Impressions of Kruger - October 2014*

[Amoli]

On the S41 I came across lions on a Waterbuck kill.

I tried counting them, and with some accuracy got to 5 females and 6 cubs – but they kept coming and going, and I lost count at times.


One lioness seemed to be the mother and quite content for her cubs to feed, and feed, and feed.

It reminded me of my Dad who would say : don’t leave here hungry, you must eat as if there is no tomorrow.
I think we all struggle to teach our kids, there is a tomorrow, though that rule is not valid in the animal life.

In the pics, just see how round their tummies are already.

[Amoli]

The second last part of my food chain impressions were 3 cheetahs that had killed an ostrich.
First time I had seen this.

They were some distance away and it was the very, very hot day.
I believe some guys decided not to drive from Satara for this sighting due to the heat.

I am not sure whether they had had their fill yet, but it looked like they were taking turns in guarding the ostrich, or remains therof.













And this is a food chain gone wrong.

Not sure if the road was too slippery or what. This was before Letaba coming from Olifants.

[Amoli]

Lets give the birdies a chance…


I anticipate to photograph at least 60 specie birds while in the park.

I try and spend time learning more about them, their habitat, their food, their interaction with each other and with other specie.

This time round I got more than 80 with a few lifers and some I had not seen in Kruger before.



Kurrichane Thrush was having a drink of water at Tzendze – I had seen it in Pafuri, but couldn’t get a photo.



Chestnut-backed Sparrow Lark female is a Lifer



Klittlitz’s Plover – another lifer



Cut throat Finch - Lifer



And the Male Red headed Weaver is a also a lifer. I photographed the female in Barberton.



White-bellied sunbird – this lifer made me work very hard for this ‘not-so-good’ pic in very dense bushes. I loved it’s call.



Wire tailed swallow is also a lifer. I loved travelling on the H14 – most of the sights I had all to myself.



I was very excited to get a pic of the Jamesons Firefinch – another lifer



The Golden-breasted bunting was a first in Kruger – I had seen it in Pilansberg before.



This Southern Black Tit also made me work very hard for this pic – also a lifer



More later……

[Amoli]

The first borehole in the Kruger National Park (KNP) was sunk in 1933 at Pretoriuskop rest camp. Another 12 were sunk before the end of 1935.

This marked the implementation of the first official water provisioning programme in the Park. The main idea was to allow a more even distribution of game throughout the KNP and to prevent the emigration of animals outside the Park, even though the reserve was not even fenced in those early years.
Kruger's water provision policy evolved over time and a number of artificial waterpoints were established, notably under the Water for Game initiative. During recent years, within the Park's policy of adaptive management, a new water provision policy had been adopted.

As part of this policy, it was found that the unnatural water provisioning dams and boreholes has an adverse effect on the environment and some species of animals.
This led to a re-assessment of the water policy, leading to a revised water distribution policy that was intended to maintain biodiversity. This resulted in the closure of over 150 boreholes in the park, many of which were away from the main tourist roads, and many of the earthwalled dams in the park have been broken down or fallen into disrepair.

In a natural system, the dry season will see natural waterholes and pans dry up and animals are forced to go to the rivers and larger pools. This is why the latter half of the year - September, October and November - are better for game viewing than any other time of the year.




I decided to visit as many waterholes. Pans and dams as possible in the regions I camped. I needed to form my own impressions regarding all the write-up of water management.

.

Mopanie Area :

[Amoli]

Moving down to Satara Area :



Nsemani seemed a bit low on water, but enough for this ellie to play around in



































Please feel free to form your own impressions……

[Richprins]

A very clever and thoughtful angle indeed, Amoli!

Those dams are all intact, and will chop and change depending upon regional rainfall.

It is an extended wet cycle, so stream water lasts throughout the year, mostly? Rain is already starting to fall, but not much yet....indeed, beginning October is the driest one can get lately, touch wood!

Regarding the windmills, at least they are not dynamiting the tourist ones anymore...especially around Mopane some were obliterated a couple of years ago, so not even the troughs could retain seasonal rainwater.

Don't know if some windmills are closed for science or because it is a schlepp for the rangers to maintain them....one of the Section Ranger's main tasks!

[Amoli]

What surprised me was the amount of water in Mazithi and Ngotso compared to Kumane.

[Richprins]

Ngirivana is only a sort of incidental dam...the windmill was always the prime attraction in the old days, if memory serves...long time ago during drier times...

[Amoli]

Thank you all for comments

The only 'water' pictures I didn't take was of the swimming pools..





I'm still sorting my next load of pics... please join in and wait around patiently....

[Amoli]

Tihongonyeni Waterhole

Over the years I have read and heard of Tihongenyeni Waterhole.
People would say that if you wanted to see Sable. Roan, Tsessebe and Eland, that would be where to look for them.

Then some-one told me that they have been chased one to many times by elephants on the Capricorn loop, that her husband refuses to drive it.

I decided that this is the road I will do with this trip.

I thought it wise that I was alone, so if any ellies chased me, there would be no-one to tell the family ‘bout it and raise concerns all over again whenever I pack my camping gear.

I set out early morning. The Mooiplaas waterhole was quiet with a few zebbies just waking up.
I travelled on at a speed of 20km/h, taking in the surrounding, fresh air and listening to the humming of the engine disturbing the silence.

Near Nashawu W.hole, I got an opportunity to photograph some finches, francolins and red crested korhaan.



Just down the road was a tawny being pestered by a fork-tailed drongo. I spent some time admiring this eagle’s patience.









There were buffalo, blue wildebeest and impala drinking at Nashawu.
I also saw a saddle-billed stork in the distance.
Just see the difference in size of the SBS and a grey Heron. Amazing.



And off I went and took the S143 turn off the S50 – keeping my eyes open for those ellies..