November 2009 : Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, Zimbabwe

Pamushana cast aside her amber gold cloak to reveal a svelte green wrap of velvety textures this month! Of course the rains tailor-made this change and we’re all relieved to see the water levels of the rivers and pans rise. The season’s first impish impala lamb was seen frisking about on the 11th and hartebeest calves and many other youngsters have joined in the celebration of life.

In pursuit of paradise the African Paradise-flycatchers have found it on a branch above the sparkling blue waters of Pamushana’s infinity-edge pool. They’ve built a little cup nest alongside a pair of Scarlet-chested Sunbirds who have also chosen this prime real estate to nest and have already hatched their hungry chicks!

SPOTTED!

Before the rains encouraged a carpet of green on the burnt open areas of the Banyini we spotted a female cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) regally surveying the scene. She has mysteriously lost the tip of her tail but what a survivor she is for she soon introduced us to her three sooty-spotted fluffy cubs! Cheetah cubs have an alarmingly high mortality rate and cheetah are listed as Vulnerable on the UCN Red List of Threatened Species, so you can imagine our delight on repeatedly seeing this healthy family over the past few weeks. Notice how well they blend in to the bare burnt surroundings and earthy colours. You’d expect cubs to be hidden in dense foliage but this barren landscape is the perfect camouflage for them!

 

THE PURPLE-CRESTED TURACO (Gallirex porphyreolophus)

In dazzling contrast to the cheetahs is this frugivore with its purple crest, green head and red eye ring. The neck and chest are green and brown and the rest of the body purple, with red flight feathers. Both sexes build the nest - one collects sticks and ‘hands’ them to other, who adds it to the structure. Continuing to share responsibilities the male will also help to incubate the eggs.

GOING TO SEED

At the end of the dry winter the pods of the Lucky Bean Creeper (Abrus precatorius) split open to reveal bright orange and black seeds. Due to pods’ round spiky shape they may tumble away and the dispersed seeds are able to germinate in the rich leaf litter below. These shiny orange and black seeds are often gathered and used as decorations for arts and crafts. Strung together and worn as a necklace they bring the wearer good luck, but not if you happen to chew one – they’re highly toxic!

Wild cotton (Gossypium herbaceum) protects its precious seeds with soft cotton fibres ensuring the seed won’t be damaged as it’s blown along. En-route and at its destination the cotton ball absorbs all the moisture it needs for germination to begin – this reminds me of many a ‘Bean Project’ at school that had me anxiously checking my beans’ germination progress between two layers of wet cotton wool! Birds use the cotton as a snug lining for their nests, local people use it as a stuffing for pillows and cushions, and when you’re out in the bush and you just have to clean your ears… some cotton wrapped around a twig makes an emergency earbud!

The silky fingers attached to these seeds parachute them away to distant destinations making certain they’re dispersed far and wide. A soft landing in a puddle is the perfect nursery for new life. The seed that blows far from the tree can still become a forest.

 

I’M JUST GOING TO POWDER BY NOSE…

To relieve sunburn and biting bugs on a grand scale a protective mudpack should be applied:

Step 1: Take a bath in a nearby dam. Splish and splash to get thoroughly soaked.Step 2: Kick up some dust, then hoover it into your trunk.

Step 3: Spray generously all over. (Never forget between your legs..!)

Step 4: Blow your own trumpet to ensure thorough coverage.

 

CATCHING THE SUN

Step aboard the carpeted deck of our new luxury Sun Catcher and recline on the blonde leather seats with a sundowner in hand and sunshine on your cheeks… This is the ultimate safari as you quietly cruise the vast Malilangwe Dam while sunbeams set the sandstone cliffs aglow. Viewing wildlife from the craft is ideal for low-impact game viewing as the animals seem relaxed when they come down to the water’s edge for a drink.

You’re bound to see a curios pod of hippos snort their acknowledgment of you and an abundance of birdlife such as fish eagles, kingfishers, cormorants, darters and crakes.

Sunbathing on the banks could be a crocodile or two, and you’re bound to see other wildlife quenching their thirst. There are few safari lodges in Africa with access to a private dam, and here you are guaranteed a sunset cruise where the only other visitors are the animals. The Sun Catcher is a 3G aluminum pontoon boat powered by a four-stroke engine.

 

PHOTOGRAPHIC TIP: USE YOUR FLASH!

During a day trip to the adjacent Gonarezhou National Park our cheffing team had conjured up this magical breakfast that was ready for us upon arrival. The first snap was without the use of a flash and you can see that the foreground looks very dull! It is so easy to forget to use your flash in broad daylight, but it makes all the difference to fill in the detail of a scene’s foreground.

 

BABY ELEPHANT HUNT

This is the most fascinating depiction of two hunters and a baby elephant. It seems as if the one hunter has the elephant by the tail and the other attached to a hind leg, and the terrified animal is dragging both along! Standing before this scene on the sandstone cliffs at Pamushana you cannot help speculating what the true story behind it is. One thing we know for sure is that the pigments used are mineral in origin: red, brown and yellow pigments are made from ochre of various forms, white is derived from silica, china clay and gypsum while black usually comes from specularite or other manganese minerals and only very rarely from charcoal.

Organic binders such as blood and egg albumin were sometimes used in the paint and current research is exploring the dating of these substances.

“The VERY best place we have stayed in all of our world travels. Unforgettable! Exceptional service – an experience of a lifetime!” Peter & Laura, San Francisco, CA.

By Jenny Hishin Singita Pamushana Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve Zimbabwe 30th November 2009