Sightings Discussion Nkorho and Elephant Plains Thursday 17 April, 2008

1:45 am ..2 Hyeana came up on the right and went up to the mound at NK ..looking all around there

3 zebra at NK just a few minutes ago, around 8:05 am

Cam is back ...with helicopter bird and a wild wild white domestic dog running all over at NK   :)

Terrapin left pond at nk for furhter adventures ...

and our common friend - Sandpiper ...is feeding at the pan alone

Some impalas at Ep ...but the cam is moving so fast ...I don't think there is something else alive

Hi Fani, I saw that just as I got on this morning. Wonder where the little terrapin is headed off to?

Zoomie at EP is trying to find something to show us, just passed briefly on the 2 impala.

Whoops, just passed the impala at EP again. Wonder what zoomie is looking for? So now they are going to leave us with this long shot???

Good, back to the 2 impala at EP. Still getting quite a buffering off that cam.

Impala's at EP seem real interested in something toward the lodge. Wonder what's going on? Very alert

Buffering here too....also dont seem to have any sound  EP.  Seems ok at NK though

There has been some great Cam work at EP. They are getting really good on those cam controls !

Zebra just ran thru the trees at NK ..no zoomie on duty so do not know where they were headed ..maybe they are waiting for whatever was chasing them to come into view

Don't know what it was but just now at NK it came from the left, stopped at the skull then went off between the marula tree and mound.  Maybe jackal size?

NK 8:33 pm hyena whooping it up. Birds were very noisy a bit ago too.  Hope something shows itself soon. 

I love the sound of the Hyeana calling ..they sound so strong and confident. Like they are not worried about who hears them sneaking about

Large herd of I think cape buff at EP now.

Huge Buffalo herd at EP  must be a hundred !

Lots of very young Babies in this herd ..one appears to be lost ..hope he finds the right Mom

My first time to see a large herd of Cape Buffalo at EP like that.  Had seen it at NK and it was awe inspiring there too.  Do Cape buffalo post older larger "sentries" to keep watch on the outskirts while the others drink/eat or is that just my imagination? 

OOOh Spotlight at NK!!! It might be an exciting night!

By the sounds and the spotlight action tonight at NK might gets some good sightings there too tonight :)  Was sure great and awesome at EP with all those buffalo there.

Hearing Hyeana at NK and Lion at EP also still hear Buff at EP calling for Baby ??

Edit ..couple of Buffs came back to WH at EP

I think I have long ago and saw the comments about it on the other thread. Will have to check it out again.

Hyeana whooping at NK ..and I thought I heard a Lion a few ago ...hearing something snorting now ..could be Impala ?

EDIT >>I Did ! And I Do hear a Lion at NK !

Lion calling briefly @ 11:53 pm

The older, and less agile Bufallo are on the outskirts of the herd for a reason - and that is because they are old, possibly sick, and no longer 'productive', and as such are more vulnerable to predation.

It's a case of 'survival of the fittest' and these older animals have the lowest place in the hierachy, as is the case with many wild animal herds, and are pushed out by the fitter members in order that they will be the first targets for predators.

Calves are also targetted of course, but predators risk serious injury from their parents (and other healthy herd members) unless they can isolate the calf from the herd - whereas the old and infirm are generally left to their fate as the herd has nothing to gain from protecting them.

Generally, lions will only attack buffalo if there are enough in the pride to bring down an adult without putting themselves at risk.

Thanks for the information Tabs.  That was about opposite of what I was guessing since I was thinking it was the wiser, older and stronger ones that were on the outskirts so they could fight off any attackers and warn the weaker ones inside the perimiter.  Always living  and learning

anyone know what that is calling at EP ..bird or mammal ..not the night jar ..but the monotone almost barky noise ??