Tag Archive for 'ecotraining'

Mudcrawlers: Video

Published

on November 25, 2009

. 5 Comments Tags:adventure, africa, animal-kingdom, birding-african-birds, birds, blogumentary, bush, bush-knowledge, conservation, Cubs, den, documentary, ecotraining, education, elephants, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, hunting, hyaena, hyena, insects, IUCN-Red-List, kori bustard, malilangwe, mashable, narrowcasting, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photos, podcasting, predators, teach, video, waterhole, wild, wild dogs, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, youtube, zimbabwe

We’ve been cooped up taking shelter from the rain with no communications or internet for the last few days. It was quite pleasant waking up to the sound of rain pouring down and not having to be anywhere or do anything, but I was eventually itching to get out. So I eventually got to do a little photo commentary to pull us through - enjoy.

After a little wet weather the bugs are starting to make their appearance along with the flying ants. I shudder at the thought of the mosquitoes coming out in full force!

Animals know when the rain is coming; the hyenas prudently took shelter in the hills in expectation of the wet weather, but they still come down to the communal den during the evenings to socialize.

The elephant bulls are out and about looking for the high protein browse in the south of the reserve.

Just before the rains came I paid a visit to Nduna Dam and ran into a Kori Bustard walking the edge of the dam. They are huge birds and this one was not in a hurry to fly away as I was shadowing it.

Another great thing about summer is the summer visitor birds taking up residence on the reserve including the woodlands kingfisher with its expressive call.

Hyena Chop Stix: Video

Published

Wildcaster

on November 6, 2009

in videopost

. 7 Comments Tags:adventure, africa, animal-kingdom, blogumentary, bush, bush-knowledge, conservation, den, documentary, ecotraining, education, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, hunting, hyaena, Hyena cubs, IUCN-Red-List, kill, lions, malilangwe, narrowcasting, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photos, podcasting, polls, predators, teach, video, waterhole, wild, wild dogs, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, youtube, zimbabwe

The dark clouds have been rolling in over Malilangwe, but with nothing more than the promise of rain. It is November already and anytime from mid-month onwards we can expect the down pours to start. I can still remember last year, when I was caught in a heavy storm and the water was flowing straight through my clothes as I cautiously navigated the muddy roads– it makes one feel like a kid playing in the rain.

I’ve been getting some daily exercise walking up and down the hyena hill to check on the new den.

I eventually found the two older mothers using a den right on the top of the hill in a different den than I thought previously. When I first spotted one of the older cubs roaming the hill I used my “special call” to attract their attention so they wouldn’t freak out by my presence. They came straight away to inspect and then strolled over to a crack in the rocks.

I followed and took up a position on a nearby rock. One big mother then came out the den to see what new clan member had arrived; surprisingly, she was completely relaxed with me being there. I stayed for the morning to observed and take photos and get them used to me being around the new den.

The hyenas and wild dogs had a huge confrontation South of Manyuchi two mornings ago, but nothing serious enough for them to eat each other.

I received an update on Magwaza the lioness and her three cubs. They were hanging around Chitindigova Hill just North of Bandama Pan, always in the hills these lions, the cubs are growing strong and the ex-Nduna lioness is still mixed up with the pride with one other lioness. This unknown lioness seems to be lactating, which means there might be some more little ones on the way. It may be too soon to jump to conclusions, there is really no way to tell for sure, unless some mad person climbs into the hill to take a look. I think I might camp out in my vehicle over next few days to see what I can spot.

Girohide: Video

Published

Wildcaster

on October 23, 2009

in videopost

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

I continued with the white rhinos at chinzwine pan, I was attempting to get some sunset rhino pictures, but it was not that easy. I’m thinking that I will give them another shot this evening.

So it was from the rhinos in the South to the wild dogs in the West. Something similar to that song where they sing “from the east side to the west side”, well I think all rap songs have that line in them, but you get the picture.

The dogs were back at Chidumu rocks, which is quite a picturesque setting with its rock figs and its huge bolders. They had a festive session, where the adults regurgitated and the pups all tried to climb into the same piece of meat. Kim has returned so I will let him continue on all wild dog happenings.

I headed for Manuchi hide after “Dozer” suffered from a high temperature when the waterpump seized – I am again limited as to where I can venture. Anyway, it turned out to be an incredible time in the pit. I waited a little while as the Giraffe began to filter in along with the Impala. It was a fairly hot day at around 36 degrees, so they get fairly desperate to drink.
But, it was not long before the hyenas move in to claim their spot.

The giraffe were not that easily intimidated this time and they all seemed to move around the pan following a peace agreement. The hyenas were on to me in the hide fairly quickly, which in turn left the giraffe wondering what was burrowing in the ant mound. The sun went down and with the last remaining light the hyenas left along with me as I had to walk back to the car. The giraffe was left in peace to drink his fill.

Snorkeling Hyenas: Video

Published

Wildcaster

on October 17, 2009

in videopost

. 6 Comments Tags:adventure, africa, animal-kingdom, blogumentary, bush, bush-knowledge, conservation, documentary, ecotraining, education, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, hunting, hyaenas, Hyena cubs, IUCN-Red-List, malilangwe, mashable, narrowcasting, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photos, podcasting, polls, predators, teach, video, warthog, waterhole, wild, wild dogs, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, youtube, zimbabwe

I was out early in the morning and I hadn’t gone a kilometer down the road when I met up with a male hyena carrying a limb back to the clan. He turned to judge the threat and realized the familiar purr of Dozer’s 2.4L finely tuned motor almost immediately.

Readjusting his grip on what looked to be a Zebra front leg, he continued his trot along the road back in the direction of the den. After three kilometers or so he took a short cut through some thickets and I went around to meet him at Manuchi Pan. He was already there when I pulled up and the one older cub was at the pan gnawing on the limb. It wasn’t long before the gathering of the clan and the party once again got out of control.

The males love hanging around with the cubs, they run up and down chasing each other and wrestle around in the pan, this is very funny to watch.

I have been checking up on the dogs while Kim is away finalizing things on the Wild Dog movie. All the dogs are all doing well, they seem to be hunting early and catching quickly, because they are back at the den by 9:30/ 10 am. They’ve been heading straight into the hill where the den is after a short greeting ceremony and stay there until after 5pm every day so far. The pups are growing up fast, it’s been great spending time with them again.

I took a visit to the Hwata Pan which has dried up, and also to Chimize Pan, which is full at the moment. The white rhino have been drinking there and this is exactly what I’d hoped for. There were five rhinos nearby the pan, with a large male trying to chase the younger calves away from the female so he could get down to business. Things don’t always go as planned and for now he had to come up with a better plan to maneuver his way in there.

It feels good to be back in a routine after the whole buffalo capture saga, it really pays off, putting in the hours with the animal you’re working on, I’m getting some amazing footage at the pan lately. Yesterday I watched the hyenas take over the pan once again and refuse entry to all other animals waiting in the shadows. Eventually three warthogs were brave enough to challenge the hyenas and eventually came out tops. The hyenas end up giving each other a fright and when one panics they all high-tail it out of there. Another one for the hooves.

Sky-herder: Video

Published

Wildcaster

on October 13, 2009

in videopost

. 6 Comments Tags:adventure, africa, animal-kingdom, blogumentary, buffalo, bush, bush-knowledge, conservation, ecotraining, education, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, hunting, hyaena den, hyena, IUCN-Red-List, malilangwe, mashable, narrowcasting, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photos, podcasting, polls, predators, teach, video, waterhole, wild, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, zimbabwe

The sun rises and the dry sand begins absorbing the heat as its rays fall upon the ground. The wind swirls between the hills and the dust takes to flight from the down-draft from the chopper as it takes off, marking the end of the long hot buffalo capture. Flying between the hills and over the Chiredzi River makes for some breathtaking sequences, I always enjoy getting a birds eye view of a place.

For now I’m happy to get back to my hyenas, and they must have heard me coming, because the first came ambling out of the woodwork right away, followed by the others as the heat began to dissipate. It was wonderful to see some real behaviour from the clan, this is quite a change from filming humans performing tasks.

After a good time at the den I thought that Manuchi must be rocking and I was right. The adults had once again taken over the pan, they were sprawled out all around the entire area. Hyenas can be quite possessive over their watering spots, they tend to hang around longer than what is required to just rehydrate, they rather enjoy sporting around in the water.

One of the mothers was carrying what looked like a dead cub in her mouth. She proceeded to drop the lump of flesh in the pan and then submerge herself in the water. This all looked a little horrifying to begin with, but it turned out to be what seemed like a foetus of some sort from a kill - what a relief.

Alan called on the radio and mentioned he was near Sosigi so a quick detour was in order to catch a glimpse of Tanga. Nothing like spotting a leopard on the road home, this may have been with the help of a little cheat, but it was still just as sweet.

Forced Takeover: Video

Published

Wildcaster

on October 10, 2009

in videopost

. 5 Comments Tags:adventure, africa, animal-kingdom, blogumentary, buffalo, buffalo-stampede, bush, bush-knowledge, calf, documentary, ecotraining, education, elephants, endangered-species, experience, film, filmmaker, flickr, GLTP, gonarezhou, Great-Limpopo-Transfrontier-Park, hunting, hyaenas, hyena, hyena cub, IUCN-Red-List, malilangwe, narrowcasting, Open-Content-Alliance, pamushana, peace-parks, photos, podcasting, polls, predators, teach, video, wild, wildcasting, wilderness, wildlife, wildlife-documentary, zimbabwe

When you hear the thunder of a few hundred hooves and the dust swirls into a whirlwind that chokes your nasal cavities and the first thing you see is a pair of horns parading in your direction, then you know… you’re in a buffalo stampede.

This is part of a buffalo capture, where we willfully place ourselves in the path of a herd of buffalo being herded by a chopper into a boma. When they run past, the curtains get closed and the buffalo are then ready to be selected and inoculated. It may sound simple, but it is not easy - it is very hard work! Temperatures have been hitting the 40 degree mark in the shade, this is how Africa treats its finest.

I have been at this buffalo capture for the past three days now and being out in the sun really knocks you out. I also managed to squeeze in an aerial shoot, so I might put a grand aerial clip together to end the week with a bang.

Besides doing the buffalo capture I managed to slip away to spend time with the hyenas and I caught up with them at Manuchi Pan where they had completely taken over. One of the cubs wanted to investigate a young giraffe waiting its turn to drink and the other five older cubs came in to enjoy some water sports. All in all there were thirteen hyenas at the pan wading in the water and just enjoying the cool water after a scorcher of a day.

I hope to catch up with the hyena on Sunday again after the buffalo capture is on its back. For now I need to get some shut eye so I don’t fade on the last day of the buffalo capture.

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Tag Archive for 'ecotraining'

Mudcrawlers: Video

Hyena Chop Stix: Video

Girohide: Video

Snorkeling Hyenas: Video

Sky-herder: Video

Forced Takeover: Video

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