THE MASHATU RANGERS' DIARY

GAME REPORT JULY 2010
                              
WEATHER AND VEGETATION

During this month we experienced very low temperatures, and the minimum temperatures were in single figures. The vegetation is still looking green from the previous rains. 

GAME SIGHTINGS DURING JULY

LEOPARDS

As always leopard sightings have been fairly good. At night around camp a leopard was heard on several occasions vocalizing, a hoarse rasping cough, repeated at intervals as an warning of its presence to other leopards in the area. On game drives the secretive animal was spotted numerous times engaged in activities ranging from hunting, taking down its prey and dragging it to the nearest big tree around for safety.     

LIONS

Lion sightings have been great for the month of July, but a lot of hostility has been exhibited by the pride to their own sub-adults, which are less than two years old. These sub-adults are three young lionesses and a male, which have been ousted from the pride. These sub adults are often seen wondering in and out of the usual territory and sometimes following herds of zebra and impala, trying to initiate a hunt.    

CHEETAH

Cheetah sightings have greatly improved for the month of July. A coalition of three male cheetahs has been seen on several occasions and on the 24th of this month the three were observed in association with a female cheetah. The excitement of the males during this time was evident at the time as they displayed copious urine spraying on trees and scraping up mounds of earth with their hind legs.      

ELEPHANTS

Factors such as the availability of food and water has great influence towards the movement of Elephants, most of our rivers are still flowing and there is still plentiful browse and graze for the elephant to utilize. Family groups consisting of adults females with lots of young and closely related groups form herds and are seen on our morning and afternoon game activities.     

BIRDING

Bird watching is one of the most enjoyable activities which most of the guests undertake. Mashatu boasts a species list of about four hundred birds, most of which are intra African migrants. Below is a list of some of the common species and the habitats in which sightings of these birds marked with (**)
Open grassland
Ground horn bill  
Secretary bird
All Francolins
Kori bustard (the heaviest flying bird)

Water birds
Egyptian geese
Black smith lap wing
Hammer kop
African jacana
And lots more.