Weekly Cyberdiary

Mashatu Game Sightings 30 December 2007 - 05 January 2008

Sunday, 30th December

A cool overcast morning as we set out on a morning drive. It was a quiet morning out in the bush but there was lots of general game to be seen and this morning we also stopped to learn a little bit more about the amazingly colourful birds in Mashatu. Our ranger pointed out the Lilac breasted roller, the carmine bee-eater, Woodland kingfisher, Temericks courser, several of the stork species including the amazing coloured saddle billed stork. Near Eric’s Donga we had a glimpse of a young male leopard as he made his way up the White Cliffs, while the baboons in the area shouted out a warning to everything that would listen. At Crocodile pool in the Majale River we were surrounded by nearly 200 elephants as they came down from all directions to converge on the pool for a morning drink.

Our afternoon drive delivered again several herds of elephants and two different groups of hyenas. The highlight and most unusual sighting in a while was that of a lone gemsbok spotted by Richard and his guests at the Tented Camp. Another great sighting on route back to camp was a porcupine scurrying across the road in front of the game viewer.

Monday, 31st December

A beautiful, sunny morning as we set out with Jeanetta, an elephant researcher in the Tuli to find and learn more about her research project and the elephants she studies. Leaving from the Tented Camp our ranger pointed out two small raptors sitting high up in a Leadwood tree. They were two tiny little owls named Pearl Spotted Owls. Close to the Nyaswe borehole we spotted yet another raptor, this time a Brown Snake Eagle. We met up with the elephants along the Majale River near Hamerkop Crossing as they were scooping up bundles of devil’s thorn flowers. There was probably close to a 100 elephants in the area with different herds moving in different directions with some unsure of where they would like to go. Amongst the herds were the small family of Diana and the much larger group of Pond. On the opposite side of the Majale River, near Braai Koppie, we came across one of Jeanetta’s collared females, a 40-year-old cow named Agatha. Close to her family was the family of Charge, a well-known cow. During the morning we watched the young bulls play fight, the babies chasing each other and sometimes mock charging the vehicle. Near Eric’s Donga two hyenas were spotted on route to the hyena den along the Matabole River.

Hyenas and more hyenas! Near Moddergat we came across no less than 8 hyenas feeding on an unfortunate zebra, while at Beacon Hill another four hyenas were heading in the direction of Moddergat most likely to join up with the rest of the group already feeding. Again we saw elephants, a small group drinking at Fraser Jones weir on the Matabole River and a much larger group walking up the Matabole River near Beacon Hill. General game was amazing with a great sighting of a few jackal pups, honey badger on route back to camp and a bush baby to end off the evening’s entertainment.

Tuesday, 01st January

This morning we once again set off with Jeanetta, the resident elephant researcher to learn more about the elephants of the Tuli. But first a stop at the hyena den along the banks of the Matabole River. Here we encountered a whole group of hyenas consisting of two adult females, three juveniles suckling from one of the females and another tiny baby peeping in and out of the hole in the ground. Another young male tried to get into the den but kept on being pushed out by the alpha female. We came across several herds of elephants just below Main camp along the banks of the Majale River. As the herds moved further along the river, we followed ending up at Crocodile pool where several of the herds stopped for a drink. A safe distance away in the riverbed we stopped and enjoyed a morning cup of coffee watching the elephant’s drink and mud wallow a few hundred meters away. Near Eric’s Donga two young male leopards were seen along the White Cliffs.

It was a different game drive this afternoon as we set out to the Mmamakwa ruins on the west of the game reserve. Grant Hall, an archaeologist, joined us for the excursion. Grant studied the Mmamakwa ruins for several years and this afternoon he spoke about the people that lived on this amazing site. On route to the site we encountered a herd of nearly 50 elephants mud wallowing. Joining the herd were 5 huge bulls! Giraffes, lots of zebras, a pair of ostriches with 12 chicks all filled our drive to the ruins. With all the rain we’ve had this season Mmamakwa looks like a little paradise. We spent the whole afternoon walking and looking at everything Grant pointed out and then after an exhausting climb to the top of the hill we enjoyed a welcome sundowner drink overlooking miles and miles of Africa.

Wednesday, 2nd January

This morning was wonderful and sunny as we set out to explore the reserve. Suddenly our ranger pointed out lion tracks and indicated that the tracks were made some time this morning and so the search for the lions started with ranger and tracker working as a team stopping, looking, discussing, and off we set again. Our search was not in vain, near Fig Tree Crossing we came across two lions, a young lioness and a male fast asleep in the morning sun. What magnificent creatures they are with their gold coats shining in the morning sun. Elephants were also all around this morning, with tiny babies and cheeky young bulls to entertain us as we watched them up close and personal. We also watched a group of about 10 eland bulls lying down. A herd of zebras near Main Camp has a new foal which was a delight to see with its fresh black and white striped coat.

What an afternoon drive. At Fig Tree crossing we visited the lions again, and this time they were on the move. Not far from the lions we spotted a young female leopard, also on the move, but not before we had a good look at her. The hyenas were also out and about and we spotted a female on the hunt near Crocodile pool. A small herd of elephants was drinking at Dispute Corner and it is here that we enjoined our sundowner drinks before exploring the reserve at night.

Thursday, 3rd January

Near Fig Tree crossing we found our first herd for the morning with nearly a 100 elephants to watch all around us - a little intimidating. From here we set out to the central section of the reserve near Majale Island where we first found a magnificent male leopard resting high up in a Leadwood tree. Not too far from the leopard we came across the two lions we spotted the day before, they were quite a long walk from where we saw them the previous evening – no wonder they were now fast asleep and could not bother lifting their heads as we arrived. Another herd of over a hundred elephants was seen scattered on the Island placing large clumps of green grass in their mouths. A highlight for the morning was two bush pigs which suddenly came rushing out of the long grass just long enough for us to have a good look at them, before they disappeared again.

What an amazing afternoon drive with a stop at the Majale Island pride to encounter the young male mating with the female he has been spending a lot of time with. One of the highlights of the drive was watching a large herd of elephants near Braai Koppie swimming and mud wallowing in the Majale River. They make it look like so much fun playing in the water! After sunset we encountered a beautiful female leopard on the prowl near Nel’s Windmill and our last stop for the evening was the hyena den on the Matabole River where we were lucky enough to see three of the little cubs running around outside with two females keeping a watchful eye on both the babies and ourselves.

Friday, 4th January

Today was an amazing morning for elephants! Driving from Crocodile pool towards Dispute Corner along the Majale River we came across more than 300 elephants. There were more elephants on this mornings drive than impala! We sat amongst the herds with elephants all around us, watching young males test their strength and older bulls paying more attention to the cows and possible mating opportunities. In one herd we were lucky enough to see a bull chase an oestrus cow, but she ran and it was the last we saw of the mating couple… High in a Mashatu tree safe from the chaos below a young male leopard was fast asleep, paying little attention to the elephants or the vehicles watching him from beneath the tree. Driving back to camp 2 hyenas were also spotted at two different locations, one hyena was making its way to a pool in the Majale River for a quick splash in the cool waters.

This afternoon some of the guests at Main camp set out to the archaeological site to the west of the reserve named Mmamakwa. On route there we spotted several game species including lots of giraffe, zebra, a common duiker and of course lots of impala. The site is situated in a valley surrounded by sandstone hills and in the late afternoon sunlight the sandstone reflects in shades of red and yellow. It is here in a small riverbed we learned more about the cultures of the people that have occupied this area since 900AD. As we walked on the site we picked up several pieces of pottery and even beads that could be a hundred years old or maybe even a 1000 years old! We ended our tour on top of Mmamakwa Hill overlooking miles and miles of Africa. The time to walk down the hill came way too soon and reluctantly we made our way down the hill with a night drive back to camp.

Saturday, 5th January

This morning we set out with Jeanetta, the resident elephant researcher, to learn more about the elephants of the Tuli. We did not have to drive far to encounter the first of many herds for the morning. A cool summers day with a strong breeze blowing the elephants were all out in the open. We had an amazing sighting watching all their antics learning about their habits and their behaviours as they went about their business. Several different herds were in the area, with different behaviours and attitudes towards the vehicles. Jeanetta interpreted the different behaviours and as the morning progressed we started seeing more and more of the behaviours she explained. During the morning several different groups of hyenas were seen and yet anther extremely large group of elephants near Mc Kenzie Koppie. One of these groups of hyenas was feeding on a dead zebra near Wallow.

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