|
20
March
PM
2 Leopards (son and daughter of the Beacon Female) were found at
Sally's Tree, where they were seen playing in a fallen over Gardenia
Tree.
2 Lions (Zambezi Males) were found on the Airstrip were they were
Lying and occasionally roaring.
A large herd of Buffalo were found at Buffelshoek dam grazing around
the firebreak.
21 March
AM
A large storm the night before as well as a rainy morning meant
that most of the animals were hiding and just a single Bull Elephant
was seen at Nyala Dam.
PM
3 Elephant Bulls were seen north of Big Dam feeding on the open
area.
2 Male Lions (Zambezi males) were seen at Big Dam scent marking
as they went.
4 Rhinos were seen on Long Pole Road.
22 March
AM
3 Rhinos were seen on Gowrie Cutline close to Vuyatela.
The Sandy Patch Pride and their 2 cubs were seen south of the Gate
where they were resting on the road. They later moved off the road
to lie down in the long grass. They were later joined by the Manyeleti
male, who is looking in very good condition.
PM
1 Female cheetah was found at Tortoise Pan. This adult cheetah seen
a few days back had killed an Impala and was busy guarding it with
a very full stomach.
1 Male Leopard (Mafufunyana) was found on the Vuyatela Driveway.
He was walking slowly scent marking when he suddenly spotted a scrub
hare in the road ahead and immediately went into stalk mode and
successfully killed and devoured the hare in minutes.
1 Male Lion (Manyeleti male) was found on the Main Road south of
the gate. He was scent marking and giving soft contact calls to
try relocate the sandy patch females he was with earlier in the
day. He was left lying down in the middle of the road towards the
end of drive.
23 March
AM
2 Male Lions (Zambezi Males) were found at Jordaan's dam. They looked
as though they had been in a fight during the night, and further
inspection showed the tracks of a third Lion in the area. The third
Lion's tracks came from the same direction where the Manyeleti male
was seen last night and it is presumed that they got into a fight
with one another to the east of Jordaan's dam where the third male's
tracks lead away from.
1 Elephant bull was found at Champagne Pan.
1 Female Leopard (Beacon Female) and her 2 cubs were found east
of Nyala Dam. All three were laying in trees in close proximity
to one another and the cubs were looking particularly well fed.
PM
2 Male Lions (Zambezi males) were found laying on Jordaan's Dam
Wall late in the afternoon. They later moved off to the North.
5 Elephant bulls were at Jordaan's dam at the same time as the Lions
and were feeding around the Lions, showing very little interest
in the cats.
2 Buffalo bulls were found on Brown Ivory clearing.
24 March
AM
1 Female Leopard (Beacon Female) and her 2 cubs were found east
of Nyala Dam. All three were lying perfectly posed in the sane Marula
tree. The then all descended and moved to where they had stashed
a male Impala carcass.
PM
The Beacon Female and her cubs were found still feeding on the Impala
carcass and it looked as though they would finish the meat during
the night.
A few Elephant bulls were found around Sussen's dam.
25 March
AM
1 Female Lion (Sandy Patch Pride) was found close to the gate with
her 2 4 month old cubs. Other male Lion tracks in the area suggested
that 2 males, possibly the Zambezi males, had been in the area and
she was very alert and nervously trying to move her cubs out of
the area. They eventually went to lie down in the riverbed east
of Galago Camp.
2 young male Cheetahs were found resting on Quarantine open area.
A breeding herd of Elephants were found east of Vrystaat Clearing.
PM
2 young male cheetahs were once again located on the quarantine
clearing near Vuyatela Lodge. They climbed a tree and posed on a
Termite mound before being left as darkness fell.
2 Male Lions (Zambezi Males) were found on the Northern side of
Buffelshoek dam. They were on the patrol scent marking profusely
on just about every bush they passed.
1 Large Elephant bull was found at Cheetah Pan. He had amazing tusks
and not just an average Ellie!!
26 March
AM
1 Female Leopard (Karula) was found on the main road south of the
gate. She tried stalking a herd of Impala, but they soon got wind
of the young Leopard's presence and she slinked off eventually crossing
the boundary to the west.
2 young male Cheetahs were found still laying near Vuyatela Lodge.
2 Male Lions (Zambezi Males) were found north of the airstrip. They
did not move the whole morning, except the occasional lift of head
or flick of tail. They had obviously had an eventful night.
There were Elephants seen all over the reserve.
PM
2 Male Lions (Zambezi Males) were still laying down on the airstrip,
where they had been for most of the day. They eventually got up
and started to move north.
1 Rhino bull was tracked and found on Nyala Road. The large bull
eventually lay down in a small mud wallow and had an extended muddy
bath.
1 Female Leopard (Karula) was found next to the Vuyatela staff village.
She was scent marking on most of the trees she passed, before becoming
interested in a group of Impala and Wildebeest on the Quarantine
Clearing. She made an attempt to stalk close to them but soon ran
out of cover and her cover was blown!! Alarm barks and snorts sent
animals scattering in every direction. We eventually left her heading
towards Twin Dam Road.
27
March
AM
1 Female Cheetah and her 3 year old cubs were found on the Hardekool
clearing. They were very relaxed and did not move much during the
morning until eventually they moved out the sun to the shade of
a Weeping Wattle Tree.
1 Female Leopard (Beacon Female) and her 2 cubs, was found near
Tamboti Dam. They had killed an African Civet, but as is usually
the case did not eat it. Leopards only rarely eat other carnivores,
but will try to kill any competition smaller than themselves.
A large her of Buffalo were found near Cheetah Plains. They were
grazing along the firebreak.
|
