August 2024

Singita Sabi Sand

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Singita Sabi Sand: August 2024

Spring is just around the corner, and we can already feel summer hot on its heels. We are still experiencing very extreme winter weather conditions: both crisp, cold mornings and piping hot, what feel like summer, days. The bush is very dry and game viewing across the Sabi Sands has, as always, been living up to its high standard and providing some special moments and memories for our guests.

We’ve noticed the sjambok pod (Cassia abbreviata) trees, tree wisteria (Bolusanthus speciosus) and the knob thorn (Senegalia nigrescens) trees all flowering, adding a splash of colour to the dryer winter hues. We have seen the first Wahlberg’s eagle return too, and we are looking forward to hearing the familiar migratory bird calls soon! It won’t be too much longer before we have the woodland kingfisher singing throughout the reserve.

Here is a closer look at some of the highlights for August:

Cheetahs

  • The female cheetah with four cubs has been seen regularly. She continues to supply consistent meals for them. She too has been seen interacting with a male cheetah that has frequented the southern parts of the reserve for the duration of the month. The cubs, while mom is present, are keen to explore, run around and climb any tree they can. She has done extraordinarily well to keep all of them alive to date, and we hope she continues to do so.

Leopards

  • Every so often the Tiyasela female has been seen in and around the lodge vicinity as well as the western parts of the Singita property. Occasionally her two cubs have been seen with her.
  • The Thamba male and Ntoma female have again been seen mating for a couple of days not too far from the lodges.
  • The Nkuwa female’s movements within her home range have again been rather erratic, with the arrival of a new male, the Ntomi male, making his presence known in the area. He has been seen mating with her and then, on another occasion when she had hoisted an impala in a jackalberry tree for her two sub-adult boys to feed on, he too was present. He tried to confront one of the younger males but that proved rather tricky in the high canopy of an apple leaf tree. During all of the commotion, the Southern Avoca Male lion made an appearance. With the impala as well as the leopards all up in trees, he soon left the vicinity. On a separate occasion the Nkuwa female and the two younger males were seen in the Sand River, with their grandmother, the Nhlanguleni female (Nkuwa’s mother). One of the young males chased her out of a tree to feed on a hoisted carcass.
  • Other leopards viewed include the Hlambela male who was seen with a more skittish female north of the Sand River – potentially the Serengeti female.
  • The aptly named Hlambela male (which means “to swim”) was seen wading into a waterhole to retrieve a wildebeest that had been killed by a crocodile! He got half way before aborting the mission and retreating to the shore where the Xinzele female was waiting patiently. They subsequently have been seen mating together.

Lions

  • Not far from Boulders Lodge, and in the close proximity of the Sand River, we have been extremely lucky to watch the Tsalala lioness and her three cubs as they frequent the area. They are forever playful while mom is around, then remain out of sight and out of mind when mom is out hunting.
  • The Mhangene Pride have had altercations with other prides and dominant males. Sadly, they now only have seven of their youngsters with them. The Tumbela male continues to live his best life feeding on what the lionesses manage to take down, while the Plains Camp males are preoccupied in other parts of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve.
  • The Plains Camp males have been seen mating with one of the Othawa lionesses just north of the river. They create excitement on the cooler mornings when we hear them roar.
  • The Nkuhuma sub-adults are also seen from time to time on the property. They recently stole a kudu bull from the Tsalala lioness who had gone to collect her three cubs and take them to the kill.
  • The Talamati and Nkuhuma male lions have been seen occasionally. Most recently feeding on a buffalo bull they managed to catch in the southern parts of the reserve.

African wild dogs

  • We are still patiently waiting for the Othawa Pack of wild dogs to appear with their ten puppies. They have started running with the adults in the pack.
  • The Toulon Pack, who last month took over the puppies of another pack of wild dogs, have moved dens entirely now too. The adults were all quenching their thirst at a waterhole after a successful hunt when they were chased off by a large herd of buffalo.

Elephants

  • Elephants continue to flood the Sand River in the warmer daytime temperatures. Larger herds have been seen across the reserve at most of the permanent watering holes for their daily intake.

Buffaloes

  • Larger herds are still frequenting the reserve, moving more through the woodlands where there are slightly more nutritious grasses. The regular buffalo bulls dotted in the river in the late afternoon are almost always a guarantee.

Unusual sightings

  • One morning, a loud, “Stop” from a guest led to a sighting of a grey-headed bushshrike hunting a vine snake. The bird succeeded and it was a first for all the occupants of the vehicle!
  • Marc Bowes-Taylor recently viewed a lesser bushbaby or galago which was a first for him and his guests in a long time.
  • On a walk along the Sand River a giant kingfisher caught a tilapia. While flying off with its prized possession, it dropped the fish and an African fish eagle stole it!
  • A honey badger was seen, just its tail sticking out while digging in a hole right next to the road. Once it noticed the vehicle it growled at everyone, trotting away with its tail in the air, growling until they lost sight.

Bird List

  • The bird list for August includes three new species, bringing our bird list for the year up to 288 birds. Specials for the month included a purple-banded sunbird, white-breasted cormorant and an African darter.