WILDLIFE JOURNAL SINGITA SABI SAND, SOUTH AFRICA

For the month of August, Two Thousand and Twenty Temperature Rainfall Recorded Sunrise & Sunset Average minimum: 10.2˚C (50.36˚F) For the month: 0mm Sunrise: 06:09 Average maximum: 23.2˚C (73.76˚F) For the season to date: 0 mm Sunset: 17:41 Minimum recorded: 04˚C (39.2˚F) Maximum recorded: 33˚C (91.4˚F) The late winter winds begin to howl as we move into August and the last dried leaves surrender to the earth. We observe the trying circumstances as pregnant impala show signs of lost condition due to limited amounts of nutrient vegetation. The seasons are shifting and the temperatures are beginning to rise, spring is soon on its way and we can feel it. Amidst the hues of beige and hazel in a seemingly lifeless wilderness, there is life just waiting to burst into creation. However dull it may appear, there is absolute beauty in every aspect and an excitement for each day to begin. There is never a dull moment. The bush only continues to grace us with her magic and enlightens us all with her sheer magnificence.

Here’s a Sightings Snapshot for August: Lions

• Excitement is in the air as we catch our first glimpse of the two new Mhangene pride cubs. It has taken a number of weeks of tracking and investigation, however a little bit of luck helped us to see these gorgeous, fluffy lion cubs. We estimate that they are between two and three months old as their mother has kept them very well hidden between the reeds and palm thickets in the middle of the Sand River for quite some time now. We are looking forward to spending more time watching as they grow and hoping they will become healthy adult lions.

• The three Tumbela males continue to stay resident north of the river and have been seen much more frequently. With reports that the Matimba male had chased them off, it seems as though these males are keeping a lower profile until it becomes their time to take over a new territory.

Elephants

• Spending time with elephants may possibly be one of the best experiences one may enjoy in the bush. With low water supply and slowly rising temperatures, we continue to spend time with large herds of elephants moving down toward the river to bathe and quench their thirsts.

Wild dogs

• It has been a month now and it has been incredible to observe the growth of the Othawa pack puppies who are beginning to move more freely around the den-site. We have been lucky to witness them remaining in the same den without any movement as yet. The adults in the pack often make their way down to the Sand River during the mornings to hunt and will then make their way back to the den to regurgitate and feed the pups. All eleven pups are healthy and well.

Leopards

• Typically, leopards tend to avoid lions due to them being such a tremendous threat to their lives, however that is not the case with Hosana male leopard. We watched as the three Tumbela male lions slept close to their buffalo carcass whilst Hosana male moved in to feed on their carcass. He managed to claim some of the main organs and then attempted to steal some more of the carcass the next day. Unfortunately his second attempt wasn’t as successful with the lions being aware of his movements.

• Interesting interactions have been observed between Schotia female, her young daughter and Tavangumi male (her previous litter) where all three leopards have been seen together. The young female shows a lot of confidence moving close to her older brother, vocalising and displaying signs of submission, only for him to get in trouble with the Schotia female for being “too close”.

• Hukumuri female and cub continue to thrive and have also been seen more regularly. Although this female tends to be more secretive due to her riverine territory, she truly is a remarkable female to observe.

Cheetah

• We had a number of sightings of the female cheetah and her two cubs this month. Although this new mother is expanding her home range with the cubs, she still tends to feel at home in the southern parts of the property.

Bird list The bird list for August includes five new bird species, bringing our yearly total to 274 so far - this was our total number for the year of 2019. Special bird species include: Little stint (in breeding plumage), greater painted snipe and marsh owl.

Tracking in lockdown Article by Joffers McCormick During the last few months of lockdown, we as the guides have really been able to practice and develop new skill sets, and it has been a great opportunity for all of us to learn and gain knowledge from one another. Something that I have particularly enjoyed is the tracking aspect and learning more about the art of tracking. Due to not having the skill set of our world-class trackers on site, it has been left to the guides to track and locate the various animals. One track in particular that I really enjoyed was with another guide, Mark Eschenlohr. We set out before sunrise so we could be out as the bush was starting to wake up to a new day. We stopped at an elevated point for a few minutes to see if we could hear any lions roaring as this was our target species for the morning. In the far distance we could hear the faint iconic sound of Africa, the lions’ roar. We agreed on a general direction to where we thought the vocalization was coming from. We set off on our mission and headed to the northern section of the property. As we got closer to the area we again heard the lions roaring. This helped to pinpoint an area for us to find the tracks of a pride. Once we had found the tracks and saw how almost immediately they went off the road. They headed into the direction of some thick vegetation so we decided to park the vehicle in a shaded spot so we could get our walking boots on and get tracking. The two of us set out and followed the tracks together. Tracking is made a lot easier when there is more than one of you and we quickly realized this would be the case on this particular track. As we got deeper into the thickets we lost the tracks and this is where the teamwork really started. We would separate and check the surrounding area for any signs of the lions and look at the surrounding sandy patches. Once one of us would find a track and get a general direction, we would follow once again. This happened on a number of occasions and we both noticed the different signs as to where the lions had walked. We then lost the tracks and struggled for about 15 minutes to find them again, but something that we did notice was some tracks of a herd of zebra that had been running. We knew this formed part of the puzzle as the lion tracks were then seen to be all over. We knew they had attempted to hunt the zebra but to no avail. So, we continued walking and following. The day was starting to warm up and we both believed that the lions would now be settled up in a shaded spot somewhere so we couldn’t be too far behind the pride. After about two hours we ended up close to the Sand River, our excitement levels got higher and higher as we approached the river both thinking they will be lying in the nice cool sand. As we were getting closer to the river, it was very important that we kept a watchful eye, not only for the lions but for other animals that would be making their way for a mid-morning drink. As we followed the tracks, they led us down a game path and straight to a channel of flowing water. We walked into the river and peered around a rock to find the lions relaxing and sleeping under a large shaded patch of sand. We both stood in silence as we appreciated the sighting and then made our way to a high point for a better visual. It is a feeling that cannot be described as we had put a lot of time and effort into the track only to be successful a few hours later. This was a great learning curve for the two of us and it really was awe-inspiring being able to learn from each other and share what we have to offer. It was an exciting track from the get go as well as a great challenge, but through persistence and teamwork we did it. I am very fortunate to be working at Singita and being able to continuously learn from my peers and this for this I will always be grateful.

The privilege of puppies Article by Gareth Poole The African wild dog is often the less known of our continent’s apex predators, yet is probably one of the most exciting and, sadly, critically endangered of them all. Naturally the largest threat to the wild dog is lions but an even larger issue for them is the conflict with man and habitat loss. As human populations grow, leading to agriculture, settlements, and roads, wild dogs are losing the wild spaces they used to roam in freely. Today it is estimated that there are less than 6 500 of them roaming free. For four years running the guides of Singita Sabi Sand have been absolutely spoilt with a pack of these incredible animals repeatedly choosing our conservation area as a suitable den-site and hunting ground. The pack currently consists of 13 adults and 11 thriving pups which were born somewhere in the middle of June this year making them roughly two and a half months old now. It is amazing when you consider that makes 24 wild dogs in a population of approximately 450 in the Greater Kruger National Park, right here at Singita. These large litters very seldom make it to adulthood, succumbing to cold, starvation, disease and predation. But right now they are alive and well and with a large supporting pack of adults they have a far better chance of surviving than a smaller pack with less numbers to defend and support the little ones. It has been our responsibility as guides to closely monitor this pack and report all findings and identifications we discover to the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), an organization which plays a big role in the protection of the African wild dog here in the Kruger National Park. Everything is being done to give these remarkable predators a chance at growing their numbers again in very testing conditions. Packs are constantly vaccinated against diseases they may pick up and we are always keeping tabs on their movements and behaviour to better understand them. It will remain a big challenge for this pack and their pups to survive over the coming months

but is also very exciting, and we just are so privileged to have them here and for us as conservationists at heart to be able to contribute towards the survival of one of Africa’s most treasured creatures.

Spots in the Sands Article by Damin Dallas

With an estimated global population sitting at just over 7 000 individuals, cheetahs are listed globally as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of threatened species. Within the Kruger National Park and the Greater Kruger area (a combined area of over 2.2 million hectares) there exists an estimated population of only 450 individuals. Combined with their low numbers and solitary habits, it’s no wonder then that cheetahs are one of the hardest animals to find and a noteworthy experience for those lucky few who do. To obtain a successful cheetah population, there are a few key requirements. Two main factors include large open spaces for successful hunting as well as low densities of large carnivores. The Sabi Sand game reserve is characterized predominantly by undulating broad-leaved woodland, interspersed by multiple drainage lines and dense riverine habitats. It is an area world famous for large carnivores with lion, leopard and spotted hyena numbers all well over the 100’s each. It is no surprise then that the local cheetah population is extremely low and why they have always been a species that has struggled to establish itself in the reserve. That being said, there still exists a niche for these slender speeders of the bush. One of the very few areas that cheetahs are regularly seen is in the southern portion of the Singita Sabi Sand property. Travelling southwards on the property, multiple small drainage lines are crossed and thickets of bushwillow (Combretum spp.) and silver cluster-leaf (Terminalia sericea) are traversed before breaking out into a large, vast, wide and utterly stunning grassland area. It is here where cheetah have managed to eke out an existence and where we are privileged to enjoy consistent viewing of these beautiful cats. There was a time where cheetah had all but disappeared from our area and some major concerns were raised regarding their population within the reserve. However, like most natural ecosystems, a balance is always formed and we started seeing an influx of these animals over the last year. A large adult male has set up permanently in the south and is our most regularly viewed individual. A young male is also seen from time to time but sightings of him have been irregular as he seems to be seeking out an area to establish himself. Towards the beginning of last year, a coalition of two young males also appeared on Singita and were seen on and off for a while before they moved off, but have since returned to the central parts of the reserve over the last few months. A female cheetah was also being seen irregularly last year and it was always hoped that the larger adult male and this female would locate each other and copulate, and unbeknown to us, they did. It was the beginning of this year when the incredible news broke that one of our tracker teams discovered a small thicket deep in the southern reaches of our property which contained three tiny cheetah cubs. These were the first cubs born in the reserve after many years and the mother kept them well hidden for the first few months of their life. She unfortunately lost one but regular sightings of mom and the remaining two cubs are had and they are all doing exceptionally well, traversing the entire southern sections of the property. An exciting future is in sight, as we are looking forward to watching the development of these youngsters as they find their place in the reserve and establish the next generation. The balance of the bush is a wonderful thing. Viewing this first hand with the unexpected success of these cheetah cubs punches a positive injection into the already very vulnerable population of this species. With tiny paws and wide curious eyes, the future is one big adventure for these two. A story yet to unfold, set in the rustling, busy thickets and hot dry riverbeds of Singita Sabi Sand.

A loss during lockdown Article by Paul Josop During the recent lockdown and unprecedented times that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought for everyone, it has allowed the guides of Singita, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, to spend quality time with our resident cats! The Schotia leopardess and her two cubs have been frequenting both Ebony and Boulders lodges, moving through the staff village on many occasions and continuing on their usual escapades, undeterred by the staff that have been on the reserve during this time.

The Schotia female leopard

This female leopard has given birth to three litters, consisting of two cubs every time, and both her last den-sites occurred within the perimeter of the lodges. Her preferred refuge to keep them safe has been on the rooves of two of the Ebony suites and the spa/gym! I remember in my first year at Singita, waking up and getting ready for safari, and then opening my curtains and seeing her walking past the staff pool carrying something in her mouth! At first, I thought it was one of her cubs being relocated to a new den-site, but on closer inspection I realised that it was a scrub hare that she had caught and was bringing back to feed her cubs. The struggle for a female to keep her cubs alive is relentless, particularly in a place like the Sabi Sand Game Reserve where the population of spotted hyenas is booming, but also where leopard cubs are killed by new arriving males, older offspring, lions and other predators when their mothers are out hunting or on a territorial patrol. One of my most heartfelt moments shared with the Schotia leopardess was when we discovered that she had lost one of her cubs from her first litter she had in the lodge area. We arrived at the sighting finding her and one cub on the ground, lying down in the grass, and the other cub, dead and hoisted in a marula tree. Keeping our distance, she got up and climbed the tree with her male cub in tow. They smelt the carcass of her deceased

female cub, Schotia gave the typical ‘mother calling cub growl’ and then descended the tree and walked towards the river. To this day we still don’t know how the cub met its fate.

Schotia female and her most recent litter of cubs (2020)

Schotia female and her deceased female cub (2018)

Tavumgumi male not sure what to make of his dead sister A couple of weeks ago whilst lying in bed one night, I heard the same growl that a female leopard gives to call her cubs. I walked to my window and slowly opened the curtains to see where they were. To my disbelief they were on my porch, in front of my door and the two cubs had found something to play with! The fact that I had made my presence felt didn’t bother them one bit and the two cubs continued pushing about a pot plant on the slippery floor. Sadly a few weeks later I saw Schotia walking past my room again, but this time with only one cub! When they walked out the camp perimeter, I then jumped into my Land Rover to follow them hoping she would lead me to the position of the other cub or maybe to a carcass. This however didn’t happen. I lost sight of her going into a dense thicket and went back to the lodge. Later in the afternoon she returned to the lodge by herself and was anxiously calling for her missing cub. Days later I spent about an hour with her as she walked east through Boulders Lodge, past Tavumgumi koppies and then stopped close to Millennium koppies, where she sat under the shade of a jackal-berry tree and continued calling for her lost cub. The cub didn’t appear and so she went south through the koppies and made her way back to Ebony Lodge.

Schotia female waiting for her cub to appear