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

February 2008

Read about events at Djuma Game Reserve

Bush Lodge

Vuyatela

for more information visit www.djuma.com

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This newsletter is archived in the Drumbeat section of our web site

We have had beautiful, long summer days and the 37mm of rain has helped our boreholes and as Mandla puts it: "the flowers are laughing each day."
There was great excitement one morning when we saw the spoor of an unknown male leopard passing through the camp. James was inundated with questions from the guests as to what the leopards do in the camp and why they come there. Most likely that leopard is checking out a possible niche in a new territory and during the quiet of night he would be able to have a good sniff around to check the lodge is not part of another leopard's territory. Sometimes we are lucky enough to see this interaction happening, but this time we had to settle for the spoor as evidence. We also saw a hippo at the waterhole one evening. However, when he saw the flashlights trying to get a better view, he disappeared into the bushes.
Out on drive, four wild dogs (mother and 3 sub adults) were seen near one of our neighboring lodges. This is the pack that were seen few months back and the only pack covering the northern Sabi Sands and Manyeleti at the present time. Our guests were very happy to see these endangered species when they were least expecting to see them at Djuma Game Reserve. Another unusual sighting of three ostriches (two male and a female) were seen on Cheetah Plains, just north of the Mala Mala boundary. It is always satisfying for our guests to see animals that are seldom seen and unexpected in these parts, a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
Two male lions from the Robson's pride were also seen at Cheetah Plains for two days. By the third day we did not see them and assumed they returned back to Ottawa south west of Djuma. This pride doesn't venture up here often and we are not sure whether they noticed the presence of notorious Mapogo pride or not. We believe they do know each other as both prides originate from a similar area.
The Nkuhuma pride is still finding safety in Manyeleti, but a few lionesses have been seen on and off at the boundary between Manyeleti and Buffelshoek. The females are not in the risk of getting killed, but it is the cubs' survival we worry about. We have found one dead cub already, and know the Mapogos are making their presence known so as to get their genes into the prides in this area in time to come.
Mr and Mrs Fishwick celebrated their honeymoon holiday with us and we wish them all the best for their marriage. Alan & Lien Kelly stayed at bush lodge for four nights and on their last night they got married. We would like to send a special word of congratulations to them for having a special moment of their lives at Bush lodge. We really like to wish them good and healthy relationship and prosperous 2008.
Nick Burdon celebrated his birthday with his wife Julie, and the Bush Lodge team. We wish him all the best in the next coming years. On the staff birthday side we started out the new year with Life's special day, followed by Pippa, Evaline, Annah, Constance, Joyce Mgiba and Marietjie.
Until next month, fond wishes from the Bush Lodge family.

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Djuma Game Reserve
P. O. Box 338, Hluvukani, 1363, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Tel: (+ 27 13) 735 5118
Fax: (+ 27 13) 735 5070
 

 
Webmaster: Jurie Moolman