November 2024

Singita Kruger National Park

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Singita Kruger National Park: November 2024

November in the Kruger National Park has unfolded as a month of striking contrasts. What began as a cool, rainy start has swiftly transformed into the sweltering heat of the savannah's summer. The muddy wallows have become bustling hubs of activity, offering a fleeting respite from the oppressive, stifling air. In the midst of this, the woodland kingfishers and red-chested cuckoos fill the air with their calls, their voices punctuating the stillness of the heat. When the temperatures climb even higher, the cicadas take over, their incessant buzzing the soundtrack of the midday lull. The world seems to slow down under the weight of the heat, and even the impala ewes seem to find solace in the shade. But amid the heat and stillness, there is new life. The lambing season is in full swing, and the sight of hundreds of wide-eyed, wobbly-legged lambs taking their first steps brings a sense of joy to the land. Life continues, even in the heart of the furnace-like summer, and the cycle of nature marches on.

A Sightings Snapshot for October follows:

Lions

  • Since arriving on our concession, the Sonop males have dominated our lion sightings, particularly throughout November. They have mostly been moving around the Gudzane Dam area but have also ventured as far east as Double Crossing.
  • The Shish pride returned on the 8th and was found in an area of the mountains that seems to be their favoured spot. This location is well-shaded and offers an excellent vantage point, ideal for hunting the abundant zebra and waterbuck moving through the area. They disappeared into the mountains for a few weeks before they were found again late in the month near the Mozambican border in the east.
  • The Mananga pride also returned to our concession around the same time as the Shish pride, after being spotted on the S100 near the S41. One morning, they were seen trailing a herd of buffalo and managed to chase them into the Xinkelegane drainage. However, as soon as we caught up with them, the buffalo turned and began chasing the lions. The scene quickly became chaotic, with even the cubs running after the herd at one point. The pride managed to catch a small calf, but the herd, moving as one solid mass, turned, and charged at the lionesses, rescuing the stunned calf. Despite this, the Manangas must have succeeded later in the day, as they were found feeding on a large bull near the Sticky thorns that afternoon. Just a few days later, they were quenching their thirst in Xineneni Poort when they heard buffalo bellowing to the south. They quickly headed in that direction and were found the next day with visibly fuller bellies, likely having caught another buffalo or a large animal the previous evening.
  • Towards the end of the month, the Mananga pride was seen almost daily, including one occasion when a single lioness was mating with the N’wanetsi male.
  • The Maputo male is still alive! The last sighting we had of him was on the 1st of August, but this month has brought surprises in the northeast. This area appears to be his refuge when strange males enter our concession from the Kruger National Park. With the Sonop males preoccupied with mating with the Chava pride in the northwest, Maputo has ventured even further south to his old stomping grounds, where he and the Kumana male were the dominant coalition back in 2021.

Leopards

  • In the beginning of the month, the Lebombo male was found dragging his impala carcass back towards the N’wanetsi river, away from a large Nile crocodile that had smelt the dead impala and attempted to steal it. The leopard stashed it in a clump of sedges and found a shaded area to rest and digest. From there he headed into the Lebombo mountains and has been seen moving along the river below the lodge, as well as in the Granophyre’s, a dike of intrusive igneous rocks formed about 150 million years ago when magma filled a crack formed under the surface of the earth.
  • Nhlanguleni female was sighted a couple times this month, once with a shy male in the basalt plains. Unfortunately, she was injured on the inside of her back legs, and she appeared to have a bite mark on her shoulder. Being such hardy creatures, she was still walking fine and will most likely recover.
  • The Dumbana leap are still in the Lebombo mountains, around an area known as waterfall crossing.
  • The Zamani male has been mating with the shy female around Gudzane dam. After which they both ascended a beautiful Weeping Boer-bean and laying in the branches, left our guests in awe at the beautiful scene.

Cheetahs

  • A solitary female has been wondering around the northwestern grasslands. The area was burnt at the end of our winter and after the brief rains has had a sudden green flush, luring impala, zebra, and wildebeest into the area.
  • Another ventured onto our concession south of the N’wanetsi river and was found a few days later near the central areas.

African wild dogs

  • After the successful collaring of two adult members of the pack of 15, we have had the privilege of finding them fairly regularly in the central to northern regions of our concession. All nine pups are still alive, and they have been thriving on the pregnant (and as a result, slower) impala ewes.
  • Mid-month the pack was hanging around the Ntsimbitsane drainage where after racing over the mountains, successfully took down a juvenile waterbuck, which they devoured in minutes, leaving nothing for the single hyena that was lurking in the background.
  • A different, and uncollared pack of five were also seen this month in the mountains in the southeast.
  • Since the birth of the impala ewes, there has been a definite increase in wild dog sightings, of which three involved them successfully hunting impala.

Spotted hyenas

  • These spotted predators were frequently observed this month at their den site in the Nyokeni Valley, where at least two pups, around four months old, were seen. The absence of large termite mounds, due to the clay-rich soils, forces the hyenas to seek alternative den sites. The caves and rocky outcrops formed in the Lebombo Mountains and Granophyre Ridge provide an ideal solution.

Elephants

  • After the rains, it is evident that the elephants have split into smaller herds and dispersed across the concession, but even so, we are still seeing them every day. Many have taken on a dark grey charcoal colour as a result of the frequent mud bathing and wallowing in an effort to ease the sting of the summer sun.
  • A highlight this month was sitting barefoot on the volcanic rocks that form a line across the N’wanetsi River. These rocks bear signs of millions of years of water swirling smaller boulders, creating smooth, almost perfect holes in the surface. As we dipped our toes in the river, taking a moment to appreciate the perfection of the present, our attention was suddenly drawn downstream, where a herd of elephants noisily splashed into the middle of the river. Some flopped onto their sides, while others dove headfirst, their large rumps sticking out of the water. If you've ever witnessed children in a swimming pool or at the beach, you'll know the pure joy expressed—it was the same with the elephants. Trunks slapped the water, and young males playfully mounted each other. Very young calves stayed close to their mothers, occasionally letting out a short, excited trumpet as they splashed through the shallow water toward the deeper pools. In just half an hour, there were more than 40 elephants, some still swimming and others slowly feeding. Now sufficiently cooled down, water soaked into their wrinkled skin, helping to keep them cool for the rest of the day's intense heat.

Buffalos

  • Buffalo were seen almost every day this month. Most of the sightings have been of groups of 100 to 300 animals, as well as a small bachelor herd on our western boundary road. Luckily for them only one old bull, and single smaller calf were taken by the lions.

Plains game

  • The first impala lamb to be seen on our concession was spotted on the 6th of November by our guide and tracker team, David and Given. As small and delicate as the newborns are, the birth of all prey species often leads to a wave of carnage, as predators take advantage of this vulnerability. The nyala and bushbuck have also given birth, many of them near the lodges, much to the delight of our guests.

Rare animals and other sightings

  • The stocky yet small caracal was seen near Gudzane Dam. Due to the still-barren areas, we have been able to spot more of these elusive small cats compared to the summer months, when the long, lush grass makes them harder to find.
  • The Leucistic female Kudu has been moving through the southern section of our concession again. It has been a privilege to see her grow up, and she is almost fully grown now. A miracle that she has survived, as her white coat really does stand out against the neutral greens and browns.

Birds

  • An immature crowned eagle was sighted just south of Euphorbia crossing along the N’wanetsi river. This is the first time it has been sighted on our concession.
  • Most large eagles' nest in winter, ensuring that their young hatch in spring, when food is more abundant, and the chances of mortality are reduced. Most chicks fledge at 11 to 12 weeks, so we are currently seeing many juvenile eagles around our concession. Since the same nests are used year after year, we have become familiar with where to find specific eagles. The tawny eagle chick, in particular, has provided unique sightings as it calls for food and exercises its wings.
  • As the lesser-masked weavers energetically build their nests on the branches of a dead tree over hanging Gudzane dam, a pair of Deadrick’s cuckoos wait patiently for the perfect time to sneak into an unattended nest to lay their eggs. This is known as brood parasitism and benefits typically revolve around reproductive success and energy conservation. By laying its eggs in another bird's nest, the parasitic bird avoids the energy and time spent on incubating its eggs and caring for its chicks. This allows the parasitic bird to invest more time in finding mates, laying more eggs, or engaging in other reproductive activities.