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WILDLIFEREPORTSINGITAKRUGERNATIONALPARK,SOUTHAFRICAForthemonthofApril,TwoThousandandSixteen

Temperature RainfallRecorded Sunrise&SunsetAverageminimum: 19°C66.2(°F) Fortheperiod: 3mm Sunrise:06h15 Averagemaximum: 32°C89.6(°F) Fortheyeartodate: 103mm Sunset:17h23 Minimumrecorded: 15°C59.0(°F)Maximumrecorded:38°C100.4(°F)We’vehadanotherfantasticmonthhereatSingitaKrugerNationalPark.There-alignmentofLebomboisfinallycompleteandthelodgeislookingawesome.Theteamseemstohaveafreshenergytoo!Thelodgecontinuestoleadthewayintermsofdesign,andnowoffersguestsamuchmoreholisticexperience–fromfoodandwellness,toanintensifiedconnectionwithnatureandsomuchmore.Theviewfromthenewroofterraceandwinestudioisquitesomething.OnecanseetheN’WanetsiRivermeanderingallthewayfromthenorth,pastthelodgetotheeasttowardsMozambique.TheviewsovertheGranophyreRidgeareoutstanding!Wehavehadalmostnorainthismonth(afewdropsofdrizzle)andthewaterthatfilleduptheN’wanetsiRiverlastmonthisslowlydryingup.Thereisstillquiteabitofstandingwaterattheweir,atDumbanaPoolsandinfrontofbothSweniandLebomboLodges.HyenaPan,intheLebomboHillsisstillholdingwaterandisattractingafairamountofgame.Thedepressionisbareofgrassandvisibilityisamazing.Thishasbeenagreatmonthforgame-viewing.

Autumnhasarrivedandthetemperaturesarestartingtodrop.Towardstheendofthemonthacoldfrontcamethroughanditwasthefirsttimethatsomeoftheguideswereseenwearingfleecesandjackets.Withthechangeinseasonsmanyofthemigratorybirdshavelefttheareanow.Wehave,however,hadsomespecialbirdsightingsthismonthincludingafewsightingsofwhite-backednightheron,asightingofaflockofcrestedguineafowlandafewsightingsofTemminck’scoursers.Margauxreportedseeingagreat-spottedcuckoofeedingonthegroundandoneofourguestsatSweniCampevenmanagedtogetaphotographofared-cappedrobin-chatfrominfrontofhisroom.Ourwildlifereviewforthemonthisasfollows:Buffalos: PhotobyBarryPeiser

Wehavehadquiteafewsightingsofbuffalosthismonth(atleast28reportedsightings).Wehavenotseenanylargeherdsofbuffalosinthearea,possiblyduetothelackofpalatablegrass,althoughthegreenervegetationinthehillshasenabledsmallgroupsofdaggaboys(oldermalebuffalosthathaveseparatedfromtheherds)toremain.Leopards: PhotobyBrianRodeTherewere23reportedsightingsofleopardsontheconcessionthismonth.Towardsthebeginningofthemonththereweretwolargemaleleopardsinthesouthernareaoftheconcession.Itwasinevitablethat

theywouldcomeacrossoneanotherastheywerebothvocalisingregularly.On10AprilweweredescendingdowntheroadnearGreenAppleHillwhenwespottedthetwomalesveryclosetooneanother.Theyhadobviouslyjustbeenfightingandoneofthemaleshadbloodrunningalldownhisthroat.Hewasrunningquicklyawayfromtheotherleopard,whowashotonhistrail.TheinjuredleopardrantowardstheStickyThornthicketsanddisappearedintothethickshrubbery.Thesecondmalecontinuedfollowingthescenttrailleftbythefirstandwasconstantlyroaringashetrailedhim.Hethenlostthescentandwelefthimlookingfortheother.PossiblythereasonthetwomaleswereroaminginthesameareaisthattheStickyThornFemalemusthavecomeintooestrous.Shewasseenonquiteafewoccasionsinthearea,oftencalling.ShewasseentogetherwiththeNdlovuMaleononeoccasionthismonthupinthehillsnearcamp.WehavealsoseentheNhlanguleniFemaleafewtimesthismonth.Shehasbeenmovingaroundinthehillsinthecentralandnorthernpartoftheconcession.Thisparticularfemaleleopardisquiteunusualinthatshehaslightbluecolouredeyes,asopposedtotheamber/goldeneyesthatmostleopardshave.WehadquiteanamazingsightingofherlyingupinatreenearSisalLineasshewatchedaherdofover100impalaswalkingtowardsher.Wewereanticipatingseeingherstalkingtheimpalas,butshedisappearedintoabushydrainagelineandwelostsightofher.Wewaitedaroundforawhilehopingtoseesomeactionbutshedidnotre-appear.TheXinkelenganeFemalehasnotbeenseenveryoftenthismonth.SheseemstohavebeenpushedfurtherwestintheconcessionbytheStickyThornFemale.WesawXinkelenganeononeoccasionnearGudzaniDam.Shewaswalkingalongmarkingherterritorywhenshesawanimpalaaheadofher.Shestartedstalkingbuttheimpalagotwindofherandranaway.ShethenwentandlayupontherocksnearGudzaniLookout.Cheetahs:

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Wehavehadawonderfulmonthofcheetahviewingandtherewereatleast22reportedsightingsofthesemagnificentspottedcats.Margauxreportedseeingsevencheetahsontheconcessiononemorning!Towardsthebeginningofthemonthwewereseeingthefemalecheetahwithherthreeyoungsters.Theyoungstersaregrowingupquicklyandarealmostlookinglikeadultsnow.TheywereseenmainlyintheareaoftheCentralDepression,whichisnowbareofgrassandisagreatplaceforcheetahstobeabletohuntprey.Acoalitionoftwomalecheetahswasseenonafewoccasionsthismonth.Oneofthetwomalesisveryrelaxed,whiletheotherisslightlyshyofthevehicles.Theyhavebeenmovingbetweentheopenareasinthenorthern-centralpartoftheconcessionandintothehillsnearSisalLine.AsinglemalecheetahwasalsoseenonafewoccasionsontheH6publicroadbetweencampandShishangaan(thestaffvillage).Thestarsthismonthwereafemalecheetahandherfouryoungcubsthatarrivedontheconcession.Weestimatethecubstobeintheregionoftwomonthsoldandhaveruffsofgoldenhairontheirbacksandverydarkbelliesandsides,makingthemlookalotlikehoneybadgersfromadistance.Itissaidthattheyoungcheetahcubsarecolouredlikethissothatpotentialenemiessuchaslionsandhyenasmistakethemforbadgers,whicharenotoriouslyaggressive.Wehavehadamazingviewsofthemotherandhercubs,particularlyintheopenareasoftheCentralDepression.Whenwefirststartedseeingthemthecubswereveryshyofthevehicles,althoughtheyhavenowbecomefairlyrelaxedandwehavehadsomegreatviewsofthem.Elephants:

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Wehaveseenelephantsalmostonadailybasis.TheyhavebeencomingdowntodrinkatthewaterintheN’wanetsiRiver.Johnathanreportedseeingaherdofover70elephantsdrinkingatDumbanaPoolsone

day.OnanotheroccasionwesawabreedingherdofelephantsbathinginthepoolatHyenaPan.Whiletheywereplayinginthewatertheyweresurprisedbyahippobullthatsurfacedrightinfrontofthem.Itwasamusingtowatchthemastheygotstartledbythehippoandthentriedtochaseitaroundthepool.Generally,aftertheelephantshavebeenbathinginwatertheyliketodust-bathe,throwingsandanddustontotheirbodies.Itisthoughtthatthesandthenadherestothewetskinandprotectstheelephantsfromthesunandfrombitinginsects.Theyobviouslyenjoythedust-bathing.Wehaveseenquiteafewyoungandbabyelephantsinthearea.Elephantsgivebirthatanytimeoftheyearandarenotrestrictedtocertainseasons.Withthelackofgrassintheareatheelephantshaveresortedtopushingovermanyoftheknobthorntreesinthehillyareasandtherearepatcheswherethetreesarealllyingontheirsides.Lions:

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Lebomboiscertainlytheplaceoflions.Atleast70sightingsoftheselargecatswerereportedthismonth.WehavehadsomegreatsightingsoftheShishPride.Theyhavebeenseenclosetocamponafewoccasions.WehavehadregularsightingsofbothportionsoftheShishPride(thesmaller–threelionessesandsevensub-adults,andthelarger–fivefemalesand13oldersub-adults).ThefivebigShishmalesdominateovertheentireconcession.Theyareanimpressivebandofbrothersandcoverthefemalesofallthepridesweseeregularlyinthearea.On20AprilbothShishportionsandthreeoftheShishMaleswereseentogetherfeedingonabuffalointhehills.Therewereoverthirtylionsatthatkill.Wow!ThewhitelionfromthelargerportionoftheShishPridehasbeenseenthismonthandislookinghealthy.HewasseenfeedingonabuffalocarcasswiththerestofthelargerportionoftheShishPriderightoppositetheriverfromthecamp!BarryhadhadanamazingsightingoftwoShishlionesses,justthedaybefore,stalkingandcatchingawaterbuckclosetoEuphorbiaCrossing,ashortwayupriverfromLebomboCamp.TwoofthefemalesoftheShishPridealsocaughtanotherWaterbuckrightwherethewaterendsnorthofEuphorbiaCrossing.

WehavehadsuperviewingoftheMountainPride.Atthemomenttheyconsistofthreelionessesandseventinycubs.Ithasbeengreatwatchingthecutecubsplayingwitheachother,jumpingalloverthelionesses,bitingtailsandnursing.TheyhavebeenseenquiteoftennearHyenaPan,inasecludedvalley,inthenorth-eastoftheconcession,ontopoftheLebomboHills.ThreeoftheadultShishMaleshavebeenseenregularlyaccompanyingthepride.JaniwasluckyenoughtoseetheMountainPride,alongwiththemales,stalkandkillalargemalebuffalointhehillssouthofthepan.TheXhirombePride(oneadultfemale,onesub-adultmale,onesub-adultfemale)stilloccupytheareaalongtheN’wanetsiRiverfromthecampstotheMozambiqueborderandsouthwardsinthehills.TheywereseenfeedingonamalewaterbuckatthebottomoftheN’wanetsigorgenearThePoort.Towardstheendofthemonththerewasadisturbanceamongthemembersofthisgroupandthesub-adultmalewasseenaloneandthesub-adultfemalewasseenaccompanyingtwooftheShishlionesses.Therewasanuneasyatmospherebetweenthetwoadultlionessesandtheyoungersub-adult.EarlyonemorningweweredrivingupalongthebankoftheN’wanetsiRiver,withthesunjustrisingovertheLebombos,whenwefoundthreeunknown,black-manedmalelionswalkingquicklyinanortherlydirection.Theywereshyofthevehiclesandobviouslyhadnothadmuchcontactwithcars.TheyweretrailingtheShishPrideandfromthetrackswecouldseethatthepridewasrunningtogetawayfromthestrangemales.TheychasedtheprideallthewayintothehillstowardsMozambique.Weknewiftheforeignmalescaughtupwiththepridethattherewouldbeabigfightandsomeofthesub-adultmalescouldgetkilled.Fortunatelytheydidnotcatchupwiththem.Spottedhyenas:

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SpottedhyenaswereseenregularlyduringthemonthofApril.ThehyenacubsatthedenalongtheH6publicroadhavebecomeveryusedtothecarsandhavebeenquiteinquisitive.Wehavehadtochasethemawayfromthevehiclesonoccasionastheytrytochewtheplasticmudguardsofthegameviewer.Oneof

thesub-adultswasseenwithporcupinequillsstuckalloverinhisthroatandneck.Hehadobviouslybeentooinquisitiveorhadgoneintothewrongburrow,onethatwasalreadyoccupiedbyalarge,spinyrodent.TheNyokeneclanhavemovedbacktooneoftheirden-sitesintheNyokeneValley.Towardstheendofthemonthwefoundtwoofthefemalesnearthedrainageline.Wecouldseeasmallheadpeeringoutfromunderneathalargeflatrock.Ablackcubthencameoutofthedarkcreviceandjumpedontotheclosestadultfemale,itthenstartedrunningaround,playingwiththegrassandbranchesnearby.Itapproachedthesecondfemale,whoseemedquiteapprehensive,andjumpedonheraswell.Wethennoticed,inthefadingafternoonlight,thatthereweretwotinyblackballsoffluffsucklingonthefirstfemale.Thereweretwotinypupsthatliterallycouldonlybeafewdaysold!TheCassiaClanisdoingwellandhasover16individuals.TheyenjoyspendingtheirtimeinthevicinityoftheGudzaneEastWindmillandtheCassiaOpenAreas.On13Aprilwehadbeendrivingthewholemorninginthewestoftheconcessionandithadbeenratherquiet.Itwasgettingquitewarmandwedecidedtogoandseewhatwashappeningatthewaterhole.Asweapproachedtheturnoffwenoticedahyenarunningawayfromthewaterinasoutherlydirectiondowntheroad.Thenanotherappearedandfollowedthefirst.Wefollowedthemandsoonwefoundasmallgatheringoftheclan.Theyhadsurroundedawarthogandwereallexcited.Thehyena’stailswereraisedandtheywerecallingloudly.Moreandmorehyenasarrived.Thepigfoughtback,butthenumberofhyenaswastoogreatandtheyliterallytorehimapartinfrontofus.Thenoisewasincredible,withthehyenaswhoopingandgigglingandthepoorwarthogsquealing.Otherinterestingsightings:Janiwasluckyenoughtoseeacaracal.Wehavehadquiteafewsightingsofporcupineonournightdrives,andgenetsandcivetswerealsoseenfairlyregularly.Athick-tailedbushbabywasseenintheriverinevegetationborderingtheN’wanetsiRiver.Honeybadgershavealsobeenseenonafewoccasions.Wenormallyseemoreoftheseanimalsduringthewintermonthsandperhapsweareseeingmoreofthemnowbecauseofthedrynessofthearea.Althoughmostofthesnakeshavealreadygoneintohidingaswinterapproacheswehavehadafewsightingsofpythonsandothersnakes,includingatwometrelongblackmamba.Butterflies

Bluepansy–PhotobyBarryPeiser,Citrusswallowtail–PhotobyBrianRode,Scarlet-tip–PhotobyBrianRodeLastmonthwehadalittlebitofrainupinthehillsandthiscausedagreenflushinthearea.Thisiswherewehavebeenseeingmostofthegamethislastmonth.Althoughtheareawasgreenthereisnotmuchgrassbutrathersmallherbaceousshrubs.Manyoftheseforbsareinflowernow,includingtheHeliotropes(StringofStars),thesmalldevil’sthornandtheChascanums.Thishasattractedalotofbutterfliesintothehills.Malesofmanybutterflyspeciesmaybefoundflyinguptoandstayingonahilltop.Females,lookingtomate,flyupthehilltofindpartners.Malesflutteraroundthetop,competingforthebestpartofthearea-usuallytheverytop.Themalesintheprimelocations(usuallythefittestmales)thengettomatewiththefemales.Thisisaformoflekkingbehaviourandisknownashill-topping.SouthAfricahasmorethan670knownspeciesofbutterflies.Manyofthesespecieshavelife-cyclesthatarespecificallylinkedtocertainplantspeciesandonlyoccurinsmallconfinedareas.ManyofSouthAfrica’sbutterflyspeciesarevulnerable.Twotothreespecieshavebecomeextinctrecentlyandafurther38

speciesarelistedontheRedDataList,meaningthattheyarethreatenedwithextinctioninthenear-futureifnothingisdonetospecificallyprotectthem.Butterfliesplayanimportantroleintheecosystem.Notonlydotheypollinatemanyflowersbuttheyalsoformfoodformanyothercreaturesandbirds.Manybutterflieshaveexquisitecoloursandpatternsandtheyareajoytowatchastheycertainlybrightenupthecountryside.Aprilmomentsintime

ThewhitelionofthelargerportionoftheShishPride PhotobyBrianRode

Spottedhyenasattackingawarthog PhotobyBrianRode

Elephantsurprisedbyahippowhilebathing PhotobyBrianRode

SunriseovertheLebombos PhotobyBrianRode

ArticlesbyBrianRodePhotosbyBarryPeiser,&BrianRode

SingitaKrugerNationalPark

SouthAfricaThirtiethofApril2016