Rainfall and Temperatures

Temperatures

The average maximum temperature for this month was 35°C and the average minimum temperature 20°C.  The average maximum temperature for February 2010 is lower than February 2009 and falls within the range of temperatures that have been experienced during the previous years which gives the indication that temperatures are not increasing.  The highest temperature recorded for February was 44°C and the lowest was 18°C.

Rainfall

February was a low rainfall month taking into account the season; however the rain showers received have kept the vegetation looking lush and green.  A total of 40 mm was received during the month, bringing the total rainfall received during 2010 to 93 mm.  The total for this wet season (September 2009 to August 2010) has increased to 507.5 mm.

Field

Maintenance

Much of the maintenance work undertaken in Lion Sands during February revolved around the repair and rehabilitation of two-track cause by vehicles during off-road driving for animal sightings.  Only a few two-track are in need of repair and rehabilitation - these are usually created when the Rangers have located a predator on a kill, as these give excellent sightings for a couple of days.

Two-track repair and rehabilitation involves chipping the soil crust and adding rhino dung before brush packing the sight with vegetation.  The soil is chipped to allow water to infiltrate the soil, while the rhino dung acts as an important seed source of various grass species and the brush packing reduces the impact of raindrops on the soil surface while also reducing herbivory on the sprouting grasses.

After the heavy rainfall event towards the end of the month we spent a great deal of our time removing fallen trees from across the many roads in the Reserve.  These were mostly windfalls, with the occasional tree being pushed over by elephants.  These trees and cut into manageable portions, removed from the road and placed in the surrounding vegetation to serve as micro habitats to the Reserves small inhabitants.

Roads

The habitat squad spent most of its time during February working on the road network of Lion Sands Private Game Reserve.  Most of these roads just required routine maintenance, with the opening of drains and the repairing of the humps associated with them. Gravel was also brought into the Reserve to fill and repair the major potholes.  Maintenance work was undertaken on Bonsela, Tamboti Drive, Wilson’s Pan and the access road to 1933.

During March the habitat squad has prioritized several roads which will undergo retinue maintenance.  These roads include Inkwazi, Nganga Drive and Sand Dam.

Vegetation and Water

The vegetation throughout the Reserve is still lush and green due to the numerous rainfall events during the month.  February this year has had far more rainfall events compared to previous years, a factor causing the great condition out of the vegetation.  The rainfall experienced at the end of the month did however bring some welcome relief and the vegetation in once again lush and green.  Many tree species are in the process of producing fruit; these are species such as Buffalo thorn and Sickle bush.

Water levels in the major pans throughout the Reserve are relatively high, due to the 40 mm of rainfall which we received during the month.  Small water bodies can be located throughout the Reserve; these are a welcome sight as they help distribute the impact which herbivores have around water bodies.

Animals

Birds

Bird activity has been relatively high during February, with the occasional sighting of the migrant birds that are usually seen here this time of year.  Woodland kingfishers (Halcyon senegalensis) are becoming less abundant as they get ready to migrate.  Less common sightings of birds included that of Southern Ground Hornbills (Bucorvus leadbeateri), Saddlebilled storks (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis) and a White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis).  Shelley’s Francolin (Francolinus shelleyi) and Marabou storks (Leptoptilos crumeniferus) have also been sighted during the month.

Reptiles

February has been full of excitement when it comes to reptile sightings, this is probably do to the increase in temperatures and the reduced amount of rainfall experienced in the Reserve during the past month.  On these warmer days we have been really fortunate to sight the following species:

- Puff adder (Bitis arietans)
- Leopard Tortoise (Geochelone pardalis)
- Black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis)
- African Rock Python (Python sebae)
- Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)

Special Sighting

Outcrop’s daughter’s first kill

The last few months we have been seeing our Outcrop female leopard with her two daughter cubs quite regularly.  As a guide you grow up with these animals, from the moment where the mother shows you her precious litter for the first time, to the proud moment where that cub you saw growing up shows you her first litter.  Between these two events there were many firsts that occurred.  This weeks sighting of the week was one of those moments.

It all happened one typical January day, on the evening game drive.  Gawie one of our senior rangers left River Lodge and about five minutes away from the Lodge, a guinea fowl alerted him and his tracker of something suspicious in the tall green summer grass.  Gawie being a guide for seven years knew that this alarm call from this stressed guinea fowl could only mean one thing, a leopard is lurking somewhere just of the road hiding away from the January sun.

Bheki, his tracker, was the first to spot her lazing in the grass.  As the next Rangers responded she got up and started moving.  She crossed the road and the elusive cat quickly disappeared into the vegetation on the other side.  We all knew something was up when se disappeared so quickly and pursued hastily to relocate her again.

In the distance there was a group of banded mongoose.  The inquisitive young leopard headed straight for the mongoose in the stalking fashion she has seen her mother doing so many times.  Being inexperienced she suddenly just bolted towards them.  The mongoose just scattered everywhere leaving the leopard undecided on which one to pursue and attempt to catch.

The agile cat pounced towards one and missed, and as if in one motion pounced to another and another.  On her fourth attempt she succeeded to barely catch an adult mongoose.  The inexperience resurfaced as she bit it on the back legs.  The mongoose realizing he got himself in a predicament started biting back.  He bit her on her right leg and did not let go.  The leopard then stuck in a situation where she has the mongoose in her mouth and the mongoose attached to her leg started trotting around on three legs not knowing what to do.  Unfortunately, she was alone today; her mother was not there to help.  This was her first introduction into the animal she was born to be, a solitary, elusive cat, killing by stealth and speed.  She had all the tools and genes but experience was lacking.

Hurting from the mongoose bite she knew she had to do something and fast.  She let go and almost before the mongoose could touch the ground she got a better grip and the mongoose was done for.  She finally took her prize up a tree, away from hyenas and anybody that wanted to steel her first, prized kill.

Mammals

Buffalo

Buffalo sightings have been on the increase during this month, with several sightings of both bachelor herds are well as large breeding herds recorded during the month.  Most of the sightings have been of bachelor herds, otherwise known as “Dagga Boys”.  Males leave the breeding herds to build up strength by feeding on higher quality grasses, which would otherwise be unavailable in a large breeding herd and form bachelor herds.  Once they have improved their condition they return to the breeding herds where they can challenge other males for the opportunity to male with receptive females.

Elephant

The past month our guests saw plenty of elephants.  Large breeding herds were all over Lion Sands numbering into the hundreds!  This presented ample opportunity for our guests to see everything from the tiniest baby elephants to massive bulls.  The large breeding herds often resulted in ‘road blocks’ for our game drive vehicles, only to the delight of our guests!

Edwin Pierce
Ecologist -  Lion Sands Private Game Reserve