UNIQUE SAFARIS JAN - FEB 2013 Weather & Migration

Propelled by the heavy rain in late December and calving season to stall. In response, the females early January, the pregnant female ar- dispersed throughout the region in search of rived in the southern , their bodies flood- enough grass to sustain their calves. Wildebeests ing the plains like an advancing army. Historically were spread out from Kusini to Ndutu and February is when the calving season peaks on the Maswa; many had returned to Hidden Valley and southern plains and the entire landscape is trans- large herds were between Naabi and the Gol area. formed. It’s during this time that the area is turned Wherever the wildebeests went they were fol- into an oasis of short green grasses rich in the potas- lowed by predators. The few calves that did drop sium, magnesium, and other vital nutrients the ex- were vulnerable to these predators since they did pectant mothers need to produce healthy milk. How- not have the “safety in numbers” advantage ever, just as it has done for the last five to seven calves typically have when the bulk of them are years, the rain stopped in some areas of the southern born within a three-week period. It was easy for plains. This created pockets of dry land, causing the predators to single out a lone calf, increasing the

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mortality rate for these few first-borns. While the northern Serengeti is not home to the large Meanwhile the bachelor herd had also entered the south- herds at this time, the resident population remains in ern plains by the end of January, although they had trav- place and clients visiting the Lobo and northern Lo- elled by a different route, pouring in from the eastern liondo area were treated to great activity and a Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Like wonderful surprise of seeing a pack of 12 wild the pregnant females, they too dispersed in February and near Buffalo Luxury Camp.

followed the rain clouds. Tarangire National Park has a migration of its own. Where there were wildebeests there were also January and February are its green season and the park though the majority of the herds had remained in is typically very wet. The type of grass in the park the central Serengeti, preferring the taller grasses to the grows very tall, making it harder to spot . However short grass plains. Other in the central Serengeti the park remains excellent for , and included , Cape buffalo, giraffe, topi, , especially diverse bird wildlife. At this time of year and elephant. Cat sightings including , chee- only the “residents” of Tarangire are inside the park tah and were prolific in both the central and and other migratory herd animals move back into the southern area. Many hunts both successful and unpro- surrounding conservation areas because the food and ductive were witnessed by countless visitors. water are abundant in their primary habitats.

Photo courtesy of Boyd Norton

P AGE 3 STORIES

LionsSerengeti and Cubs

Bringing Home the Bacon On a different day we spotted a out hunting. We watched her move stealthily through the dry grass, her tan creating an effective camouflage. At times she would stop and crouch low to the ground in an attempt to disappear completely. At times it seemed that she had disappeared. If we watched close enough though, we could distinguish the long black tufts of hair standing from the tips of her elongated ears.

Photo courtesy of Lisa Buehler She was absolutely beautiful to watch, her lean body slipping elegantly between the grasses, the sun some- Practice Makes Perfect times catching the green color of her eyes. In the early morning hours, before dark had given way to the rising sun, we spotted two cubs hiding along Eventually she sensed something and crouched down the shores of Lake Ndutu. Their mother was off in the low, the hairs on her back twitching in anticipation. She distance trying to hunt a herd of Thomson’s gazelle. The pounced quickly and came up with a held be- presence of four lionesses prevented her success as the tween her jaws. We expected her to eat the mouse, in- competition had no intention of sharing the hunting stead she trotted away. We followed her for a short time grounds with her. Realizing the futility of hunting near before she stopped near a bush, dropped the mouse and the , the mother moved further away and continued made a mewing sound. Before long a kitten came out of to hunt for something else, each time with no success. the bush and began to feed on the small meal. We stayed near the cubs, choosing to be entertained by their antics. When a ribbon of light appeared over the DID YOU KNOW horizon, we saw one of the cubs stalking its own prey before it gave chase. It had found a caracal which was With its strong and lengthy hind legs, the caracal is too fast for the young cub. An then appeared able to leap up to 10 feet in the air to catch flying and this time both cubs chased the aardwolf, their in- birds. In fact, Persian and Indian royalty, so im- stincts to hunt strong like their mothers. Unfortunately pressed by the caracal’s agility and leaping ability, they were just as unsuccessful but the practice helps once trained the caracal to hunt game birds. them develop their hunting skills.

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Photo courtesy of Jack Derby The majestic lion surveying his territory atop a kopje. Other such as , , snakes, mice, shrews and Rock Hyraxes inhabit these rocky outcroppings as well. A host of other animals are also attracted to the water that collects in the ground around it.

Practice Makes Perfect Quick End to a Short Life It is fairly common to see a lion pride perched on the In Seronera Valley, we stopped to watch a Cape buffa- top of a kopje as it provides them an excellent vantage lo give birth to a calf. Although we were the only car Photo courtesy of Andy Miller point for hunting. With lions often occupying these in sight to witness the birth we were not the only ones areas it can be a dangerous place for ungulates to get to take interest. A pride of sixteen lions had also no- too close, so you can imagine the surprise of our guide ticed. Although the calf was not more than fifteen who pointed out four zebras that were perched at the minutes old, both mother and child tried to catch up to very top of one of the kopjes in the Moru area. It was the herd where there would be safety in numbers but a complete mystery as to what possessed the four zeb- the lions easily overtook them. Even though the moth- ras to climb it, especially since their legs are not er tried to protect her calf, the pride was too much for meant to climb unstable rocky ground and even a mi- her and the young life quickly ended. Watching a nor leg injury can be a death sentence in the Serengeti. calf’s life cut so short conjures up strong emotions but Moving on we wished all four zebras good luck on the pride had cubs to feed and as our driver explained, their descent. such is the nature of life in the bush.

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Leopard Tales Although the herds are absent in the central the air to escape the attack. The leopard leaped up into Serengeti, many resident animals remain providing am- the sky, clearing almost seven feet, and caught one guin- ple game for the big cats, especially for the leopard ea fowl in its mouth. The bird’s wings quivered for only whose diet is much broader than the lion and cheetah. seconds before it became limp in the leopard’s jaws. In fact, we spotted a mother leopard with her two two- month-old cubs up in an acacia tree with a . A Uninvited full grown warthog ranges from 125 pounds to an im- were spotted on more than one occasion pressive 250 pounds whereas a full grown leopard with black-backed jackals trailing behind them. One weighs an average 140 pounds. Although the warthog particular honey did not appreciate the small en- in the tree was not full grown it does seem to defy the tourage at his heals. We watched him come out of his laws of gravity that a 140 pounds leopard can climb a hole, his nose leading him while he foraged along the tree carrying a 100 pound animal in its jaws. ground. Two jackals noticed him and began to follow, hoping that they would benefit from his tracking. The became aware of the jackals and several times he turned around and tried to chase them away. The jackals were always just fast enough to sprint be- yond his reach. Undeterred, the jackals continued to fol- low him. Eventually the honey badger began digging, his acute smell picking up the scent of an animal. Sud- denly a shot out from a hole, escaping the honey badger but not one of the jackals who quickly captured it and trotted away with it in its mouth. Photo courtesy of Judy Steeble

On a different day we came upon a leopard standing high on a tree limb focused on an area of long grasses only 20 feet away from where he was perched. We saw a small group of guinea fowls under the shade of a tree in that area, pecking away at insects on the ground. We watched and waited to see what the leopard would do and it wasn’t long before it climbed down from the tree, crossed the road in front of our vehicle and began to quietly stalk the guinea fowls. Unaware they were being hunted; the birds kept digging for bugs when suddenly the leopard rushed at them, sending them shrieking into

Photo courtesy of Frank Walsh

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AFRICAN WILD

Featured Animal

The ’s mottled coat makes the pack appear much larger than it really is; confusing the prey and helping the dogs hunt with more success than any other African predator.

Their scientific name, Lycaon pictus" is derived from animals, and hunting from farmers who fear for their the Greek for "" and the Latin for "painted" but livestock.

most know them as the African wild dog or more simp- African wild dogs live in packs of six to 20 and hunt ly, the painted dog. It is estimated that there were once cooperatively. Larger packs, some as large as 100, were 500,000 inhabiting 39 countries throughout . But more common before the population dwindled signifi- today those numbers have dwindled to 3,000 to 5,500 cantly. Their main prey varies but usually centers with the largest populations found primarily in eastern around medium-to-large sized ungulates, such as the and . Not surprising, they are an endan- impala, Thomson's gazelle, , , , gered species, facing ever shrinking room to roam due to and wildebeest calves. They will also supplement their human settlement, diseases spread by domestic diet with and birds.

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The pack typically hunts twice a day, at dawn and at dusk. After feeding, the pack returns to the den where they Before each hunt, they perform an unusual ritual, they regurgitate meat for the nursing alpha female and circle playfully among each other, running shoulder to pups. Only the alpha male and female mate in a pack, shoulder, diving under and leaping over each other, lick- with the alpha female having litters anywhere from ing at each other’s mouths, vocalizing and touching until two to 20. Despite the large litter, most pups do not they are collectively excited. When the pack is sufficient- survive. Oftentimes the dens become flooded during ly “pumped up” they go out on the hunt, using a closely heavy rains or the pups will die from exposure or dis- coordinated attack strategy that is extremely efficient, ease. When pups do reach adulthood, around three catching their prey 70 to 90 percent of the time (whereas years, it is the females who leave the pack, often to lions are only successful 30 to 40 percent). join a new pack. The males will generally remain in

When a prey is targeted, some of the dogs run close to the pack until they die. the animal, while others follow behind, taking over when the leaders tire. One then grabs the victim's , while DID YOU KNOW another attacks the upper lip or nose, and the remainder Wild dogs usually move over a very large range, cov- disembowel the animal. In many cases, the prey is often ering for example some 900 square miles in the Seren- still alive while the pack begins to feed, however natural- geti. After a litter is born, they will limit their traveling ist and biologists have reported that most seem to be in a and hunting to areas closer to the den. state of shock and are unlikely to feel much, if any pain.

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Wild Dog Update Wild dogs remain an elusive and rare sighting in the Lobo and even northern Loliondo near Buffalo Luxury Serengeti, and in fact in all of northern . In Camp. The pack was seen near Lake Ndutu the first late August 2012, a wild dog translocation project, week in January 2013 and were spotted again on Febru- sponsored by TAWIRI (Tanzania Wildlife Research ary 17 near Buffalo Luxury Camp. The fate of these Institute) and TANAPA (Tanzania National Parks) dogs remains uncertain, but researchers are excited by with a donation by VODACOM, moved 12 dogs from their movements and that they are able to hunt in the southern Loliondo to the Western Corridor in the high density lion and corridors of southern and Serengeti. Three of the dogs were radio collared and central Serengeti. Stay tuned for more updates on the they have been tracked by GPS daily. The dogs have wild dogs in the Serengeti. There are plans to release by no means remained in the Western Corridor, but up to another 23 dogs in the next few months, if all have been hunting all the way to Lake Ndutu, Seronera, continues to go well.

Two of the three collared wild dogs that were spotted in February have been seen roaming throughout the Serengeti. TAWIRA plans to release up to 23 dogs in the next few months.