provided some wonderful opportunities for star gazing with the constellations and ‘Hollywood objects’ such as Scorpio, Antares, the Butterfly Cluster and the Southern Cross together with its associated Coal Sac and Jewel Box shining bright and being viewed from the comfort of a hammock set up alongside the telescope on our airstrip.

WILD DOGS: NEW BEGINNINGS

This year we have been extremely privileged to have a pack of wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) choose to set up their den site on our property. These animals are one of the rarest carnivores in Africa, with the latest population census in the Kruger National Park revealing that there are now less than 200 of these animals in the park. Singita Sabi Sand shares an unfenced boundary with the park. The pack consists of 6 animals, 2 of which comprise the breeding or alpha pair.  Having witnessed the animals mating in late January, we were hoping that there might be pups arriving towards the end of summer, after a gestation period of about 10 weeks. Generally, wild dogs tend to give birth towards the end of the rainy season and this year proved no exception. We kept a close look out for tracks during April and there was much excitement when a group of our expert trackers managed to locate some wild dog tracks and follow them back to a very well concealed den site.

The expectant alpha female selects the burrow to be used as the den site, usually a disused aardvark or warthog hole, built in a termite mound. This burrow will then be revamped until suitable. The pups usually venture out of the den at about 3 weeks. The mother will suckle them for the first 3 – 4 weeks and at about 5 weeks they will begin to eat meat.

Meat is provided by pack members, which, upon returning from a hunt, will regurgitate food for the pups. On investigation, we found that the alpha female had given birth to 7 pups. The young are generally well protected due to the pack structure, but remain prone to attacks by lion and large numbers of Spotted hyena. With this in mind, we were extremely concerned when, after a couple of weeks’ good viewing, we arrived at the den site to find that it had been vacated. Although it is common practice for the alpha female to change den sites at certain intervals, the evidence of lion tracks leading towards the den site and into the entrances to the site caused us great concern regarding the plight of the young pups.

It was with much relief that a tracking team managed to locate the adult dogs after a hunt and follow them back to the new den site to find that the pups were still alive. As it stands, all 7 of the pups have survived the critical early days, which bodes well for the future wild dog population at Singita. A pack may return to the same den site or general area every year, largely due to the memory of the alpha female, so we can look forward to some more spectacular wild dog sightings in coming seasons.

 

THE JUSTICIA LITERACY SUPPORT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Singita’s love and vision very focused on the early childhood development of our local community. Our guest visits to local schools are not just for experience, but also to contribute support towards helping children develop basic literacy skills. One such example is Kathryn Torress, depicted above during her stay at Singita, who visited the local Babati school with Welding Mhlongo, head of community development.

THE READ PRESCHOOL TEACHERS TRAINING PROGRAMME

Singita Sabi Sand is sponsoring 12 pre-schools and has selected 2 teachers per school to undergo the READ training. This program trains teachers and equips them with the resources required for the early childhood development (ECD) learnership. In the first year they attained a level 4 training, which covers basic practical skills in teaching children from as young as two years. These teachers are currently working towards a level 5 qualification, which incorporates both the theoretical skills and practical teaching of these children. This course covers children from two years old up until they reach grade R. Here, READ trainer Riette Els can be seen working with the teachers taking part in the 2nd year of this initiative.

THE SUPPORT FOR YOUNG SOCCER STARS

There isn’t much that is more rewarding than seeing the expression on the local children’s faces and experiencing their excitement when they are surprised with replacements for their makeshift soccer balls they kick around on their home streets. This happened recently when, in the spirit of the world cup, children in one of the local villages were presented with T-shirts and soccer balls to play with in the local community and hopefully help develop our country’s local talent. Seen here are two different sets of soccer kit are the children of Lillydale village wearing clothing donated by Singita. The aim of this initiative is to help motivate the existing primary school soccer league, with which Singita has been involved since 2008.

Welding Mhlongo – Head of community development

 

SINGLE FILE MARCH

As the winter grasses become less nutritious and more fibrous, the buffalo seem to be travelling much further distances in search of sustenance. It was great to watch as this single file march moved across at least 500 metres of open plains. Where they are going is never clear. Generally it is in search of water as well as better grazing, but most importantly, these buffalo seek a safe place where they can rest and ruminate during the heat of the day. Ruminants are animals that have a four chambered stomach and chew the cud, meaning that they regurgitate material that has been swallowed, in order to chew it further to aid in the break down and digestion of cellulose. This practice manifests itself in a characteristic side to side movement of the lower jaw. This breaks the particles down, increasing their surface area and allowing for greater nutrient absorption during the fermentation process that follows.

These large herds will travel in column formation when moving towards food, water and shade. They generally try to avoid the heat of the day and tend to move in the evenings and in the mornings when it is cool. The herd will pass via a source of water at least once a day and sometimes even twice a day. This herd was seen in front of Singita Castleton camp and has been visiting the dam on a regular basis. Not a bad sight to be able to take in whilst enjoying a nice bottle of wine during a leisurely lunch on the veranda of the camp.

QUEEN OF THE SKY

The eagle that is most often associated with the Kruger National Park is, without a doubt, the Bateleur. In Shangaan, the local language, it is known as ‘Ximongwe’, the ‘bird of the kings’. In Zululand, an area further south along the east coast of South Africa, during the 19th century, it was known as ‘indlamadoda’, the ‘eater of the warrior’. This came about due to its habit of eating the bodies of warriors lying dead on the battlefield. It is the only eagle that deliberately makes a noise with its wings during courtship and territorial displays. In local folklore, this sound was likened to that of an assegai beating against a shield.

There are an estimated 600 pairs in the greater Kruger National Park, which includes the Sabi Sand reserve. These birds spend most of their time in the air covering about 400 kilometres a day in search of carrion and live prey. They are very territorial, flying swiftly at speeds of between 50 and 80 kilometres per hour, at about 100 metres above the ground. They have extremely good eyesight and are often the first to arrive at a carcass. Other birds depend on these raptors to rip open the carcasses.

These birds have an extremely short tail, which makes them unstable in flight. This instability allows for an increase in manoeuvrability in the air, making it easier for them to deflect from their flight path at the last minute. This short tail is quite unique and is, in fact, the source of the common name, Bateleur. This name is thought to have been derived from an old French word, ‘baastel’, meaning an acrobat.

The reference to an acrobat comes from the rocking action they exhibit in flight, which is brought about by the fact that their short tail causes the Bateleur to sacrifice stability in flight. One also can’t help but notice the striking face of the adult Bateleur, which is bright red and yellow in colour. These two distinct features, the short tail and the striking face, are reflected in the bird’s scientific name, Terathopius ecaudatus, which translates to ‘marvellous face, short tail’. A subtle yet distinct difference between male and female Bateleur can be seen in their wing patterning. The male has a broader black band on his under wing than the female. This is easy to remember as it can be related to a bride wearing white and the groom wearing a suit. Contrary to what is found in most birds, the female Bateleur is usually much larger than the male. This is known as reverse sexual dimorphism.

 

BUSTED BUSTARD

No, it’s not swearing! There is, in fact, an entire family of birds named Bustard’s. Granted, their father does not take any part in the raising of his offspring, however, this is completely natural to their polygynous breeding technique. An example of the effort one male Kori Bustard must go through in order to acquire this mating opportunity in the first place was witnessed, with great surprise, on a recent morning’s game drive. Not only was I amazed to see one of these rare creatures, which is listed as vulnerable, but a male displaying his full glory not far from the lodge grounds was previously unheard of. He was strutting slowly over and around a raised termite mound, with his tail feathers fanned and his head cocked. He could not have made himself more conspicuous, in the hope of attracting a passing female. It still puzzles me as to why this behaviour occurred when it did, as this was either very late in the season or rather early for the next season. Egg-laying typically takes place in October and November so perhaps he was trying the area out for size for next breeding season.

I have seldom seen one of these magnificently large birds and they have always caused me to ponder the ability of flight. As the heaviest flying bird in Africa, with males weighing up to 12.4 kilograms, you may also be holding your breath as its wings labour in slow and heavy beats. Designed for foraging on the ground for all kinds of food sources, their long neck and bill come in handy, as they peck around in the ground or in low bushes and trees.

Rest comes naturally through the entire night as it crouches on bare ground or in very short grass. Company is not uncommon but usually with the same sex sharing feeding grounds, which possibly provides more security from flying Martial Eagles or leopard and jackal. Like most non-human species these days, the Kori Bustard is threatened due to a host of human actions. This leaves them with only one choice, being to reside in a protected area. Let’s hope that in subsequent years, many females will admire this individual we were so privileged to view and that this will contribute to the survival of the largest of the Bustard species.

Shelley Pope - Field Guide, Singita Sabi Sand