Giraffe silhouette - Aliénor Brassine

The month of May has experienced cooler weather and, although the grass has dried up in all habitats but that of the riverine areas, the trees and bushes are still looking green. No rainfall was recorded during this month and temperatures ranged between 8 and 31°C as we move into the cool dry season.

One of the three elusive males - Kaizer

Lioness & cubs - Aliénor Brassine

Lions

Recent lion activity on Mashatu has allowed for some very interesting sightings. The old male lion, Matswane, has been in and out of the property and very much within the territory of the two Juma males. Fortunately the two lionesses and their nine cubs have managed to keep out of his reach. The Juma brothers have returned onto Mashatu, but as far as we know have not yet crossed path with Matswane, which could result in a confrontation. However, three young males have suddenly made an appearance. Their tracks have often been spotted, but they had never been seen due to their skittish nature. At last they were spotted by our guides; the three boys were seen chasing Matswane off a recent kill. Matswane didn’t put a fight against these three strong adversaries, and left his meal to them. Meanwhile the two lionesses with cubs have been busy – they appeared to have managed to bring down a young giraffe by themselves. This is a feast for the family as it will feed them for several days! We have also had a report of two lionesses denning in the south near the Limpopo River, with very small cubs. We do not know how many cubs there are yet, and whether both or one female is the mother. Another small pride of four lionesses has been sighted around the underground hide, and the two Juma brothers have been seen mating with one of them. Overall lions were sighted on 81% of the days in May!

Leopard - Mike Dexter

Leopard

Leopard sightings have been extremely good with a number of great sightings of adults and cubs. On recent predator drives, Pitsane, the large male that resides in the riverine vegetation of the three main rivers, has been successfully tracked. He appears to have made himself very comfortable in some very thick Croton thickets near the Limpopo. He was found feeding on an impala carcass that lay only a few metres from a previous impala kill. On another drive he was found moving onto the open plains after recently being chased off his kill by some young hyenas. Leopards were sighted on 71% of days in May.

Hyena

Spotted hyena sightings have been very abundant. A clan has made a new den just east of Main camp, very close to one of the main roads. One of the females is lactating and we expect that there are very young pups in one of the dens. We can’t wait to see the pups emerge from the den, as they are always very inquisitive, which allows for some very close up photography!

Cheetah - Aliénor Brassine

Cheetah - Aliénor Brassine

Cheetah

Cheetah sightings were rare during this month (19%), possibly due to the high lion activity. Nonetheless we did have some very good sightings of the coalition of three males, and a sub-adult female also made an appearance in the central area. She is a young female that has recently left the comfort of her mother. She hadn’t been seen for almost two months, so it is great to see that she has adapted well to the solitary lifestyle. Her mother is currently denning west of Mashatu, and we wait in anticipation for the first sightings of these new cubs!

Elephants - Mike Dexter

Mashatu elephants travelling to the Majali River riverine forest

Elephants

Elephant viewing is always good at this time of the year, with herds as big as 100 to 150 animals seen towards the beginning of the month. Smaller herds are often seen concentrating around the rivers where pools still remain. The trumpeting and low rumbles of these majestic mammals are often heard at Main camp in the evenings, which make for some lovely bush sounds while sitting around the camp fire. Elephants were sighted on 87% of days.

Birdlife

Francolins and guinea fowls are currently seen with their young chicks in tow, scuffling in the dust for seeds. The Saddle billed storks are still found along the Majali River in the remaining pools. A pair of Southern Ground hornbills have been seen and heard a few times in the open plains of the south central area. These are endangered birds that have declined rapidly due to loss of habitat, persecution and their very slow breeding (first breeding at the age of ten, and then only successfully raise one chick every nine years). Bird watching can be one of the most enjoyable activities, and even within the walls of Main Camp one can hear the calls of Meyer’s parrots, Arrowmarked Babblers, laughing doves, African fish eagles, Meves’s Starlings and Pearlspotted owlets just to name a few.

See you out there!

Aliénor

Photo: Aliénor Brassine

With the onset of autumn, the landscape of Mashatu is reflecting the warm colours associated with this time of year. The last few butterflies still remain, and some of the migratory birds can still be found, but the harsh sun has definitely been replaced by a cool breeze.

Photo by: Aliénor Brassine

On the last predator drive the old male lion, Matswane, was successfully tracked down. To our delight he was not alone, but accompanied by two lionesses – one of which had two cubs! The mother of the cubs was quite wary of our presence and gave us quite an impressive display, warning us to keep our distance in an effort to protect her cubs. These lionesses are unlikely to have seen many vehicles, so we gave them plenty of space allowing them to settle within our presence. Although the cubs were not used to our vehicle, their curiosity was evident, and they raised their little heads in an effort to peer at us through the thick foliage.  The family was resting near a freshly killed eland carcase. After a good, long sighting we left them to their dinner.

The following morning, in anticipation of seeing the lions again, the game drives headed to their location, but they had already moved on. While searching for their tracks, our guides came across fresh tracks of three male lions, which may have been the reason why Matswane and his family moved on so quickly from their kill.

Photo by: Mike Dexter

The three male cheetahs were recently seen on top of a ‘koppie’ (a small hill rising up from the African veld), keeping a look out for possible prey, but more importantly, scent-marking their usual tree. Cheetahs have particular scent-marking posts, mostly trees that they will mark. The males tend to mark by means of urine spray, but can also mark the tree with scats if they are able to climb up onto it. Females are less predisposed to scent-marking but, if in the area, will often investigate the tree to note of any previous visitors.

Photo by: Mike Dexter

Leopard sightings have been very good! A large male leopard has been spotted a couple of times near Tent Camp. He was seen again today proudly posing in the golden early morning light. The two young leopard cubs have become a favourite among our guests. These two youngsters are growing up very quickly, and are often seen chasing squirrels and francolins; learning to master their hunting skills. On a particular sighting, one of the cubs became a little more ambitious and decided to hunt a Saddle-billed stork. The young leopard, having spotted his prey from across the river bank, approached the bird at a fast crawl. As he neared his prey he suddenly realised that it appeared a lot bigger – and reassessed his hunt as he lay there a mere five metres from the oblivious stork. The three banded plovers soon caught his attention, and with his renewed interest he gave chase to these swift little birds. This game lasted until a large impala ram caught his attention walking in the distance, and forgetting all about his last incident, he took off after this even bigger prey!

Photo by: Mike Dexter

Photo by: Aliénor Brassine

Elephants have been plentiful. They can be found widely spread across the reserve and into the drier parts of the reserve that received plenty of rain.

A large eland herd of about 200-300 animals has been spotted a number of times, these giant antelopes make for a spectacular sighting when they are seen all together in open plains.

See you out there!

Alienor Brassine

Tha Majali River burst its banks in places - Aliénor Brassine

Weather and vegetation

March had a few days of cool weather with temperatures below 20C, but most of the month was warm. On the first day of the month we received 17mm of rain, which brought down the Majali River, bursting it’s banks in some places. The Jwala River was also in flood. It is always spectacular to see the first flood of a river; we were waiting for the rain to subside while having our tea on the terrace when the small stream in front of the camp started to flow, within minutes the little stream turned into a powerful river, rising steadily as we looked on. The Limpopo River has steadily come down, and towards the end of the month the first few attempts to cross it with our vehicles were successful. 4×4 vehicles can now safely cross the river at the Pont drift border.

Majali River - Aliénor Brassine

Majali River crossing - Aliénor Brassine

Jwala River - Aliénor Brassine

Game Sightings

Leopards

Leopard sightings have been plentiful, with up to four different individuals seen on the same day! Two leopard cubs have been a favourite of the month, and they are regularly seen having fun going up and down trees and chasing squirrels or birds in the high branches of Mashatu Trees.  Overall leopards were sighted on 80% of the days in March.

Lion cub on warthog kill - Aliénor Brassine

Lions

This month had great Lion sightings. The nine cubs with the two lionesses are often seen in the central area of the reserve. On a recent sighting, one of the lionesses was seen hunting a warthog. She single-handedly brought down the large male warthog, and was quickly joined by the rest of the family who shared the feast. The coalition of two male lions has been scarce. They have been sighted east of the reserve, and also seem to be spending a lot of their time in South Africa – the great Limpopo River hardly being an obstacle as they swim across it quite easily. Lions were sighted 77% of the days in March.

Lion cub at night - Aliénor Brassine

Lion cub feeding at night - Aliénor Brassine

Cheetah

A coalition of three males has been sighted regularly along the east of the reserve, near McKenzie and Jackal’s Koppie. They have been observed resting and occasionally hunting. The collared female cheetah seems to have finally left her cubs to fend for themselves. The cubs are well over a year and and half old, and fully grown, so they should be more than capable to look after themselves. Cheetahs were seen 47% of the days.

Elephants

Large herds of over 200 elephants are being seen along Elephant Valley and the Matabole River. Family herds with numerous young calves have joined together to form large family groups, which are spread over the valleys.

Birding

Aquatic birds are often seen along the Majali and Limpopo River and their tributaries, which have pools of water. The vlei is also a particular attraction to a multitude of birdlife. African jacanas, Herons, Hammerkops and Kingfishers are the most common. The Queleas and Wattled starlings are currently nesting in the branches of the Acacias. We hear quite an ‘orchestra’ of birdsong when driving through these congregations. The Southern Carmine and White fronted bee-eaters are also common; these birds are often seen on perches above the beautiful carpets of the devil thorn flowers, watching and waiting to catch the insects pollinating these flowers.

Aliénor Brassine

Matswane - Aliénor Brassine

Matswane, the old lion with one eye, has come back to Mashatu after almost a year of residing in the Tuli Circle in Zimbabwe. He was successfully tracked down on a predator drive just west of Mashatu Main Camp. His sudden appearance is intriguing, as his former territory, around the central area was taken over by two younger males around March 2012. His presence is a cause of concern as there are currently nine lion cubs sired by the other two males in the area. Male lions are known to kill cubs of other males. This behaviour is known as infanticide, and is an important part of the male lion reproductive strategy. A lioness that has recently lost her cubs will re-enter oestrus and mate within a few days or weeks, effectively allowing new males to propagate their genes. The two brothers were believed to be in South Africa for the last few days, but one of the brothers has returned and was tracked just south of Matswane’s location. It is uncertain what will happen next, but these two boys are sure to put up a good fight for their territory and females were they to find an intruder!

After about a week of no sighting of cheetahs, the three brothers have returned and made a kill on their favourite sight in the open plains in the east of the reserve. Mapula, the mother cheetah, has also returned to Mashatu after almost a month. Unfortunately she has returned with one less cub. At this stage it is difficult to discern when this cub went missing or what could have happened.

Elephants are plentiful; they are often seen bathing and cooling down in the pools along the Majale river. Some of the pools are deep enough for them to be completely submerged with only their trunks poking out and used as snorkels.

Leopard cub - Aliénor Brassine

Leopard cub - Aliénor Brassine

Leopard cub - Aliénor Brassine

Two leopard cubs are regularly seen on drives. These two cubs are particularly relaxed for their age, and always make for some good entertainment. We are very lucky to have a number of very relaxed leopards on Mashatu, but every now and again we are fortunate to have a glimpse of other shy and elusive individuals.

Pitsani the elusive leopard caught on camera trap

Pitsane, a large male leopard that is collared, has always been an elusive leopard. He is rarely seen, and if he is spotted, it is often just a swift of his tail or a blur of his pelage that only a trained eye could recognise. Yet guests have been lucky to see him on two different occasions in the last two weeks! The first sighting was on a Predator Drive. As the ‘beep’ of the receiver became louder and louder, we approached slowly, aware that he was probably already watching us from a safe distance. On our approach, I had informed the guests of his elusiveness, and that we had to keep our movements to a minimum and voices low. We didn’t want to spook him, and so we turned the engine off and scanned the area. Soon enough Graphite, our tracker, spotted him. He was lying on a low horizontal branch of an Apple leaf tree not even 40 metres from us! We slowly edged our way towards him, keeping at a respectful distance and moving sideways to his position. He was very relaxed and barely looked up as we moved closer. After some time we moved onto his other side to allow for some better photography, as we slowly edged we were aware that he might take flight any second, but he just watched us lazily and after a little while he yawned, stretched and got up. We slowly followed him as he went about his business; sniffing here and there, marking and clawing a tree. He didn’t mind us in the least and we were lucky to be with him for about an hour and a half. Slowly with time as he becomes habituated to vehicles we may experience a few more of these breathtakingly sightings as he allows us into his world.

Aliénor Brassine

]]> http://blog.mashatu.com/index.php/2013/03/cyberdiary-25-march-2013/feed/ 7 http://blog.mashatu.com/index.php/2013/03/children-in-the-wilderness-camp-at-mashatu/ http://blog.mashatu.com/index.php/2013/03/children-in-the-wilderness-camp-at-mashatu/#comments Thu, 28 Mar 2013 08:03:32 +0000 mashatu http://blog.mashatu.com/?p=1361

The children watch the elephants from the hide

On the 3rd of December 2012, 16 Children from the Loensa La Moriti village in Botswana arrived at Mashatu Tent Camp as part of the Children in the Wilderness – Limpopo Valley environmental education programme. The small village of Loensa La Moriti is situated within the confines of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve in north eastern Botswana. The children form part of the St Engenas ZCC community, and enjoy a strong Christian education and upbringing.

Mashatu Game Reserve makes its Tent Camp available to the Children in the Wilderness – Limpopo Valley initiative for two weeks a year for the environmental education and upliftment of children who live in the communities on the western boundary of the reserve.

This brief three-minute clip shows the children in the hide on Mashatu, which the elephants visit daily during the dry season.

Mashatu flowers

Mashatu is simply bursting at the seams with life. The heavy rains of January have brought about a full flush of growth which will dazzle the senses. Game drives take guests through a sea of fragrant flowers – kilometers of vivid colours against the far reaching expanse of greenery. Looking upwards we see a dazzling spectacle of the migratory birds returning for breeding. Their courtship and song add sound to their acrobatics and flashing beautiful colours.  Some favorites of the season include the Southern Carmine Bee-eater, European Roller, and Secretary bird. A particularly unusual sighting is the appearance of a Crowned Crane which has taken residence in the Vlei. One of our guides, Bashi, who has worked in the area for over 20 years has never seen one before! This beautiful bird has a regal air with its golden bristly crown and vibrant red neck. Its appearance in the Tuli area was recorded as an incidental sighting, as they are generally not known to occur in the region at all.

Southern Carmine Bee-eater

Looking into the dense ground cover, small movements reveal an array of newly emerged insects.  The brightly coloured Elegant Grasshopper, Armoured Cricket and Golden Orb spider add to the intricacies of the Land of Giants, lifting the senses in preparation for views of larger members of the ecosystem.

The antelope and other herbivores now move in larger groups with young babies staying close to their mothers’ sides.  Large herds have formed, permitted by the abundance of foliage, to build strong boundaries of defense against predators. The early detection of cats increases the chance of survival of the young.  The increased foliage in the open areas has also renewed energy levels among the herbivores.  Impala are found by the hundreds.  Slowly driving through these herds creates a gently rolling sea of amber sheen and white tails. Eland have also come together. From groups of 5 – 10, they can now be seen in herds of between 80 and several hundred.  Their massive bodies en-masse is an impressive sight indeed.

Leopard cub

Predators are also seen with cubs at their sides. Two young leopard cubs have become very comfortable with our vehicles. They are regularly found playing together while their mother is out hunting. Washed away trees from the January floods make for perfect leopard jungle gyms (perhaps this is where the name originated?). Two lionesses are also raising nine cubs in the central area of Mashatu.

The three male cheetahs have been seen frequently over the last couple of weeks. They appear to be searching and calling for a female. Their distinct chirping calls are unlike the sound of other cats, but resemble that of a bird’s chirp or a yelp of a dog at high intensity, and can be heard for up to 2km.

Baby elephant tackling the steep banks of the Majali River

Despite a lack of rain in February, there are still many water pools across the reserve that are providing hydration, cooling and support for continued forage supply.  Elephants are frequent visitors here.  The abundance of water allows large herds to gather in a relaxed and social atmosphere. One group was observed in the lower area of the reserve where the babies played around their mothers, the older siblings collected tufts of grasses, and mothers looked on as they nibbled the leaves of flowering acacia.  The obvious intelligence and calm demeanor of the Tuli elephants never fails to surprise guests.  These herds are now seen with up to 300 individuals, yet other groups may remain in smaller numbers where new babies are able to walk at a slower pace.  These small groups remain in contact with members of their greater bond group and will later rejoin the herd.

Climbing the Majali bank

Another memorable elephant sighting shared with our guests involved a herd of elephants conquering a river bank. With the newly reshaped Majali River, banks are a lot steeper than they used to be. Elephants are not the most acrobatic of animals, but they still try to mount these sheer banks. It is incredible seeing even the youngest of babies successfully tackle this task, even if it may require a little help from mom!

Jena Casey & Ali Brassine

Leeu Kop

Over the last few weeks Mashatu has undergone a remarkable and miraculous transformation. The drought that devastated the region for more than a year was violently broken by tremendous widespread rainfall. By now the water has sunk deep into the soil and the seeds which have lain dormant throughout the drought have thrust fresh shoots through the surface. The landscape is now blanketed in green and dotted with the yellow flowers of the devil thorn plant. The Vlei has become an oasis, attracting a number of water birds seldom seen in the area. The plains game have regained their vigour, and the predators are now having to work a little harder for their food.

There have been a host of exceptional sightings, but one which stands out from the rest began when a young female leopard was found walking alongside a riverbank. A squirrel, having spotted her, gave the alarm call of her presence. Squirrels, game birds and antelopes will raise an alarm when a leopard or another potential predator is seen. This not only alerts all other animals to its whereabouts, but also informs the predator that it has been spotted. At this stage most predators will not attempt to hunt as the element of surprise is no longer in their favour.

What followed next was incredible. The young leopard looked up at the squirrel and without hesitation leapt up high in the air, front legs outstretched, and plucked the fretting squirrel from its lofty perch. The leap must have been about 3 to 4 times her body length! The agility of these cats never ceases to amaze us!

Duma brother

Another memorable sighting occurred during a morning game drive when 19 different lions were found!  Two lionesses were first found with their 11 cubs, followed by the 2 males that hold their territory over Mashatu. Another 4 lionesses were later also spotted. Historically the lion population of Notugre has always been low, mostly as a result of hunting and persecution pressures outside the reserve’s borders. It is with great pleasure to see that these numbers are recovering.

On another morning three male cheetahs were spotted lying under a tree. After some time one of the three looked up and spotted a wildebeest herd in the distance. Cheetahs have particularly good eyesight. Their fovea is elongated giving a sharp, wide angle view and the dark tear mark helps to reduce the sun’s glare. This assists them in hunting and locating their prey at a long distance. With an expertise gained over many years of hunting, the cheetah slowly raised himself from the ground and stalked towards the wildebeest. Soon he broke into a full-speed sprint straight for the herd which, at this stage, had still not noticed his presence. When they did it was too late for escape, and he managed to knock a young wildebeest foal off its feet. He killed it within a very short time. His brothers, having watched the hunt, soon came to find him to share in his catch.

Flooding at Mashatu

New Year’s Eve brought great hopes for rainfall in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, when several millimeters were received at the stroke of midnight. Average rainfall for the greater reserve is estimated to be around 400mm, but last year produced only 100.5mm for Main Camp. Moving into January, hopes were rising that 2013 would bring more rainfall for the land and wildlife. Despite dry conditions through the first two weeks of the month, a positive outlook persisted and on the 14^th, we graciously welcomed 1mm. The next day brought our first real rain event, which continued through the 16^th, with a total yield of 80mm. Local residents, guests and wildlife alike enjoyed the new growth emerging from the moistened landscape. Sprouts of grass and colourful flowers appeared in even the driest habitat regions, including basalt hills laden with cobble, where bright yellow flowers of Devils Thorn began to bloom. Well on our way to surpassing the previous year’s rainfall total, we were encouraged to hear of another system due to arrive in a few days.

Water everywhere

The rain arrived on Saturday the 18^th, slowly at first. Warnings were issued to countries throughout the Limpopo belt, from Mozambique through South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Some phone carriers even sent cautions to their customers to prepare for the coming storm, as it was anticipated to have the potential to flood. The weather forecasters were right. In Main Camp we enjoyed light rain throughout the day on the 18^th, but in other parts of the reserve, roads were already posing a challenge for driving as mud began to build, and stream crossings were becoming impossible. During the evening the storm really began to let go. Saturday night brought the total rainfall for Main Camp to 80mm, whereas the total received near the Pont Drift border was closer to 150mm.

An aerial photo of the flooding

The morning light showed just how much water had fallen upstream and in fact in many areas the streams were no longer in their channels.  The Majale River running from the northwest of the reserve to the southeast joins the Limpopo shortly after passing the Pont Drift border.  It course lies near Main Camp though usually at the waters edge.  Sunday morning there was a rushing river in front of Main Camp Terrace, feeding into the Majale, which seen to build waves of water several meters high.  Rains continued into the afternoon as the Majale became a force with surging waves that had expanded to roughly three times its width and pushed the tributary at the terrace up stream. The view from the terrace of the small water hole, had now become a moving expanse of water where the tributary and portions of the Majale met before moving away across open land back to the careening surge beyond.  For the most part that was the extent of excitement experienced in Main Camp.  Later in the afternoon rains had eased and it looked as if forecasts for a continued down pours through the night and into the next day may be over estimated.

Pont Drift from the air

Meanwhile at the Pont Drift border things were a different scene all together. Rains from Saturday had saturated the ground, claiming vehicles which could not be towed from deepening mud. The rains continued through the night but the results were quite different.  The border at Pont Drift lies along the Limpopo river which is fed by several other rivers and streams all joining in close proximity. Storm waters accumulated through the course of the event were transported from the south (in South Africa) along the Limpopo, from the west of Botswana along the Motloutsi and from the north along the Shashi, bounding Botswana and Zimbabwe. As rainfall totals were greater in surrounding areas the accumulation proved too great for the river channel to contain.

Nel's Vlei from the air

By mid day ~ 300mm of rain had caused local lodges and residents to seek shelter on higher ground.  Evacuations were well on their way by the afternoon.  Several vehicles and people were rescued by way of tractor, but many vehicles remained stuck deep in the mud or were washed away as the Great Limpopo expanded its banks and rose across the flat planes near the border. Many visitors and locals turned to the nearby Limpopo Valley Airport to wait-out the storm.  Flooded roads were near impossible to navigate with water raised to the floor boards and still rising.

Radio communications remained functional to inform others when roads became too dangerous.  As evening approached the rains began to diminish, while flood waters continued to rise.  Those who were among the last to evacuate made their way to the airport in growing darkness.  They described powerful surges of water and rising steadily above the vehicle headlights.  With most familiar landmarks submerged, the risk of becoming disoriented or stuck grew as night fell.  The new focus became safety through the night.  Most guests and residents stayed at the airport, while others chose to set up camp on high areas of ground comforted by fire light through the night.

Nel's Vlei and the Limpopo River

Personally I believe the unity between neighbors is one of the greatest gifts during natural disasters. Fast thinking, willingness and ingenuity prevented the loss of human life in very intense and hazardous circumstances. As morning rose, stories began to emerge of the devastation that was wrought. The great Limpopo had reached high and wide, taking with it many things that lay in its path. As the river edge had expanded to such an extent, many vehicles at the border crossing were lifted away. The river moved through homes, lodges and camps taking tents, clothing and random appliances. In the morning light there was a strange scene of refrigerators deposited randomly along the river bank. And as reported in the news, a crocodile farm was forced to release half their animals. Estimates are that more than one thousand crocodiles are now disbursed along the Limpopo, Motloutsi and other nearby rivers and streams, bringing worry to communities.

The significant change brought about in less than three days is a strong reminder of the power of nature. Many dilemmas will have to be solved in neighboring communities and farms that have been impacted by the wide spread loss of livestock and produce. Yet no brighter day has yet been had this year as when all the grass, flowers and birds again returned to Mashatu. Today the land is filled with yellow, purple, pink, indigo and white flowers. Ground cover has emerged within riparian areas around streams supporting the new shapes and pathways cleared by the surge. The open plains are abuzz with activity where the grazers, browsers, jackal and lion linger in patches of shade.

Mashatu after the floods

The remainder of January brought an increase number of impala calves, yet far fewer than previous years and certainly quite a bit late. The first calf seen near Main Camp was reported near the 25^th, while those near the Pont Drift boarder were seen earlier in the month. Zebra and wildebeest young are also now more visible particularly in lower areas with fresh grasses. A pair of Ground Hornbills was seen at the river edge before and after the flood. Sightings of these endangered species are quite a nice treat.  Carnivore sightings included 17 spotted hyena, and 23 leopards, two of which were cubs. The rarest sightings were of a female cheetah, her three cubs and three other adult males, each seen only once. Most proliferate sightings were certainly of lions this month. Two sisters raising three litters of young, totaling 11 cubs were seen most often with 185 lion sightings, 118 of which were cubs. Concerns for the welfare of the young were put to rest when the large family was again spotted a little over a week after the flood. Elephant herds are likewise quickly gaining numbers and sightings are more frequently including those of herds from 100 to 300 elephants. The total number of individuals seen this month was an estimated 1320 elephants. These wildlife numbers are now supported by the massive increase in fresh shoots and ground cover in the reserve.

Today the marsh known as Nel’s Vlei is rampant with wildlife. Pans of water dot the green and yellow landscape, bringing life to a once parched land now filled with eland, kudu, impala, waterbuck, elephant, lion, leopard, and jackal. But perhaps the greatest benefit is received by the wildebeest and zebra, that now have forage for their new young. Hopefully the rains will continue with lesser force into February, to support the full stage summer growth now underway. With the wildlife returned to a system of abundance, stream waters receding, and roads under repair, February is looking to be a beautiful month at Mashatu.

 Jena Casey

The leopard cub in a tree - Julian & Annie Roelant

On the morning of January 7^th, ranger Bashi and his guests – regulars from Italy – had a nice sighting of a mother leopard and her small two month old cub. Later that evening they returned to the area in the hope of having another glimpse. The scene had dramatically changed, however. The mother was found again in a tree, but there was no sign of the young one. Below the mother, a pride of lions lounged in the shade. The group consisted of two females – sisters who are excellent hunters – and their five big cubs. The cubs are from two different litters, separated by just a few weeks. Although they still have their spots, the lion cubs nearing 6 months of age would easily dwarf the leopard cub. Speculation began to rise as the leopard cub seemed to be missing.

The pride, relaxing - Julian & Annie Roelant

The leopard mother stares off into the distance - Julian & Annie Roelant

Then the mother leopard moved in the tree, and with an intense and uneasy gaze, she stared off into the distance, followed shortly by the lion pride coming to their feet. The group moved quickly in the direction of the mother’s gaze. Tension filled the game vehicle – could the lions have seen the young leopard cub? Then suddenly, the young cub emerged from the brush to the side. The lions had passed by, and the young one began to run at full speed, but not in the direction of its mother. We spotted the tiny little cat in full speed trying to catch up and join the lion pride!

The lion pride on the move - Julian & Annie Roelant

The cub emerging from the bush - Julian & Annie Roelant

The leopard cub dashes after the lions - Julian & Annie Roelant

Perhaps the cub was looking for its mother or thought these lion cubs were potential play mates, but regardless of his motive, concern grew at the question of what the lions would do when confronted with the tiny tag-along. The leopard cub’s mother remained in the tree, unable to emerge without exposing herself and her cub. Helplessly she looked on. Soon the distance between the lion pride and the cub expanded and the lions, who seemingly had not noticed the little one, were now sitting at the base of a nearby tree. The cub watched the lions disappearing into the bush as his mother watched him from her perch. A sense of relief washed over everyone in the game drive vehicle. They drove off, satisfied that the mother and her little cub were safely reunited.

The leopard cub underneath the tree - Julian & Annie Roelant

The leopard cub, safely reunited with its mother - Julian & Annie Roelant

Evening leopard sighting - Julian & Annie Roelant

Several days later the two mothers in the lion pride met up with their own mother and another female who had a group of six new lion cubs. The group of four females and 11 cubs stayed together for several days. Then one day, the eldest female and the other mother were gone. The sister lions were now caring for all eleven cubs in three different age groups. Rains began as we moved into mid January. Then a second rain event brought an immense flood. Road conditions prevented safely accessing the habitat where the lions had last been seen. Now in the quiet aftermath of the deluge, the roads have dried, and the land is sprinkled with water pools and bursting with colour. It is a relief to report that on a recent game drive, the whole pride; the two sister/mothers and their group of eleven cubs have been seen together and they are safe.

Lioness and her cub - Julian & Annie Roelant

A busy lion cub - Julian & Annie Roelant

Special thanks to our guests, the Roelants, for sharing their photos included here.

In next weeks blog we will look at the month in review and examine the flood more closely. Until next time, good tidings from Mashatu.

Jena Casey MS.

Mashatu Research

Mother sensing what lies ahead - Jena Casey

There has certainly been a lot of change for the elephants over the first few weeks of the New Year. A gap was shut between early rains in December and minimal rain coming into 2013. Our rain fall total for 2013 is nearly three times that of 2012 as a result of some serious and extensive flooding. That topic will be covered in the next installment of our month in review. For now, the focus remains on the elephants as they approached the big rain event which brought 220 – 300mm of rain in different parts of the reserve.

'Big sister' patiently walks with the youngster - Jena Casey

Mama 'sides' with younger son - Jena Casey

Coming into January we saw elephants throughout the reserve with consistency, and while their foraging groups remained small – usually just immediate family – they travelled in larger collections of families, spaced far apart from one another. These bond groups have the advantage of mass unity, without reducing forage opportunity in places which until recently held minimal new growth. Several species of plants that are enjoyed by the elephants have produced new shoots in response to warmer weather, sunlight and the occasional sprinkling of light rain. Umbrella thorn, Purple pod Terminalia, and Red Bush willow have all shown new shoots and leaves in early January.

Mother pauses to nurse her calf - Jena Casey

Time for a dust bath - Jena Casey

The continued presence of water pans and emergence of ground cover have eased previous stresses for elephants moving from one place to another. Although travel between areas is fast paced, it now includes time for browsing, grazing, drinking and even playing along the way. Here a young adult moves quickly along the Croton edge. A younger elephant traveling along side in the background gives the impression of a turbine of feet propelling her through the bush.

Families separate during travel - Jena Casey

Hyena with carrion watch elephants pass - Jena Casey

Relaxed young bull approaches the research vehicle - Jena Casey

Even with increased food and water the heat of the day still brings its challenges and most elephants take a reprieve to get some rest as they linger in cool shady places.  This bull was found nestled deep in the recesses of an old Umbrella thorn where he used thick limbs to support his large being.  The calf in the next photo, made use of a small Croton, diving head first into its foliage before settling down and the base.  As he rests his older sibling and mother take advantage of the yellow flowering Devil’s Thorn emerging in patches across the reserve.

Jena Casey

Mashatu Elephant Research Project

*We are pleased to announce the return of our well-received Ivory Drives – game drives with a special focus on elephant conservation research, that provide guests with an opportunity to tour parts of Northern Tuli Game Reserve while spending time in close proximity to wild elephants in their natural habitat. The lead elephant ecology researcher on site guides the tour, offering information on recent elephant activity, sociability, ecology and research techniques; as well as local history in the context of elephant conservation dynamics related to southern Africa and the greater continent.