WILDWINGS SOUTH AFRICA TOUR Wildwings Davis House MAMMALS AND BIRDS Lodge Causeway TH TH Bristol BS16 3JB 20 – 30 JULY 2016

LEADER - Richard Webb +44 01179 658333 www.wildwings.co.uk

Black-footed Cat

INTRODUCTION

After the success of previous Wildwings’ mammal tours to Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Estonia and India this was the first of two tours to South Africa in 2016. Focusing on some of Africa’s most enigmatic species the tour was a great success seeing 54 species of mammal (plus four ‘uncountable’ introductions). Highlights included no fewer than seven sightings of Black-footed Cat including one at point blank range, six Aardvarks, two Aardwolves, a superb pack of 11 Wild Dogs and an equally superb Brown Hyaena, Zorilla, both African Clawless and Spotted-necked Otters and a surprisingly attractive Smith’s Red Rock Rabbit. The ‘supporting cast’ included two Cheetahs stalking kudu, several Lions on kills and multiple Cape Porcupines.

Note: all photographs in this report are by Mark or Fran Sullivan.

Richard Webb

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CHECKLIST

Nomenclature largely follows the six-volume Mammals of Africa except for bovids where it follows the recently published Bovids of the World which in turn follows the taxonomy of the Handbook of Mammals of the World.

- Western Rock Sengi A possible seen by Michael while searching rocky hillsides at Marrick. Elephantulus rupestris 1 Chacma Baboon Four groups seen in Suikerbosrand. Seen on route to Madikwe and in Madikwe on Papio ursinus the 27th and 28th. 2 Vervet Three sightings on route to Madikwe and seen daily in the grounds of Madikwe Chlorocebus pygerythrus River Lodge. 3 Southern Lesser Galago Seen in Madikwe on 26th (1-2), 27th (1) and 29th (1), all bar one of the sightings Galago moholi being in the grounds of the lodge. 4 Cape Hare Marrick: seen while spotlighting on the 20th (5), 21st (8) and 22nd (4). Lepus capensis 5 Scrub Hare Marrick: Seen while spotlighting on the 20th (1), 21st (1, plus another during the Lepus saxatilis day) and 22nd (3).

6 African Savanna Hare Madikwe: Seen while spotlighting on the 26th (4), 27th (16), 28th (8) and 29th (15+). Lepus microtis 7 Smith's Red Rock Hare Great views of this difficult to see species while spotlighting at Marrick on the 22nd. Pronolagus rupestris A surprisingly striking animal. 8 South African Ground Marrick: 6+ on the 20th and 10+ on the 21st. Madikwe: Four on the 27th and two on Squirrel Xerus inauris the 28th. 9 Tree Squirrel Madikwe: one on the 27th, one on the 28th and three on the 29th. Paraxerus cepapi 10 Spring Hare Abundant at Marrick and up to three in Madikwe on 26th, 27th and 29th. Pedetes capensis 11 Cape Porcupine Seven at Marrick on both the 21st and 22nd including family parties on both nights. Hystrix africaeaustralis 12 Bushveld Gerbil One at Marrick on the 21st. Gerbilliscus leucogaster 13 Cape Fox A probable briefly at Marrick on the 21st. Vulpes chama 14 Bat-eared Fox Marrick: Eleven on the 20th including three during the day, and three on both the Otocyon megalotis 21st and 22nd. 15 Black-backed Jackal One at Marrick on the 22nd and on route to Suikerbosrand on 24th. In Madikwe one Canis mesomelas on the 26th, six on the 27th (including five around a lion kill), four on the 28th and one on the 29th.

16 African Wild Dog A fabulous encounter with eleven in Madikwe on the 26th. They had killed a kudu Lycaon pictus earlier in the day.

17 African Clawless Otter One seen distantly early in the morning at Warrenton and much closer views of the Aonyx capensis same or a second individual a couple of hours later. 18 Spotted-necked Otter Three seen early on our visit to Marievale presented a few identification challenges Lutra maculicollis but examination of Fran’s video confirmed their identification. 19 Zorilla (Striped Polecat) An unexpected bonus with one seen briefly at the end of our first night drive at Ictonyx striatus Marrick.

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20 Banded Mongoose A brief encounter with a small group in Madikwe on the 27th. Mungos mungo 21 Slender Mongoose One seen by Ewan at Kimberley Airport and one crossed the track in front of our Herpestes sanguineus vehicle as we left Madikwe. 22 Common Dwarf Mongoose Two possibly three seen briefly in Madikwe on the 28th. Helogale parvula 23 Yellow Mongoose Marrick: Two on the 20th and three on the 21st. Two on route from Kimberley to Cynictis penicillata Warrenton on the 22nd and 2+ in Suikerbosrand on the 24th. 24 Meerkat At least three spotted by Mark during a roadside stop at Kamfers Dam plus two Suricata suricatta tame individuals around the lodge at Marrick. 25 Small-spotted Genet Singles on night drives at Marrick on the 22nd and Madikwe on the 29th. Ewan also Genetta genetta obtained a camera trap photo of one at Madikwe River Lodge on the 27th. 26 Spotted Hyaena In Madikwe five on the 26th, seven on the 27th, one on the 28th and heard on the Crocuta crocuta 29th. 27 Brown Hyaena A fabulous encounter with one in Madikwe on the 28th. Hyaena brunnea 28 Aardwolf A distant individual at Marrick on the 20th and closer views in Madikwe on the 26th. Proteles cristata 29 (African) Wildcat At Marrick relatively distant views on one on the 20th and 2+ on the 21st. Good Felis silvestris lybica views of another in Madikwe on the 29th. 30 Black-footed Cat Mind - blowing close range views of one at Marrick on the 20th for over 20 minutes. Felis nigripes Three seen more distantly on both the 21st and 22nd. We did not try to approach these given out views on the first night drive.

31 Cheetah Two seen well in Madikwe on the 28th were watched at close range as they lazily Acinonyx jubatus stalked a group of kudu. 32 Lion Great encounters in Madikwe. On the 26th a pair, two males at an old kill and two Panthera leo lionesses at a very fresh kill. The latter were also seen on the 27th and 28th and the pair were also seen on the 28th. Heard on the 29th.

33 Aardvark A great run of sightings. Two singles at Marrick on both the 20th and 21st and more Orycteropus afer surprisingly two singles in Madikwe on the 28th. Much appreciated by everyone. 34 African (Bush) Elephant Common in Madikwe. Loxodonta africana 35 Plains Zebra Small numbers at Marrick (reintroduced) and common in Suikerbosrand and Equus quagga Madikwe. 36 White Rhinoceros Madikwe: Adult plus calf on the 27th, four plus a calf on the 28th and no fewer than Ceratotherium simum 12 on the 29th. Sadly no sign of any Blacks despite extensive searching for them. 37 Common Warthog Five at Marrick on the 20th, one on route to Warrenton on the 22nd, and up to five Phacochoerus africanus daily at Madikwe. 38 Giraffe Five reintroductions at Marrick on the 21st and up to 10 daily in Madikwe. Giraffa camelopardalis 39 African (Savanna) Buffalo 40+ in Madikwe on the 28th. Syncerus caffer 40 Zambezi (Greater) Kudu 15 at Marrick on the 21st, one in Suikerbosrand on the 25th and up to 10 daily in Tragelaphus zambeziensis Madikwe. 41 Eland Four in Madikwe on the 29th. Taurotragus oryx

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- Nyala Up to four (recent introductions outside their natural range) at Marrick on 21st and Tragelaphus angasii 22nd. 42 Cape Bushbuck Up to five daily in the camp at Madikwe River Lodge, two of which were tame Tragelaphus sylvaticus individuals. - Roan Antelope c.15 (recent introductions outside their natural range) at Marrick on 21st. Hippotragus equinus - Sable Antelope c.15 (recent introductions outside their natural range) at Marrick on 21st. Hippotragus niger 43 Gemsbok Marrick: Up to 25 on the 20th and 21st. Oryx gazella 44 Ellipsen Waterbuck Madikwe: One on the 27 th , two on the 28th and three on the 29th. All in and around Kobus ellipsiprymnus the camp. 45 Black Wildebeest Marrick: Two on the 21st and 20+ on the 22nd. Several distant groups were not Connochaetes gnou identified to species. Common at Suikerbosrand on the 24th. 46 Blue Wildebeest Common in Madikwe. 20+ (introductions outside their natural range) at Marrick. Connochaetes taurinus 47 Blesbok Common in Suikerbosrand on the 24th. A recently introduced Bontebok was seen Damaliscus pygargus at Marrick on the 21st. 48 Red Hartebeest Common at Marrick, c.10 near Kamfers Dam on the 22nd and three in Alcelaphus caama Suikerbosrand on the 24th. 49 Common Impala Common Madikwe. Aepyceros melampus 50 Kalahari Springbok Common Madikwe. Antidorcas hofmeyri 51 South African Springbok Common Marrick, Kamfers Dam and Suikerbosrand. Two nice Black Springboks at Antidorcas marsupialis Marrick. 52 Transvaal Klipspringer Pairs in Marrick on the 28th and 29th. Oreotragus transvaalensis 53 Steenbok Marrick: Two on the 21st and one on the 22nd. Madikwe: One on the 26th, eight on Raphicerus campestris the 27th, nine on the 28th and 10 on the 29th. 54 Common Duiker Marrick: Two on the 20th and singles on the 21st and 22nd. One on route to Sylvicapra grimmia Warrenton on the 22nd.

Aardvark Black-footed Cat

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Smith’s Red Rock Rabbit

African Wild Dogs

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Brown Hyaena

Cheetah

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