February 2025

Singita Pamushana Lodge

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Singita Pamushana Lodge: February 2025

Raising the dam levels, widening the rivers and saturating the earth has been the agenda of the continuous rainfall we’ve received. An interesting result of this as far as wildlife sightings go is that you will often find animals right in the middle of the road or open spaces. Many species prefer not to get bogged down in the mud and would rather have their hooves/paws on compacted soil with clear visibility around them. The airstrip has been busy with wildlife arrivals and departures!
On one afternoon four major species were seen in one location: a pair of lions were mating, five white rhinos were grazing, and an elephant and a black rhino were browsing along Mahande Road. On another occasion guests enjoyed seeing giraffes, lions, buffalo and a black rhino in one spot: the black rhino gave the vehicle a quick charge before taking off at speed, the lions were relaxing, the buffalo were in the mud cooling off, and the giraffe were towering together staring at the lions.
A sightings snapshot for February follows:
Lions
  • The majority of sightings were of five lions that were on or close to the airstrip. A pair of them were mating. At one stage there were herds of zebras and impala close by.
  • Three lions were also seen in the north, on the side of the main Binya Road.
  • A final stage of a long-term study on lion behaviour began this month. Selected lionesses from different prides were collared for monitoring purposes. One of the objectives of the study is to provide direction regarding re-wilding and the optimal stage at which lions should be introduced to reserves to avoid over-predation on specific prey species.
Leopards
Two of the months highlights were:
  • During a boat cruise, hearing and then seeing a territorial male leopard patrolling his territory along the shoreline.
  • A relaxed female leopard walking along Pamushana Access Road, and then stopping to drink at a rain-filled natural pan before disappearing into the night.
Wild dogs
As the story that follows in this journal details the pack of wild dogs can be virtually impossible to find, and then just miraculously materialise in front of your eyes.
  • This was the case later in the month when they were seen trotting along Pamushana Access Road, and then spending time around Nhanga Pan in the days that followed, where guests got to see them successfully hunt a young impala.
Rhinos
  • Sightings of white rhinos are always on the cards. At this time of year they are bulking up as much as possible on all the nutritious grass available, and it’s reassuring to see them gather at dusk around a favourite waterhole to drink, but almost as importantly to socialise, strengthen bonds and form alliances with one another.
  • The more solitary black rhinos seem to be enjoying each other’s company at this time and have gathered together in crashes on occasion. The highlight of one afternoon game drive was seeing a total of seven black rhinos.
Elephants
  • Vast breeding herds can be feeding a few metres off the road and you won’t see them as the vegetation is so thick and high, but thankfully they have also been using the roads. Smaller breeding herds of elephants join together during times of abundant food to form a large breeding herd.
  • It’s also the time when more of the large bulls are in musth, so we make sure to respect their space. A highlight was watching a bull elephant throwing mud on his back.
Hyenas
  • There must be active hyena dens at the moment because you see the spotted adults returning along the same paths early in the morning after a night’s hunting foray.
Buffalos
  • Interestingly, we are seeing smaller herds of buffalos together at this time of grazing abundance.
  • The old dagga boy bulls that have left the breeding herds seem very content to wallow in the mud on hot afternoons, and chew the cud.
Plains game
  • Some of the plains game have been congregating in the open areas, and one such sighting heralded about 60 zebras together, with giraffes and two white rhinos in the distance.
  • Venturing south a group of guests had a great sighting of sable and Lichtenstein’s hartebeest.
Birding
  • Bring your earplugs if you don’t want to be woken by the dawn chorus! There are so many species and it is phenomenal to listen to them singing their hearts out before sunrise.
  • A morning’s birding trip on the water resulted in 27 species being seen.
Boat cruises
  • The boat cruises always end up being a highlight of our guests’ stays. There are very few places in Africa where you have this opportunity on safari, and have the vast dam and river system all to yourself to explore. Every boat cruise offers hippos, crocodiles, birdlife and magic.
Fishing
  • Oh my – the fish are biting! Especially the tigerfish and some enormous ones have been landed and released (over 3 kg). Others have hit the lure with such sudden violence, only to leap out the water and throw the lure – leaving you with a slack line, a fleeting memory of silver-orange-black flying through the air, and hours of wondering if that would have been your PB (personal best). Some monster breams have been caught too, and it is such a reassuring sign of a water system brimming with life.
Rock art
  • While bush walks are not held during these times of dense vegetation we do encourage our guests to get out of the vehicle with their guide and admire the rock art sites that are close to the road. One such site where the ancient artworks can be clearly seen is a short distance from the lodge at Chinzwini.
By Jenny Hishin
Author / Field Guide