WILDLIFE REPORT SINGITA PAMUSHANA, ZIMBABWE For the month of February, Two Thousand and Eighteen

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1 WILDLIFE REPORT SINGITA PAMUSHANA, ZIMBABWE For the month of February, Two Thousand and Eighteen Temperature Rainfall Recorded Sunrise & Sunset Average minimum: 21,5 C (70,7 F) For the month: 299,5 mm Sunrise: 05:50 Minimum recorded: 18,6 C (65,4 F) For the year to date: 311,0 mm Sunset: 18:21 Average maximum: 30,3 C (86,5 F) Maximum recorded: 36,5 C (97,7 F) We ve had some good solid rain at last, and parts of the reserve are lush and jungle-like! The foam-nest frogs having been whipping up their frothy nests, and there is much activity with births, birds and butterflies. The lodge is closed and the renovations are coming along very well and all on track. This break has given the guides the opportunity to do specialist courses and training, and they are currently visiting the Singita Grumeti property in Tanzania. This is a fantastic opportunity to see another safari area and operation, as well as impart their skills to, and learn from, others. Without guests or guides about there haven t been any game drives taking place but of course the wildlife is not on leave!

2 How much does a black rhino charge? This was a wonderful encounter! We rounded the bend in a road to find this tank-like dagger-embossed creature bearing down on us, with rich red soil flying through jungle-green bush. He charged the vehicle a couple of times but only to try and ascertain what we were. Each charge ended in hind leg anchor-throwing which resulted in clouds of dust billowing forth. He came right up to the vehicle, only a few metres away, until he was too close to fit in the frame of my 400mm fixed lens! This is classic black rhino (Diceros bicornis) behaviour. Their sense of sight is not good, but scent and hearing are very sensitive. They charge out of fear and confusion if they sense a threat. They have even been observed to charge tree trunks and termite mounds. Black rhinos are active for only 30 to 50% of the day, preferring to avoid the heat by resting in the shade, but they are active for about 90% of the night. This is when they make their way to water sources and it is awesome to watch them from the safety of our photo hide as they arrive at the water s edge and investigate and communicate with one another. They make a remarkable array of squeals and grunts and you come to realise that they are in fact very sensitive individuals. Unfortunately bulls are highly territorial and fighting is the main cause of death in natural circumstances where they are well protected, like ours. Poaching has resulted in black rhinos being categorised as Critically Endangered that s one step away from Extinct In The Wild.

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4 A mother s pride These are members of our Hippo/River Pride which have gone from strength to strength. They ve expanded their territory to both sides of the Chiredzi River now, whereas previously they stayed on the western Hippo Valley side. Territory is everything to lions (just as it is to domestic house cats). They are constantly trying to defend and expand their territory. Males defend it from other males, and females from other females. If part of a territory becomes available because the holding pride weakens (due to illness, injury or death), then a neighbouring pride wastes no time in extending their territory. A take-over can include a vicious fight in which deaths might occur, or it can be by more subtle means such as marking over scent, scratching trees, and roaring. It is often thought that the opportunity to mate is the most important drive for male lions, but it isn t. The strongest driving behaviour for a lion is holding a territory. Here is one of the adolescent cubs having a sip of water, and below shows the latest additions to the pride.

5 On the road So many animals use our roads for themselves especially those bolder types that don t mind if they are seen or not, like lions and hyenas. These two male lions were leaving a scene where they had killed and fed on an eland. They were utterly engorged and their heavy bloated bellies swayed as they staggered down the track. These are two dominant males in their prime, and you can see that the one is marking territory by urinating on a bush. This spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) paid us scant attention as it followed its nose. Their sense of smell is very acute and plays a large part in their lives for mutual recognition and for finding their way to carrion or other food. A hyena can also pick up the scent of a predator such as a leopard or wild dog, and track it to where it may or may not have a kill. If it does have a kill or is in the process of a hunt it will try to steal the prey from the predator.

6 Baboon matters I half expected this female baboon to place each index finger to thumb and start chanting, Om. Baboons, just like us, sleep during the night and are active during the day, taking their time to ease into the morning if circumstances allow. Troop disputes can be very loud, but baboons are usually quiet and social vocalisations are mainly soft grunts. That s what was going on between the mother and her infant in the photo below they were just peacefully sitting in a meadow feeding on the grass. You can see how the baby was mimicking the mother s technique of having another handful of grass at the ready while one was still in the mouth. They can eat a lot in a small space of time by constantly chewing a mouthful of food.

7 It s time to leave This calf is so big that it has to lie down to suckle! It should be weaned and by now, and a territorial bull was trying to ram that message home by chasing off the calf and charging at the mother. You can see she has a wound near her small horn. As soon as the calf is independent the mother will be receptive for mating.

8 Mature males Just look at the girth of this eland bull s neck! A breeding bull such as this can weigh up to 942 kg (2 076 lb). The kudu bull s horns begin growing at the age of 6-12 months, twisting once at around 2 years, and not reaching the full two and a half twists until they are 6 years old. This cheetah male is one of a coalition of two that hold territory here. A full grown cheetah male is taller than a leopard, and stands at 70 to 90 cm (28 to 35 in) at the shoulder.

9 All creatures great and small This was a rare sighting a scrub hare (Lepus saxatilis) in broad daylight. It sat absolutely still and so did we. By doing so we were able to get a good look at it, the orangebuff nuchal patch on the nape of the neck, large eyes and huge ears. They don t like to be exposed in open grass but the fresh young growth lured this one out for a nibble when it thought no one was looking. We came across this epic battle in the middle of the track. Six dungbeetles were fighting over a fresh ball of dung two beetles lay flat on their backs while the others pushed and shoved with all their might. Ultimately there needs to be one victor who picks up a mate as he rolls the ball away. Once at a good spot, the pair will then bury the dung ball into soft soil, mate and the female will lay an egg in the ball.

10 All a twitter Thanks to the rain and all the insects about the bird viewing is wonderful at the moment. Here a juvenile bateleur eagle (Terathopius ecaudatus) surveys the scene as a herd of impala calmly graze the rain-washed green grass below. This male black-bellied bustard (Lissotis melanogaster) can be told apart from the very similar red-crested korhaans by its white cheeks. A female black-bellied bustard can be told apart from the korhaans by its white underparts i.e it has no black belly! Helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) are such prehistoric-looking birds, and here they are backed up by equally prehistoric-looking white rhinos.

11 February Gallery Both tusks of this old bull have broken off but judging by the diameter of these they would have been huge. This bull demonstrates how to scratch an itchy armpit.

12 I don t know what it is about old buffalo bulls but they insist on urinating whenever you stop to view them. Perhaps it s a message to leave? A hippo porpoises alongside our boat to inspect us.

13 An artfully composed dazzle. As the first shaft of sunlight broke a storm at Sosigi Dam.

14 There s something so sculpturally beautiful about how these old trees dive into the water or emerge from it.

15 I can t help but wonder what these giraffes were saying about us? Written and photographed by Jenny Hishin, unless otherwise indicated Singita Pamushana Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve Zimbabwe Twenty-eighth of February 2018