Big 5 Sightings 01 to 07 April 2013

The Big 5 highlight of the week was seeing seventeen wild dogs hunting impalas on Guarri central!

Wild Dogs - Dawie Jacobs

Monday, 1 April 2013

(29ºC)

• Breeding herd of about twenty elephants feeding and drinking water at Red Dam
• Salayexe, the female leopard, hunting impalas on Josie’s Road
• One buffalo bull feeding on Marula Bult Road

Tuesday, 2 April 2013

(31ºC)

• Salayexe, the female leopard and her cub, moving west on Marula Bult Central
• One buffalo bull resting in Shirley’s Crossing
• Seventeen wild dogs hunting and killing two impalas on Guarri Central
• Breeding herd of about forty elephants moving east from One Eye Pan
• Shadow, the female leopard and her two cubs, moving north on 2nd Windmill Road
• One buffalo bull resting in the water at Leeukuil

Wednesday, 3 April 2013

(25ºC and 49 mm of rain)

• Seventeen wild dogs resting on Zebra Drive
• One buffalo bull resting on Kudu Drift
• Tingana, the male leopard, moving west on A-main
• Kwatile, the female leopard, drinking water at Buff Pan
• One elephant bull feeding on Impala Road

Buffalo Bull - Dawie Jacobs

Thursday, 4 April 2013

(23ºC and 1 mm of rain)

• Three elephant bulls feeding on Safari / Simbambili cutline
• One elephant bull feeding on Wetpatch Road
• One elephant bull feeding on Seepline Road
• One Nkuhuma male lion moving west from Safari airstrip
• One buffalo bull feeding on Wetpatch Road

Friday, 5 April 2013

(25ºC)

• One buffalo bull feeding on Sixes Road
• One Nkuhuma male lion moving north from EP open area
• Xivambalana, the male leopard, feeding on an impala kill up in a tree, with an unknown male leopard resting close by on little Gowrie / Hoffman’s cutline
• One elephant bull feeding on Robson’s boundary
• One buffalo bull feeding on EP open area

Kwatile, the female leopard - Dawie Jacobs

Saturday, 6 April 2013

(27ºC)

• Moya, the female leopard, walking east on A-main
• Three elephant bulls feeding on Robson’s Boundary
• Salayexe, the female leopard and her cub, playing on Shortcut to Wetpatch
• Breeding herd of about twenty elephants feeding on Sawmill Road
• One buffalo bull feeding on EP open area

Sunday, 7 April 2013

(29ºC)

• Lamula, the male leopard, moving west on Londoz Boundary
• One buffalo bull resting in Serengeti / Manyeleti Crossing
• One buffalo bull resting in Land Cruiser Crossing
• Tingana, the male leopard, feeding on a kudu kill west of Simbambili Dam

Big 5 Sightings 25 to 31 March 2013

The Big 5 highlight of the week was when we saw Tingana, the male leopard, scent marking his territory on A-main under the beautiful African full moon!

Tingana, the male leopard, scent marking - Louis Liversage

Monday, 25 March 2013

(29 ºC)

• Salayexe, the female leopard and her cub, feeding on a bushbuck kill south of Leeukuil
• Three Breakaway female lions resting south of Rampan
• A breeding herd of about twenty elephants moving west across Madash Road
• Two buffalo bulls resting in the water at EP floodplain

Tuesday, 26 March 2013

(28 ºC)

• Three Breakaway female lions moving south from EP open area
• One buffalo bull resting at Zimba Bridge
• A breeding herd of about fifteen elephants feeding at 16th Crossing
• Seventeen wild dogs hunting impala at Wetpatch Road

Wednesday, 27 March 2013

(30 ºC)

• Salayexe, the female leopard and her cub, moving east on Wetpatch Road
• Two buffalo bulls resting at Grissly Bear Crossing
• One buffalo bull moving north of EP Manyeleti Crossing
• Tingana, the male leopard, moving east on A-main

Giraffe silhouette - Devon Sean Becker

Thursday, 28 March 2013

(30 ºC)

• Salayexe, the female leopard, moving west on Marula Bult Central
• One buffalo bull feeding on Marula Bult Central
• One elephant bull feeding east of Rampan
• Salayexe’s cub stalking impala at Madash Road
• One buffalo bull resting south of 2nd Windmill

Friday, 29 March 2013

(24 ºC,  3mm rain)

• One buffalo bull resting in the water at Seef’s Pan
• Salayexe’s cub hiding from a hyena at Wetpatch open area
• One breakaway female lion feeding on a juvenile blue wildebeest kill at Simbambili open area
• One elephant bull feeding at Drongo South

Saturday, 30 March 2013

(29 ºC)

• Salayexe, the female leopard and her cub, resting on Wetpatch open area
• One breakaway female lion moving south on EP Delivery Road
• Five elephant bulls feeding on Wetpatch open area
• Three elephant bulls feeding on EP open area
• One buffalo bull resting in 2nd Windmill Dam

Hippo's fighting - Devon Sean Becker

Sunday, 31 March 2013

(28 ºC)

• Salayexe, the female leopard and her cub, feeding on an impala kill at Wetpatch open area
• Two elephant bulls feeding on Horseshoe West
• Two buffalo bulls resting on Mfesi open area
• Nsele, the female leopard, moving south from Sawmill Road

Big 5 Sightings 18 to 24 March 2013

Wild dogs hunting - Dawie Jacobs

The Big 5 highlight of the week was to see a pack of 17 wild dogs in action while hunting impala!

Monday, 18 March 2013

(31ºC)

• Moya, the female leopard, stalking an impala male on A-main, east of Big Dam
• Two buffalo bulls drinking water at Big Dam
• One elephant bull feeding on The Island
• A breeding herd of about 35 elephants feeding on Rhulani Road
• Two buffalo bulls resting in the water at 2nd Windmill Pan
• One buffalo bull feeding at Seefs Pan

Tuesday, 19 March 2013

(32ºC)

• One Breakaway Tsalala lioness resting on EP driveway
• One unknown male leopard resting on our southern boundary
• One female cheetah and 2 cubs resting on Safari airstrip
• One buffalo bull feeding and drinking water at Big Dam

Wednesday, 20 March 2013

(30ºC)

• One Breakaway Tsalala lioness feeding on a juvenile giraffe kill on Guarri Central Road
• Tingana, the male leopard, walking south from our airstrip
• Salayexe, the female leopard, resting in a tree on Madash Road

Breakaway Tsalala female - Dawie Jacobs

Thursday, 21 March 2013

(29ºC)

• One buffalo bull feeding around Big Dam
• Salayexe, the female leopard’s cub, chasing a hyena on Wetpatch Road
• One elephant bull moving south on Marula Bult South
• Lamula, the male leopard, resting at Serengeti Pan
• A breeding herd of about 20 elephants drinking water at Buff Pan

Friday, 22 March 2013

(30ºC)

• A pack of 17 wild dogs chasing and killing an impala on Guarri Central Road
• Salayexe, the female leopard, and her cub moving north on Madash Road
• Two buffalo bulls wallowing in the mud on Ngala open area
• Another buffalo bull feeding close to Serengeti Pan
• Three Breakaway Tsalala lionesses resting close to Big Dam

Saturday, 23 March 2013

(30ºC)

• Three Breakaway Tsalala lionesses resting on Track South
• One buffalo bull resting at Big Dam
• A breeding herd of about 25 elephants feeding on EP floodplain
• One buffalo bull resting close to 2nd Windmill Pan
• Tingana, the male leopard, scent marking on 2nd Windmill Road
• Another breeding herd of about 20 elephants feeding on Lowveld Link
• Another breeding herd of about 10 elephants feeding on Rhino Ring South

Salayexe`s cub in marula tree - Dawie Jacobs

Sunday, 24 March 2013

(30ºC)

• A breeding herd of about 20 elephants feeding close to EP airstrip
• Another breeding herd of about 40 elephants moving east towards Wetpatch open area
• Four buffalo bulls drinking water on EP open area
• Two buffalo bulls resting close to Shirley’s crossing
• Salayexe, the female leopard’s cub resting in a Marula tree close to Eastern Bank Manyeleti Road

Big 5 Sightings 11 to 17 March 2013

The Big 5 highlight this week was to see a female cheetah stalking a blue wildebeest calf. Her plan was to separate the calf from the rest of the herd, but after running a few meters with a cheetah on its heels, the calf got away unharmed.

Cheetah female stalking blue wildebeest - Dawie Jacobs

Monday, 11 March 2013

(29ºC)

• Styx pride lionesses and their cubs resting on our Southern boundary
• Salayexe, the female leopard’s cub resting on Wetpatch Road
• One buffalo bull resting in the water at Big Dam
• A breeding herd of about 15 elephants feeding around Seefs Pan
• One elephant bull drinking water at Boundary Pan

Tuesday, 12 March 2013

(30ºC)

• A breeding herd of about 30 elephant drinking water at Leeukuil Pan
• One buffalo bull feeding on Seepline Road
• Kwatile, the female leopard, stalking a group of waterbuck on A-main Road
• Another breeding herd of about 15 elephants feeding on Grasscut Road

Wednesday, 13 March 2013

(28ºC)

• Salayexe, the female leopard, chasing after a side-striped jackal on Wetpatch open area
• One female cheetah and her 3 cubs resting on Safari airstrip
• Tingana, the male leopard, scent marking on A-main Road
• A pack of 17 wild dogs chasing impalas around on Serengeti open area
• One of the Breakaway lionesses of the Tsalala pride stalking impalas on EP open area
• Two buffalo bulls feeding close to Serengeti Pan

Elephant calf drinking water - Morné Fouché

Thursday, 14 March 2013

(27ºC)

• One female cheetah chasing after a wildebeest calf on Safari airstrip
• One of the Breakaway Tsalala lionesses resting on Leadwood Road
• One buffalo bull resting on Kudu Drift
• Two elephant bulls feeding on Mfezi open area
• One elephant bull drinking water at Serengeti Pan
• Tingana, the male leopard, scent marking on Bushcamp East

Friday, 15 March 2013

(29ºC)

• One buffalo bull resting east of Big Dam on Ngwenya road
• One of the Breakaway Tsalala lionesses stalking a kudu on EP open area

Saturday, 16 March 2013

(30ºC)

• Tingana, the male leopard, moving south from Kraaines
• Two buffalo bulls resting south of Zimba Bridge
• One of the Breakaway Tsalala lionesses resting south of Leeukuil
• Salayexe, the female leopard, scent marking on Marula Bult South

Impala males fighting - Morné Fouché

Sunday, 17 March 2013

(31ºC)

• A breeding herd of about 15 elephants feeding on Gowrie Main
• The Styx lion pride resting on the open area close to Little Gowrie Lodge
• Mvula, the male leopard, being chased up a tree by an unknown male lion east of Wessel’s house
• Salayexe, the female leopard, and her cub feeding on an impala southwest of Old Bushcamp

Big 5 Sightings 04 to 10 March 2013

The Big 5 highlight of the week was when we saw 3 of the Majingi male lions with 2 females of the Tsalala pride, BB and one of her daughters.

Majingi male and Tsalala female - Richard Davis

Monday, 04 March 2013

(30ºC)

• Salayexe, the female leopard, and her cub feeding on a bushbuck kill on EP open area
• A breeding herd of about 10 elephants drinking water at Shirley’s crossing
• Two lionesses of the Nkuhuma pride with their 3 cubs and 2 male lions of the Matimba coalition feeding on a zebra kill on Chitwa Chitwa open area
• One female cheetah and her three cubs drinking water at Buff Pan
• Two buffalo bulls resting in the water on EP open area
• One elephant bull drinking water at Rhino Pan

Tuesday, 05 March 2013

(31ºC)

• One female cheetah and her 3 cubs resting on Safari airstrip
• Salayexe, the female leopard, and her cub feeding on an impala kill close to Shirley’s crossing
• One buffalo bull resting in the water at Seefs Pan
• One elephant bull feeding on MMM South

Wednesday, 06 March 2013

(32ºC)

• One female cheetah and her three cubs resting on Safari airstrip
• Salayexe, the female leopard, and her cub still feeding on the impala kill at Shirley’s crossing
• Shadow, the female leopard, and her 2 cubs feeding on a grey duiker kill on 2nd Windmill Road
• One buffalo bull resting in the water at EP open area
• One elephant bull drinking water at Bushcamp Pan

Young bull elephant - Richard Davis

Thursday, 07 March 2013

(34ºC, 22mm rain)

• One Styx pride lioness resting on White Cloth open area
• Salayexe, the female leopard, and her cub still feeding on the impala kill at Shirley’s crossing
• One female cheetah and her 3 cubs resting on Safari airstrip
• One buffalo bull feeding at Serengeti Dam
• A breeding herd of about 10 elephants feeding on Safari/Shirley’s cutline

Friday, 08 March 2013

(31ºC)

• A breeding herd of about 10 elephants feeding on Parallel Road
• Another breeding herd of about 20 elephants feeding on A-Main Road
• One elephant bull resting in the water at Serengeti Pan
• Styx pride lionesses and their cubs resting on Wessels old driveway
• Ostrich Koppies, the female leopard, resting on Annette’s/Wessels cutline
• Tingana, the male leopard, stalking impalas on Shirley’s open area

Saturday, 09 March 2013

(33ºC)

• Three Majingi male lions with BB the lioness and one of her daughters of the Tsalala pride resting on EP Delivery Road
• Tingana, the male leopard, scent marking on MMM South
• A breeding herd of about 20 elephants feeding on Safari driveway
• One buffalo bull resting in the water at Big Dam
• Two buffalo bulls feeding in Serengeti/Manyeleti crossing

Sunset - Richard Davis

Sunday, 10 March 2013

(24ºC)

• One female cheetah and her 3 cubs resting on Ingwe open area
• A breeding herd of about 10 elephants drinking water at Big Dam
• One buffalo bull feeding at Serengeti open area
• One lioness of the Styx pride resting north of Eagle Owl Crossing
• One elephant bull feeding close to Serengeti Pan
• A breeding herd of about 20 elephants feeding close to Treehouse Pan
• One unknown male leopard with an impala kill on A-Main Road
• Salayexe, the female leopard, moving south on Madash Road

Manager’s Report February 2013

WILD PHOTO OF THE MONTH

by Jacqueline and Ronald Boevé, The Netherlands

The month was a very short, but productive one, with the lodge being very busy and game viewing being out of this world!  The guys saw the wild dogs on our open area a few times and also had a lot of lion sightings. The Tsalala Breakaway Pride has been moving around the airstrip and the driveway on a regular basis. Hearing the lions calling at night close to camp has been great. People always think that it’s a sound you get used to after living in the bush for a while, but that is not true at all. Every time I hear the deep roar of a male lion, it gives me goose bumps. Hearing the sounds of the African bush is what keeps reminding you why you are here and not out there in the concrete jungle with cars and sirens, continually buzzing in your ears. Sometimes you might hear people talking about the three ultimate sounds of the African bush. Well, of course it’s the male lion at the top of the list, second would have to be the African Fish Eagle and thirdly the hippopotamus. Another amazing sound to hear at night is the spotted hyena, especially when they are feeding, giving off laughing sounds that pierce through the African night. Also don’t forget the low grunts that remind you a leopard is walking past nearby. One interesting sound that one can hear during the heat of the day is the very loud buzzing sound of a Cicada. As the heat of the day intensifies, so does the volume of the male Cicada.

Majingi male - by Morné Fouché

The main entrance to the lodge is now looking very impressive as the area around the entrance and fountain is now a beautiful circularly paved area. There is now proper drainage for water racing down from the airstrip’s side and we believe that this project has been a great addition to the lodge.

This is the last month of working at EP for Richard, as he will be joining Roxanne in Dullstroom to run their new restaurant. We wish him all the best and hope it will be a great success. We have been very busy doing interviews and searching for the right candidates to replace the two ranger’s positions, as well as the spa therapist. One of our new rangers will be Devon Becker. For the past couple of years he has been working as a trails guide for Eco Training. We are looking forward to welcoming him onto the team. We have decided to offer the other rangers position to Dawie Jacobs. For the past two years Dawie has been working as a junior ranger at EP, learning the ins and outs of the industry. We believe that through hard work and determination, he has proven himself to be a valuable staff member and we are looking forward to watching his career as a fulltime ranger unfold at Elephant Plains.

Trapcam photo of the month - Elephant

To all our guests who celebrated their birthdays this month, we hope you had a fantastic day filled with love and laughter. May your future hold many more happy and joyful days! At lodge itself, we had a number of people celebrating their birthdays. Morné celebrated his birthday on the 1^st. Morné is our Head Ranger. You should all know him as he writes all the Rangers Reports. I have been teased by the staff for the past three years after turning 30. Well, now I am glad to say, we have a new member in the 30 + club. I would like to be the first to welcome Morné Fouché to our elite group! Derrick celebrated his birthday on the 2^nd. Derrick is Morné’s tracker. He is one of the old school trackers as his whole life has been spent tracking animals. As a youngster he had to follow his father’s cattle around. Some days whilst the cattle were feeding, one would go missing. He then would have to go and track the cow until he found it. If he was to return home with one cow missing, he would be in serious trouble. Therefore his skill is immaculate and we celebrate him for this.  On the 24^th Marlet celebrated her birthday. Marlet is one of the owners who is very involved in the day to day running of the lodge. If you read all the replies to TripAdvisor and posts on Facebook, you will see her name appear a lot.

I now hand you over to our head chef, Linda Van Heerden, for the recipe of the month. Her Cranberry Muffins are delicious and they will compliment any occasion: breakfast, high tea, low tea… any tea of the day!

Cranberry Scones

Cranberry Scones

( Makes 12)

• 2 cups Plain Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• ¼ cup Sugar
• ½ cup Dried Cranberries
• 80ml Oil
• 1 egg
• 250ml Plain Yogurt
• Pinch of Salt

Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt together, add the sugar and dried cranberries to the flour mix. Mix the oil, egg and yogurt together. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, being sure not to over mix the dough. Spoon the mixture into greased muffin pans and bake for +- 20 minutes at 180 °C until a testing needle inserted comes out clean.

Well, that is all from my side this month. Have a good one!

Wayne Dovey