Monthly Archive for June, 2009

Dogs on Buffalo: Video

Published

on June 17, 2009

. 2 Comments Tags:adventure, africa, animal-kingdom, blog, blogumentary, buffalo, bush, bush-knowledge, bushveld, conservation, documentary, ecotraining, education, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, hunting, IUCN-Red-List, kill, malilangwe, mashable, narrowcasting, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photo, photos, podcasting, predators, puppy, sand, scenic, teach, video, wild, wild dogs, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, youtube, zimbabwe

Puzzles’ little adventures of den hunting didn’t continue today. I’m not seeing any further teat development but surely in the next few days her milk must drop?

The pack had killed early today and when I caught up with them, they were all lazing around in the hills with full tummies. This is a spot they’ve lain up in before. The sands are soft here and nice and cool. Makes a pretty good bed for me too!

Although the dogs have been active last night and early today, for me their activities amount to close on zero as they spent the rest of the day chilling out in the hills.

At dusk there was a little movement as some managed to stretch their bodies enough to then go off and hassle a friend.

(Of course this buffalo sequence is that I mentioned a few days ago.)

Krazy mud kids: Video

Published

Wildcaster

on June 16, 2009

in videopost

. 2 Comments Tags:adventure, africa, animal-kingdom, blog, blogumentary, bush, bush-knowledge, bushveld, conservation, documentary, ecotraining, education, elephants, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, hunting, IUCN-Red-List, kids, kill, krazy, mashable, mud, narrowcasting, nature, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photo, photos, podcasting, predators, teach, video, wallow, wild dogs, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, youtube, zimbabwe

I really didn’t expect much from the dogs today but they were on the move early and by dawn were a long way west from where I’d left them.

After detouring a few times Puzzles took the lead heading into the hills just east of Manyuchi. I had to walk up there and found her digging in a small cave in the hills while the rest of the pack lay around. Each time she’d go into the den she’d dig away and growl at the same time. I wasn’t able to see what was going on in there.

The pack never used this den last year but did use another close by.
All day they rested here, but Puzzles didn’t stay in the den. She’s still not due yet. Her teats are fairly full but her milk hasn’t dropped yet.
At dusk Puzzles was again looking at a couple of other den sites as the pack headed east.

When I next caught up with them after dark they’d already killed an impala and devoured most of it.
Exciting times now as Puzzles starts seeking out a den. I just hope she’s kind to me and doesn’t choose a spot too inaccessible for me.

Of course my camera didn’t venture out the box today, so this elephant calf wallowing I shot a few days ago.

Sitting on the fence: Video

Published

Wildcaster

on June 15, 2009

in videopost

. 0 Comments Tags:adventure, africa, animal-kingdom, blog, blogumentary, bush, bush-knowledge, bushveld, conservation, documentary, ecotraining, education, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, hunting, IUCN-Red-List, kill, malilangwe, mashable, narrowcasting, nature, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photo, photos, podcasting, predators, teach, video, waterbuck, wild, wild dogs, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, youtube, zimbabwe

The moon is only rising now around midnight and so still up before dawn in its half state. But this is enough light for the dogs to hunt by and early morning is what they did.

I caught up with the pack at dawn but all the dogs were on the outside of the fence except for Jiggy on our side. The pack seemed keen to join him but the fence in this section was in good shape. Not an opening to be found.
Suddenly there was a commotion in the bush next to us and Jiggy had taken off after a leopard. What was it doing in the area? The pack ran along the fence on the other side keen to join in on the Jiggy’s fun, but they were snookered. Then they ran into half eaten waterbuck carcass on their side of the fence. But they didn’t seem interested in it.

It was then I realised they must have killed the waterbuck and on closer inspection saw where it had run into the fence. This is a pretty big kill for the dogs, and the biggest I’ve known them to take down. It must have been quite a fight. (Why hadn’t they waited for me?)

The dogs were now in a dilemma and so was I. I wanted them back safely on our side. With the fence blocking their natural movement, I took the liberty of cutting a hole in the fence and dragging the carcass onto our side. Jiggy was immediately happy with that move and got to feeding.
The other dogs were reluctant to cross through the hole. The sniffed around the area for ages before Puzzles took the lead and crossed over. Then slowly, one by one they all crossed and I again blocked up the hole in the fence.

The pack were all well fed and moved west to lie up in the mopanie. I left them resting but was back with them in the afternoon. The carcass had now been totally stripped by vultures.
When the dogs eventually awoke at dusk the pups were quick to return to their kill only to find the bones stripped clean by dem birds!

Still waters run deep: Video

Published

Wildcaster

on June 14, 2009

in videopost

. 1 Comment Tags:adventure, africa, animal-kingdom, blog, blogumentary, bush, bush-knowledge, bushveld, conservation, documentary, ecotraining, education, elephants, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, giraffe, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, hunting, IUCN-Red-List, malilangwe, mashable, narrowcasting, nature, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photo, photos, podcasting, predators, teach, video, waterhole, wild, wild dogs, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, youtube, zimbabwe

The dogs were off to an early start having travelled quite a distance by the time I caught up with them at dawn. They were keen running far and wide.
But their enthusiasm soon fizzled out and they took an early nap around 8am. I was sure they’d be on the move again, but no such joy. They spent the resting under mopanie bushes. Not much excitement there for me!

It was another misty dawn, but this time the cloud was localised and drifted through as puffs on the wind and it wasn’t long when it had all burnt off and I was treated to a wonderful sunny day.
My short visit to Bandama pan turned up a few giraffe and zebra coming in for their daily drink.

I ended up taking myself on a major tour of the property with little to show for it. A couple of elephant bulls on the Chiredzi River weren’t keen to show their faces out the thickets.

It was back to the dogs in the afternoon and still they were a lethargic bunch. Only about 10mins before sunset did they get active. They were now fully awake and keen to take on anything. And this they did, chasing a warthog boar, then some kudu and eventually some impala. But a little hunger continued to haunt them when I finally had to give up on them after dark.

Contagious play: Video

Published

Wildcaster

on June 13, 2009

in videopost

. 0 Comments Tags:africa, blog, bushveld, conservation, dawn, elephant, film, filmmaker, GLTP, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, Impala, kill, mist, nature, pamushana, photo, photographer, photos, teach, video, wild dogs, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, zebra

I had left the dogs late yesterday once it had become too dark to film. It must have been around then that they killed big because when I found them this morning at dawn the whole pack were well rounded.

It was a strange dawn. A dense mist had moved in covering the whole reserve blotting out any chance the sun had of peeping through.
The wild dogs’ signal was in the hills, so I walked in there. It was a very different walk, even though it was the same path I’d followed a couple of days ago. The air was completely still. Nothing seemed to stir except the odd little Cisticola that I flushed on my way through the rocks. It was a magical calm. On the verge of being eerie, but not so at all. Just extremely peaceful. The peace of course now only being broken by my incessant whistles as I got closer to the dogs.

They too were a part of this morning atmosphere hardly lifting an ear to my approach. They know the whistle and were totally happy to take in the peace. I joined them sitting on a rock several meters away and savoured this interesting dawn. It was very special.
As the clouds began to lift several hours later, the dogs stirred and the pups were soon into full on play mode.

But that was the pack done for the day. They spent the day in the hills digesting off those large bellies.

Sticks and Stripes! Video

Published

Wildcaster

on June 12, 2009

in videopost

. 1 Comment Tags:adventure, africa, animal-kingdom, blog, blogumentary, buffalo, bush, bush-knowledge, conservation, documentary, ecotraining, education, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, hunting, IUCN-Red-List, malilangwe, mashable, narrowcasting, nature, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photo, photos, podcasting, predators, teach, video, wild, wild dogs, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, youtube, zebra, zimbabwe

The last few days were hardly much fun for me or the dogs.
The weather has been rather unpleasant. That would be good English way of saying it. I’ll leave my bad English to your imagination.
For 3 days the cloud has been low, cold and sporadic drizzles. Even the dogs weren’t enjoying it huddling up together to keep warm. That didn’t help me huddling up on my own. It’s about time they let me join them.

But today the sun again appeared! (Yes I know I’m spoilt with all the sunshine we get but then I’m used to it and so expect it. Spoilt brat!)

In their usual playful manner the pups have been taking on big game, buffalo and zebra. Zebra is a common game but buffalo not so and the other day they hassled them for about 2 and half hours. Of course Puzzles and Jiggy kept to the sideline just watching. Why waste their energy.

Having finished with the buffalo, the dogs were at Bandama pan. This is a fairly large expanse of water and as far as I know the dogs have never been there. And it showed. The whole pack was nervous to approach for a drink and then circumnavigated the pan in their tense way before heading off south.

Puzzles continues to grow. She’s looking good, but I think she might still be about a week from giving birth. I know I said that last time, and I might just say it again. At least we do know she is well and truly pregnant and now it’s just a matter of time.
Mark is away for a few days, so I’ll be at the helm. Sorry for you!

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Monthly Archive for June, 2009

Dogs on Buffalo: Video

Krazy mud kids: Video

Sitting on the fence: Video

Still waters run deep: Video

Contagious play: Video

Sticks and Stripes! Video

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