WILDLIFE REPORT SINGITA PAMUSHANA, ZIMBABWE For the month of June, Two Thousand and Seventeen Temperature Rainfall Recorded Sunrise & Sunset Average minimum: 12,4˚C (54,3˚F) For the month: 0 mm Sunrise: 06:31 Minimum recorded: 09,5˚C (49,1˚F) For the year to date: 620 mm Sunset: 17:24 Average maximum: 25,6˚C (78,0˚F) Maximum recorded: 29,7˚C (85,4˚F) The month of June has always been one of the best for game viewing, and this month lived up to its reputation. We leave the lodge in the early hours like snug bugs in rugs, beanies, jackets and gloves, and shed these as the morning warms up. We’ve long ago perfected the art of the morning game-drive cup of coffee which all our guests agree is just as important and enjoyable as a great sighting! Here’s our wildlife overview for June: Lions There seemed to be a buy-in-bulk buffalo special going on this month, as two prides of lions fed on buffalo kills not too far apart from one another. You could go and check on the four lions (two males and two females) on their buffalo carcass south of Chimize Pan, and then drive 20 minutes or so away to where the Southern Pride were still enjoying their buffalo kill below the Malevula Hills.
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WILDLIFEREPORT
SINGITAPAMUSHANA,ZIMBABWEForthemonthofJune,TwoThousandandSeventeen
Temperature RainfallRecorded Sunrise&Sunset Averageminimum: 12,4˚C(54,3˚F) Forthemonth:0mm Sunrise: 06:31 Minimumrecorded: 09,5˚C(49,1˚F) Fortheyeartodate:620mm Sunset: 17:24 Averagemaximum: 25,6˚C(78,0˚F) Maximumrecorded:29,7˚C(85,4˚F) ThemonthofJunehasalwaysbeenoneofthebestforgameviewing,andthismonthliveduptoitsreputation.Weleavethelodgeintheearlyhourslikesnugbugsinrugs,beanies,jacketsandgloves,andshedtheseasthemorningwarmsup.We’velongagoperfectedtheartofthemorninggame-drivecupofcoffeewhichallourguestsagreeisjustasimportantandenjoyableasagreatsighting!Here’sourwildlifeoverviewforJune:LionsThereseemedtobeabuy-in-bulkbuffalospecialgoingonthismonth,astwopridesoflionsfedonbuffalokillsnottoofarapartfromoneanother.Youcouldgoandcheckonthefourlions(twomalesandtwofemales)ontheirbuffalocarcasssouthofChimizePan,andthendrive20minutesorsoawaytowheretheSouthernPridewerestillenjoyingtheirbuffalokillbelowtheMalevulaHills.
AnotherhighlightwasthematingpairoflionsontheopenBanyiniarea.Guestsgottoseealltheactionoutintheopenacoupleoftimes!Hereabloatedmalelionlugshimselfalongashadystretchoftheairstrip,whileaherdofaghastwildebeestskitteraboutnearby.LeopardsThere’vebeenafewsightingsthismonthsuchasaskittishfemalewhomadeaquickexit,unlikeanotherbeautifulfemalebeautifulwhomadeherappearancejustasguestswereendingtheirsafari,andwaitedonthesideoftheroadgivingthemthetimetoseeherclearlyandendtheirholidayonahigh.
CheetahWe’vebeenluckyenoughtoviewcheetahstoothismonth.Thismalecamedowntothewater’sedge,aftercarefullylookingaroundfordanger,beforetakingalongdrink.Seehowhegoestotheeffortofnotgettinghisclawsortailtipmuddy!
RhinosSomeofthehighlightsincludedseeingeightwhiterhinoswithatinynewborncalf,andfindingabullwhiterhinohavingalongmudbathbeforeproceedingtohaveagoodscratchonanythinghecouldfind.Someblackrhinosmadetheirpresenceknowntoo–storytofollow.Hereaherdofimpalacalmlysunthemselvesasahugebullwhiterhinograzesametreaway.
WilddogsandhyenasAverydistressingoccurrencetookplaceonenightatthebeginningofthemonth.TheExecutiveDirectoroftheMalilangweTrustsawaclanofhyenasandapackofwilddogsinahugefight,rightattheHeadQuarteroffices.Thehyenascaught,killedandrippedapartawilddog.Itwasverygruesomeandthenoiseofitallwasjustasspine-chilling.ElephantsWe’vehadfantasticelephantsightingsofbullsandbreedingherds.Awaytosafelygetwithintwoarm-lengthstoanelephant,onfoot,istogoandwaitinthecustom-builtphotographichide.Guestsdidjustthatandwererewardedwithtwowarthogs,somezebraandalargebullelephant.Topviewingwashadofafamilyofabout25elephantsincludingsomelittlecalvesfeedingonthesideoftheroad.Guestsalsothoroughlyenjoyedsomeupcloseandpersonaltimewithahugebullelephantandhisfourmateswhentheyfinishedhavingamudbath…theycamerightuptothefrontofthevehicleseeminglywantingtosayafriendlyyetmuddyhellotoall.BuffalosThere’vebeenexcellentbuffalosightingstoo,suchaswhenaherdofaboutsixhundredbuffalocrossedtheChiredziRiver;aswellaswatchingalargeherdwhenthreewhiterhinoscameandjoinedastwoelephantbullsscrummedwithoneanotherinthedistance.
PlainsgamePlainsgamesightingsofgiraffe,wildebeest,zebraandimpalaareguaranteed,butwe’vealsohadgoodsightingsofsableandelandthismonth.UnusualsightingsYouoftencatchsuchinterestingglimpsesofwildlifeonanightdrive–herethegreenspotlighthighlightsachameleonthatwasfastasleep.Thisporcupinebustledoffintothebushesmakingaratherfunnyseriesofdisgruntledgruntsandgrumbles.
Iabsolutelydonotlikethesearmouredcricketsandcanfindnothingredeemingtosayaboutthem.Hereonedevoursanotherthathasbeensquashedintheroad.Fishing&boatcruisesWiththewaterquitecoldatthemomentwe’vebeendoingmoresundownercruisesthanfishing.Weevendidadawncruisewhichcastsuchbeautifullightacrossthewater–seethephotoofthehipposattheendofthisreport.
RockartAllourguestshaveshowngreatinterestintherockpaintingsonthecavewallsofthereserve.Theyhavemarveledatthesightsandoftenitisthesehumblingencountersinthestonehomesofourhumanancestorsthatarethehighlightofamorningdrive.
SunsetmoonriseswimmingThiswasthemostbeautifulsightingofthemonthforme–twoelephantbullsswimmingandplayinginNdunaDam,surroundedbyanamphitheatreofsandstonecliffsandforest.Weleftthevehicle,climbedtherocksthatoverlookthesceneandsattherewatchingthemforoveranhour.Thesunsetthrewsoftwarmlightontotherocks,andasthemoonrosethescenewaslitinpinks,mauvesandpurplehues.
Ontheprowl
Twoterritorialmalelionsweretryingtowarmupinapatchofdawnlight,whenathirdmalesomewherenearbystartedtocontactroar.Thetwoleaptup,spunaboutandstartedtosearchforhim,roaringferociouslyastheydid.Weoftenseeallthreeofthesemalestogether,soitseemedthatsomethinghadchangedinthedynamic.Thethirdmalequicklygotthemessageandinterpreteditashewasnot
welcomeinthearea,andhebeatahastyretreat,runninginthedirectionfromwhichhecame.Ittookquitesometimeforthesetwolargermales,withfullbelliesfromtheirrecenthuntingexploits,tosettledownagainandrelaxinthesunshine.Aslendermongoose(Galerellasanguinea)isafantasticlittleanimalthattakesnononsensefrommostanimalsfargreaterinsizethanitsfeisty+/-35cm(tailexcluded)!Youcanidentifythembytheprominentblacktipontheirtails.Theygenerallyliveeitheraloneorinpairs.Theyareprimarilydiurnal,althougharesometimesactiveonwarm,moonlitnights.Thisonewasbustlingdownthetracktowardsuswithasenseofpurpose.Itpausedforamomenttoassessus,camealittlecloser,andthendecidedwewereofnobenefitsoitwentonitsway.Inoticedthatithadslightdiscolourationtooneofitseyes–nodoubtgainedinascrapwithanunfortunateopponent,possiblyevenavenom-spittingsnake.Slendermongoosesaremostlycarnivorous,thoughtheyareopportunisticomnivores.Insectsmakeupthebulkoftheirdiet,butlizards,rodents,snakes,birds,amphibians,andtheoccasionalfruitareeatenwhenavailable.Theywillalsoeatcarrionandeggs.Asbefitsthepopularimageofmongooses,theyarecapableofkillingandeatingvenomoussnakes,butsuchsnakesdonotconstituteasignificantportionoftheirdiet.
Blackrhinoencounter
We’dbeenonamissiontofindablackrhinoforacoupleofdayswhenallofasuddenoneeruptedoutofathicketandthunderedtowardsus.Hestoppedshort,sizedusup,andthenseeminglysmiledforthecamerawhileemphasizinghismassivegreytank-likeformagainstsomedelicategrassandsoftpastelfoliage.Butnosoonerwasthisposestruckthanhechargedagain,
acceleratingourheartratesandfillingfartoomuchofmyfixed400mmlens’sframe.Hestoodspittingdistanceaway,forwhatseemedlikeaneternitybutwasprobablyonlyafewseconds,andthengallopedawayindisgust.Adultmaleblackrhinos,likethismaturebull,tendtoliveontheirown,exceptwhencourtingfemales.Blackrhinoscanmoveextremelyquickly,andhavebeenrecordedathighsof55km/h.Thisisevenmorealarmingwhenyouareinastationaryvehicleorworse,onfoot!Theycan‘turnonadime’andwillrunrightthroughscrubandbushes.Blackrhinosarequitepredictableintheirunpredictability!They’lloftenchargeadisturbingsound,smellorvehicleandwhenablackrhinocatchesthescentofhumansitusuallyrunsaway,sometimesforquiteadistancebeforestopping.
ConservationinactionBlackandwhiterhinoareattheirpeakconditionattheendoftherainyseason,andthatmakesitthebesttimefortheMalilangweTrusttoperformtheirannualrhinoear-notchingprogramme.Asystemofear-notchesisusedtouniquelyidentifyeachindividualrhino.Thenotchescanbeseenfromafarwhichallowsthesecurityteamtomonitortherhinoswithoutdisturbingorstressingthem.Membersofthewildlifemanagementteamtaketotheskyinahelicoptertosearchoutmotherrhinosthathaveun-notchedcalves.Oncespottedtheyflyincloseanddartthecalf.Viaradiocommunicationwithanexpertgroundteam,consistingofvets,ecologists,scoutsandassistants,theydirectthemtothespotwheretheanesthetizedcalfislying.Thegroundteamjumptoworkbyclearinganyimpedingvegetationaroundthecalf,supplyingitwithoxygen,sprayingwatertokeepitcool,monitoringitstemperature,breathingandheartrate,aswellastakingresearchdatafromit.Theoperationiscarriedoutquicklyyetcalmlytoeliminateasmuchstressaspossibleforthecalf–evenitsearsandeyesareblockedandcoveredduringtheprocedure.Surgicalclamps(theylooksimilartoscissors-seethephoto)areplacedontheearsinthepredeterminedspecificnotchpattern.Thesestopthebloodflowandallowthenotchtobecutfromtheear.Oncebleedinghasstoppedandanyminorwoundsaretreatedtheareaisclearedandthevetadministersareversaldrug.Thisreversalactsquicklyandthecalfcanbeonitsfeetagainandreunitedwithitsmotherwithinseconds.(Theun-dartedmotherstaysintheareabutusuallydoesn’tapproachthesceneoftheoperation.)Dailysightingsofindividualrhinos,identifiedbytheirnotches,arerecordedandcollatedbyresearchtechnicianswhocapturethedataintoananimalpopulationdatabase.Thedataisqueriedtoproducereportsthatguidemanagementdecisions.TheMalilangweTrust’srhinorangeexpansionprogrammehasbeenverysuccessful,withnumbersofbothspeciesgrowingsubstantiallyfromtheirfounderpopulations.Theprogramme’sgoalwastorepopulatethereservewithrhinos,andcontributefurthertoconservationbyusingrhinosthatwouldextendthereserve'sidealcarryingcapacity,tostartnewpopulationselsewhere.Forthefirsttime,in2015,theopportunityarosetomoveasmallnumberofblackrhinosoffthereservetorestockareserveinBotswana.SingitaPamushana,theMalilangweTrust’stourismpartner,isoneofthefewplacesintheworldabletooffergueststheopportunityofseeingthefullspectrumofAfricanwildlife,includingblackandwhiterhinos,inawell-protected,balanced,wildandnaturalecosystem.
Allatwitter
Thisadultbateleur’sredfacecaughtthemorninglightbeautifully.Ajuvenile’sfaceisamutedturquoisecolour.Thislappet-facedvulturemaynotbeconsideredbeautiful,butitiscertainlyimpressivemeasuring95–115cminbodylength,withawingspanof2.5–2.9m.Theprettylilac-breastedroller,bycomparison,isonly36to38cm,withawingspanof50to58cm.
Whichway?OnourwaybacktothelodgeduringanightdrivewecameacrossthisspottedeagleowldebatingwhetherheshouldgohuntingatcampKwali,HeadQuartersorSimbiri…
Thesehipposweren’tgoinganywhereforawhile–they’djustreturnedtothewaterafteranight’sgrazing.
WrittenandphotographedbyJennyHishin,unlessotherwiseindicatedSingitaPamushana
MalilangweWildlifeReserveZimbabwe
ThirtiethofJune2017
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