March arrived with the onset of the early Autumn, marked by the evening temperatures becoming slightly cooler to more comfortable levels which is a welcome break from the previous six months summer heat.
Rainfall for March was on the lower side with 26.4mm recorded, well below the long term average of 44.2 mm.
Elephant incursions into the camp during the reported period were pleasingly fewer with minor damage to solar panels and water pipes. During the third week of March two well-known elephant bulls returned to camp, one of which is the one-tusked bull that made use of the Ingwelala Gate access in 2019 to enter the camp! The other is a beautiful symmetrically tusked bull that loves challenging electric fences. Fortunately both individuals move out of camp in the early morning.
Visitors to the Reserve during the latter part of March will have noticed the brush packing present on the eastern section of lawn adjacent to the Reception car park. This area has been seeded with indigenous grass seeds as the trial section on the western lawn section proved successful in facilitating groundcover, is aesthetically pleasing, and more importantly binds the topsoil. The area was seeded mid-month and it is hoped that positive feedback on its propagation in the coming weeks will be the order of the day.
The first malaria spray of 2021 was completed in this month, all Members Bungalows, Staff accommodation, Members Area, Workshop, and Hides & Bomas were sprayed.
Baboon activity in the camp environment has been on the increase since the early part of the year. Consequently to manage their foraging away from camp, two baboon monitors have once again been employed. The monitors will serve a dual function as they will also keep an eye on the vervet monkeys that search for food in the game viewers in the Reception car park.
Borehole and main line water interruptions were a challenge during the month. A failed valve on the main supply line created a pressure build up below number #4 pump at Wahlberg’s Crossing, the pipe eventually burst, creating problems on the main line where the supply line to camp splits. This created two consecutive days of low water pressure in the camp. A cable fault in multiple places was also detected on the main power supply to the Goedehoop electric submersible pump which took two days to repair.
by John Llewellyn
Photo: Heitlé Booysen