News March 2010

March 2010 saw the visit of President Jacob Zuma to Britain, where he met Her Majesty. It was to be expected that his belief in the practice of polygamy might become an issue of cultural differences. Far be it for me to pass judgement on this issue. Good luck to him if he has to handle four wives !

However, there is another cultural issue that causes me much pain. I read in the local Durban newspaper that a man had been arrested in Northern kwa-Zulu Natal while in possession of over 900 leopard skin pelts ! I didn’t know that there were 900 leopards in Northern kwa-Zulu Natal. In fact I have never seen one on all the numerous occasions I have visited Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve. Now I am beginning to understand why !
 
It is simply outrageous that one individual should be in possession of so many leopard skins. These leopard skins form part of the traditional garb used by the Zulu chieftains at ceremonial occasions. This tradition may unfortunately lead to the extinction of leopards in my home province. Perhaps we need to supply artificial leopard skins. As I have said in a previous letter, the leopard skin always looks decidedly better on the leopard than on any human………….

Rainfall in Kruger has been very limited this month and the veld in certain areas is not looking good. The game-viewing has been above-average and there have been some really super sightings :

GAMEVIEWING REPORTS FROM OUR GUIDES

Bertus has emailed the following :

Kruger

I did not get to go to Kruger often this month. On one occasion, I had to take in a film crew from Brazil and got in early. I noticed some Wild Dog dung on the road between Orpen and Satara and decided to stay on the road. After about ten kilometres we struck gold (Wild Dog). There were about twenty dogs travelling up the road with almost no cars around. What a great way to start our morning ! We eventually left them and found a young elephant bull standing next to the road a short distance away. I told the crew to get the cameras ready as I have never previously seen the interaction between elephant and wild dog. We were ready when the first dogs arrived. The elephant lifted is trunk and sniffed the air, did an abrupt about-turn and ran possibly like he has never run before. Also he did not once make a sound of panic or anger during this time. I knew from learning from my mentors (Thanks Dad) that all animals have a fear of Wild Dogs but never realised that it would go up to the biggest animal of them all.

I also ended my month in Kruger with a sighting involving a dog of another kind. This time it served as breakfast for 3 lionesses on the S36. The unfortunate victim was a black backed jackal. When we arrived we just saw the half eaten carcass next to the one lioness while she where keeping the other two ladies at bay.

Balule and Tshukudu

It was a very eventful month in Balule as well as Tshukudu. We had our fill of lion sightings. One of the best sightings happened when we followed the lion tracks from as far north in the reserve as we can go. (I spotted them there earlier during the day) to almost on the Tshukudu cutline where we caught up with them just to see them hunt a warthog. Unfortunately we did not see the actual kill but saw the hunt and chase and then had some of the most amazing audio of the entire pride feeding and fighting over a very small meal for a very big group of lions.

The other highlight of the month happened when we started out on a walk and ended up walking into elephant twice - first a young bull that was very inquisitive and later a breeding herd that did not notice us. I thought that the day was made but we still had a Tshukudu game drive in the afternoon. When we arrived at Tshukudu, we saw some rhino even before we arrived at the main lodge for tea. During our tea we saw the entire Cheetah family at the lodge. The guests always enjoy this interaction with Cheetah tremendously. We then set off on our game drive and soon found a few buffalo bulls. We then got a radio call that the lions were in the area as well. After a short while we managed to track them down. We had a good view of the pride. We were told via radio by another ranger that there was a sighting of leopard as well. We decided to push our luck to see if it would hold and it did. When we arrived at the sighting, she were lying on some rocks underneath a bush about six or seven metres from us. The Big 5 in one day and we did not even have to go to Kruger for it.

Leopard sightings are increasing in Balule as well. I saw a leopard on one of our evening drives just to find another leopard walking down the road on my way home after dropping the guests off for the evening. On my way to and from the lodge I had now 3 leopards sighting this month and my wife has had one. Hopefully they will get their timing right and appear more often during game drive time.

Tom enjoys an interaction with the Cheetah at Tshukudu!

BONGANI reports :

Balule

We had a good time this month in terms of game viewing in all the reserves. We saw many elephant and lions, especially on Balule and so we were somewhat extra careful when we conducted walks this month. Almost everywhere we walked there seemed to be lions, buffalos and elephants. Some of the times, we had to keep away from the animals. I remember one day we walked onto lions after they had killed a bull giraffe. Twenty minutes before we got close, before we had even seen them, we had very loud audio from a big male lion. I had to stop and listen carefully from where the sound was coming. After a few seconds, a big male lion come out from the bush heading towards us. The guests were a little afraid. We managed to see him in the open area, but it was not easy to look at him face to face. We retreated slowly, We walked back to the Landcruiser and drove towards the place where the lions had killed the giraffe and viewed many lions. The following day when we went to the sighting to see what going on, there were vultures all over the place waiting for the leftovers. It was a wonderful experience for the guests.
On Balule, we also have a problem with one big male elephant walking around like he owns the place ! He likes to follow the cars and shows his power by knocking down the trees. Sometimes he even closes down traffic movement along the road as no one will drive past him.

After few days the lions moved to Impala Dam, on Balule Plains, where they spent three days lying around. They had cubs with them. On one occasion, we viewed one of the cubs up in a tree.

TOLLIE sent the following :

“ON 8th March we saw this young male lion and his brothers eating on a carcass of a dead giraffe in Kruger. It took them three days to finish their feeding frenzy. This was probably the closest I ever got to a kill and the stench was almost overwhelming but the excitement made it worthwhile.

A lion feasting on the carcass of a dead giraffe

On the 16 March we saw a Gymnogene - the new name is an African Harrier-Hawk. This bird is a medium-sized raptor with a very distinctive body and head shape. The long head is an adaptation to take small prey from cracks and other hiding places. The long legs are double-jointed to serve the same purpose. They hunt by clambering around or hanging underneath tree trunks with flapping wings. They eat other birds, mice and insects. This was a remarkable sighting.

Remarkable sighting - a Gymnogene.
The new name is an African Harrier-Hawk

MAYNETH submitted the following :

“We have had fairly good sightings this month. A typical game viewing day is what happened on 2 March :
We started the day slowly. We drove from Orpen to Talamati where there has been good rains and the bush is very thick. By the time we got to lunch at Satara, we had seen only one of the Big Five, Elephant, and my group was getting a little impatient. But, as always happens in this brilliant zone of Kruger, we ended up winning !
On the sweni Road, we had a sighting of a crash of 6 rhinos lying under the shade. On the S 127 we got another four rhino and a few kms further on another four. At the
S 39 junction, we drove into a massive herd of Buffalo. On the Rabelais loop, we had a brilliant sighting of 10 lions. They were scattered on the road and I had no idea how I could drive past them without driving over a tail or two ! In the end I actually had to drive off road into the bush so as to get past ! Two km on, we got another 2 rhinos, bringing the total for the day to 18 !
Although we missed Leopard, I got great Leopard sightings on 7th and 17th March. On both occasions we had sightings of the Big Five. In fact on 7th, we had lions on a giraffe kill and 2 leopards on an impala kill.
I am really happy to be driving for Viva as they seem to have greater luck with game viewing compared to other operators. ”


LOREY submitted as follows :

This month I had the opportunity to work with a very special kind of tourist – children. Environmental Education is a very important factor in Nature Conservation. They are after all the next generation Conservationists. It’s so satisfying to see the children’s faces light up & the excitement of seeing an African animal in the wild. Children are so much more interactive than adults. It seems to me as soon as we grow older we loose that interactive sense. Children always want to know, “But why is it like this” “Why, please tell me why”!

I just want to give a few tips if you decide to bring your little pink feet with you on Safari:
Remember being on Safari, is a long day for the children, so pack your patience.
Help your guide to keep your children entertained while on Safari.

Here’s some handy websites for the children’s next Environmental assignment:

www.deltaenviro.org.za
www.echo-enviro.org.za
www.peaceparks.org
www.plantzafrica.com
www.war-on-waste.com

RHULANI reports his highlights as follows :

“On 7 March we took the Nwaswitsontso Loop and came across a pride of 7 lions that had caught a giraffe right on the road. Further South we came across an incredible sighting of two leopards lying on a tree less than 100 metres from the road. Two different impala carcasses were suspended from two different trees. The day went well and we easily completed the Big Five with great sightings of Rhino, Elephant and Buffalo as well.

On the 18th and 19th I did it all again with special sightings of lions and leopard right near Orpen Gate. Game viewing, in terms of Lion and Leopard sightings, has improved from last month.

We have also had good sightings of Cheetah along the Orpen-Satara tar road. Also on the 18th, I stopped to look at a herd of Impala grazing close to the road. I switched off the engine and looked accidentally on the opposite side of the road and saw a Cheetah ! It stalked the Impala by actually using the Viva Safaris open vehicle as a cover. As it emerged from in front of our vehicle, one Impala ram happened by sheer good luck to be looking at us and saw the Cheetah and let out a big alarm call that sent the whole herd running. The Cheetah simply lay down on the road right in front of our vehicle – wow ! ”.

NEWS FROM OUR LODGES

As per doctor’s orders, I have not been up to the bush this month, but will be there in April. I have really missed being in the bush – I was last there on 17 December !

I have put together a comparison of the three lodges. Very often we are asked to recommend which venue is best for a particular type of guest. I hope this sheds some light on the issue.
 
SAFARIS TO TREMISANA LODGE, MARC'S CAMP AND CHEETAH INN COMPARED
 
A SIMPLIFIED GUIDE FOR OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS

Viva Safaris tourists regularly request advice as to which destination, Tremisana Lodge, Marc’s Camp or Cheetah Inn they should book a safari. We are often asked why there is a significant difference in tariffs.

At the outset, we should profile the guests staying at the three camps :

Guests at Marc's Camp are adventurous and young at heart. They are prepared to forfeit certain luxuries in the pursuit of a real African bush experience. They certainly are not afraid of frogs and spiders. The Treehouse Lodge is unique and is attractive to tourists of very differing financial means whereas the Adventure Camp is designed for backpackers.

Guests at Tremisana are generally a little older and are accustomed to simple luxuries. Of course they are still in the bush and may also encounter frogs and spiders, but these are unlikely to be in the chalets. Guests at Tremisana appreciate the compactness of the camp as well as the easy accessibility of all features and amenities.

Guests at Cheetah Inn are attracted by the cheaper tariffs. The Cheetah Inn has limited animals and has less of a ‘bush’ feel. It is most suitable for families with young children.
Guests enjoy the open country feel of the camp.

Tremisana is electrically fenced as elephant are common. On the other hand, the animals at Marc’s are free to move throughout the camp. Nyala and buffalo are often seen grazing below the treehouses and outside the chalets of the Adventure camp.

Accommodation is very different. The treehouses at Marc’s Treehouse Lodge are made of canvas and reed walls as opposed to the conventional brick and mortar walls at Marc’s Adventure Camp, Tremisana and Cheetah Inn. As a result there is reduced climate control in the treehouses. If it is cold and windy, then the reed walls offer limited protection. Tremisana and Cheetah Inn chalets all have air conditioning, so that in the very hot summer months between October and March, the chalets are pleasantly comfortable. Air conditioning also has another advantage : mosquitoes do not like cold air, so once the air conditioner is switched on, the mosquitoes along with all other insects, disappear. Our clients tell us that the fans and mosquito nets in the treehouses are just as effective. Chalets at Marc’s Adventure Camp also have fans.

The treehouses are not completely insect-proof or even frog- proof insofar as there are small gaps between the reeds and the thatched roofs, but this adds to the adventure !
In the Tremisana and Cheetah Inn chalets, there are no gaps between walls and roofs. The doors have rubber at their bases to keep out insects and other creepy-crawlies. The windows of the chalets are burglar-proofed and are covered by insect-proof screens whereas the windows of the treehouses have a roll-up canvas cover.

A treehouse at Marc's Treehouse Lodge

There are other differences : The Tremisana and Cheetah Inn chalets have a tea/coffee station. Tremisana chalets are supplied with shampoos and have mats over the tiled floors. The finishes at Tremisana are generally better and the beds are more comfortable. All the chalets at Tremisana, Cheetah Inn and Marc’s Adventure Camp have en suite ablutions. Four of the twelve treehouses ( the original treehouses ) at Marc’s have private, but not en suite, ablutions, as do the four tents. This means that people booking a safari to Marc’s Treehouse Lodge cannot be guaranteed en suite facilities, but will probably enjoy showering under the stars !
 
Tremisana has a better wildlife prestige status insofar as it is Big Five. It is part of Kruger Park as there are no fences to Kruger, whereas Marc’s is in a Big Three ( Rhino; Buffalo and Leopard ) enclosed reserve. Cheetah Inn has sightings of Leopard every now and then.

Meals at Tremisana are generally better and the overall tone of the lodge is upmarket compared to Marc’s Camp and Cheetah Inn. Marc’s Camp has a better “ bush ” feel about it, whereas the manicured gardens at Tremisana and Cheetah Inn lend a different dimension to the experience.

Perhaps the most important difference is in terms of activities. At Tremisana there is an additional game drive, the “Sunrise ” morning drive. The 4h bush walk is only offered at Tremisana ( although the 6 day Marc’s Camp program includes this walk ). This appeals to guests who appreciate the opportunity of encountering lion and elephant on foot.
Tremisana safaris also include a 3h Game Drive at the Big Five Tshukudu Game Reserve which is always very productive in terms of Big Five sightings.

Viva Safaris believe that all our lodges offer exceptional value for money. When compared to other operators, we are convinced that all of our safari experiences offer way better wildlife experiences.

In summary :

Budget-conscious backpackers should be encouraged to book safaris staying at Marc’s Adventure Camp or the four tents at Marc’s Treehouse Lodge.

Adventure-minded tourists who are seeking a really African bush experience should be encouraged to book safaris staying at Marc’s Treehouse Lodge.

Budget-conscious tourists who are seeking comfortable en suite chalet accommodation should be encouraged to book safaris staying at the Cheetah Inn.

Tourists looking for Big Five lodge accommodation and who enjoy a little pampering both in terms of game-viewing activities and relatively upmarket facilities should be encouraged to book safaris at Tremisana Game Lodge.

Unless they request otherwise, all Fly-In safaris are accommodated at Tremisana Lodge.

NEWS FOR OUR TRAVEL PARTNERS

I received a complaint from a client who stayed in a treehouse at Marc’s and could not understand “what the wildlife is doing in my room ”.
 
The treehouses are situated in dense canopy. If a guest leaves a light on, of course all manner of insects will be attracted into the treehouse. The frogs, mice and geckos learn that light attracts insects, so they too move indoors and position themselves near the light source so as to catch their meal. Of course it is possible for a snake to follow the frogs and geckos – touch wood, we have , in the past 12 years, never had a client bitten by a snake at Marc’s – they actually get away when they sense the presence of a human !
All the treehouses have mosquito nets and these are insect, frog and gecko-proof.
We advise all our guests to switch off their lights when they go to dinner.
 
Bookings for June are hectic and Trevor and Alice have their work cut out for them. Trevor informs me that on certain days in June we have in excess of 100 clients at the 3 camps ! Wow !

Below we reproduce some of the numerous emails received. I am very humbled by the number of people who sent me ‘get well’ wishes – I thank you all sincerely for your genuine concern.

From: Gillian Colledge

Dear all who contribute!

We really enjoy the newsletters so wish to thank you for sending them. My husband and I had a very memorable few days at Tremisana lodge in late August last year.. We really enjoyed our stay and the expeditions into the park. The guiding was excellent (thanks Bongani). Your newsletters help keep the experience alive!

Kind regards,
Gillian and Michael Colledge


From: Bailey-Mathae, Kathie

Piero - First, congratulations on your new grandchild. I stayed at Anthony’s Place during my trip there in October, and enjoyed meeting and talking to him. You should include a photo in an upcoming newsletter though since many of us think of you all as an extended family!

Second, I was sorry to hear about your bypass, but am glad the surgery went well and that you are recovering.

Finally, thanks so much not only for your work organizing and running Viva Safaris, but also for your monthly newsletters. I went on one of your 3 days Marc's Treehouse safaris in October 2005. I enjoyed it so much I immediately started plotting and planning a return visit. I finally got back last October. It won’t be my last trip either. My oldest daughter has already informed me I need to plan a 3rd visit in 2012 when she graduates from college – WITH HER this time!

I have gotten your newsletters for 3 ½ years now, and read each word of them. I felt from the first one or two that there was something different about them, but it wasn’t until this last trip when I met your son and wife that I understood what that “something” was. Both mentioned that you were previously a teacher, and that’s the quality that comes through and makes your newsletters so compelling. Your newsletters educate us. I especially like your explanations of animal behavior, ecological interactions, and current issues (elephant culling). I feel like I learn as much from your newsletters as I do from being there in person, so thanks again for all the good work you do. It is definitely appreciated!

Best regards,
Kathie Bailey Mathae
Washington, DC, USA


Until next month...

With kind regards,
Piero
General Manager
Viva Safaris