Once again we had a great month, complete with it’s ups and downs. The biggest plus was all the rain we have received, most of it in one day, but we will take rain anyday.
The month started well, we had great sightings and wonderful drives… but we desperately needed rain.
And did we get rain! It started with a few quick showers but then in the middle of the month we had more rain in a day than what we had the whole of last year! It looked crazy, spectacular and scary all at the same time. There were rivers flowing down valleys that had been dry and water filled all the holes, dams and pans.
The animals are always there, we just need to find them. So with all the fresh greenery around we had to spend a bit more time searching for the wildlife. Tracking was also a lot more difficult due to the harder soil, but we managed.
We also experienced a wonderful variety of sightings. But it almost does not matter how much we see, it’s just such a relief to see Madikwe lush and green again.
The bird life has exploded! All the breeding birds got their pretty colors and long tails and are exercising their displays.
The two new male cheetahs have been released and they are looking great. We have had excellent sightings of them as they find their feet and explore their new home. They were also seen making their first kill, so they are settling in very well.
We really struggled to locate and observe the Wild Dogs. We tracked them for two days through a third of the park but we eventually found them which was a massive relief.
The local pride of lions is doing very well with the males protecting their young cubs. The Matlapa female still has her 3 cubs but we do not see them very often, as she is moving to keep them safe.
The Jamala female likes to show her two cubs, often in the presence of the males.
As usual, there is never a dull moment in the bush! From droughts to flooding in a matter of hours, new cats and beautiful birds… Tuningi and its surrounds continues to amaze us.
Come visit us and experience all of this and more.
Kind Regards
Cornelius and the T-Team
