Young Cheetah Sets Chase

1st December 2011

With another incredible sunrise greeting the early rises, I find myself thinking about the year up to now. The sightings at Nambiti have been on the top end of spectacular and this week is by no means the exception.
 
We had a sighting on the western plains area of the reserve and right in front of the vehicle. It was the youngest of our cheetah right in front of the game viewer giving chase to a Duiker through the grass. His tail spinning from one side to the other as he accelerated closer, the young male moving fast to win his prize. Unfortunately for the Cheetah and fortunately for the Duiker a Serval was also hunting the same area. Distracted and very curious the young Cheetah stopped taking the chance to focus his intentions on the Serval.  The Duiker now nowhere to be seen obviously fled the scene. Needless to say the Serval now felt highly threatened and hissed and stomped with his from legs making it clear to the Cheetah he was not in the mood for anything. After about four minutes the Cheetah lost interest thus giving the Serval the chance to make haste.

This was a very rare and interesting sighting for all of us and a first in my book anyway.  A special moment in time here for the Springbok guests and guides; one that will be remembered for a long time to come.

So long - till we meet on the plains of Nambiti …
The Springbok Lodge Rangers ~ Lee, David and Ruan

New Elephant Bull's Released

RANGER DIARIES - 22 November 2011
With our beloved Nambiti Conservancy alive as ever and pulsing from corner to corner after the recent block burns and occasional flickering shower, we see it lush and green wearing its best jacket of the year.

Game from all sides have come to the party and put on some really spectacular shows for us rangers here in the south, keeping us and the guests enthralled in the wonders the bush has to offer.

Yesterday morning (21 November 2011) at 05h00 the first two elephant bulls; of the four to arrive from Makalali near Hoedspruit, in the Limpopo Province; were released onto the property here on the hill by Springbok Lodge. After a not so troublesome journey (luckily for them) they cruised around the bush eventually moving right past the front of our lodge and out of sight through the bush around our tents. I think we are all in hopes of seeing them integrate calmly with the rest of the Ellies here. No doubt that the bulls will soon come into contact with the older resident bull. I for one hope I experience it, from an ecological and personal point of view.

Lion sightings have been great with the three cubs spending much of their time in the south over the last few days. One of their kills entertaining groups for close to three days.

General game are closer to our lodge now thanks to the fresh grass in our surrounds, providing early morning and afternoon sightings, which are often spoken about during the days drive. In fact in a rare case we had three jackal chasing a sub adult impala ram past tent one the other morning, only to find a young ram impala being eaten by three jackal a few minutes later…no doubt the same three we saw.

All in all it looks like its going to be a great end of year as usual, with the amazing and spectacular diversity here.

Till we meet on the plains of Nambiti …

RANGER: Lee Groenewald