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Elephant crosses in front of Viva Safaris clients

July 2015

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The introduction of a camera trap at the Tremisana waterhole has been a wonderful revelation ! It is attached to a Marula tree that thankfully has survived some seriously close encounters with elephants and buffalos. Despite the camera covering only a third of the waterhole (and...
Leopard grabs hold of warthog on Sunset Drive

June 2015

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From my home in Durban, I normally drive via Northern kwa-Zulu Natal through Swaziland and enter the Kruger Park at Crocodile Bridge and then proceed to Tremisana Lodge via Orpen Gate. It is a journey of about 850 km. On my most recent trip (end of June) I was very concerned to...
Bongani leads a focussed group on a walk along the banks of the mighty Olifants River.

May 2015

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The African Civet, Civettictis Civetta, is a strikingly attractive animal. Generally but not strictly nocturnal, the Civet stands roughly 300mm at the shoulder and has a mass of around 4 kg. Civets are sometimes called “Civet Cats” but this is a misnomer as Civets display...
Lioness really close to us on the tarred road

April 2015

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I was pleased to receive feedback to my last newsletter (March 2015). There were two notable responses to my call to exterminate Mallard ducks and their hybrid offspring from all nature reserves. Cosimo Brescia, MD of Sandown Travel, plans to organise Italian hunters to do duck...
Brilliant photo of excellent Leopard sighting

March 2015

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I am writing this newsletter from Cape Town, where there has been a major issue regarding the removal of the statue of Cecil John Rhodes from the grounds of the University of Cape Town. Rhodes is seen by radicals as a colonialist who brought terrible hardship to Africa. The...
Lionesses resting after a good meal of Kudu

February 2015

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It is very unfortunate that most people are scared of snakes. Perhaps the snake is maligned as a result of negative connotations. For example, we read in Genesis that Adam and Eve were tempted to do evil by a “crafty” snake. Similarly there are pejorative expressions such as “a...
Elephant bull near Tremisana Lodge feeding on a Marula Tree

December 2014 / January 2015

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There can be no bigger thrill than having a Black Rhino bull sense our presence on a Bush Walk. I accompanied Rex on a walk this January. We were walking through a dry watercourse when we heard the most terrifying bellow – Rex, who was ahead of the group, came charging back and...
Young male leopard resting in the shade

November 2014

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The sighting of a Pangolin at Marc’s Camp as reported in last month’s newsletter by our tourist guide, Vanessa, has caused a substantial stir. I have received a number of comments from friends and previous guests. Old timers to the Kruger Park who have been there hundreds of...
Rhino mother and calf

October 2014

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The Sausage Tree, Kygelia Africana, is so named after its fruit which looks like a short fat salame (singular form of salami). Perhaps it was the Italian connection that led me to buy one specimen about 15 years ago and plant it at Tremisana Lodge. This year is the first year it...
Lioness near Satara

September 2014

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Unlike last year, when the rains fell on 1 September, this month the ground was parched and dry. No rain fell in September 2014 and both grazers and browsers are having a tough time. The condition of the veld is deteriorating rapidly. The old, sick and weak are moribund and the...