December 2008 : Sabi Sand Reserve, South Africa

The luminous grass maintains its green flush attracting large herds of plain game, buffalo, elephant and crashes of rhino. The young impala’s are now bounding in steady steps, unfortunately, with many predators in hot pursuit. Numerous migratory birds have returned, some breeding while others are merely here for the banquet of insects and grass seeds. With the months rain totaling about forty percent of the year’s total, the river has come down fast and furiously, attracting many aquatic and amphibious creatures.

This month is definitely a time to celebrate, with the Ravenscourt young male leopard, and the Othawa lion cubs celebrating their first birthdays. As well as the discovery of a new young male leopard in the Northern area of the reserve.

The pack of Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus) have been nomadic, avoiding hunting in repeated areas, escaping the attention of other predators, which invariably rob the dogs kills and at times kill them. Never the less they have spent most of the month on the property, taking advantage of the flooded young impala population. Unfortunately the lions have managed to trace them several times and from the initial five pups there are now only two left.

On a brighter note Christmas hats and New Years parties marks the end of another fabulous year of wildlife viewing and fun in the Sabi Sand.

A Kaleidoscope of Colours
Right, top to bottom
Gladiolus oppositiflorus
Commerlina erecta
Talinum caffrum

Where Have You Been Hiding?
One evening early in the month, the Tavangumi Female, presumed to be one of the oldest leopards (Panthera pardus) on the property (+/-  18 years), successfully killed an adult impala, the following morning Colman Mninsi and his tracker found tracks of the leopard and followed them to the kill.
What a surprise they were in for, not only had they found a leopard on a kill, but tucked away in an over-looking tree peered the face of a young cub. Leopards are elusive animals at the best of times, but managing to show no signs or detection of this new member for about six months is a serious talent.

This spectacular moment didn’t end, as that evening the female was spotted walking back to the carcass with the cub in tow. Along the way they came across a large male leopard that, clearly detecting the availability of an easy meal, attached himself to the party. Evidently the female was aware of the males’ purpose in joining the family and of the detrimental consequences of his presence at her kill. With much snarling at each other, the male eventually dominated and fed. It didn’t take long for the cub to hot foot it up the tree to the male where he played happily bounding on the males back and tugging his tail.

During all the goings on another female leopard approached hesitantly but soon realised that she was not welcome, and backed out promptly. These types of interactions are generally not considered normal for leopards behaviour, but fascinating to see the tolerance of the male to what we presume to be his cub.

An Evening with the Fire Flies
As you gaze out over your balcony towards the river on a clear evening you will, most likely, see a tiny flash of light meandering along the banks through the night skies.

These flashes belong to the beetle family, and are commonly known as fireflies or lightning bugs due to their conspicuously nocturnal, or more accurately, crepuscular (dusk and dawn) use of ‘light flashes’ bioluminescence to attract mates and/or prey.

Fireflies are able to produce a ‘cold light’ containing no ultraviolet or infrared rays. Bioluminescence is a very effective process. With 90% of the energy a firefly uses to create light is actually converted into visible light. By comparison, a shining electric bulb can convert only 10% of its total energy used into visible light, and the remainder is emitted as heat.

Certain female fireflies are known for mimicking the mating flashes of other fireflies for the sole purpose of predation. Target males are attracted to what appears to be a suitable mate, and are then eaten.

A Pleasant Welcome
A number of young wildebeest have been born this season, a welcome boost to the otherwise depleted Blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) population in the Sabi Sand region. 

Blue wildebeest are one of the few species in which the females do not seek secluded cover under which to give birth. The calf is on its feet within a minute of being born; within five minutes it can run and will have followed its mother into the herd.

Youngsters have a buff colouration, which helps with camouflage when resting in the grass.

Summer Songs!
In many parts of the world the chorus of frog calls, heralds the return of summer. Listening to the sounds of an African summer night would not be the same without the fresh melodies from our amphibious friends.

While out on drive you may notice, a rather out-of-place, ball of white foam draped from a branch over a water source. Don’t be alarmed it’s the work of many hours done by the Foam Nest frog, (Chiromantis xerampelina).

The most unique aspect about these frogs is their breeding strategy…. As the name suggests, they are responsible for the conspicuous foam nests that may be seen overhanging seasonal pans and waterholes. These are created by the female frogs, who excrete a mucous that is “beaten” into a froth by the kicking of her hind legs. She then deposits her eggs into the foam, and the attendant males (sometimes there are numerous of them participating) will release their sperm over the eggs in order to fertilize them. 

The foam acts as a moist, protective incubation area for the eggs. Moist so as to prevent desiccation, and protective due to the distasteful nature of the foam – thus dissuading predators from raiding the nest in search of the much sought-after eggs. It is within this foamy mass that the eggs develop and hatch.

The resultant tadpoles then feed off the rich yolk sac, and are thus afforded a few more precious days of sanctuary before their increased weight causes them to drop through the foam, and into a hostile world fraught with danger.  It is not fail-safe - it is vital to the survival of the tadpoles that there is an aquatic environment into which they can drop. So if the pond or pan is insufficient, or a thirsty herd of elephants move past, the sanctuary is useless, as the tadpoles will drop out onto dry ground.                       
- Alan Yeowart

Right, top to bottom
Bubbling Kassina Frog
Painted Reed Frog
Broad Banded Grass Frog

Interview with Field Guide - Ben Delport
Q: What is your age and when is your birthday?
A: I’m 21 and my birthday is the 2nd of November 1987.

Q: Where are you from?
A: Originally from Zimbabwe, but moved to Cape Town 8 years ago and in 2008 my family moved to the land down under.

Q: How long have you been a field guide for? And how long at Singita?
A: I’ve been a field guide for almost a year now and am lucky to be with a company like Singita for that year.

Q: If you could be an animal what would you choose to be and why?
A: Although a very misunderstood animal I think I would be an African wild dog. They operate as a unit and are formidable hunters that strike fear into the hearts of their enemies, even when those enemies are titans in size.

Q: You win the lottery! How do you spend your millions?
A: If I won the lottery, I would buy myself a land rover and rope in a couple of mates and take a trip up Africa to the Serengeti.

Q: Your most embarrassing moment as a field guide was when?
A: I was following the Ravenscourt female leopard in a north-westerly direction; I eventually reached a drainage line, feeling confident I thought I could maneuver my way through. After reassuring my guests it was possible I decided to cross. A couple of moments later I found myself radioing other rangers who were expressing interest that I was stuck and had lost visual of the leopard. Needless to say I’m sure a few people were thinking…I told you so!!

Q: Do you have a specialist interest?
A: Yes, I’m hoping to become a bird specialist.

Q: If you could pick any four people in the world to take on a game drive at Singita Sabi Sand who would they be/have been?
A: My family.

Q: What makes your heart beat a little faster?
A: Hearing that wild dogs have been found.

Q: The book on your bedside table is…?
A: Beat about the bush by Trevor Carnaby.

.../continued on the next page

Interview with Ben Delport continued

Q: The 3 course meal of your wishes is…?
A: Prawn starters, boerevors, chicken and vegetables with a little mash for main course and for desert a good serving of milk tart!!

Q: What’s your charity of choice & why?
A: Endangered wildlife society

Q: You know you’re in Africa when?
A: When listening to the roars of lions whilst sipping a beer

Q: If you weren’t a first-class field guide what would you have been?
A: To be totally honest I’m not exactly sure, hopefully something that is just as stimulating and hands on as being a first class field guide!

Q: What was your worst subject at school and why?
A: Math’s, I could never count right from the start.

Q: Top 5 films?
A: Top Gun, Shawshank Redemption, Wedding Crashers, Pirates of the Caribbean & The Dark Night.

Q: What’s been your favourite sighting?
A: I have two sightings that have really been fantastic. One was viewing a young male leopard kill a grey duiker in front of the landrover, this sighting happened to be my first kill which was great, the second was having the privileged of seeing the pack of wild dogs kill and eat an adult male impala in front of my landrover, this was truly spectacular

A Close Encounter
A female leopard (Panthera pardus) was doing what she naturally does, lounging in a Jackalberry tree (Diospros mespiliformis) on a hot summers day, directly opposite Ebony lodge. As the day heated up, a herd of around twenty elephants moved in to seek shade under the same tree. Once she realised what was going on, there was nothing that she could do but wait.

The jumping of the pregnant impala, teaches the feotus
The above reflected statement is a proverb from my culture, Shangaan. It tells how at about five days old an impala lamb is not easily caught by predator like lion. The tiny lamb has grasped the art of jumping before birth.

I have experienced this right here at Singita Sabi Sand. One morning I was following a pride of lions that composed of two adult lionesses and six cubs which are about a year old, and one adult male that I assume is the father of the youngsters. It was a phenomenal sighting as it is not always the case to see a male amongst the pride. Males tend to be solitary or form the so-called Coalition. All the individuals seemed to be extremely hungry.

They spotted and showed interest in the nursery herd of Impala and their nursery group. The herd of female Impala were browsing and grazing and having very little to do with their lambs, as they only seek out their mothers to solicit suckling.

The two lionesses changed their mood and posture as they walked in different directions and hid behind bushes. The male slowly moved towards the herd and the cubs followed him. Then one of the adult female Impala detected the movement of the cubs approaching. She immediately started vocalizing an alarm call to alert the rest of the herd. The inexperienced cubs ran straight to the nursery group that were closest to them. One of the lioness popped out from the other side. The herd of Impala ran a short distance and stood their ground, vocalizing loudly. The nursery group ran fast in the direction of the second lioness. She tried to catch and ambush one of the lambs, then the little creature jumped over her, and she fell on her back. The rest of the pride ran fast like nobody’s business towards her assuming that she might have been lucky to catch.               

Frank Ndlovu - Field Guide, Singita Sabi Sand                                      

Catch of the Month
Field Guide, Marc Eschenlohr and guests, the Chew Family, went fishing on the 10th of December and Xuan Wei was lucky enough to catch this huge fish, weighing about 7 kg.

The African sharptooth catfish, (Clarias gariepinus), is a dominant freshwater fish that occurs throughout Africa, and is an esteemed angling and food fish amongst the locals. Catfish play an important role in the food chain, and are themselves a favourite food item of the Nile crocodile, Marabou stork and Fish eagle.

Their growth rate depends on food availability and water temperature, and can be extremely rapid. They are omnivorous bottom feeders, feeding on insects, fishes, crustaceans, mollusks, plankton, fruits, plants, small birds and carrion. They occasionally feed on the surface. The lifespan of an African Sharptooth catfish is estimated to be between 8 to 10 years.

As a new member of the Singita team, I would like to introduce myself - my name is Nicky Silberbauer and I am a Field Guide based at Singita Sabi Sand. For me, the most enjoyable part of life is the mystery and excitement that every day brings, each different from the next. Sharing these moments is what makes them real.

I will be taking over the reins of the Singita Sabi Sand journal from Jenny Hishin, whom we all wish the best of luck and happiness in her future life.

‘To see a world in a grain of sand And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand And eternity in an hour.’ - William Blake

This entry was sumbitted by Nicky Silberbauer
All the photographs were taken on location by Nicky Silberbauer
Singita Sabi Sand
31 December 2008