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Wildlife Weblog – October 2021

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    There’s a change within the air at Savanna. We’re at the moment within the transition interval between summer season and winter, the place we nonetheless have the yellow and brown winter palette throughout the concession, which is usually interrupted with a small flash of latest and vibrant inexperienced or the distant calls signalling the arrival of the migratory birds. Whereas sightings have been fast-paced, thrilling and continuously shifting, it has been superb to witness the sluggish transition from winter to summer season. 

    Whereas on the subject of birds, the guiding group right here at Savanna has enrolled in a nationwide competitors known as the Kruger Chook Problem, which has challenged chicken watchers throughout the nation to try to {photograph} 400 completely different Kruger chicken species over 400 days. Seeing 400 chicken species in 400 days is tough sufficient, however attempting to {photograph} the sometimes-brief sightings is the place the true problem lies. Here’s a assortment of a number of the ones the group loved capturing.

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Lions

    There was a substantial amount of motion and a few fascinating developments within the dynamics of the lion prides on the concessions. 

    The majority of the Mhangene pleasure was not seen throughout the first three to 4 weeks of the month, however a lone lioness from the pleasure partnered up with the final remaining male of the Nwalungu coalition, beforehand often known as the Nkuhuma male. We have been fortunate sufficient to see the courting pair on a couple of completely different buffalo kills throughout the previous month. At this level, we are able to solely speculate and hope that the younger Nwalungu male will full the pleasure takeover, and all of the grownup females rejoin and settle for him as their pleasure male. He’s nonetheless younger and has a little bit of rising to do, but when he carries on together with his present trajectory, he’ll take full management of the pleasure and we hope to see him sire many cubs.

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Ottawa Male Lion

    The Ottawa pleasure has been reasonably sedentary throughout the previous month, particularly in comparison with the extremely nomadic lifetime of the Mhangene pleasure, and they’re spending most of their time near the Sand River. We’re very joyful to report that each one six cubs are nonetheless doing very effectively underneath the steerage of their skilled moms and protecting fathers.

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Ottawa Male Lion

    We have been handled to unimaginable viewing of the entire pleasure and coalition once they had discovered a lifeless buffalo, which offered many visitors with nice sightings and precious perception into the degradation of the carcass, because the 11 lions consumed it over three to 4 days.

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Ottawa Male Lion

    The three lionesses normally goal small to medium-sized prey, however on the finish of the month the small pleasure introduced down a younger giraffe which offered a banquet for the hungry and ever-growing cubs as soon as once more.

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Ottawa Male Lion

    The 2 Tumbela males are trying very assured in the meanwhile, with the fixed enchancment within the smaller male’s situation and power. It appears as if the coalition is in comfy management of the Western Sector. Now we have been rewarded with many nice sightings of the duo throughout the concession, roaring later within the night on most nights. The bigger Tumbela has been seen with the Ximungwe feminine a couple of occasions, however is in any other case primarily with the Ottawa pleasure.

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Ottawa Male Lion

    Leopards

    Tlangisa and her two seven-month-old cubs are nonetheless doing very effectively. Tlangisa is an outstanding huntress, and she or he has saved up her good kill price this month. Most kills are stashed away within the deep inaccessible drainage traces far north on the concession. Though this isn’t conducive to good and even frequent viewing, it is extremely good for the long-term survival of the cubs. When the kills are effectively hidden, it makes it more durable for different predators to search out, and the cubs can eat and play comparatively undisturbed. 

    Tlangisa

    Tlangisa

    Tlangisa

    Tisela has been by means of a tough few months, with a latest critical altercation together with her brother, Hlambela. She limped away from the interplay with a really dangerous damage to her entrance proper leg and she or he was seen resting and recuperating on a termite mound for the next 5 days! With some concern for her probabilities of survival, we have been elated to listen to her title on the radio this month. We had a couple of lovely sightings of her, together with one the place Aidan was fortunate sufficient to see her resting in a drainage line, at eye degree, throughout the lovely afternoon mild. Dan had an equally photographic sighting of her atop a termite mound and plainly her leg is effectively on the way in which to therapeutic.

    Tlangisa

    Tlangisa

    Tlangisa

    Thamba remains to be proving to be an thrilling leopard to view and observe, not solely as a gorgeous male, but in addition as a chunk within the chess recreation that’s the leopard dynamics within the concession. He’s trying greater and stronger at virtually each sighting. 

    Ravenscourt

    Ravenscourt

    Ravenscourt

    On one event, we have been fortunate sufficient to see him in motion! Initially patrolling and marking his territory within the coronary heart of Savanna, he modified tack inside a second and confirmed us the unimaginable velocity of those massive cats as he pounced on a warthog firing out of its gap. Unusually, he dragged the kill far into the space, previous many appropriate timber, till he lastly put the kill up a small skinny silver cluster leaf. One other bush thriller that we’re joyful so as to add to the numerous collected in day-to-day bush life.

    Ravenscourt

    Ravenscourt

    Not all leopards are acclimatised to autos and will be fairly skittish. This could both be the results of coming into the Sabi Sands from an space the place they weren’t uncovered to autos, or as a result of their mom was a nervous leopard and they didn’t get the habituation from a younger age. That is the case with Ntoma, who at practically eight years outdated, has all the time been fairly skittish round autos. Her mom, Mobeni, can be a nervous particular person who managed to cover her as a cub from sightings, and she or he was subsequently seldom uncovered to autos. We see her very sometimes, however a couple of months in the past we seen her and two six-month-old cubs operating away into the night time. This month we have been extra lucky and, after discovering a drag mark, we discovered a gray duiker hoisted in a tree. There was no signal of both grownup or cub however once we returned that afternoon, we have been handled to each grownup and cub feeding on the kill. This gave us the chance to habituate Ntoma and her cub slightly extra and we hope to have many extra sightings of the mom and daughter duo. It appears as if the cub has some harm to its proper eye and though it appears to be doing superb, solely time will inform if the damage is everlasting.

    Ravenscourt

    Ravenscourt

    African Wild Cats

    Extremely, we’re getting extra superb sightings of the resident wild cat and her now fast-growing kitten. What is actually fascinating is how relaxed they’re with the autos, particularly the kitten which, if all goes effectively, will make it to maturity and take over a few of its mom’s territory, thus sticking round Savanna and offering continued viewing of this shy species. However for now, this pair has been such an unimaginable addition to a recreation drive, and we’re having fun with each second watching them! For a video of the 2 click on right here.

    ostrich

    genet

    genet

    Cheetah

    Our resident cheetah remains to be making his common visits by means of the gorgeous open areas of Savanna. He normally has fairly a strict routine, and there are areas, sure termite mounds and even the Savanna signal we regularly discover him on.

    Cheetah

    Cheetah

    Hyena

    Typically, a distraction similar to a herd of impala will draw him away from that routine. One set of visitors was lucky sufficient to be current on such an event. As he handed the lodge on his standard route, a herd of impala in entrance of the lodge caught his consideration. After fairly a protracted stalk and a fast chase, he managed to catch an grownup feminine simply earlier than darkish. As he knew hyena would quickly be energetic, he needed to keep vigilant as he ate as a lot as he might earlier than darkish. 

    Cheetah

    Hyena

    Hippo

    The hippo pod within the dam in entrance of the lodge is doing effectively and giving us sensible sightings as we exit the lodge, with a new child hippo in addition. The considerably resident pod all the time units a superb tone as we begin our drives, particularly within the mornings when the fast-rising golden mild of an African dawn offers the backdrop to the hippo pod and dam.

    Hippo

    Hippo

    Hippo

    Elephants

    Elephant numbers appear to be on the rise on the concession, doubtlessly in anticipation of the approaching marula season. With the mixed warmth of the season, we expect increasingly unbelievable sightings similar to giant herds on the clearings, and bulls swimming and sparring to chill off within the warmth of the day!

    Hippo

    Hippo

    Hippo

    Normal Recreation

    The final recreation appears to be on the verge of a beginning explosion as effectively, with most animals getting ready to coincide the beginning of their offspring with the approaching summer season rains and ensuing season of lots. We expect to see loads of infants within the coming weeks and months, and hope that you can be right here to take pleasure in them with us.

    Hippo

    Hippo

    Hippo

    With heat needs
    Neil, Natasha and The Savanna Crew

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