November is the birth month of young impalas in Kruger. The majority of impala ewes have dropped their young and the good rains this month will ensure there is plenty of grazing available. The transformation of the bushveld is truly amazing - wonderful hues of green blend with the yellows of the acacia flowers. The veld is alive with a multitude of insects and birds, all seemingly rejoicing in the warm summer days. November also marks the beginning of our high tourist season. We are pleased to report that it has been a good month in terms of safaris. We have decided to hopefully increase our share of the tourist arrivals by keeping our 2004 tariffs unchanged until the 1st May 2005. We trust that this gesture will offset any additional expense incurred as a result of the stronger rand. We are confident that our safaris remain the best value-for-money packages available.
NEWS AT TREMISANA GAME LODGE
The gardens have an extra sparkle as a result of the rains. A pair of Pied Crows made their nest at the top of the cellular tower and have produced 4 sprightly youngsters. A striking black-and-white bird, the Pied Crow has a raucous call that serves as a wake-up call for our staff. Equally raucous and equally beautiful in its own coat of black and white is the Trumpeter Hornbill. These make a sporadic appearance in November to eat the fruit of the fig tree outside chalet 1. They compete with other fruit-eating birds such as the Grey Lourie and the Plum-coloured Starling. Our fishpond has some new arrivals in the form of newly-spawned tilapia fish. The tilapia, a type of bream, is an interesting fish in that it is a mouth-brooder - the fry find refuge in the parents' mouths in the face of danger. The danger presents itself in the form of the Hamerkop Heron and the Pied Kingfisher, both of which are often seen "fishing" at the fishpond.
Our reptile pit has new arrivals in the form of a pair of Leopard Tortoises, that require a special permit. An interesting feature of Leopard Tortoises, and indeed all tortoises, is the shape of the base carapace. It provides a simple method to sex the tortoise. Females have a flat base , whereas males have a definite concavity. This allows for successful mounting when mating. Our guests are amazed when the guides show them these wonderful facets of Mother Nature.
The open Gameviewers have been fitted with safety belts as per new roadworthy regulations. Gameviewing from these high vehicles is especially appreciated by our clients now that the grass is growing tall. Our guides report a general improvement in general game around Tremisana. The water in the Tremisana Dam is probably the explanation. A big herd of waterbuck has taken up residence around the dam and is seen regularly.
NEWS AT MARC'S CAMP
The Adventure camp has seen an increase in shrubs and tree growth as a result of good rains. We are presently adding an educational feature : different nests of various species of weaver birds. We plan to introduce Tilapia (bream) and Clarias (barbel) to feast on the multitude of insects, frogs and worms in the Obstacle Course Dam. We have confirmed a booking for 200 ( two hundred ) grade 8 students from Bergvlam School in Nelspruit. They will have their initiation and introduction/ teambuilding in January . This number is a new record and we will be using all accommodation including the treehouses and the hotel rooms at the Cheetah Inn. The Treehouse Camp is looking good - especially the gardens. The Klaserie River is flowing well and we are told that the Klaserie Dam is over 80% full. This is a very big improvement on last year. The treehouses have been improved by the addition of rustic cupboards. Although the treehouses are cool as a result of their position under big trees, we plan to add overhead fans. The reeds around the Breakfast Dam have been cleared and the resident monitor lizard family is seen more regularly. The waterbuck herd has a new addition in the form of twins born in October. A herd of 4 buffalo bulls are seen drinking on a daily basis at the Breakfast Dam. They ventured up to the swimming pool to sample the newly planted grass but were shooed away before they could do much damage. A pair of paradise flycatchers has reared its brood on the lower branches of the Marula tree near the swimming pool.
NEWS AT CHEETAH INN
More conferences are being held and we have had a number of enquiries from local government departments. A few local businesses have held their end-of-year functions and these appear to have been very successful. One of the big tour operators in Hoedspruit , McFarlane Safaris, once again held their Christmas party at Cheetah Inn. Bookings show a steady improvement from last year and the number of international self-drive tourists has increased. The local staff at the neighbouring Kapama Game Reserve support us and enjoy the rugby on our big screen T V . A row of Casuarina trees has been planted to form a wind-break . The gardens are looking very pretty . The Epaulleted Fruit Bats have returned to roost under the thatch roof outside Reception - they probably were tired of being wet as a result of the good rains.
NEWS FROM KRUGER PARK
The latest census figures ( 2003) were released last week and we include these here :
Elephant : 11 672
Buffalo : 27 000
Lion : 1 500
White Rhino : 4 509
Leopard : 1 000
Zebra : 17 797
Impala : 85 869
Wildebeest : 17 000
Hyena : 2 000
Hippo : 3 000
Warthog : 3 000
Giraffe : 5 114
Kudu : 5 798
Nyala : 300
Bushbuck : 500
Waterbuck : 5 000
Wild Dog : 550
Cheetah : 70 !!
The cheetah numbers are very worrying - we hope someone miscalculated !
Lion kill seen for 3 days (See September/October News) :
Prize winning elephant photo (see July/August News) :
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