08th March – Argyle Male Leopard, but still no lions...

On This Day

08th March 2009 - the late Rockfig female leopard showing interest in impala

8th March 2009 - Nkateko leopardess exploring her mom's territory

8th March 2009 - Nkateko, daughter of Rockfig, when she was still a resident leopard - after independence and the death of her mother, she moved many, many kilometres south and is now resident on Ngala Property in southern Timbavati!!!

08th March 2008 - a breeding herd of elephants at Makulu Dam - looks like 2011 is going to be as dry a year as 2008 was...it will be a long winter!

Morning Drive

(Elliot and Johannes)

Lots of elephants (sorry, will try get a proper update from the guides, they couldn’t tell me what they saw besides elephant!)

Afternoon Drive

(Elliot and Johannes)

1 x leopard (Argyle Male) – Motswari, Wisani Access

2 x elephant bulls – Buchner

(to be completed!)

Daily Synopsis

Howdy folks!  Well I am back from a week in the Big Smoke that is Johannesburg! 

Sounds like I missed out on some good sightings, particularly the cheetah and wild dogs which I was really bummed about!  The leopard viewing also sounded good, with great leopard around camp!  Kuhanya really seems to be making herself at home, and I had a good chuckle reading John’s (our trusty night-watchman!) nightly reports, especially as he saw her no fewer than 4 times in the week that I was away – some of his nights were as good as my game drives!  Here are a few excerpts from his ‘night watch book’)...

2^nd March – “02h00: report 1x leopard next to the reception”

3^rd March – “01h31: report a honey badger around reception”

5^th March – “21h39: report 2 elephants in camp”

5^th March – “00h28: chase 2x hyenas out of the boma”

5^th March – “02h06: chase 2x hyenas chewing the bones at kudu house”

6^th March – “21h45: report a leopard drinking in front of reception”

6^th March – “00h13: report 2x honey badgers in boma”

6^th March – “03h21” report 1x leopard at pool”

7^th March – “19h04: report leopard drinking water at front of reception”

7^th March – “21h31: report 2x buffalo around guest parking”

7^th March – “21h43: report 1x elephant in camp”

7^th March – “01h13: chase 3x hyenas out of gallery”

Talk about having nature all around you!

Apologies for the scant report, but I didn’t manage to get a proper chance to talk to Johannes and to find out what he saw today, and Elliot could only recall seeing elephants!  Will bring you more up to date tomorrow, I promise!!!

I am only on drive again on Wednesday, but will try fill the blog with some interesting stuff until then!

Cheers,

Chad