WILDLIFE REPORT SINGITA KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA For the month of July, Two Thousand and Seventeen Photo by Nick du Plessis Temperature Rainfall Recorded Sunrise & Sunset Average minimum: 15°C (59°F) For the period: 2 mm Sunrise: 06h29 Average maximum: 27°C (81°F) For the year to date: 317 mm Sunset: 17h27 Minimum recorded: 12°C (54°F) Maximum recorded: 33°C (91°F) We are already more than halfway through winter and the sun is starting to rise earlier again. It has been an unusually warm winter and there are still quite a few leaves on many of the trees. The grass is still fairly tall and has now changed to a golden hue. It is slowly starting to get flattened by the movements of the animals, but there are still thick stands throughout the concession. The thick grass layer has meant that the gamebirds such as the francolins, spurfowl, harlequin quails and buttonquails have managed to raise quite a few clutches or broods this year. We are still seeing batches of small chicks with the adults. Some of these pairs have managed to have three clutches. The thick grass layer has meant that there is still quite a bit of food for the grazers and we are still seeing large herds of zebras, wildebeest and even buffalos. In the hills, the grass has thinned out a bit and we have been seeing more Sharpe’s grysbok again. These are beautiful small antelope, similar to steenbok and are generally fairly difficult to see wherever they occur. The aloes have been in flower around the lodge and have attracted quite a few sunbirds, including collared sunbirds, white-bellied sunbirds and Marico sunbirds. The male sunbirds are absolutely stunning with their metallic green or blue feathers. Another plant that has been in flower this month, and that also attracts the sunbirds to its sweet nectar, is the pink mistletoe that parasitizes the knobthorn trees (which, incidentally, are also in full flower). The impala lilies are also in bloom and the beautiful pink and white flowers are very showy in the hills and some of the flat areas. The seasonal pans are almost all dry throughout the concession now and only the deeper parts of the river (in areas such as Dumbana Pool, Puff adder Pool, the confluence and the weir) still have water. Gudzani Dam is still full, as is Pony Pan. These deeper water points are now starting to attract quite a lot of game in the late mornings and early afternoons. Fortunately, it appears that these areas may hold water throughout the season until the rains come again next summer. Although the migrant birds have all left now we are still seeing some exciting species. The queleas are still roosting en masse in the thorn thickets on the granophyre ridge and it is an absolute spectacle to see them arriving in their large flocks to roost in the late afternoons. Other special birds that we have seen this last month have included a female greater painted snipe, kori bustards, ostriches, eastern nicators and martial eagles, amongst others. Photo by Brian Rode Our wildlife review for the month of July is as follows: Buffaloes: The grass in the concession is still quite thick and lush and this has attracted quite a few buffalo herds into the area. This last month we had at least 55 sightings of these formidable animals. Quite a few of these sightings have been of herds in excess of 200 animals. There have also been a few sightings of bachelor herds and lone dagha boys. These dagha boys are renowned to be grumpy and are some of the most dangerous animals in Africa. For a few days there was a really bad-tempered male that was hanging around the area of Dudu’s Crossing and he charged at few of the vehicles that came across him. Fortunately, the guides are aware of how cranky these bulls can be and so managed to avoid him. There was also one male who had an injured right shoulder that was seen loitering in the area around Xinkwenyana Crossing. He was unable to walk fast and we all knew that the day would come when the lions discovered his presence. This happened towards the end of the month when the Shish Pride managed to permanently relieve him of his pain. They fed upon his remains for two days. The large herds of buffalos have also attracted a few yellow-billed oxpeckers into the area. The yellow-billed oxpeckers are quite rare birds in the concession and we do not see them very often, although this month we have seen quite a few of them on the backs of the buffalos. Both the red-billed (which are much more common in the area) and the yellow-billed oxpeckers have a symbiotic relationship with large herbivores such as the buffalos. These birds feed predominantly on ticks and so they are often seen on the backs of animals cleaning them of external parasites. The birds benefit from the relationship by getting food and nesting material (they line their nests, which are usually in holes in dead trees, with hair taken from the animals), while the animals get cleaned and can also benefit from the warning calls of the birds (which they give when they see danger in the area). Photo by Nick du Plessis Elephants: We have had some amazing elephant viewing this month. We have had more than 200 sightings of these majestic creatures. There have been quite a few sightings of herds in excess of 50 individuals. It is incredible to see so many elephants in one place at a time. Fortunately, this year we still have a lot of water at Gudzani Dam and in some of the deeper pools in the N’wanetsi River and this should keep elephants in the concession throughout winter and spring. We are expecting to see more and more elephants coming to these water sources as the dry season progresses. With all the large herds in the concession we have also come across quite a few bulls in musth. When bull elephants bring themselves into musth they raise their testosterone levels, in order to compete with other males for access to females in oestrous. Photo by Nick du Plessis By raising their testosterone levels, it is similar to humans taking steroids (in that they become stronger, more temperamental and confident), this means that they are able to fight off other males for access to females in heat. Usually male elephants only bring themselves into a state of musth when they are in prime condition, as when two bull elephants that are both in musth come across each other it could lead to a serious fight taking place in which one or both could get seriously injured or even killed. With all the large breeding herds in the area we have also been seeing quite a few baby elephants. Baby elephants are so special to watch, particularly when they are younger than six months old and have not yet learned to use their trunks properly. At this stage, they often wave their trunks around in the air as if they do not know what this strange, long appendage is. When they are this young they are not able to suck up water into the trunks and, therefore, when they drink water they have to kneel down and put their mouths straight into the pool. It is so cute to see! Spotted hyenas: The Lebombo Concession has relatively high concentration of spotted hyenas. We have at least four different clans in the area. Presently there are two den-sites that we can view. One of these den- sites is in a drain pipe under the H6 road, not far from the camp. This clan has quite a few youngsters and we often see them at night. They are often curious with the vehicles. There is another hyena den in the far north of the concession. This den is in a hole in the ground (probably originally dug by an aardvark). This is possibly the new den for the Nongo / Xinkelengane Clan. At present there are four youngsters, who have just changed from their black colouration to the spotted coats. We have still not been able to locate the new den-site for the Nyokeng Clan, but believe that they may have moved to an inaccessible valley in the hills. Photo by Brian Rode Towards the middle of the month two nomadic male lions killed a giraffe in front of Lebombo Camp. This giraffe carcass attracted quite a few hyenas from the Nyokeng and H6 Clans. This sighting is described in more detail later in the report. Here’s a great descriptive quote from the book “Life of Pi” by the author Yann Martel: "I am not one to hold a prejudice against any animal, but it is a plain fact that the spotted hyena is not well served by its appearance. It is ugly beyond redemption. Its thick neck and high shoulders that slope to the hindquarters look as if they’ve come from a discarded prototype for the giraffe, and its shaggy, coarse coat seems to have been patched together from the leftovers of creation. The colour is a bungled mix of tan, black, yellow, grey, with the spots having none of the classy ostentation of a leopard’s rosettes; they look rather like the symptoms of a skin disease, a virulent form of mange. The head is broad and too massive, with a high forehead, like that of a bear, but suffering from a receding hairline, and with ears that look ridiculously mouse-like, large and round, when they haven’t been torn off in battle.