Paradise under stress: KTP October 2019

[GavinW]

Sunday 6 October 2019


We had noticed these small green worms in the trees around camp since we had arrived in Mata Mata the day before, but nothing could have prepared us for what we were to experience the next morning.


We woke up and started getting ready for our drive. The ablution blocks were overrun by thousands of these little worms.
You honestly could not walk into the ablutions without squashing a whole lot of them. That made for a pretty sight on the floors as you can imagine.

Going to the loo was also a challenge keeping your feet in the air while you were busy.

I felt really sorry for the cleaning staff having to get rid of hundreds of worm carcasses.


Anyway

We left camp at 6am and drove as far as Batulama. That’s a long way to go without seeing anything.

I mean that.

Zip, nudder, nothing.


But then the Kgalagadi is not only about the big and scary predators. The tiny animals also provide entertainment
On the way back we came across this interaction between two Swallow Tailed Bee-eaters which was really interesting

The gift is caught

The gift is given

The reward

And a happy couple

[GavinW]

A bit further on, this tortoise was crossing the road.

We watched as it manoeuvred up the side wall of the road. The tracks are really quite impressive and indicate how hard it worked to get over the soft sand wall

Before returning to camp we had the privilege of spotting these giraffe

[GavinW]

A little further on this cute little steenbok was hiding in the bushes

And these gemsbok were lazing around

We returned to worm city and stayed in for the rest of the day, as a strong wind had picked up.
A sand storm with a few spots of rain followed

[Mel]

Camp site at Mata looks rather empty

Lovely sightings! It doesn't always need the cats to make the day.

[GavinW]

Monday 7 October 2019:



We left a wormy Mata Mata at 6.45am after packing up and having a shower.
As was the case for the previous two days, the Auob River was pretty much devoid of animal life, the exceptions being some giraffe near Urikaruus

And this yellow billed hornbill was posing gracefully in the sunlight.

And some more giraffe just before Kamqua.

[GavinW]

We got to the picnic spot at Kamqua and heard that there were three lions on a kill at Rooibrak.
We were towing our trailer so after a bit of a debate, we decided to unhitch the trailer at Kamqua and go have a quick look

What we found were a couple of flat lionesses on the far side of the river and this chap, lying next to the road.

Ok, we had seen our lions for the day, (so we had thought.)

We retraced our steps back to the picnic site, collected our home and set off for Nossob via the Upper Dune Road.
The road was in a pleasantly good condition, but there was little in the way of wildlife to be seen
A cape cobra slid across the road ahead of us and was gone before we managed to get a photo.


This eland was going anywhere though

It was nice to see Lappet Faced and White Backed Vultures on the kill

We stopped briefly at Dikbaardskolk before carrying on north.
By the time we got to Nossob it was mid day

Chris and Jono had arrived in Nossob the previous day and had “reserved” a camp site next to theirs for us.


Old Campsite no 5 Debbie and my favourite campsite
(That is the non electrified site closest to the new premium camp sites)

Thank you friends

[GavinW]

The rest of the afternoon we were busy pitching our tent, showering and then we had an early braai with our friends.

We set off to the hide at sunset.
We sat in the hide for quite some time.


The hide at Nossob at night:

[GavinW]

After a while, a brown hyena came to drink at the waterhole, but our photos were all a bit blurred

We stayed in the hide for what seemed like ages, watching the coming and goings of bats and black backed jackals
Just before 9pm, I decided to go back to the tent as I was really tired, Debbie said she would follow shortly
Well after about 15minutes, there was no Debbie and FOMA started to set in, so I ran back to the hide.

Soon after I had left, this pride of 9 lions came down to the waterhole to drink.
This is what I missed:

I had missed quite a lot, but was still in time to catch the end of the sighting before they left:

I was surprised as to how quickly the news of the lions spread through the camp, as within minutes there was standing room only in the hide

Debbie went to sleep a very happy girl, while I was a bit frustrated and kicking myself for not staying at the hide.

[Richprins]

Gavin!

[Alf]

I like the camping site pictures

Oh you almost missed all these lions