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SINCE
we are part of the greater Kruger National Park, we often have unexpected
sightings. The vast Kruger
National Park - 2 million hectares or 4.4 million acres - ranges across
many habitats with different suites of animals.
Last
year a black rhino was sighted on Djuma, he probably came from scrublands
further south in the Kruger National Park. At Djuma white rhino dominate,
the savannah woodland with its nutritious grass cover being ideally suited
to a grazer (eats grass). Black Rhino in contrast are browsers (eat the
leaves of woody plants). The shape of the mouths of the two different
rhinos clearly indicate their different feeding habits; the white rhino
has a wide square lip that is used in an almost lawnmower action. In contrast
the black rhino has a hooked lip that is prehensile (almost like a miniature
trunk) which is curled around branches to strip them of their leaves.
The most exciting arrival in the last year must have been the three adult
Cape Hunting Dogs sighted on the morning drive last winter. They had recently
established themselves in an old hyena den and had a litter of ten pups!
Ever since then we have had the privilege of getting to know these fascinating
hunters that are unfortunately on the decrease in the wild.
Cape Hunting Dogs are non-territorial and range over vast distances, it
is only when they have established a den that they remain in a specific
area. The fact that Cape Hunting Dogs do range so far is part of their
downfall. Even though domestic dogs and Cape Hunting Dogs are not close
relatives (domestic dogs originated from the wolf which of course does
not occur in Africa), they are close enough relatives that they are very
vulnerable to domestic dog diseases. The Cape Hunting Dog has no immunity
to these diseases and in their distant travels are bound to meet with
domestic dogs and so be exposed to these devastating diseases. This has
unfortunately proved the undoing of the once healthy Cape Hunting Dog
population in East Africa, as farmers have encroached their domestic dogs
and Cape Hunting Dogs have met. It is thus extremely encouraging to have
new pack of wilddogs on Djuma. Of the three adult wilddogs that established
the den, one was a female and the other two males. Her ten pups were black
when we first observed them at about four weeks old.
Since there were only two adults free to hunt, the males had to work very
hard to keep their family from going hungry. They were extremely efficient
at this and often killed twice per day! They mostly hunted the small antelopes
- such as duiker and steenbok - in the dense bush in the vicinity of the
den. Once the hunters had been successful they would devour the prey and
immediately set of for the den where they would regurgitate the meat for
the excited mother and pups.
The whining and yapping of the excited wilddogs at the purple and orange
end of the day is a special sight unique to the African savannah.
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