March 2013 - Leopard Hills

Rangers Report March 2013

Posted on 29 March 2013 by LH Focus Online

A chill in the air and clear sunny days herald a welcome change in season after a very wet summer! There is a stillness in the misty mornings and evenings as the woodland kingfishers have taken their booming calls far to the north!

Leopards

Stability seems to be reigning supreme here in the west with both the male and female leopard dynamics fairly stable…for now.

Hlaba Nkunzi

Her playful female cub is growing bigger by the day and is still being led all around her mother’s vast territory to her various kill sites. See image below and amusing video of her cub manoeuvring around a small marula tree with a male common duiker kill.

Hlaba Nkunzi is also seen a lot on her own and seems to be constantly on the move, getting around and marking her vast territory. There is a lot of marking activity and vocalising on her boundary with Metsi, lots of competition for space now that they both have growing female cubs! See video of her vocalising.

Metsi

So glad to report that Metsi and her female cub were found more often this month, we had one really memorable sighting of them for a few days on an impala kill. The cub is relaxing more and more with the presence of game drive vehicles and is becoming a joy to watch. The female bloodline in the west looks very safe with both Metsi and Hlaba Nkunzi having female cubs.

Xikavi

She was found frequently this month, on one particular occasion we arrived just as she was dragging her impala kill up a tree. See images below and some video footage.

It looks like she has lactation stains and most likely has little cubs hidden somewhere…watch this space.

Thlangisa

Still residing up in the north, she surfaces very rarely in the dense environment up there but when she is found she is as playful as always!

Dayone & Kashane

Dayone is covering huge distances as always patrolling his rather large territory, he is always a pleasure to watch. He is pushing a little further east and he is often seen walking and marking the same areas that Kashane has been frequenting! There could still be more trouble brewing between these two.

Kashane contemplating his next move from high up a Jackalberry

Nyeleti

He is still hanging around gaining strength and doesn’t seem too fazed about the presence bigger older territorial males around! He is nearly 4 years old and may become a real threat very soon!

Leopards Video

Thanks to our guest Todd Fearon for being so quick on the draw and capturing Hlaba Nkunzi vocalising
[FMP width=”640″ height=”360″]https://www.leopardhills.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Leopards-mar13.flv[/FMP]

Lions

Selati Coalition

All 4 gaining strength and feeding on their wildebeest kill

They faced their moment of reckoning during the latter part of the month, an almighty confrontation between 3 of the huge Majingilane males! In the aftermath one had an injured lip and another one an injured eye but they look stronger and more assured than ever! See images and video below. The way they handled the wily older Majingilane boys was commendable and the future of the Ximhungwe cubs looks very bright indeed!

One of the more dominant males just after putting his body on the line and sporting an injured lip.

A few days later and almost fully healed!

All 4 looking for buffalo a few days after the battle.

Ximhungwe pride

With the cubs still being so young the lionesses are not covering much ground at the moment and we are able to find them almost daily. Early mornings and late evenings are always a good bet to see the little ones active and playing around. Enjoy video footage below!

Kung Fu cub

Othawa Pride

The poor Othawa lionesses have been caught right in the middle of the titanic battle of the coalitions, they probably instigated all the furore by being so attractive in their oestrus condition…Tracks of one of the lionesses have been seen far west, going back and forth to the same river bed, maybe some little Othawa cubs are on the way! Watch this space…

Lions video
[FMP width=”640″ height=”360″]https://www.leopardhills.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/lions-mar13.flv[/FMP]

Pack of Painted Dogs

The pack of 8 has been here a few times this month! The good news is that the one yearling from last year that was separated from the pack somehow found the rest and has rejoined them after over a week on his own.

Interesting sightings in March

A rarely spotted dwarf bittern hopped up from a roadside pan and paused briefly in this tree. Very good sighting for the birders.

A handsome young male cheetah arrived in the west and delighted us for a few days.

This young hyena was found killing a fully grown zebra! The zebra must have been sick or injured, reminding us that there is no place for the weak in Africa!

Saving the Rhino One Step at a Time

Posted on 28 March 2013 by LH Focus Online

It has been a busy week so far here in the Bush, with an outstanding initiative between the Lodges, The Sabi Sand Reserve and The Rhino Rescue Project.
As part of our ongoing effort to combat rhino poaching on the Sabi Sand, we are undertaking the horn infusion treatment as pioneered by the Rhino Rescue Project. We view poisoning rhino horn as a valuable intervention to deflect prospective poachers.

What does the treatment entail?
The horn is treated by infusing it with an indelible dye that contaminates the horn and renders it useless for ornamental – or medicinal use. A full DNA sample is harvested and three matching identification microchips are inserted into the horns and the animal itself. At the owners discretion, the indelible dye can be mixed with with special compound of depot ectoparasiticides (specifically acaricides containing pyrethroids and organophosphates) and a tracking device can also be fitted.

_DSC2877 (1024x683) — Treatment is quick and the Rhino is up and running in 30 minutes

What steps have been taken to prevent treated horns being accidently ingested?
The fact that the rhino’s in the reserve are treated is widely publicised by means of 200+ signposts around the reserve’s perimeter and, should a treated rhino be killed, the indelible dye is clearly visible inside the horn – a clear indication that the horn had been tampered with. We strongly suggest involving staff in the horn treatment process to assist (with menial tasks) as their involvement ensures that word about the treatment spreads rapidly via the “bush telegraph”.

What is the purpose of the dye and how does it work?
The dye is bright pink and clearly seen inside a treated horn, regardless of whether the ectoparasiticides have been used, which means that there can be no doubt about whether a horn is treated or not. It is similar to products used in the banking industry and has the added benefit that it is visible on an x-ray scanner. Thus a treated horn, even when ground to a fine powder, cannot be passed through security checkpoints unnoticed and so airport security checkpoints are almost certain to pick up the presence of the dye. The dye cannot be removed in any way and therefore the horn is rendered useless in terms of ornamental use. This contamination should also discourage medicinal use. Furthermore, sniffer dogs have been trained at a professional training facility to track rhino horns containing the dye, even in minuscule quantities.

What is the reason for treating the horn?
Aside from the health benefits to the rhinos, it is the hope of the Rhino Rescue Project that the treatment of the horn will deter the poacher and prevent the rhino being killed in the first place. We are hoping that no treated horn enters the market, as that will mean that programme is successful and the rhino horns are being left intact on the rhino.

100_1410 - Copy — Up and on his way with no sign of distress

Is the treatment effective?
All animals in the initial treatment sample are in excellent health. Since treatment was administered approximately 18 months ago, two cows have given birth to healthy calfs, both of whom are lactating normally. Another cow has fallen pregnant during this time. Moreover, not a single treated animal has been poached since administration of the treatment. The treatment could thus be said to have brought about a 100% decrease in poaching. A year after administration of the treatment, a number of the animlas horns were re-tested to establish distribution of the treatment inside the horn over time and to ensure that the treatment did not find its way into the animal’s system and affect its overall health. Ideally, from a research perspective, a four year growth cycle should elapse before we can say with certainty that the treatment is 100% effective. However, with the current poaching numbers skyrocketing by the day, our fear is that in four years time, this information will be useless, and there won’t be rhinos left to treat.

What are the overall benefits of including the ectoparasiticides in to the treatment?
The inclusion of ectoparasiticides in to the treatment assists towards improved health of the animals. Wild animals are not normally be treated against parasites – we believe strongly in nature being allowed to run its course and human intervention being kept to a minimum – however, the inclusion in to the treatment potentially neutralises a dual threat (both poaching and parasites). This treatment benefits the rhino owner, does not harm the environment, does not harm other living organisms, has no adverse effects on tourism or the economy, is cost-effective, legal and can be completed in under an hour. In other words, it is a minimally-invasive procedure intended to uphold the status quo with regard to the trade in animal parts.

A Beautiful Day In Africa

Posted on 25 March 2013 by LH Focus Online

As the heat of the African days give way to the cooler evenings and mornings, it is a wonderful time to be in the bush.
Between Game Drives, the ideal time to spend lounging around the private plunge pool of your Suite, soaking in the atmosphere and the surrounding views out over the bush.
We look forward to welcoming you to our home.