A “Warthog Whacking” and a Bad Night To Be A Buffalo

 

Hi Everyone,

 It’s been a while since you have heard from me but that is not necessarily a bad thing, particularly as my time has been spent busy in the bush taking care of our guests and business at Chiawa during what is lining up to be another record breaking year. The support from all our suppliers and repeat visitors has been phenomenal and all we can do is to continue giving each and every visitor at Chiawa a unique and exciting safari adventure. This is not always easy however the wildlife performed so well on last night’s game drive that my job was, for a change, very easy!

 The drive started with Dispenser finding a pride of lions feasting on a buffalo cow and calf on the banks of the Zambezi with some big crocs in attendance hoping for some buff, or a lion cub perhaps. By the time night fell one particularly large croc got braver and joined in on the feast much to the displeasure of the lionesses. Doug the resident male lion decided to send the croc off but he got hissed at most aggressively so our hero lion thought better of it and went to the other side of the buffalo to enjoy his meal there, safe from a very loud and intimidating set of jaws. So there we were watching these two unfortunate buffs being devoured when we could hear more lions feeding nearby – they had killed a third buffalo – this makes about 8 buffalo in two weeks! I think the dry hot weather is rendering the buffalos weaker and more concentrated than usual and it seems the lion prides are taking full advantage of the situation. We left the scene (it is this morning still playing itself out with crocs and lions at it again) and happened across 4 hyenas eating another buffalo calf – rather gory and sad but nevertheless Africa doing its thing as only Africa can. And then a little further on just outside of camp a beautiful leopardess stalking a herd of impala – we watched for a minute or two and then left her to her own devices – being watched unfortunately by her tax man – a large hyena. What a drive!

 It is a great season again for lion and leopard sightings although we are left with only one cub of the three new ones of the season, as well as a young male from last year. But there should be many new ones about in a few months as we have watched Doug mating with at least 3 different females in the last two weeks – he seems none the worse for wear so hats off to his stamina and may his genes do their thing! In fact the last time we saw the three cubs together we were treated to the most amazing hunt and kill of a warthog played out right in front of eyes from start to finish, culminating in the unfortunate animal being drowned, dragged and ripped apart in an amazing frenzy of claws, teeth, growls, snarls, squeals (yes, the piggy did not die instantly …) and all captured on film by Charlie McMurray!

      

 We have had some more wild dog sightings since our last newsletter though the pack seems to have split up and a few members are missing – it is our hope that the pack will regroup and multiply as they are prone to do – in the 16 years we have been at Chiawa we have seen the wild dog population in the Lower Zambezi crash and recover a few times. It is a difficult period for this fascinating but not very robust species. The best time to see Wild Dogs is mid April into early June and then from October into November and Chiawa Camp remains one of the best places to see them from with consistent sightings over the years. And the leopards have been doing their thing – Joe was treated to a fantastic sighting at Old Mondoro a few weeks ago, with a co-operative spotted kitty balancing on a termite mound and posing for the lucky guests on board his vehicle.

 

 

The fishing has been great and a few large vundu caught and released as well as some decent tiger. The fishing season is on now – in fact it started a bit early when one of our USA guests caught (on fly!) and released more than 30 tiger fish in one day towards the end of August.

 

 Life in camp is well and Lynsey, Craig, Barbs and the team have been working like Trojans making sure that everyone at Chiawa is treated with plenty TLC and surprises – and the camp warthogs (7 in number) are still making their daily appearance rooting and snuffling about on the green grass in front of the tents. Also on show in camp, other than the usual array of eles, buffs, hyenas, jackals, bushbucks, baboons, monkeys and impalas was a pride of lions in front of the Superior tent, with Tag the alpha lioness gazing down into the tree shower from her vantage point with some interest!

 And so we enter into the hottest part of the year and the home stretch before the end of the 2005 safari season. Lynsey and I will be at World Travel Market so if any of you will be there please email us to make an appointment or stop by at the Zambia Tourism stand where we will be happy to see our old friends and to make new ones. Speaking of making new ones, for those of you who have not heard or have not believed the rumours, yes it is true – Lynsey & I are absolutely ecstatic to announce that we are expecting a baby early February!

 STOP PRESS! Last night’s game drive encountered mating leopards – our lucky guests were treated to watching the leopards mate 11 times in just 20 minutes – that has to be a record? But that wasn’t all – after leaving the randy leopards to whom we must doff our hats in respect of their enthusiasm and energy, we then encountered a female leopard with an adorable cub of about 4 months old – how good was that for a night drive (and that morning the same guests had witnessed 9 lions attack a bull buffalo but miss)?

 To all of you, take care and we hope to see or hear from you soon.

 Until next time, 

Grant, Lyns and the Chiawa Team