January News Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
4 February, 2016
Lodge news
January has been a great month at Sabyinyo for all of us. We have been running at full capacity most of the month through, and loved getting to meet so many wonderful guests from all corners of the Planet. The guest book is filled with warm words from guests who leave here truly touched by their experience with the mountain gorillas, the Sabyinyo staff and all of the other people that they met whilst here.
The weather has been fair as we are technically in our ''short dry season''. The sky is often hazy when it is dry here and this has been the case most days, so one must catch a glimpse of the Virunga volcanoes in the mornings, which is always possible if you are rising early to go gorilla trekking! Mt Karisimbi was capped by snow one morning, which made for a beautiful sight. There were occasional rain showers here and there; I got caught in two of them on my gorilla treks!
Gorillas
This month I was very fortunate to visit two gorilla families that I had not yet seen before. On the 10th of January I visited the Amohoro group (17 members), the group's name means ''peaceful'' and we found them after an hour, not too far inside the park eating nettles and the occasional bamboo shoot. When we first encountered them the heavens opened and we all had to quickly put on our raincoats and waterproof trousers. The gorillas headed off under a bush for protection so we patiently waited for them to re- immerse.
Once they did we were treated to the dominant silverback Ubumwe peacefully sitting nearby to us munching on his breakfast of vines and thistles, whilst two mothers kept their youngsters in check. One youngster however, was having none of it and insisted on posing for the cameras!
On the way out of the forest our brilliant guide Edward a creature that is almost never seen in the Volcanoes NationalPark; A great lakes bush viper (Atheris nitschei). This was the highlight of my day, as being a zoologist I am fascinated by creatures that I have never seen before! This was the first time in 15 years of guiding that Edward had ever seen a snake in the park, and judging by the reaction of the porters and trackers (scattered into 10 different directions) I think it was the first time they had seen or heard of one in there too!
On the 28th of January I visited the Umubano family (11 members). Interestingly, Umubano were originally Amahoro members but broke off after Ubumwe was challenged by Charles, now the leader of Umubano. When a young silverback challenges the dominant silverback he must steal some females from the existing group in order to form his own family; thus Umubano was formed.
Our guide for the morning was Ignatius, who, with the help of the trackers got us into great positions to view these wonderful creatures.
After another spot of rain the gorillas were all in the mood for some wild celery and spent the hour ripping it up and devouring it like there was no tomorrow! The only problem with celery of course is that it gets stuck in your teeth, so they then had to to pull it out from between their teeth- a lengthily process indeed!
Mothers too were enjoying the feast while their babies rode along on their backs. This was a brilliant trek, lots of gorillas, beautiful scenery and some great guests to enjoy it with- thanks to Joanne and Martin for having me along.
Why we love February in Masai Mara
6 February, 2015
February is marked by cool mornings, hot days and scattered rain showers. Mornings start around 14 degrees Celsius, moving to 30 degrees Celsius by midday. The grass on the open plains begins to dry out causing the red oat grass to turn golden brown.
In the forests around the Governors family of camps the Warburgia trees continue to fruit, drawing in elephants and baboons to feast. There are young calves amongst the elephant herds. Elephant families go back and forth between the grasslands and forests around our camps. There is much trumpeting as young males come of age and are pushed out of the maternal herds to live on their own, increased testosterone levels lead these young males to misbehave and be raucous, behaviour that the matriarchs do not tolerate.
One February we were incredibly privileged to witness an elephant give birth right next to the bar tent at Little Governors Camp, the mother elephant wandered into camp followed by a group of other elephants, the mother settled herself close to the bar tent and the other elephants disappeared, after much trumpeting and effort she gave birth right in front of a group of newly arrived guests! The other elephants reappeared, surrounded the mother and calf, there was much excitement in camp and throughout the month mother and calf were frequent visitors to camp. On windy days or after a storm elephants come into camp to pick up the Warburgia fruit that has dropped to the ground.
Photo courtesy of Will Fortescue
If the rain has been good we begin to see the arrival of the herds of wildebeest and zebra from the Loita plains and hills outside the Mara. They graze inside the reserve during the day and move out of the reserve at night where lions are scarcer and they feel safer. As the month progresses huge herds begin to move across the plains, coming to the Musiara marsh to drink during the day and moving up to the Mara River where they attempt to cross often put off by the numbers of waiting crocodiles. Sensing a change in the seasons the wildebeest begin to calve most of them moving outside the boundaries of the reserve where pressures from lion are less.
Photo courtesy of Michael Poliza
Families of giraffe are seen throughout the woodlands close to the Governors family of camps feeding on the leaves of Warburgia trees. Often these families will spend days within the Governors Camp grounds. Eland herds are scattered across the plains. Defassa waterbuck occupy the grasslands around the marsh feeding on grasses and herbs. The big Cape buffalo herd of around 500 individuals occupy the Bila Shaka grasslands and slopes of Rhino ridge where the coarse grasses they like to feed on grow. There are many claves amongst the herd and calving often happens in February. Topi and Cokes hartebeest are found in all areas of Musiara, the male Topis expend much energy protecting their Leks and get tired and often doze off during the day, lion and hyena have learnt to exploit this and often hunt Topi during February. Bushbucks are seen in the early mornings and at dusk in the fringes of the forest.
Crocodiles are seen basking on almost every bend of the Mara River. They are opportunistic waiting for an animal to come to the water to drink.
We have good sightings of Serval Cats with many seen on the grasslands and flats of Paradise Plain. Servals feed on mice and grass rats, often leaping into the air to catch ground birds and doves. Spotted Hyena with young cubs in their dens are seen where concentrations of plains game are good, they group together in large clans able to compete aggressively with lion over food, often chasing lionesses off a meal in large numbers. Male lions will kill hyena when they get the opportunity.
Photo courtesy of Will Fortescue
Martial eagles, a large savannah bird of prey fly above the plains preying on banded mongooses and Thomson Gazelle fawns. Warthogs with young piglets are seen in many areas where there is open ground, they leave their burrows early to forage but remain cautiously close to boltholes for safety. Banded and Dwarf mongooses make their home in the Governors Camps grounds each family sleeps together in a communal underground den (in our camps they like the drainage pipes), they emerge from their dens at sunrise spending the days foraging together until sunset when they return to their dens. Females synchronise their births to the same day and families raise the young communally.
The Marsh Pride of lions often has cubs within the pride, who are often very playful. The pride feeds off waterbuck calves, buffalo and warthog.
Cheetah often climb on the game drive vehicles to get a better vantage of their surroundings, they stalk and catch Thomson Gazelles, mother cheetahs often teaching their sub-adult cubs to hunt. They move around large distances trying to avoid lion and hyena. We have good sightings of leopards close to our camps some guests even treated to sightings of leopard on arrival before checking in to camp. Leopard often have cubs at this time of year and they have to work hard not to lose their kills to hyena In February 2014 we had an amazing sighting of a leopard sharing its kill with a pack of hungry hyena.
Photo courtesy of Mke Toone
Birds
The birding in February is fantastic; we have good sightings of Ground Hornbills travelling in trios they feed on large grasshoppers and scarab beetles. A lot of the European migrants are still around, the abundance of life in the Musiara Marsh draws a crowd of water birds; Storks, Herons and Hammerkops hunt frogs and catfish. With food a plenty many birds have nested and either have eggs or chicks. The weavers build their nests overhanging the riverbanks some are still building and some are looking after chicks. Plovers, Longclaws and other ground nesting birds have eggs and chicks hidden in their nests in the long grass. A white backed Vulture likes to nest close to the laundry in Governors Camp she often raises a scruffy single chick in this nest.
Photo courtesy of Dave Richards
The invasion of caterpillars we had in the forest in the last few months has turned into the most brilliant display of thousands of different kinds of butterflies and moths who flit from one wild flower to another.
Africa Geographic Photographer of the Year 2016
A lioness in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
�Thomas Br�hlmann
A southern double-collared sunbird in Cape Town, South Africa
�Andre Demblon
An African wildcat in a camelthorn tree in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
�Andre Demblon
A lone giraffe at Lake Manyara, Tanzania
�Kirill Trubitsyn
A close-up of a lion's eye in the Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa
�Trevor McCall
Trouble in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, South Africa
�Jonathan Webster
A lioness in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, takes charge of her feisty cub
�Robyn E. Preston
Pelicans compete for fish scraps at Walvis Bay Lagoon, Namibia
�Anna Mart-Kruger
An African wildcat in Kruger National Park, South Africa
�Arnoud Quainter
A young male lion stares powerfully into the camera
� Michael Dippenaar
An elephant family crosses the dry Amboseli lake bed in Kitirua Conservancy, Kenya
�Sam Stogdale
Lion brothers-in-arms in the Khutse Game Reserve, Botswana
�Leon Emanuel
Forest elephants in Dzanga Bai, Central African Republic
�Barbara Ruda
A juvenile Bateleur has a bad hair day in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
�Anthony Woodhouse
Cheetah cubs perfect their hunting skills in the Maasai Mara, Kenya
�Sam Stogdale
Elephants at Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana
�Leo van Vuuren
It's lunchtime on the Chobe River, Botswana
�Simon Beevers
A wildebeest that never says die!
Written by: Jan Baumann and Gary Ray
It was a warm afternoon and we were out on a game drive in the Amakhosi Safari Lodge reserve. The afternoon had been quiet and we were making our way through an open area when suddenly we heard the anguished cries of a wildebeest.
Our guide, ranger Gary, quickly turned the car in the direction of the noise and pushed straight through the thick bush. The bush cleared and we saw the source of the commotion: a wildebeest bull had been caught by a large lioness - she had bitten into the shoulder of the animal and had a good grip.
The wildebeest was making loud, moaning bellows but was not prepared to give up. We sat in quiet awe, some guests were clearly moved and emotional, while others just closed their eyes.
The lioness attempted to drag the large bull but to no avail. She tried to get a better grip but was reluctant to let go as the wildebeest would surely escape. The fight for food and survival, for predator and prey, raged on for some time.
The lioness was clearly getting the upper hand and the wildebeest seemed to have accepted his fate. Suddenly she made a lunge for the throat of her hapless victim and managed to grab it just below the jaw.
The usual way of death is suffocation as lions catch the prey by the neck and close off the windpipe. Death is usually quick and painless as the animal's system responds to the stress and pumps additional adrenaline, which annuls the pain.
I was secretly praying that the wildebeest would escape and live to fight another day. I realised then that I was not ready to stare death in the face in such a raw and brutal way. As this was the very first time I had witnessed a kill, my heart was pounding in my chest as if I were the prey. I felt the sweat in my clenched palms as I silently fought for the captured beast. I felt privileged and excited, yet sad to see what must be a regular happening in the wild of the African bush.
The wildebeest was on its back and kicking in the air. The lioness was breathing hard from the effort. Then suddenly the wildebeest managed to twist and get up onto all four legs. Wow, what a sight to see - the lioness was physically pulled up off the ground while still hanging onto the neck.
The wildebeest started to push and pull the lioness around. It felt like the earth was moving as the battle raged on in the dust. I felt an inkling of hope and muttered messages of encouragement under my breath, urging the wildebeest to find the strength to keep fighting. I wanted to focus on the experience but also wanted it to end without loss of life.
The wildebeest turned and forced the lioness under his flanks, he pushed her further towards the thicker bush and dragged her between his legs. She hung on but it was apparent that her position was compromised as her back could easily be broken if the prey decided to stomp on her. I grabbed the railing of the vehicle and could feel my grip tightening. I willed the wildebeest to give it one last shot.
The lioness lost her grip and dropped between his legs. He responded by lowering his horns and, in a reversed role, lunged forward to inflict pain on his oppressor. The lioness moved quickly and ran to the side to escape injury. The wildebeest ran off into the thick bush.
For a time, the earth stopped moving; there was no sound, only a quiet sense of solitude as if the previous tumult had been erased. I sat in admiration and disbelief. I felt the stress leave my body, leaving me emotionally drained. I had come to this part of the world to experience the bush, to see what a safari was like. I realised that the bush had invaded my soul, my being and lifted my spirit. I would be back... soon.
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