September 2009 : Kruger National Park, South Africa

Leopards were plentiful, lions were up to their usual tricks and the elephants ruled the waterholes. One of the more special sightings was of two jackals killing a Sharpe’s grysbok, and also a male baboon catching and eating a scrub hare. Rain is scarce and it is dry out here. Some of the trees have started flowering which is adding some colour to the land. We are expecting the rains to come at any time - some predictions say that we will have a massive drought this year but I tend to be optimistic, for as I am typing I can hear the pitter patter of rain drops on my roof…

Pictured here we have an early morning sunrise setting the mist on fire.

Dust from a long hot day in Africa paints the rising moon red - true wilderness if ever there was any.

Blue wildebeest quench their thirst at a dwindling pool along the N’wanetsi riverbed. Their muscles are twitching and ready to burst away in case a crocodile snaps at one of them. With the water levels being so low, crocodiles are a very real threat to these animals.

Dwarfed by the surrounding Fever Trees and River Thorns, an elephant cow leads her tiny calf to the river.

 

THE SHINGWENYANA MALE .... THE KING AND HIS KINGDOM

To gaze upon this animal is to look at thousands of years of evolution. This is the ultimate predator. The silent hunter. He comes and goes without you knowing. Everything about this animal is built to perfection, the ultimate weapon. He is neither too big, nor too small. He is able to subdue and kill prey up to the size of a young giraffe or buffalo. He has the strength to take that same prey right up to the top of a tree.

Those eyes are piercing, humbling all with a single stare. They are designed to let in maximum light at night, enabling him to see six times better than humans. His hearing is phenomenal, alerting him to the faintest of noises. This is an animal designed not to be seen. His coat disappears into the night as if it was never there; leaving only a passing memory of what you think you saw…

The Shingwenyana male killed a sub-adult waterbuck, larger than himself. This meal lasted four nights as he hoisted it on the first night out of sight and reach of any predators. He did not have to go anywhere, not even for water as he gains all the moisture he needs from the blood of his prey. This male is king of his territory…no other leopard questions his authority.

 

THEY WHO GREET WITH FIRE…

With an unrivaled confidence they stroll onto the battlefield. This kingdom is not occupied, and they want it. Their intentions come through loud and clear. As they walk from tree to tree spraying their scent they are telling everyone that they are here. Every time these five beasts roar they send a message to every single male lion…”If you want us come and get us”.

The prize? Two prides of beautiful females in prime condition. These lion have waited their whole lives for this moment – a defining moment in a male lion’s life. Their goal is to reproduce successfully, and the time window to do so is often short, perhaps two or three years. This coalition came through from the south and are making their way further north into our concession. There is something awe-inspiring about watching them walk together. They do not care about other lions; they know they are a force to be reckoned with. At the moment, the females pictured do not have a pride male and the Mountain pride females also need a pride male. The concession is rich in food resources, as well as water – it’s perfect and they want in.

The only things standing in their way are the young Mountain pride males. Those eight boys are in for some serious competition. The Southern coalition will not hesitate to take them on. Even though the Mountain pride males are a little younger, they too have great reason not to leave, this is their home ground and they know the area very well. That might just be their saving grace at the end of the day, they know this battleground inside out. We are not sure what will play out over the next couple of months. It is a very exciting time - if this Southern coalition manages to oust the Mountain pride males for good, they will claim the females and all other rewards that come with it. The two resident prides are in top condition with many young females still waiting to produce their first litters. Only time will tell what will happen, but regardless it will be a bloodbath.

 

XHIROMBE PRIDE HUNTING IN THE RIVER…

Spotted! The target is a small herd of impala on the opposite bank of the N’wanetsi River. Totally oblivious to the danger a mere 80 meters away the impala mill around the waterhole. The lioness is focused, eyes searching, looking for a weakness. She carefully analyses every impala. A preoccupied male or perhaps a limping youngster would immediately get her full attention.

She spots her quarry and with perfect finesse she starts to stalk. She makes painfully sure of every step, carefully avoiding any twigs or leaves that could reveal her position. Her eyes never leave her target, her gaze is fixed. As she closes the gap the wind suddenly changes direction, sending her familiar scent straight to the keen noses of the impala. One impala snorts and they bound up the bank. Though the impala are spooked she knows they have not seen her and she slowly crouches down behind the reeds, waiting for attempt number two.

 

MOUNTAIN PRIDE VS. THE HIPPO

It was a cloudy morning, ideal for cats to move around without getting too hot. A perfect morning to laze under a tree? Not this pride. As they entered a thick patch of thorny trees they were met by a terrifying snort coming from somewhere in the thicket. They did not need any encouragement to put tail between legs and get out of there, thorns or no thorns - the shortest route had to do.

After they regained their composure they felt they had to redeem themselves. They were the king of beasts after all. So, with as much dignity as they could muster, they crept back into the thicket in search of this sorting beast. Mayhem ensued as a huge hippo starting running amok inside the thicket. Visibility in there is zero to none and lions could be seen exiting the thicket in fifth gear!

The hippo stood victorious at the other end. One or two of the males tried their luck again, but due to the lack of enthusiasm from the others decided that tackling a two ton hippo with teeth like sabers was probably not the best idea. They sought comfort from each other after this disturbing event, hoping that no one would remember their embarrassing defeat. Don’t we just love lions and their antics!

 

LITTLE GIANTS HAVING FUN…

At Singita we are already preparing for the Soccer World Cup. Pictured here is one of our prized strikers. With perfect balance and precise maneuvers he handles the rock like it a professional! Totally focused on the game at hand, he would kick it with intent, then amble after it with speed and agility that only an elephant could portray. Then he would send it out the back with a well aimed kick from those muscular back legs, practicing the “scissor move”.This game went on for about ten minutes.

All in all a great practice session. Watch this space for the soccer star of the year! This youngster was having so much fun that he barely noticed the 14 foot crocodile lying right next to him! Whether the crocodile had intentions of catching him or not didn’t seem to bother the calf much. Perhaps the presence of his 4 ton mother standing next to him was of some reassurance. After mom chased the croc into the water, the little guy proceeded to eat mud-cakes much enthusiasm. Are they not just a joy to watch?

 

ELEPHANTS EVERYWHERE!

Massive herds of elephant can be seen all over the Concession at the moment. Most of the other water in the east of the park has dried up but we still have enough water to draw these herds. Elephants of all ages and sizes can be seen, and they are such a treat to watch at the waterhole, plashing and spraying as if there was no tomorrow. Elephants enjoy fresh water.

They would much rather dig a hole next to a muddy pool than have to drink from the dirty water. Pictured here you can clearly see the hole in the river bed, about 150meters away from the closest pool. The water is much cleaner due to the filtration effect that the sand has on it. This not only benefits elephants, but also a host of other animals. Everything from baboons to lions will make use of these drinking holes. It is much safer than drinking from the larger crocodile infested pools.

 

 

GARDENERS OF LEBOMBO

Elephants have a wide ranging diet that changes seasonally. During summer time they eat a lot of grass and fruits, but during winter time those are absent from their diet. They still need to support their massive appetites during winter and they do so by focusing on roots. As these pictures show, they simply push over trees which expose the root system. In this area they favour Knob Thorns Acacia nigrescens. These trees have a adventitious root system, meaning it spreads close to the surface making them accessible.

In these pictures you can clearly see how elephants feed - trunk, tusks and feet all play a role. Once the tree is down and roots exposed, they will bend down and place their tusks underneath the root and with the weight of the head simply lift and uproot it. With their great sense of smell they are able to smell roots still under the ground, and then use their heels to dig these up. Once the top half of the roots are eaten, they simply turn the whole tree over, and then start again on the other side.

 

THRIVING WITH LIFE…

Honey Badgers are some of the most feared creatures in Africa and are notorious for their bad tempers. This one was found digging for scorpions, a big part of its diet. Notice its large claws on the front left paw, very well adapted for digging. They also readily prey on snakes of any kind, having developed some sort of “immunity”to snake venom. They are so ferocious that even lions will seldom disturb them. With water levels getting lower and lower by the day, the stress on hippos is immense. They need water to survive, and if these pools dry up they will go far and wide in search of water.

The ones who suffer the most are bulls. Large territorial bulls will claim pools like this exclusively, only allowing cows and young to enter. Other males need to make do with muddy ponds, or lie in rest in the shade during the day. They are very dangerous during these times as they are under huge amounts of stress.

There have been threats of rain, but nothing so far. Hopefully October brings relief for these water-bound herbivores. Barely visible in and amongst the feet of the adult hippos is a newly born baby, about ten days old. Notice how small it is compared to the rest of them. The adults mulled around this new born with great excitement, mom watching protectively. She will savagely protect her new born. Prior to calving, the mom separates herself from the herd and birth takes place in shallow water or on land. The mother rejoins the herd 10-14 days later. Hippos weigh between 30 and 50kg at birth and are adapted for nursing under water. They start grazing at one month and are weaned at 8 months of age. The mom will “punish” the calf if it strays whilst on land with a side sweep, or even a bite.

Amazingly a Spotted Hyeana is able to extract nourishment from a month old rhino carcass.

Due to a lack of leaves this Kudu bull eats the new flowers from a Knobbly Climbing Bushwillow.

 

BIRD OF THE MONTH…

This beautiful bird is definitely a favourite on any birders list. It is quite common, but very difficult to spot. They inhabit lush areas and due to this are not easily spotted. This bird is characterized by yellow spots on its wings, a long tail and a yellow eye ring. It also has a strong bill with a hooked tip like that of shrikes, but the call is reminiscent of bulbuls. In fact, they used to be a part of the bulbul family, but a recent study suggests they are more primitive than bulbuls and have been placed in a family of their own.

They habitually flick their wings whilst hopping from branch to branch, perhaps a technique to try flush invertebrate prey from their hiding places. Male are surprisingly larger than females, up to 1.5 times their weight. Nests are similar to those of doves, and are placed just above ground level. Parents will make use of injury-feigning distraction displays to lure predators away from the nest. Overall this is a stunningly beautiful bird, and a must for all to see. This stunning bird has been spending lots of time on this part of the river. It is in full breeding plumage, with the wings and chest covered in brown streaks. Pair bonds usually last for one season. They are very shy and inconspicuous, making them difficult to spot. They usually hunt from the banks of rivers, where they sway their head from side to side in an attempt to possibly confuse or flush prey.

MALACHITE KINGFISHER

This has got to be one of the most beautiful birds in the world. Their vivid colors are so striking! This tiny kingfisher is usually seen perched on the tips of reeds just above water level. With keen eyesight they spot fish moving below and with lightning speed dive into the water after their quarry. Once caught they zip back up to their perch to enjoy their reward.

All text and photographs shot on location by Marlon du Toit
Singita Kruger National Park, South Africa
30 September 2009

Back to top

Kruger National Park, South Africa

30 September 2009