WILDLIFEREPORTSINGITAPAMUSHANA,ZIMBABWE

ForthemonthofJuly,TwoThousandandSixteen Temperature RainfallRecorded Sunrise&Sunset Averageminimum: 12,3˚C(54,1˚F) Forthemonth:1mm Sunrise: 06:19 Minimumrecorded: 09,6˚C(49,2˚F) Fortheyeartodate:401.5mm Sunset: 17:38 Averagemaximum: 26,1˚C(78,9˚F) Maximumrecorded:31,9˚C(89,4˚F) Oneofmyfavouritelinesis,"Ifit'snotaboutelephantsit'sirrelephant,"andindeedIcouldfillthismonth'sjournalwithelephantstoriesalone,likethebullinthephotoabovewhoalmostperfectlyreplicatedthe'S'ofSingita'slogowhilejoyfullysquirtingwaterfromhistrunk.However,thediversityofourwildlifeandwilderness,andtheviewingofit,isatit'sbestatthemoment.Thelandisdry,thegrasslow,andmanyofthetreetopsarestillwearinganautumncrown,buttheanimalsaredrawntothepermanentwatersourcessoallyouneeddoismakesureyourvisittheseondriveandyouwillberewardedwithwonderfulsightings.Here'sanoverviewforJuly:AfricanwilddogsThepackhasnotshownustheirpupsyet!Wedon'tapproachaden-siteatallinordertomakesurenovehicletrackismadethatmightmakeiteasierforhyenasorlionstofollow,findandthenkillthepups.We'veseenthe

alphafemaleouthuntingwiththepack,sothepupsmustbequitebigbynow,anditmustbeanydaysoonthatwe'llseethepacktakingthepupsoutontheirfirsthuntinglesson.ThehighlightofthemonthwaswhenthepackwasouthuntingandchasedanimpalatoSosigiDam.Theretheimpalaspedintothewaterforsafety,butalasacrocodilelayinwaitbeneaththemuddywaterandstoletheunluckyimpalaforitself.Thewilddogsstoodontheshore,notdaringtoventureintothewater,andlookedoninbewildermentasthecrocodileclampeditstoothyjawsontheirpreyandateit.LionsInterestingtimes-there'smatinggoingoninatleasttwooftheprides,youngcubsareoutandabout,andthecoalitionofthreeyoungstrongmalesarerestlesslybidingtheirtimeontheoutskirtsoftheestablishedprideterritories.Thankstoourdedicatedandextremelyaccurateliontrackingteamalmostallgueststhatspendafewdayswithuswillgettoseelions.Howourteamoftrackersisabletofollowalion'sinvisiblefootstepsthroughdensebushandgrasslandisoftenbeyondme.LeopardsGlimpsesoftheseelusivecatshavebeentantalisingyetinfrequent,makingthemevenmorespecialwhentheydohappen.CheetahsThismonthwe'veenjoyedexcellentsightingsofthetwopairsofmalecoalitions,andthe'sort-tailfemale'thatweseeregularly.HyenasPredatornumberspeakandfallinthenaturalcycle,andnowitseemsthehyenashavetheadvantage.There

areanumberofsuccessfulclanswithcubscoveringtheproperty.Theyareputtinghugepressureonthewilddogs,andononeoccasionthismonthIsawthedogsouthuntingatnightbeingtrailedbyfivehyenas.Assoonasthedogsmakeakillthehyenastrytostealit-andareoftensuccessful,beingmuchlargerstrongeranimals.Fightsbreakout,injuriesoccurandhuntersgohungry.

Butisn'tthiscuriouscubquiteadorable?

RhinosThishastobeaboutthemostheart-warmingandhopefulphotoyou'llseeinthisdayandage.Whiterhinomotherstaketheiryoungcalvesintothegrasslandsintheearlyeveninghours.Duetotheeffortsofgenerousindividualsandteamsourpopulationofblackandwhiterhinosareabletothriveinthissanctuary.ElephantsYousimplycouldn'tmissseeingelephantsoneachandeverydrivethismonth.Bullsaremonopolisingthewaterholesandthecowherdsarefeedinginthedenserareaswhiletryingtomaintainlawandorderamongsttheircalvesandtheyoungdelinquentmales.PlainsgameExcellentsightingsofthemorecommonplainsgamesuchasimpala,zebra,wildebeestandgiraffehavebeenhad,buttherehavealsobeenseveralsightsoftherarerspeciessuchassable,elandandLichtensteinhartebeest.

BuffaloesMostsafarivehiclesorcruiseboatshaveencounteredafewbuffalobullsoneachoutingthismonth,anditisfascinatingtonoticetheirindividualcantankerouscharacters.Thesetwoweregrazingonthebanksoftheshoreaswewentforasundownercruise.However,whenguestsnoticedustonthehorizonyoucanbesureitisabreedingherdofbuffaloontheirwaytothewater.We'veseenherdsof600strongthismonth.SpecialsightingsWe'vehadquiteafewsightingsofayounghoneybadger,aswellasporcupines,civets,genetsandevenastripedpolecat!BirdsIt'sencouragingtonoticeallthenestbuildinggoingonatthemoment-especiallybytheraptorssuchascrownedeagles,Africanhawk-eaglesandwhite-backedvultures.Mesmerisingarethemurmurationsofmillionsofred-billedqueleasflyinginwhirling,ever-changingribbon-likemovementsthatcarryonforseveralminutes.

ThebornentertainerAfterdrinkinghisfillatdawnthisyoungbullcreatedacircusshowjustforus.Hestoodontheshorewithhisperfectlychocolate-dippedfeet,suckedupwater,andthenusingthetwofinger-likeprojectionsattheendofhistrunkhesquirtedwaterinsimultaneousarcs.Atthezenithofhistrickshewouldshifthisweightoffhisfrontleftfoottoshowusthathecoulddoallthisonthreelegs.Hesaunteredoffsigningtheairwithan“S"forSingita,thenblewamistofwaterjustinfrontofhisfaceandwalkedthroughittospritzhimself-asanystarperformerwoulddo.Herearethephotostoillustratethisoutlandishstory:

Moremammothmomentsforthemontharethese:

Thesethreebullsdranktheirfill,andthenengagedinsomeroughandtoughbullying.It'salldoneingoodspiritsthough-butitdoesgetoutofhandonoccasionswhenonebullbecomestoorough.It'sthenthatyouasaguideneedtokeepaneyeoutthattheydon'ttryto'bully'yourvehicleinstead!

Elephants'eyesareverysmallcomparedtotheirbodysize.Theyareonlyaboutonlyabout3.8cm(1.5")indiameter.Thelocationoftheireyesonthesideoftheirheadsallowsforperipheralvisionbutnotdepthperception,andthetrunkcreatesalargeblindspotintheirvision.Theyhavethreeeyelids:anupper,lowerandonethatmovesverticallyformoreprotection.Theirenviablylongeyelasheskeepforeignmatteroutoftheireyes.Weidentifysocloselywithelephantsinmanyways,andIfinditinterestingthatelephantshavethesamevisualpigmentsaswedo,withred/greencolour-blindness.Theirrangeofvisionisonlyabout10metres(30feet)-youmightsaythatelephantsarenear-sighted!Becauseoftheirpoorvision,elephantsusetheirsensitivetrunkstonavigate.

RunningwildPacksofAfricanwilddogs(Lycaonpictus)dispersefarapartduringtheirbreedingseason,andforseveralyearsinarowwehavebeenluckyenoughtohavethispackleavetheGonarezhouNationalParktooursouth,andheadintoarangeofrockyoutcropsnearthelodge,toden.Asmentionedbeforewedon'tviewthepupsattheden-siteasitispossiblethatthisunsettlesthem,forcesthemtochangesitesthusjeopardisingthepupslivesintheprocess,anditisalsopossiblethatopportunistpredatorslikehyenasandlionswillfollowourtracksorpathtotheden-siteandkillthepuppies.Followingwilddogsonahuntisnearimpossibleastheyfanoutlikeshotarrowsthroughthebushtotryandflushtheirprey.Thenthey'llchaseitdownathighspeed,ofteninrelays,untiltheantelope,mostoftenanimpalahere,istooexhaustedtogetaway.Theimpalawillbekilledanddevouredastherestofthepackzeroesinonthekillsitewhentheyhearthekillorthecalloftheirpackmember.Andtrackingthemonahunthasalowsuccessrateastheyaresimplytoofast-youhavetoanticipatetheirdirection,cutahead,andtrytointerceptthem-buttheychangedirectionallthetime.ThereasonI'mgoingintothiswholeexplanationissothatyoucansharethedelightoffindingthemhavingalittlepost-huntnaponthesideofourmaintrack,beforetheyreturnedtotheden.Theretheywere-11ofthem,somewithblood-stainedfaces,justenjoyingsomequiettimebeforereturningtothedenandregurgitatingsomeoftheirswallowedmealforthepupsandbabysittersbackattheden.Inthephotobelowisahuddleofdogs-beinganAfricanwilddogisallaboutbeingamemberofapack,andeveninthehottestweatherthey'lltryandsitontopoforasclosetoeachotherastheycan.Thefirstphotoonthenextpageisofthealphapair-youcanseetheteatsofthealphafemaleclearly.Thealphapairbreedandtherestofthepackhelpwithraisingthepupsasiftheyweretheirown.

Thisisaportraitofanimpala'sworstfear.Justlookatthatcamouflage;thatbodybuiltforhunting;thosehugeearsforpin-pointingsound;thoselonglegsforhigh-speedchases;thosepaddedpawsfortraction...

Butmuchtothewilddogsannoyancewasalonehyenaintentonfollowingthem,inthehopetheywouldkillagain.Everynowandagaintheywouldturnonhim,nippingandbiting,buthewouldnotgetthemessage.Iwonderifthiswilddoghopedthehyenacouldread...!Thepacktrottedoffdownthetrackinthegeneraldirectionweassumetheirden-sitetobe,butthenveeredofftheroadandwedidn'tfollowthemfurther.Whetherthehyenagotafreemealwedon'tknow,orwhethertheychaseditoffbeforetheygottotheirdenalsoremainsamystery.Whatisforcertainisthatwehopethepupsaresafeandweseethemsoon!

BlackbeautyWhatawonderfulblackrhino(Dicerosbicornis)experiencethiswas.Ithadbeenanextremelyquietandchillymorning,andweweretrundlingalongatrackthattraversesamopanewoodland.Almostbeforewesawitthisblackrhinobullsawus-whichisquitesomethingconsideringhowpoorsightedandcomparativelytinytheireyesare.Hetookfright,tookoffandthenintypicalblackrhinofashioncircledbackandtentativelysteppedcloser.Hemadeacoupleofhalf-heartedmockcharges,andhiscuriositywagedbattlewithhisfearandaggression.Twicehegottowithinafewmetresofthevehiclebyalmostcreepingonestepatatimetogetacloserlookatwhatwewere.Butthenhedecidedwewereneitherfriendnorfoeandhesnorted,whirledandgallopedoffintothedistance.Hescent-markedadistanttreebysprayingurinebackwardsbetweenhislegs-andbydoingsoreinforcedthemessagethatthiswashisterritory.Thisclose-upshowssuchcharacterbutwhatIlikemostaboutitisthecolourofthebarkandleavesleftatthebaseofhishornandhowthatcontrastswithhisgreyuniformity.

CheetahbrothersThesetwocheetahbrotherswererestingduringborderpatrolinanareawehardlyevergoto.Ourwesternboundaryabutsanagriculturalareabutmalecheetahsarehighlyterritorialanddonotseemphasedbyhumanpresence-certainlythesetwoweren'tworriedaboutanyofusorthefarmworkersthatwentabouttheirworkontheothersideofthesecurityfence.Wedidhoweverseeaglimpseofaverynervouslionessbeforeshedashedaway,inthesameareahardly50metresaway.MakingcubsThepitifulroaringofanon-dominantmalelionalertedustothismatingcouple.Asmuchashewouldhavelikedtobeapartoftheactionhewasbeingkeptatbaybythisbigdark-manedmale.Themalefollowedthereceptivelioness'everyfootstep,notlettingherbeoutofhiscontact.Matingtookplaceevery30minutesorso,wasbrief,momentarypainfulforher,andthentheywouldsettleintopost-coitalrest.Thegestationperiodforlionsisabout110days.

PhototipsBoththesephotosweretakenfromthesunkenphotohidewithmycamerasteadiedonatripod.InverylowlightIwasabletouseaslowshutterspeedwhichwasfineforthehardlymovingrhinosandbuffalo,yetrenderedthebirds'wingsalovelyblur.Speed1/30sec;f/4,0;ISO1000.WithalmostnolightleftI'veoptedforafluorescentwhitebalancewhichhelpseliminateundesirablemulti-colourednoiseasitgivesallthepixelsamauvetint.Speed320sec;f/2,8;ISO500.

AnarrayofbirdsBirdscomeinsuchanamazingarrayofsizes,withsuchdifferentbehaviours,dietsandrequirements.Eachhassomethingsoveryspecialaboutit,anditisathrilltoseethisquietlybyyourselfortoshareitwithguests.Birdsremindmeofhowwonderful,preciousandfragilelifeis-andthatwecan'thaveitall.Imaginehowcoolitmustbetojustspreadyourwingsandfly!Thisfirstphotoisofacrownedeagle(Stephanoaetuscoronatus)thatwascallingforitsmate.Itisperchedinahugebaobab,andintheforkofthebranchesyoucanseeitsnest.Oneofourguideswhoworksherehasnoticedthatthisnesthasbeenusedbyapairofcrownedeaglessincehearrivedherealmost15yearsago.Nestslikethisthatareusedandaddedtooverseveralyearscanbe2.5metreswideand3metresdeep.Crownedeaglesaresuperblybuiltforthekill,maverickforestflyersandconsideredAfrica’smostpowerfuleaglewhenmeasuredintermsoftheweightoftheirpreyitems.ThesecondandthirdphotosshowthegentlebeautyandsoftshadesofCapeturtle(Streptopeliacapicola)andlaughingdoves(Streptopeliasenegalensis)astheydrinkcautiouslyyetthirstilyfromthewater'sedge.Whenyoustudythemverycloselyyourealisethateachisquitedifferentfromtheother.Everydoveisuniqueanditsfeathersareeversoslightlydifferentincolourtothoseofthatnexttoit.Thefourthphotoismyfavouritetodateofwhite-backedvultures(Gypsafricanus).Theyarerippingintoabuffalocarcassthattheymobbedaprideoflionsfor,andthelionseventuallyandreluctantlyleftitforthem.Whatapowerfulfeedingfrenzyoffeathersflying,squawkingandjostlingitwas.Intotalcontrast,inthefifthphoto,isatinyred-billedfirefinch(Lagonostictasenegala).Heonlymeasures10cminlength,andeatssmallseedsandgrain.

WrittenandphotographedbyJennyHishin,unlessotherwiseindicatedSingitaPamushana

MalilangweWildlifeReserveZimbabwe

Thirty-firstofJuly2016