fp Blog Teaser

What’s black, can have up to 400 legs but couldn’t run if he had too? Yep...it’s the Giant African Millipede.  This critter eats dead and decaying plant matter. Sounds kind of nasty? Ah...but he serves an amazing purpose.

Frustrated with the cams going down? Annoyed when you settle in for a night of relaxing frog songs only to find the cam is pointing to the ground as if it’s looking for insects? Well before you blow a gasket...step back and take a deep breath. 

Did you happen to catch the view of the giraffes that visited Nkorho Pan early Thursday morning? Three females, one of which was pregnant, and a male all came to get a drink while it was quiet and peaceful, the only sounds around were the morning birds.  The male was very dark in color, indicating he was quite a bit older than the females.  Rumor has it that while we can’t hear any sounds from the giraffe, labeling him as mute, many think they can speak on a infrasound level. 

The past couple of weeks have been full of cheetahs at Nkorho Pan, so we weren’t counting on another cat sighting so soon. Well we were wrong...and we’re glad! The Styx Pride of Lions took down a wildebeest close to the waterhole, and while the kill itself was not in our view, NK was the closest water so the pride stayed close. They came into view and stayed for a long time as they drank and lounged.

We do our best to keep all of our cameras running all of the time. But the reality is this is Africa, and between thunderstorms, animals chewing cable and telecommunications failures somtimes the cams go down for awhile. Check out the top ten things to do when this happens...

Several nights ago, we were amazed as we watched as a group of four large cats come into view at the Nkorho Pan. They settled in for a few minutes of thirst quenching while we debated exactly what we were looking at. Leopards? No...Too long in the body. Lions? No...Wrong build, smaller heads. Hmmm...cheetahs? Could it be cheetahs? No, of course not, they are solitary aren’t they? Could it be a mother and three nearly grown cubs? No...That was all but impossible. Well then, what were we looking at?

While we’re still in the dry season and hoping for rain every day in Sabi Sands, we are enjoying a plethora of animal life. It seems this week has been yet another full of remarkable viewings. One of my favorites is the breeding herds of elephants that wander by for a drink at both Elephant Plains and Nkorho Pan.  This week we got to see the elephant that everyone looks twice at when he walks through.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ELEPHANT PICS (picture entries #15-#18)

Kimberley is about to lose its world-famous Lesser Flamingo breeding island. “With increased inflow of poorly-treated water from the Homevale Waste Water Treatment Works, recent rains and limited evaporation, the island is under threat from flooding”, says Jahn Hohne, Chairman of the Save the Flamingo Association.

What Bird Breeds Once Every Nine Years and Lives to be 50 Years Old? That big black bird with the big red beak that walks with purpose and pride across the open area at Nkorho is the Southern Ground Hornbill. The largest member of the hornbills, these unique and very large birds live in small groups of around eight, with a dominant pair being the only breeders in the group. The others, usually insubordinate males related that are related, help to feed the single surviving chick that is hatched once every nine years. 9 years?

We often see the Burchell’s Zebra wander through at the Nkorho Pan; sometimes just a few, other times a nice sized herd.  A few interesting facts about our striped friends – ever wonder why they bunch up in a wad with no form or structure? Because of their unique physical appearance with the stripes, by standing in a group with some facing front, some back, some sideways, from far away or from a hindered point of view, it is difficult to tell them apart.