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Wildlife Report Singita Pamushana Lodge Malilangwe Zimbabwe Wildlife Report For the month of November, Two Thousand and Thirteen Temperature Rainfall Recorded Average minimum: 20,8˚C (69,4˚F) For the period: 69,4 mm Average maximum: 34,4˚C (93,9˚F) For the year to date: 456,8 mm Minimum recorded: 18,2˚C (64,7˚F) Maximum recorded: 43,2˚C (109,7˚F) This month's photos and stories all seem to be about the lust for life and the persistent pursuit of it. The baby bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) in the photo above was born just below our Director's home, on 1 November. This little calf is the product of a six-month gestation period and will spend an unusually long lying-up period of about four months, being stowed away and then nursed when its mother returns to it every few hours. It's great to have these spiral-horned antelope living in close proximity to our staff housing because they are a favourite prey species of leopards and, although bushbuck are rather small, they make a very loud, deep resonating bark when alarmed. Interestingly enough they rely on their earthy colouration and white spots to conceal themselves, so the bark they make is ventriloquial - it lets the predator know it's been spotted, even though the predator may not have seen the bushbuck, and it lets us know that there's possibly a predator too close to home! An impending arrival will hopefully be a clutch of ashy flycatcher (Muscicapa caerulescens) chicks - we spotted this tiny bird making a nest in a crevice of the tremendous baobab that guards the entrance to Pamushana Lodge, and we can't wait to see their life story begin. Guest portfolio - Daniel Wallis No matter the level of your photographic skill you'll always leave Singita Pamushana with a couple of great photos and priceless memories, but when sensational game-viewing and talented photographer Daniel Wallis coincided recently, the effect was a portfolio of exceptional photographs: Both of these photos were taken when a pack of 17 wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) and a clan of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) coincided at a pan. The clan were chilling out in the water, and the pack was of the opinion that they should leave. The smaller but nippier dogs teased and harassed the hyenas until they could take it no more - and they beat a hasty retreat after receiving a couple of bites in the bottom! As if this spectacle wasn't enough a herd of elephants also arrived at the pan, and began chasing the dogs! The following images are of a yawning cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), a babysitter looking after two hyena cubs at their den site and a magnificent black rhino (Diceros bicornis). The maternal matriarch I was cruising along between here and there when shrill trumpeting brought me to a screeching halt. There was something in the pitch that made me instantly realise that this was a very sensitive situation - even more sensitive than usual for elephant behaviour. I switched off the vehicle's engine knowing that to reverse would invoke their anger. The herd weren't that close and were moving diagonally, yet the tuskless matriarch went out of her way to lead her herd onto the gravel road and march straight toward me in cavalry style, posturing and trumpeting all the while. When they closed in on me I saw the reason for their heightened concern - huddled between their protective trunks and trunk-like legs was a tiny baby. It must have been brand new - its eyes were bloodshot and its skin very furry and still with a pinkish tinge. By this stage the matriarch realised I was only there in reverence of them, and the troop settled. To be extra respectful I put my camera down to eliminate any possible fright they might get from the click of the shutter. The matriarch led the herd, with the mother, the little calf and several other youngsters right up to the bonnet of the vehicle. I'll admit that my heart was in my throat - but mainly because it was so swollen with pride and joy. The baby was presented to me and the whole herd made sure it was safe. Then they ushered the little one away and they spread out again to resume their journey. Hide and seek The BBC Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year was announced last month, and top honours went to a South African photographer who triumphed over almost 43 000 entries from 96 countries. His photograph was of elephants taken from a hide at ground-level using a slow shutter speed to create atmosphere and show the heavy animals in a ghostly way. Here at Singita Pamushana we have a couple of underground hides at different pans (one even incorporates a bathroom with a flush toilet) and photographers can comfortably enjoy the animals that visit, the close proximity and the unique angles attained. Elephants are always a favourite, so here are some of our favourite images: 1. Toes in the water 2. Curious nostrils 3. A tusk, drizzled with mud, used as a trunk hanger Tiger moth The term tiger moth may make you think of an old small biplane, but in these parts it's an actual moth with orange and black colours like a tiger. It also has whip-like antennae and mostly brown forewings with white veins. We call this one a specious tiger moth (Asota speciosa). In the caterpillar stage they feed on latex-rich plants, mainly from the fig family, but also on poisonous plants like the poison arrow plant. The sap from this plant was commonly used in arrow poisons, including those used for poaching elephants. The caterpillars sabotage the defensive latex flow by biting partway through the leaf's midrib, severing the flow. The caterpillar then feeds on the part of the leaf that would have been provided with latex via the sabotaged veins. How clever is that? The clean-up clan This clan of hyenas gathered at the edge of a dam one morning, after a night's hunting or scavenging, and we watched as they cautiously approached the relatively deep water, and sipped from the edge of the bank. Hyenas love water, and if a pool is shallow and small enough for them to think there are no crocodiles hidden beneath its surface, they will often wade in, bound around, play, splash, frolic and bathe. This photo makes me think of the vital ecological role they play, because in our human parallel this would be a photo of a clean-up crew on a coffee break. I say this because hyenas hunt by blundering into the middle of a herd of antelope and chasing one, with their remarkable endurance, to the brink of exhaustion whereupon they kill it. In this way they eliminate sick and old animals. They are also fantastic scavengers and possibly play a role in the natural control of diseases, like anthrax, by the complete disposing of carcasses. Dormant anthrax endospores are able to survive at the sites of animals killed by anthrax for many decades. Such spores can be found on all continents, even Antarctica. But although anthrax is deadly for humans and herbivores it typically doesn't cause disease in carnivores and scavengers, so when a hyena eats every morsel of a carcass, including the bones, it isn't harmed and the spores are eliminated. New kid on the block Leopards (Panthera pardus) have such allure for guests and guides alike, and we find ourselves wanting to know the individual habits, characteristics and life stories of the leopards we see. I'm delighted to tell you that we've been seeing this young female cub regularly, in an area often frequented on game drives. Just look at the size of her paws! We can't wait to learn more about her and share her stories with you. A closer look at genets We often catch a fleeting glimpse of a genet during a night drive on our return to the lodge, but seldom is there an opportunity to photograph one like this. Two types of genets are the small spotted genet (Genetta genetta) and the large spotted genet (Genetta tigrina) - and in this case this is a small large spotted genet! Well, to be less confusing, a juvenile female large spotted genet. (One of the most useful things about scientific names is that they eliminate any confusion that arises from common names.) A quick way to tell the difference between the two types is that a small spotted genet has a white tail tip and black chin - and a large spotted genet has a black tail tip and white chin, as seen in this photograph. These swift and agile little creatures of the night weigh up to two kilograms, live for about 13 years in woodland and scrub areas, have litters of 1 to 4 and eat insects, invertebrates (such as spiders, scorpions and millipedes), small mammals, birds, eggs, reptiles, fruit, crabs and frogs. The bright white patch you see below the eyes is very useful for enhancing a genet's facial expression when it has to engage in social interactions. Although they are mainly solitary they need to communicate when chasing off intruders or seeking a mate, and it is thought that these white patches make their non- verbal expressions much clearer. However, they also have at least seven vocal signals with which to communicate - so there is no excuse for another genet not getting the message loud and clear! How evolution dictates water dependence We could probably survive for only three to five days without any water if we were in good health, it wasn't too hot or cold and we didn't physically exert ourselves.
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