NOTE:
Good morning all,
You will notice over the next few days some machine activity at the dam. Workers are repairing some area's around the dam, which have been effected by erosion. The contractors are hoping to be finished by Monday afternoon.
Jamie is our guide this morning and Bryan is with her on camera.
Bryan is going on leave after this mornings safari.
James is also on leave as of this morning but his car wouldn't start this morning.
Both Bryan and James are on leave for 2 weeks.
Brent is on the other vehicle.
He just heard on the game drive channel that Impala were alarm calling so he is going to go have a look see.
It is very chilly this morning
There is a Wildebeest a distance away who has decided to snort at Jamie.
They are getting in some dueling.
The focus ring on Dave's camera is stuck so while they repair that, we head back with Jamie
Jamie is talking about snakes and how sometimes young Impala's will get bitten because they haven't learned to step carefully but it is rare.
NOTE: Karula very nearly lost a cub yesterday. As you know she quickly fled South after a Hyena showed up. Well. Karula had a Kill after she had moved South and a Hyena moved in and almost took one of the cubs. Both cubs made it into a tree. The Hyena's did steal the kill.
Even though many viewers were upset yesterday when Karula had to flee Djuma with her cubs because of Hyenas, Brent tells us this probably happens a few times per week when we aren't watching. The cubs are fast and always listening.
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| Emerald Spotted Wood Dove |
Brent is driving (Wendy) from 1996. There are no air conditioners or heaters
It has a vent
Jamie has seen very fresh Lion tracks. She is trying to figure out what is going on with the Nkahuma Females as there are cub tracks as well. She thinks they are in Buffleshoek which is North of our boundary.
Once back in the vehicle she heard it again and it is definitely mating Leopards. There is that distinct growl.
While Jamie stops the vehicle to listen we go over to Brent.
Aubrey from a lodge has tracks from last evening of Karula heading back this way.
Brent thinks the tracks are not fresh and quite possibly from last night.
A little pill spotted Owl
Over to Jamie
2 Mating Leopards!!
2 Mating Leopards
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| Mvula |
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| Female |
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| Xiluva |
The Female is not skittish but it not totally comfortable with Jamie's presence.
I am still trying to sort out which Female Leopard this is. There are 2 Leopards by the same name so now we need to sort out which one this is.
There is much confusion between Final Control, Jamie and viewers as to who this Leopard is.
Not definitely confirmed but it is surmised that Xiluva has a birth date of 2007 . She is Not the Xiluva that is Inkanyeni's daughter which has a page on Facebook. She is Inkanyeni's Older Sister. (info from Karen)
As more information is made available, I will make corrections.
Jamie is positioning so we head over to Brent.
Brent is talking about the repairs that will be done over the weekend at the Djuma Dam.
Back over with Jamie and Mvula and Xiluva. They continue to mate every few minutes.
Repeated Mating Between Mvula And Xiluva.
An African Hawk Eagle
Brent stops for a few moments at the area where the 3 Lion Cubs are. Very poor Visual as they are deep in the foliage but Brent provides some good information about the mom probably moving the cubs fairly soon.
Poor Visual of Lion Cubs But Brent Provides Good Information.
Back over to our mating pair of Leopards with Jamie.
Jamie also mentioned that Tingana (Dominant Male Leopard in this area) will not be happy that Mvula is mating in his territory.
Mvula is looking like he is done and just wants to rest. Jamie says he will be wanting to be in the Witness Protection Program. LOL
Over with Brent. Brent's Vehicle (Wendy) is not behaving. The clutch is slipping and the accelerator is sticking which makes for quite interesting times. He is limping home but he wants to check where the Cheetah tracks are first if he can.
Back with Jamie and our courting couple of Leopards.
They continue to mate.
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| Mvula |
More Of The Same Between Mvula And Xiluva
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| Mvula |
Xiluva: Mother is Beacon Female
Birth date: 2005 which makes her the same age as Karula.
Xiluva is Inkanyeni's older sister
spot pattern 3:3
Xiluva's territory is the northern tip of Karula's territory. From Sydneys Dam and up into Buffleshoek.
Jamie is leaving the Leopard sighting now as Brent will not be able to continue for the last few minutes of the drive as he is limping his vehicle back to camp.
Jame is hoping to find some Elephants.
Brent is BACK! It was the slave cylinder . A quick temp fix and Brent is back for the last few minutes. The accelerator had gunk and dust built up in it so that has now been cleaned up.
Origins Of African Safaris
The Elephants are snacking on a Weeping Wattle Tree
This one Elephant is twirling the branch in her mouth and stripping the bark from it
This concludes our Sunrise Safari this morning.
NOTE: Later in the afternoon one of the land owners who was at the sighting of Mvula and Xiluva continued watching the rest of the sighting play out and provided Wildearth with some interesting events that transpired after we had concluded our drive.
This is something he has never seen in Leopard behaviour and he has been here for many years. Mvula decided to aggressively attack Xiluva which eventually ended up with her seeking refuge in a tree to get away from him.
With all of the noise from the fight, it attracted Gijima (Male Leopard) who then arrived on scene and fought with Mvula. Mvula Ran off as fast as he could travel and is now way North.
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