WILDLIFE REPORT SINGITA KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA For the month of November, Two Thousand and Sixteen

Transcription

1 Photo by JP Le Roux WILDLIFE REPORT SINGITA KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA For the month of November, Two Thousand and Sixteen Temperature Rainfall Recorded Sunrise & Sunset Average minimum: 20 C (68 F) For the period: 19 mm Sunrise: 04h55 Average maximum: 32 C (90 F) For the year to date: mm Sunset: 18h29 Minimum recorded: 16 C (60.8 F) Maximum recorded: 38 C (100 F) Summer is fast approaching and many of the trees are starting to get new shoots. We had a few millimetres of rain and this has caused a bit of a growth spurt in the plants. The hills, in particular, are starting to look green. There are many forbs that are starting to flower, including the dainty string-of-stars (Heliotropium steudneri). In the flat areas many of the bulbs have started flowering, including the beautiful cerisecoloured ground lily (Ammocharis coranica), the white spider-lilies (Pancratium tenuifolium) and even a few common vlei-lilies (Crinum macowanii). Many of the migrant birds have returned and the sound of cuckoos and woodland kingfishers now resonate through the hills and woodlands. We are starting to see more insects now and the frogs are starting to call as well. Just after dark one can hear the bushveld rain frogs, plain grass frogs and even banded rubber frogs calling near the pans and the pools in the Nwanetsi River. There is water, once again, in patches along the N wanetsi (Dumbana Pools is full again), although the river is still dry in most places. The daytime temperatures are still quite hot, although we are seeing clouds in the sky now and on the few days that there has been light rain the temperatures have been cooler and much more comfortable. The female impalas are looking very pregnant, and we are expecting the birth of the lambs any day now.

2 Our wildlife review for the month is as follows: Buffalos: The small amount of rain in the concession this last month has allowed for some green shoots of grass to appear. This is a blessing for the grazers and we have been seeing a few buffalo bulls in the northern part of the concession again. These bulls, or Dagha Boys (as they are often referred to), have mainly been seen in small groups of two or three individuals. Danie was driving up the Ntsibitsane Valley late one morning when he came across three buffalos wallowing in some muddy pools. Male buffalos tend to enjoy wallowing in mud and it is assumed that this not only cools them down but also helps to protect them from biting insects and may even serve as a way of asserting some form of hierarchy dominance (the biggest and strongest males get the best places in the mud wallows). With the rains arriving we are hoping that when the grass grows that the herds will return to the concession. Photo by Brian Rode Leopards: We have had some great sightings of leopards this last month. The most exciting news is that towards the end of the month we had sightings of two different females with small cubs. One of these females was the Nhlanguleni female and the second one could be the Sticky Thorn female (it was difficult to identify her as she was seen at night). The Xinkelengane female was seen on a few occasions this month, mainly in the central area of the concession. This female leopard is one of the most relaxed leopards in the concession and it is always a pleasure to see her. Right at the end of the month she was found with a warthog kill hidden in the Xinkelengane riverbed. The Ndlovu male was also seen a few times this month, mainly in the area around the granophyre ridge and in the vicinity of Ndlovu Rd. He has been seen patrolling and even roaring. There has been an unknown male leopard seen in the same area and we believe that the Ndlovu male has been patrolling and roaring in order to chase the new male out. There have been a few sightings of unknown, skittish males in the area. Unfortunately, these sightings have been very brief. We also had a beautiful sighting of an unknown female leopard, near the end of the month, that was lying in a large leadwood tree at the side of the Shishangaan staff village road.

3 Cheetahs: Photo by Margaux Le Roux Photo by Brian Rode

4 We have had at least ten recorded sightings of cheetahs in November. Cheetahs tend to be nomadic in nature and they usually do not hold territories. Most of the sightings have therefore been of different groupings. We have seen single males, a coalition of two males, a female with three youngsters and a different female with four youngsters, amongst others. The public road known as the H6 has perfect habitat for cheetahs and many of the sightings this month have been from that road. Cheetahs are the fastest of the land mammals and can supposedly attain speeds of up to 110 kilometres per hour. They often reach these incredible speeds when hunting and chasing their prey. In order to be able to get to these speeds they need open areas. The H6 has many such open areas. There are also two waterholes along this road that attract impalas, which are the favourite prey of cheetahs in this area. Towards the end of the month there was a single male cheetah that was seen frequently in the open areas to the east of the Shishangaan turnoff. He was walking around and calling, obviously looking for another cheetah. Cheetahs have a very unusual chirping and yapping type of call, almost reminiscent of a bird call. Elephants: We are seeing quite a few elephants now that there is water in parts of the N wanetsi River. We see them on almost every drive. Towards the middle of the month Sean noticed some vultures descending into a valley near the Mozambique border and upon investigation he discovered three of the Shishangaan male lions feeding on an elephant. It was quite dark and access to the carcass was difficult. The next morning we returned to the area and the lions had disappeared. This gave us an opportunity to investigate the carcass closer. It was a very sad moment when we realised that the elephant was an old cow that we knew very well. The elephant was known to us as Langtand because she had one very long tusk (the other tusk was missing). She was an elephant that we used to see regularly in the concession. It was always a treat to find her and her youngster as they were very relaxed with the vehicles. It did not appear as if the lions had killed her, but rather that she had died of old age and that the lions had found her body and had scavenged on it. We are not sure what happened to her youngster but hope that he has joined another herd as there are now quite a few herds of elephants moving through the concession. Fortunately, this youngster was already old enough to browse and feed himself and was therefore not reliant on his mother for food. Nick describes a particular elephant sighting that he had later in this report. Photo by Sean Bissett

5 Lions: Photo by Brian Rode Singita Kruger National Park is well known for its fabulous lion sightings. We often refer to this concession as Lebombo, Land of Lions. This month was no exception, although towards the end of the month there were a few days when it was difficult to locate any of these large tawny cats. All in all, though, we have seen a lot of lions (we had over 77 recorded sightings during November). The Mountain Pride were definitely the main attraction this month. The three new cubs are doing well and we had some great views of them. Young cubs are always a highlight to see. They are often full of energy, chasing each other around and playing with each other. The adult females are looking healthy again and have managed to avoid the grumpy Shish male who tends to follow them around and steal any food that they manage to catch. Since he injured his back leg he has been a bit of a parasite on the pride. We believe that the previous seven cubs, which all died, were in such poor condition mainly as a result of the fact that this male stole all the food from the females. We have not seen the Shish Pride as often as we normally do. This is probably because the young males are at the age that they need to leave the pride and the large males in the north, south and west are gunning for them now. One morning, early on in the month, the pride was found at Gudzani East Windmill feeding on a buffalo that they had killed. Sean was watching them when suddenly three of the Northern males appeared and there was chaos. The Shish Pride bomb-shelled and ran in different directions as the large males ran towards them. That afternoon we found four of the sub-adults (including the young white male) lying in amongst the knobthorns, quite far to the east of the windmill. They were obviously nervous and were looking around constantly, expecting the males to appear at any moment. The next day we found some of the Shish Pride on the S100 public road. The white lion was not with them and one of the lionesses was very badly injured. The next day she was found dead at the side of the road. We have not seen the white lion since the skirmish with the males took place and we have only seen a portion of the pride since then. A few days later we saw a small group of the Shish Pride feeding on a zebra in the middle of the concession, but they then disappeared again. Towards the end of the month Jonathan saw the Shish Pride

6 in the far distance near Sonop waterhole (on the H6 public road). They were very far away, but Jonathan was sure that he got a glimpse of the white male with them. The Xhirombe Pride were only seen a few times this last month. They were looking good. They were mainly seen near the border in the area of the N wanetsi Poort. The females should be pregnant now and we are expecting that they will give birth to cubs sometime soon, either in Mozambique or in one of the secluded, steep-sided valleys to the south of N wanetsi Crossing. Right at the end of the month Collen was lucky enough to see a lioness with four small cubs crossing the S37 public road near Sweni Bird Hide. We believe that this lioness is one of the Southern females. Due to the nature of the terrain in which this pride lives, and due to the fact that there are very few roads in the area there, we do not see these lions very often. Spotted hyenas: Photo by Brian Rode We are very lucky to see quite a few spotted hyenas on a regular basis. We have at least four different clans that live in the area. The two clans that we see most regularly are the Nyokeng Clan and the clan that live on the H6 public road (near the area of the burn-plots). Both of these clans have young cubs at the moment. We often see the H6 clan on the way to, or from the airstrip. They are utilising a rain-water pipe underneath the road as a den. The Nyokeng Clan use two different den-sites in the Nyokeng Valley. Here they make use of some caves in the rocky hillside. This month the clan have moved back to the northern site. This is a very pretty location with lots of candelabra trees on the rocky slope nearby, and a pool of water just below the caves. At the moment there are four older cubs that have already got their spotted coats and two small cubs that are still blackish in colour. Two other clans that we see on occasion are the Cassia Clan, in the far north-west of the concession and the Nongo Clan, who have a den-site in the grasslands further to the east. Hyenas are amazing creatures and are certainly predators in their own rights. It has been said that almost sixty percent of what they eat they kill themselves, although they do often scavenge from kills made by other predators. Unfortunately, they seem to have a really bad reputation. This is probably partly as a result of the way that they have been portrayed in some movies. It is

7 sad that they have such a poor image, whereas lions are seen as the regal, royal kings, as lions probably scavenge from kills made by other predators just as much as hyenas do. Hyenas are, however, very interesting creatures with great stamina and exceptional bravery. They are true survivors of the bush! Other interesting sightings: This month we have also had quite a few sightings of nocturnal creatures on our night drives, including regular sightings of both small and large-spotted genets, African civets, thick-tailed bushbabies and porcupines. We have also had a few sightings of honey badgers in November. Another interesting sighting was that of a black-backed jackal that managed to attack and kill an adult male impala. The black-backed jackals that live near Kori Clearing, presently have four young pups and it has been a pleasure to watch them as they play with each other near the den-site, which is a hole in the ground at the edge of a large open area. The beast from the east Article & photos by Nick du Plessis On one of our early morning drives we decided to head up to the very northern parts of the concession in hope of adding a few new species to our list. The morning started off a little overcast and cloudy, so we really wanted to make the most of the cooler weather and have an extended drive. Everything went pretty much to plan with some phenomenal sightings of a female cheetah and cubs, members of the Mountain Pride and large amounts of general game along the way. After stopping for our morning coffee break and leg-stretch the weather started to quickly warm up and our cool morning was suddenly a lot warmer than everyone was hoping for. On planning our route back home, Christoff, our tracker said he had a really good feeling for elephants on the way back to the lodge, noting that with it getting so hot, water would quickly become a necessity. He suggested that we take a very specific route back to camp in hope of one or more sightings of elephant before brunch.

8 We found two very large elephant bulls trailing a small breeding herd, this most often happens when a female is in oestrus and the males are present to establish who is the dominant bull at the time and, in turn, who gets to mate. At first we expected a bit of interaction between the two males until one of the bulls turned to face us showing off his magnificent set of tusks. The large bull then proceeded to give us a show pushing over a large knob-thorn tree (Acacia nigrescens), which in comparison to him just looks minute in size, almost in a display to show off his dominance/strength to the other bull who very quickly backed down. Unfortunately large tuskers like this are not a common occurrence these days and it s attributed to the ivory poaching that happened in the past. The poachers targeted the largest animals possible and as a result the genes of big tusked elephants like this are few and far between. I knew it was a special sighting when Christoff asked if he can have his photograph taken with the animal to show his family and friends!

9 Unusual sighting of a bushpig (Potamochoerus larvatus) Article and photo by Brian Rode It was quite late in the morning and we were just starting to head back to camp. We had had quite a good morning and as we were returning back to the lodge I decided to swing past Pony Pan. We could see a herd of elephants that were making their way to the waterhole and so I went and parked the car and waited for them. They soon arrived and we had fabulous views of a few females and their youngsters as they played in the mud. A young bull was dominating the area where the water is pumped into the pan. This is where the water is cleanest as it is not stirred up and muddy there. The matriarch soon decided that the herd had had enough to drink and so started to lead them away. We followed them for a short while as they made their way to some thick bushes at the edge of a dry riverbed. They started to feed on the bushes when we noticed a dark-brown object moving in the thicket. The elephants were just starting to feed on the bushes at the thicket when suddenly an adult male bushpig jumped out and started to run up the embankment opposite us. It had obviously been flushed out by the elephants. As it went over the top of the bank it inadvertently ran into the rest of the herd. The herd all got a fright as the large hairy pig ran in amongst them. The elephants all started trumpeting and gathered close together. It appeared that they did not know what this creature was that had just run into their midst. The elephants then all decided to charge at the bushpig. It ran in between them like a rugby player trying to avoid being tackled and dodged around the legs of the big grey creatures. The elephants were obviously alarmed by the animal that was running between them. The bushpig narrowly avoided being squashed by the elephants and then ran towards the nearby cliffs. I was very excited as this was the first bushpig that I had seen in the concession (I have not even seen their tracks in the area). Bushpigs are animals that generally prefer thickly-vegetated areas and our concession does not have a lot of this type of habitat. They are more commonly seen in forested areas or in sugar-cane fields (particularly in Natal). They can be quite dangerous animals and have very sharp tusks. They are generally nocturnal and tend to hide in thick bushes during the day. They are omnivores and feed on a wide variety of food including bulbs, roots, fruits and even carrion. They can cause huge problems for farmers when they enter and feed on crops. We watched as the bushpig among the rocks and then over the ridge. It was an amazing sighting!

10 Painted wolves Article and photo by Brian Rode We had just arrived back from the morning drive when Nick came rushing into the main area, very excited, saying that there was a pack of wild dogs at the Boom Gate. Wild dogs, also known as painted wolves (from their scientific name Lycaeon pictus) or Cape hunting dogs, are very rarely seen in the concession. We quickly gathered as many guests as we could and headed out to go and look for them. We found them further down the public road. They were strolling down the road, with traces of blood around the face and very full bellies, and then rested in the shade of a tree right next to the verge. There were four dogs in total, including a very dark male. In the afternoon we went to look for them again, but they were nowhere to be seen. Wild dogs are exceptionally rare animals and it is estimated that there are fewer than left in the world. They are considered to be the second rarest large carnivore in Africa (after the Simien Wolf, that occurs in the highlands of Ethiopia). The next day we saw tracks of the dogs in the concession, but were unable to locate them. The morning after, JP had stopped for a coffee break on the ridge at Green Apple Hill when Daniel (one of our trackers) spotted the dogs lying in the shade of an umbrella thorn tree far in the distance. It was a phenomenal spot! We had great views of them resting in the shade. It is always exciting to see these incredible creatures. Antelope of the Lebombo Concession (Part 1 medium to large antelope) Photos and article by Brian Rode Many guests come to Africa hoping to see the Big 5 and only realize the beauty of the diversity of life when they get here. The Kruger National Park is known for its exceptional biodiversity. According to the official SANPARKS website there are 53 species of fish, 505 species of birds, 35 species of amphibians, 118 species of reptiles, taxa of plants and 148 species of mammals that have been recorded in the Park. There are at least 22 species of antelope alone!

11 We are very fortunate to regularly see quite a few species of antelope in the Lebombo Concession. These include: Impala (Aepyceros melampus) Greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) Blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) Steenbok (Raphicerus campestris) Klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragus) Sharpe s grysbok (Raphicerus sharpei) Common duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia) Nyala (Tragelaphus angasii) Bushbuck (Tragelaphus sylvaticus) On rare occasions we may even see Sable antelope (Hippotragus niger) Eland (Taurotragus oryx) Common reedbuck (Redunca arundinum) Mountain reedbuck (Redunca fulvorufula) We also see Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) fairly regularly in the concession. Although buffalos are not considered to be antelope they do fall within the same family (Bovidae, which includes antelope, cattle, goats and sheep). Cape Buffalo Cape Buffalo Antelope are generally herbivorous animals that are considered to be even-toed ungulates (ungulates are animals with hooves). They fall under the order Cetartiodactyla (previously Artiodactyla) and the sub-order Ruminantia. They are, therefore, ruminants and have four-chambered stomachs and chew the cud. Antelope differ from deer (which fall into the family Cervidae), in that antelope have horns that are permanent and unbranched, (and not forked), whereas deer have branched antlers, which are shed annually. Antelope horns are part of the skull and consist of bone with a keratin outer sheath. Antelope do not shed their horns. Antlers (which occur on male deer), in comparison, start as two velvet covered spikes with spongy bone inside. As the bone grows, calcifies, and hardens the velvet starts to drop off and only the bony part remains. Antlers are generally shed at the end of the breeding season. Antelope can be placed into various sub-families, or tribes, based on physical / anatomical similarities, similar behaviours and similar habitats. Impala are the most common and most successful antelope seen in the concession. They fall under the subfamily Aepycerotinae and the tribe Aepycerotini. These are often referred to as the perfect antelope, and have supposedly remained relatively unchanged (in evolutionary terms) over at least the last five million years.

12 The scientific name Aepyceros melampus is derived from the Greek words aipos (meaning "high") and ceros ("horn"). The species name melampus is derived from the Greek words melas ("black") and pous ("foot"). The impala is a medium-sized antelope and weighs in the region of kilograms. Only the males carry the lyre-shaped horns. Impalas prefer savanna woodland habitats (particularly along ecotones where two or more habitats meet and integrate). They are considered to be diurnal animals (active during the day). Male impalas only hold territories during the rutting season (April / May). These territories are marked with urine and faeces and defended against juvenile or male intruders. The gestation period is six-and-a-half months and the young fawns are all born within a few weeks during summer. After being hidden away for a day or two after birth the fawns congregate in crèches. Impalas are well-known for their great jumping ability and can even cover three meters in a single running leap. Impalas are considered to be mixed feeders and can consume both grass and woody vegetation. They form an important prey species for several carnivores, such as cheetahs, leopards and Cape hunting dogs. Lions may also, on occasion, feed on impalas (although they prefer larger herbivores such as zebras and buffalos). Impala ewe and lamb Impala ram The Tragelaphini tribe of antelopes includes (amongst others) the greater kudu, the nyala and the bushbuck. Antelope in this tribe are characterised by the males having spiral-shaped horns. They often have white markings on the body and face. Kudus and nyalas both have vertical stripes on their flanks that function as disruptive patterning, allowing them to hide better in the bushy vegetation. Bushbuck tend to have spots on their rumps and flanks that serve the same purpose. Eland are often placed within this tribe of antelope, although both sexes have horns and some authorities place them in the same tribe as cattle. We very seldom see eland in the concession. The word Tragelaphus is derived from the Greek words tragos (meaning "billy goat") and elaphos, meaning "stag"). These antelopes are therefore also known as goat-stags and were named after a legendary creature which was supposedly half-goat and half-stag. The tragelaphids are usually browsers (except eland) and feed on leaves and branches of trees and bushes. They tend to prefer habitats with denser vegetation such as riverine woodland and thickets. Kudus may also be regularly seen in savanna-woodland habitats. Greater kudus are large antelope and may attain a mass of up to 250 kg. Both Nyala and Bushbuck are considered to be medium-sized antelope. Nyala can attain a mass of up to 108 kg. Bushbuck are slightly smaller and can attain a mass of 45 kg.

13 Greater kudu bull Greater kudu cow Bushbuck ram Bushbuck ewe Nyala bull Young male nyala The tribe Reduncini is a group of medium- to large-sized grazers (feed on grasses), most of which have strong ties to water (except the Mountain reedbuck that prefers rocky environments). Many of the antelope in this tribe have diffuse sebaceous glands in their skin that make their coats slightly greasy and give off a fairly strong scent (especially waterbuck), reminiscent of turpentine. It is thought that because many of the antelope live in or around wet areas that the secretions from these glands may provide some type of water-proofing for the animal. This strange scent has led to a belief that predators do not like to consume these antelopes. This, however, is not true and lions readily feed upon waterbuck. The name of the tribe (and of the genus of the reedbuck) comes from the Latin word reduncus (meaning to be bent or curved like a hook), and refers to the horns which are found only on the males and which initially point backwards from the skull and then curve forwards towards the tip.

14 Antelope that fall into this tribe, that may be seen in the concession, include waterbuck, common reedbuck and mountain reedbuck. The waterbuck is commonly seen in our area, but the two reedbuck species are much rarer here. Waterbuck bull Waterbuck cow Waterbuck are fairly large (up to 260 kg), grey, shaggy antelope that are characterized by having a white ring around on the rump, circling the tail. They tend to be found in woodland savanna areas that are close to water. The species name ellipsiprymnus is derived from the Greek words ellipes (meaning a regularly shaped oval) and prymnos (meaning hind part) Common reedbuck is a medium-sized antelope (up to 68 kg) with golden-grey fur and with an obvious glandular bald patch below the ear (known as a sub-auricular gland). The males have short forward curving horns that may be up to 47 cm in length. Common reedbuck tend to live in marshy grasslands and the colour of their fur blends in very well with the surroundings. When alarmed they give off a high-pitched whistling sound. The species name arundinum comes from the Latin word meaning reed, with reference to the habitat in which they live. As we do not have many areas in the concession with the habitat that common reedbuck require we very seldom see them here. Southern / common reedbuck male Mountain reedbuck ewe Mountain reedbuck is a medium-sized antelope (up to 30 kg) with fairly short forward-curving horns. The genus name fulvorufula comes from the Latin words fulvus (meaning tawny in colour) and rufula (meaning rufous in colour). Mountain reedbuck, in this area tend to have more a grey-coloured fur, tinted with rufous. Mountain reedbuck tend to live in hilly areas and are grazers. These antelope, like their relative the common reedbuck, also have a prominent bald, sub-auricular gland. These antelopes are very seldom seen in the concession.

15 Blue wildebeest Blue wildebeest The blue wildebeest falls in the Alcelaphini tribe of antelopes. These animals look similar to buffalo, but are smaller, thinner, and their horns are slightly different in shape. The back of the wildebeest tends to slope slightly downwards from the forequarters to the hindquarters, whereas that of the buffalo tends to be more level. The blue wildebeest is also known as the brindled gnu. The name blue wildebeest refers to the blueish sheen on the skin, whereas the second word wildebeest is derived from the afrikaans term meaning wild beast. The scientific name Connochaetes taurinus comes from the Greek words kónnos, (meaning "beard"), khaítē, (meaning "flowing hair" or "mane"). The species name taurinus originates from the Greek word tauros (which refers to a bull). The alternative name Gnu is an onomatopoeic word describing the sound that these animals make. Wildebeest are well known due to the great migration that they undertake in East Africa. The wildebeest that undertakes this migration is a different subspecies to the blue wildebeest that we find in our area. It appears that before the borders of the Kruger Park were established there was a smaller migration of wildebeest that move east-west in the Lowveld area. This migration however was halted as a result of the western boundary fence being raised. The wildebeest in Kruger Park no longer migrate. The males establish territories and the small herds of females are nomadic following the grazing (they feed on grass). The males mark their territories by rubbing their pre-orbital glands (glands in front of the eyes) on nearby trees, horning vegetation and the ground, defecating at specific sites, rolling in the sand and standing upright (advertising their status as the dominant bull in the area). Blue wildebeest are large antelope that can attain a mass of up to 250 kg. Both sexes have horns. Blue wildebeest enjoy open grassland habitats, but may also be found in woodland savanna areas. The basalt grasslands in the Satara and Lebombo areas are particularly suitable for this species and they are therefore fairly common in the central areas of the Kruger Park, and are often seen in the company of plains zebras. Females usually give birth in early summer (after a gestation period of 8-9 months) and the calves are a golden colour when young. The calves are susceptible to predation particularly by lion and cheetah.

16 Sable antelope bull Sable antelope are very rarely seen in the concession. In previous years a small herd of sable antelope were seen on occasion in the northern parts of the concession. Sable antelope fall within the tribe of antelope known as the Hippotragini tribe. The common name for this tribe is the horse antelopes. These antelopes are large in size (they can attain a weight of up to 260 kg) and are possibly the most majestic antelope in Africa. The males are pitch black in colour (hence their name sable ), with white bellies and alternating black and white stripes or patches on the face. They have very impressive recurved horns that stretch over the back. They also have fairly long, bushy tails reminiscent of that of a horse. The females are not as dark as the males and are more chocolate-brown in colouration. Both males and females have horns, although those of the males tend to be more sturdy and longer. The species name niger is derived from the Latin word meaning black. Sable antelope form small herds and tend to inhabit savanna grassland areas. They are grazers. November moments in time Photo by Barry Peiser

17 Photos by Brian Rode Photo by Nick du Plessis

18 Photo by Nick du Plessis Photo by Barry Peiser

19 Photo by Barry Peiser Articles by Brian Rode & Nick du Plessis Photos by Brian Rode, Barry Peiser, JP Le Roux, Margaux Le Roux, Sean Bissett and Nick du Plessis Singita Kruger National Park, South Africa Thirtieth of November, 2016