May sightings, wildlife monitoring and interesting research projects.`
Sightings of the month!
Thank you to all who recorded their sightings in the book this month!
There were 220 recorded sightings in the sightings book, with a wonderful diversity of species noted, large and small.
Highlights:
- Lions were the most reported species, followed by elephants and buffaloes. A herd of roughly 250 buffaloes was seen regularly on Argyle towards the end of the month.
- The leopardess with two very young cubs was seen on multiple occasions, with one sighting including the cubs swimming across the Nhlaralumi River on Buffelsbed, following her! The leopardess jumped across, but the cubs could not. See the image sequence below.
- Two lion prides, with cubs, were seen on various occasions. A particular highlight included a sighting of the cubs playing with the lionesses in the rain, on Argyle.
- A sighting of lions interacting with a honey badger, on the Ingwelala airfield, was noted!
- Various predators with kills were noted throughout the month, including lions, leopards, wild dogs and hyenas. Two sightings were truly spectacular: a large crocodile swimming around with a kill, and a genet hunting and catching a guineafowl in camp.
- Two sable bulls were seen on a neighbouring property, from the boundary road!
- An aardvark was seen on Buffels Eastern Boundary Road towards the end of the month.
- A family of lesser bushbabies was seen regularly in the vicinity of the workshop, calling loudly to each other while hopping from tree to tree.
- A rather uncommon snake species was seen - a Black-headed Centipede-eater!
- Birding highlights included multiple sightings of a Western Osprey on Buffelsbed, a Martial Eagle with a kill, Southern Ground Hornbills with a kill, a Little Grebe at the main causeway, and an African Darter on Argyle.
- Mammalian species recorded: Aardvark, Leopard, Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Wild Dog, Spotted Hyena, African Wild Cat, Honey Badger, Black-backed Jackal, Side-striped Jackal, Lesser Galago, Impala, Kudu, Wildebeest, Giraffe, Zebra, Waterbuck, Warthog, Hippo, Sable, Nyala, Bushbuck, Klipspringer, Duiker, Steenbok, Warthog, Chacma Baboon, Vervet Monkey, Springhare, Scrub Hare, Tree Squirrel, Banded Mongoose, Slender Mongoose, and Dwarf Mongoose.
- Reptilian species recorded: Water Monitor, Black Mamba, Puffadder, Black-headed Centipede-eater, Mozambique Spitting Cobra, Eastern Bark Snake, Eastern Tiger Snake, Spotted Bush Snake, Yellow-bellied Sand Snake, Nile Crocodile, Flap-necked Chameleon, Leopard Tortoise, Marsh Terrapin, Rainbow Skink, and Serrated Hinged Terrapin.
- For the full list of bird species recorded during the month, please click here.
Words by Tess Woollgar. Images courtesy of Terry Pickard, and as noted on individual photos or sets of photos.