MABULA GUIDES NEWS FOR SEPTEMBER 2016 Compiled by: Isaiah Banda – Head Guide

Burchel’s Zebras having a drink at Phokobje pan on the Mokaikai area. Burchel’s zebras prefer open grassvelds or savanna veld, they are even found in fairly dense bush and are surprisingly at home in mountainous and hilly terrain.

 

Now deep into the cool and dusty winter, authentic colours of the land emerge around constantly active animals. With busy characters always on the move, viewing and photographic opportunities are a plenty with open bushveld and clean skies.

As the sounds of the night trickle into morning, the crisp air brings a uniquely vibrant landscape to life. Predators are at their peak with no limiting daytime temperatures and thus move great distances throughout the day in search of any weakening herbivores. Now that the coldest months have passed, migrant birds are beginning to venture back into the area; European bee-eaters, black chested snake eagle and Brown snake eagles to mention a few. With the waning Moon passing in front of the sun during the day, crystal clear and still nights reveal a magical Milky Way strung above us from horizon to horizon.

The neutral balance of nature continues to provide for incredible viewing and its observers are soaking up all aspects of this seasonal change. A surreal feeling is sprung upon us all during this beautiful time of the year; welcome to spring!

Enjoy this month in Pictures and reading…

Sub dominant male feeding on a giraffe carcass around Mororo plain in Madjuma reserve. At a kill, during squabbles, virtually continuous growls and snarls, varying in intensity and sporadically exploding in a series of short, brisk, bark like roars may be heard.

 

Hippopotamus Amphibious Apart from being rated by some experts as a second biggest land mammal in the world, the hippopotamus can also hold its breath much longer than most other mammals. For up to six minutes it remains below the water, blowing up a misty cloud of fog when rising to the surface to breathe. During the day they rest in cool waters of the hippo pool or in dense thickets near the water.

At night they often wander along their characteristic double lane footpaths as far as 30kms or even further from the water to graze. Hippo can move very fast on land, and in shallow water. With their long and formidable, tusk like teeth they have they defy man and beast; several people have been killed by hippos. Fights between bigger bulls may last for days and are accompanied by deafening screams of pains and fury. Lions exceptionally dare to attack and kill a hippo out of water.

During the day they rest in cool waters of the hippo pool or in dense thickets near the water.

 

Crocodylus niloticus

The diet of the Nile crocodile is mainly fish, but it will attack almost anything unfortunate enough to cross its, path, including zebras, porcupines, birds, and other crocodiles. It will also scavange carrion, and can eat up to half its body weight at a feeding.

One unusual characteristic of this fearsome predator is its caring nature as a parent. Where most reptiles lay their eggs and move on, mother and father Nile crocs ferociously guard their nests until the eggs hatch, and they will often roll the eggs gently in their mouths to help hatching babies emerge.

 

A journey with giraffes Giraffes have intrigued mankind with their unusual yet graceful appearance. However, little is known about the species and it has been somewhat neglected by scientists. It is estimated that there are only 80,000 giraffes left in Africa.

A giraffe’s coat is more than just a camouflage. The brown splotches are heat releasers, acting as thermal windows with a sophisticated network of blood vessels beneath them. The giraffe’s long neck is equipped to fill an ecological niche above the average bushveld browsing line; setting it a stretch above the rest as it twists its tongue around tricky acacia thorns. A herd of moving giraffes is referred to as a ‘journey’ while a stationary herd is called a ‘tower‘. Giraffes live in loose herds, with females generally residing together and males living in bachelor groups until they reach sexual maturity. However, in some populations, males do live with the females. Giraffe cows are pregnant for 15 months and have no formal breeding season. It is believed that, like turtles, giraffes give birth where they were born, in areas called calving grounds. The 100kg calf plummets into life in the savanna, falling about 1.5 metres to the ground, and will be up and suckling within an hour. A calf’s height will double within a year and, after that year some subspecies keep their calves in nursery groups.

 

The giraffe’s 45cm long tongue is tough because their favourite food source, the acacia tree, has developed a cavalry of thorns to protect its desirable leaves and flowers. In some areas, giraffes also go to war with armies of acacia-dwelling ants defending the sweet nectar – another one of the tree’s defence mechanisms. To top that off, acacia trees have an ethylene alarm system that warns other trees of the imminent threat from giraffes. This causes the trees to produce leaf tannin, which can be lethal for browsers.

 

Redunca Arundinum Reedbuck Sensing danger in a half crouching attitude they will waits then quietly steals away to some denser cover, like Sitatunga of Botswana, reedbuck will submerge itself under water to hide with only nostrils protruding, hidden among some floating debris, a reedbuck bull crashing through the reeds to the open and bouncing off with short, jerky, bounds, bushy tail fanned out and kicking up the hind legs high, is a thrilling sight.

Down in the vlei, in the reeds and in ferns and grass, he tramples down the dense vegetation to make his bed. This is where the reedbuck will hide his woolly little fawn. Unexplainable, however is the loud but dull dub sound which it makes with every bound. Some think it is caused by the buck hitting its abdomen with the inner thighs, other reason that the gland pouches, situated in the groin may be involved in this strange addition to the magnificent animal’s performance

 

A stunning setup for a sundowner drink with new and old friends, despite the hot temperatures, a glass of red and with wine keep them a cosy affair.

 

Sundowners are one of the best traditions we observe on safari. Midway through a game drive, a guide stops in a picturesque spot and guests dismount to enjoy a drink and snacks with the setting African sun as the backdrop. It is a unique opportunity to get away from the noise and confinement of a vehicle and to pause and appreciate the surroundings. That is all I have for you this month. From Isaiah and Wildlife team Bushveld greetings Email: wls@lodge.mabula.co.za