Fire is often used as a management tool to control bush encroachment and maintain species diversity.
Man induced fire has been a part of the African savannah for centuries and many of the plant species have adapted to it. But they haven’t adapted to the intense heat created by hundreds of Quelea nests blazing in their upper branches and in this case killing large parts of the upper tree.
Zebra are often the first to be found on a burnt area. The new flush of green growth is obviously a great attraction but the zebra usually arrive before the flush. There must be something else about fire that attracts them.
Today is my last day of fun. Been utter bliss. Tomorrow I drive 8 hours to Jackson Hole for the week for the wildlife film festival. But I’m still going to sneak in some kayaking at 6h30 before hitting the road.
29th September 2000
For the first time in a long time Tjololo wasn’t around where we’d left him. After much searching with tracks heading west and then east again we eventually picked him up moving north along the boundary with the Kruger National Park.
He tends to follow this boundary all the way north which is extremely frustrating as the road is just inside Kruger, with no road on the Mala Mala side. Also there is no physical barrier between the 2 areas. This doesn’t do us any psychological good to be bouncing around through the bush while only a meter away Tjololo is walking on a perfectly graded road.
Once Tjololo was back on Mala Mala he frustrated us further by spending the whole time walking in the bottom of any donga he could find. This is not unusual and is very typical leopard behaviour. Before midnight he did eventually venture out and work on hunting. On the burn he killed an adult male steenbok which he hurriedly treed with 3 hyaenas hot on his heels. He had an uncomfortable feed in the tree as it was rather scraggly and the hyaenas weren’t letting him move on to another tree with the carcass.
Having fed he had to move away from the tree as the hyaenas stayed lying there hoping eventually to get a scrap.
At dawn Tjololo finished off his carcass. 8 hours to finish the whole carcass, another amazing feat by Tjololo.
This young hippo bull probably died of his wounds from fighting with another bull. They are seriously territorial and with those huge teeth of theirs often inflict fatal wounds.
Hyaenas are one of the only predators that can make inroads through that inch thick hippo hide. And with a pack as large as this one they soon made short work of the carcass only leaving a few of the larger leg bones and very little meat for the many waiting vultures.
I had another great day in Colorado! Clay pigeon shooting, kayaking, Go-kart racing (actually more like Go-kart bashing) and a good long mountain bike ride.
And of course I love horses! Especially seeing them running free in a big herd like this is just so stunning.
28th September 2000
As we were approaching Tjololo where we’d left him, a herd of kudu must have almost run over him. He still seemed dazed when we found him, probably having had his sleep disturbed by them.
He was on the move before sunset heading straight south down the center of his territory following the road/track all the way. When he reached the river he started heading west.
Tjololo was suddenly surprised by a lioness following his trail, but he became aware of and saw her before she saw him. He ducked off down the river. Resting up he was again disturbed, this time by a hyaena.
When we found him again he was now heading east along the river, continuing all the way into Kruger where he must have rested around midnight after having been on he move for the last 7 hours. That’s a long time to keep walking. Something we don’t appreciate when we blame him for sleeping all the time.
Before dawn he called and was soon back on Mala Mala turf only to rest up again at sunrise.
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