Little Makalolo – May 2013
Weather and Landscape
Hwange continues to live up to its reputation of unpredictable weather. A few mornings have been a bit chilly – we assume it’s a warning that winter might be a bit harsh. On the other hand, the afternoons have been also rather hot for this time of the year.
They call it “survival of the fittest” in the bush for a reason. Those plants with long roots to tap into the fast-depleting water table are still standing high and tall and green but the grass that has short roots has already wilted dry and have turned brown, save for the grasses around the waterholes.
Wildlife
“Wow… unbelievable!” This was a remark from one guest as he and the others got off a vehicle from their morning activity. March has been amazing as far as game viewing was concerned. On one morning game drive, just as the guests were driving out of camp, they came across a leopard taking a stroll just outside camp. They watched her for about 20 minutes and then she went into the bushes. From there they drove for a few kilometres and came across a cheetah on a termite mound. She posed for a few minutes and then took off. As if this was not enough, a pride of 14 lions was also seen on the same game drive.
Birds and Birding
This month the bird sightings were great, with a special sighting of an African crowned eagle, which is very uncommon for this area. We had a few sightings of raptors feasting on fr gs and insects. The Steppe eagles and lesser-spotted eagles have gone down in numbers and we suspect they have started their long flight back north.
