In the African night, the beat of a drum means news...

  
 

January 2008

  
 

Read about events at Djuma Game Reserve
 

Bush Lodge
"…. a hippo calf of no more than half an hour old trying to get to its feet." ….. Click here to read more…
 

Vuyatela
"… our best drive of the month would have to be when eight different leopards were sighted in total." ... Click here to read more…
 
Galago
"Big 5 within two hours on day one." …... Click here to read more…
 
 

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This newsletter is archived in the Drumbeat section of our web site
Editor: Pippa Moolman
 
The above photos were taken on the Wildearth Webcams (www.wildearth.tv) and James Carty - guide at Bush Lodge.
 
 
Bush Lodge

Good rains fell throughout the month. In one shower we experienced 35mm of rain in just half an hour! Guide James and tracker Andrew managed to arrive back at camp with their guests without getting wet. They must have side stepped the cloudburst or found some shelter, while everyone else got soaked.
The best sighting from the camp was when a Mapogo male lion was seen with one of the Styx lionesses at the entrance to Bush Lodge. Later on they were seen having a rest in front of the camp at the waterhole.
One of the best sightings out on drive at Big Dam was when James' vehicle came across a hippo calf of no more than half an hour old trying to get to its feet. As soon as the vehicle approached the scene, the mother charged and made sure they stayed a respectable distance from her youngster. After a while the pair managed to get to the top of the dam wall, and the baby stumbled back down to the water again. The mother charged after the baby, and thankfully the calf was fine after his/her first fall in life. We look forward to watching this hippo grow up and will certainly keep you posted through its life journey.
With new life comes a death. One of the Nkuhuma (Kahuma) male lions was killed by the Mapogo pride of six males from the central Sabi Sand Wildtuin. They seemed to be looking for the other male from the Nkuhuma pride which swiftly moved north with the rest of the pride of 17 (including 13 cubs) to Manyeleti Game Reserve. The lionesses and the cubs were seen the next morning on the Manyeleti boundary with Djuma. The male didn't stay with the whole pride, but rather took one of the females to accompany him. At this moment Mapogo pride is covering the whole area and they might kill that Nkuhuma male and the cubs so that they can start their own gene pool within the prides. We await the outcome of this saga with trepidation, but accept that this is the way things happen in the wilderness.
Jan and Kyo Rombouts returned to stay at Bush lodge for seven nights and moved to stay at Vuyatela for another week. This could be the longest stay we have had from guests and we may have to name a chalet after them! Charlotte van Schelle, a volunteer from earlier in the year, returned to stay with her parents for the first time in both Djuma lodges. It was great the Charlotte could experience the lodges as a guest, although she seemed very at home helping out here and there.
Congratulations to honeymooners Jamie and Cristiana Dye as well as Christine and Guillaune Yan-fock. Max Perrin celebrated his birthday with his family. Bush lodge wish him a bright future and a prosperous new year.
Staff birthday wishes go to Jimmy (who has been managing Bush Lodge part time), Patricia, and Andy. The Bush Lodge team wishes you all the best for the next coming year.
Last but not least we would like thank Andy van der Westhuizen, our most recent volunteer, for spending time with us at Bush lodge. We hope she will be visiting us again the future and wish her luck as she embarks on the next phase of her life.
May 2008 be blessed for everyone and we look forward to seeing as many of you again in the near future.
 
Vuyatela
We have experienced regular rain showers throughout December and the dam in front of the camp had started filling up. We had to supplement the water supply at the start of the month as one can imagine how much water the herd of five hundred buffalo need to quench their thirst! We were lucky enough to witness six rhinos come to the dam for a drink. Their numbers have certainly increased in the area around Vuyatela and they are sighted regularly on safari. Our resident wildebeest herd is sporting a new born calf, and visit the dam daily. There is an abundance of impala lambs which in turn means that the leopards are feasting like never before. In fact, an unidentified leopard was trying to hunt within the lodge grounds one evening while the guests were having dinner. We don't think the hunt was successful as we found no evidence the following morning. However, Karula, female leopard, had a successful hunt which started at midday at the staff village and ended not far from the lodge a short while later.
Out in the bush our best drive of the month would have to be when eight different leopards were sighted in total. So much for the shy and elusive leopard - clearly they got over that reputation at Djuma! The pack of wild dogs have been seen again, but this time only three in number, as one of the cubs is missing and suspected to be dead. The Styx lionesses have been seen again after a long absence. One of the male lions of the Kahuma pride got killed by the six strong Mapogo male lions. The Kahuma lionesses fled north, but returned a few days later sporting some more very young cubs.
New Year's Eve was celebrated with traditional dancers out in the bush. The guests from all three Djuma lodges joined in the festivities and most tried their hand at Shangaan dancing as well.
It was wonderful to see so many happy honeymooners on safari in December. Congratulations to the Fisken's, Latimer's, Fountain's, Homble's, Diaz's, Sirker's, Green's, Filipstruck's, Newman's, Shopoff's, Cousen's, Swarbrick's, and last but not least, Mr and Mrs Beatus.
It was great to touch base with return guests Jan and Kyo Rombouts as well as Charlotte van Schelle, who volunteered at Bush Lodge earlier in the year. Many thanks to Sue Spencer for the donation she made for Christmas hampers for the kids in the village.
Staff birthday wishes go to Gladness, Eric, Jimmy, Judith Mogane and Graham.
May everyone have a successful 2008 and we hope to see many of you back at Vuyatela in the near future.
 
Galago

As another year drew to a close we had very favourable comments from our guests.
The Siebert party reported:
"Another fantastic Red Ant "Safari". Thanks to Ephraim, Aubrey and William and the ladies. As usual the game spotting was top notch. Big 5 within two hours on day one."
Timothy Whitlock: "Thank you for letting us have a great time." And Jody reported "A breath of fresh air."
The Roux Group had the following to say: "For some of us it was the first safari experience..... for others the 6th, 8th etc. All discussion around the camp fire between nationalities was agreed that each game drive was different. Could not be surpassed.... each day the previous day was bettered. We want to thank the staff, drivers and spotters. We will never forget it!!!!! Aubrey and William, I don't know how you trained those eyes.... but well done ... each drive was special. It was an Amazing experience - the game drives were one of a kind.
Jordan Weber said, "Lions!!! They are everywhere. If I ever come back I will definitely stay at Galago. Aubrey and William are great. My friends will never believe that I saw 2 giraffe fighting a few feet away, and I was on foot. Just awesome."
The Leggar group: "Our two night stay at Djuma was for too short!!!! Aubrey and William were awesome their spotting was spectacular: Hippo, Leopard, giraffe, Rhino, Elephant and a lot more. We have been here so many times we will be back again and again. The ladies, well done you are doing a great job."
The Keye Group: "We had another fantastic time at Galago. We got to see some amazing sightings. 3 leopards in 3 days. A pride of 21 lions with all their cubs were feasting on a zebra kill close to camp. Thanks again to all Djuma staff for a wonderful stay at Galago. Will be back."
The Culhane and Allerton Families had the following to say: "Fantastic 3 days - went too fast. Thick bush due to heavy rains made sightings quite difficult BUT
managed to see all of the big five thanks to expertise of Aubrey. First lions, then buffalo followed by Rhino and Leopard and finally elephant. Last drive saw big pride of lions with all cubs!!!!! Wonderful, will be back."
From Thembi, Aubrey, William, Mildred and Nestah, may you all have a wonderful 2008. We look forward to seeing everyone on Safari in the months to come.

 
 
Join us next month and share our experiences as the seasons march on.
 
 
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