Old Mondoro - End of Season Newsletter November 2009
It is almost inconceivable to think
that the 2009 season has drawn to an end as suddenly and
abruptly as it started at the beginning of the season.
The last guests have sadly departed,
camp has been packed up and our vehicles that witnessed
so many incredible sightings have been pulled out. This
sudden change normally leaves the staff with a slightly
mislaid feeling as it takes a day or two to get used to
the lack of guests. It was literally as the last boxes
were stored when the rains came - a close call to the
end, but with the rains one witnesses the bush
transforming from its drab browns and grays into the
most striking emerald, olive and jade kaleidoscopes.
Camp
has also seen a little construction work. The team has
spent the last 2 weeks in camp totally recreating room 4
into a slightly larger design with an outdoor, far more
interesting bathroom. The new room now boasts a much
larger bedroom, a much larger panoramic view of the
river and an outdoor bathroom also with an incredible
view while you take a shower or bath. You may be
relieved to know though that the loo and washbasin
remains inside the room, which has also been discretely
yet effectively screened against bugs.
Some of you might fear that Old
Mondoro would have lost its original down-to-earth feel
with the changes but with the changes in place the aim
was to keep Old Mondoro’s original feel and still up the
ante of the rooms & this has been achieved. The most
obvious change in the rooms is the added space, improved
bathroom and the much, much larger view of the river! We
will have good photos for you in the new year.
The
last weeks of the safari season is famous for its
amazing game viewing, game which is normally rare during
most of the season is suddenly seen on a regular basis,
e.g. bushbuck, Sharpe’s grysbok, serval, African wild
cat and even the elusive wild dogs, about 30 including
13 pups, made an appearance just as we closed!
The big guns have not disappointed as
usual, with ample lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo
sightings to talk about. One of the most remarkable
events has been the killing of a buffalo by two young
male lions within hearing distance from camp! The
guests did not see the lions killing the buffalo but the
vehicles just arrived as the lions started opening up
the carcass. Camp’s evening dinner was promptly
postponed and most of the staff and all the guests found
a space near the carcass to witness the carnage.
The
boys provided everyone with a show to remember with both
of them trying to eat as much as they possibly could
with enraged growls, grunts, tug o wars and a fight or
two providing thrilling viewing. It was definitely not a
show for anyone that is even slightly squeamish. Its
always amazing to witness an apex predator doing what
they are renowned for doing, people tend to forget how
primal and raw survival in the bush can be and how these
animals rely on almost every opportunity to feed
themselves as an opportunity missed can so quickly
result in being fatal.
The other lions provided clients with
great sightings. The lioness with her two cubs below
Jeki airstrip has not disappointed either, the two cubs
are getting really big now and they have confused a
client or two by appearing before mum shows herself,
with clients thinking they are seeing fully grown lions.
Leopard
sightings have been plentiful as usual and towards the
end of the season we were almost averaging an impressive
2 leopard sightings on a daily basis over the last two
weeks. The most interesting period has been when Morat
and some guests witnessed Tyson our resident male mating
with one of our regular females, a truly rare sight
which most guides have never even seen! This was a good
sign as the female was regularly seen in this particular
area and the chances where very good that the clients
could see some more mating activity as the female
ovulates over a 7 day period, and everyone was confident
that she was only in the first days of ovulation. Over
the following 7 days guests saw the two mating on 4
different occasions amazing to say the least. The
record number of leopard sightings was also set in the
last 4 weeks with a amazing 5 sightings made in a single
night and all of the sightings occurred in a 2 hour
period.
The elephants have not disappointed
either with herds +/- 40 Elephants crossing the Zambezi
and walking through camp on a almost daily basis and
many guests shared their lunches or afternoon tea’s with
some curious bulls only meters from them.
A
couple of very tiny elephants calves were also
witnessed. During one sighting the clients watched as a
tiny newly born youngster was attempting to take his
first steps a truly wonderful sight as mum tries and
lift the youngster on his feet and how his attempts
failed during the first couple of tries - a tear jerker
to say the least.
The great news of the end of the
season has been the spotting of the wild dogs again
after they have disappeared to den in the hills. The
first reports state a sighting of 30 dogs with 13 pups
which is great for this endangered species. This is
very good news as the chances of seeing them early into
the next season is very good, everyone is holding
thumbs.
With
the 2009 season something of the past, Old Mondoro has
say its goodbyes not only to all the wonderful guests
that visited one of Africa’s great destinations but also
to its managers of the past two years. Lana and John
will be moving on to different opportunities, and they
both have sadly said their goodbyes and will hold Old
Mondoro in their memories for always, to them it has
been a unforgettable two years, their thanks go to all
the people that visited Old Mondoro and made their time
here so special.
Old Mondoro can look forward to a
brand new couple to take care of the camp into a brand
new season as 2010 and the Lower Zambezi beckons.
Merry Christmas and a very happy new
year to everyone.
The Old Mondoro team.
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Previous Newsletters from Old Mondoro |
July 2009
