Back home from Kwando (Hari)
Sep 4th, 2006, 08:16 AM
#62
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I didn't print the pics or anything but the dark dog in Michael's first pic has a notch out of the left ear a little down the side. The first dog in Hari's pic does not have this notch on the left ear (only a smaller one at the top) so I do not think they are the same dog.
Sep 4th, 2006, 08:48 AM
#64
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Hey Micael, Pred: Thanks, will try and locate more up close pics tomorrow for you guys to chk out.....i may have some pics from the entire afternoon when they were sleeping in the thicket. This is fun.....but, i promise to hv more tomorrow.
So, Spencer may hv been correct. He called them nomadic dogs from the mopane area. However, they seemed very relaxed around the vehicles....like they had been around them forever. The only time they got skittish was when they were insecure about the kudu carcass in croc-infested swamps.
Hari
So, Spencer may hv been correct. He called them nomadic dogs from the mopane area. However, they seemed very relaxed around the vehicles....like they had been around them forever. The only time they got skittish was when they were insecure about the kudu carcass in croc-infested swamps.
Hari
Sep 4th, 2006, 09:06 AM
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Michael: sad to see the osprey go but exciting to welcome in the fall -- I'm ready to go hear some elk bugling!
Hari: Usually females emigrate from established packs at 2 1/2 years of age but in large litters of males they will disperse too and they typically travel much further than females. It would seem that these are either emigrating males or males that have lost the rest of their pack and either way they are now looking for a female to make a new pack. Sounds like they have come originally from a touristed area since they are very relaxed.
Hari: Usually females emigrate from established packs at 2 1/2 years of age but in large litters of males they will disperse too and they typically travel much further than females. It would seem that these are either emigrating males or males that have lost the rest of their pack and either way they are now looking for a female to make a new pack. Sounds like they have come originally from a touristed area since they are very relaxed.
Sep 4th, 2006, 10:20 AM
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Hari: they could easily be dispersers from the Selinda pack. I have some literature that the average dispersal distance is about 29 km but some study subjects went 75 km and surely some undetected go much further so it is hard to know for sure as that opens lots of possibilites. But typically a larger pack is going to cause dispersal where a small pack is less likely to lose members looking for a higher rank.
BTW, this literature says the female bias for emigrating from the pack that I mentioned has been shown incorrect and typically all subordinates will eventually emigrate with males often doing it at a later age which could explain why the dog you saw appears to be in his prime -- a good time to find a female group and start a new pack.
BTW, this literature says the female bias for emigrating from the pack that I mentioned has been shown incorrect and typically all subordinates will eventually emigrate with males often doing it at a later age which could explain why the dog you saw appears to be in his prime -- a good time to find a female group and start a new pack.
Sep 4th, 2006, 01:50 PM
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Hari,
While you're on dogs, latest camp news from Kwando's neighbour says they've had a lot of wild dog sightings in the past few weeks. Also a pangolin wandering through Zib and an aardvark on a night drive.
John
While you're on dogs, latest camp news from Kwando's neighbour says they've had a lot of wild dog sightings in the past few weeks. Also a pangolin wandering through Zib and an aardvark on a night drive.
John
Sep 4th, 2006, 06:00 PM
#69
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Bill, Thanks....good info. Will get more pics tonite so that we can compare the dogs with Michael's pics.
John, you've seen the Selinda pack over many years in the past. Do any of my pics, ring a bell to you? I will look into Selinda's website. Thanks
Hari
John, you've seen the Selinda pack over many years in the past. Do any of my pics, ring a bell to you? I will look into Selinda's website. Thanks
Hari
Sep 5th, 2006, 01:47 PM
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No, Hari, sorry...I can't tell if there are any matches. The pack's been very prolific over the years (this year's litter of eight is by far the smallest for quite a while) so it would have split off a lot...but it has also lost many to other predators, too.
John
John
Sep 5th, 2006, 02:39 PM
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Hello and a belated welcome back Hari,
Very glad to hear you had such a wonderful trip and all your pretrip hassles are hopefully forgotten.
Yes, you and others have most definitely made Kwando sound like a must visit. I will remain envious til I get there.
The dog shots btw, are great. Look forward to seeing your cat and other shots!
Sherry
Very glad to hear you had such a wonderful trip and all your pretrip hassles are hopefully forgotten.
Yes, you and others have most definitely made Kwando sound like a must visit. I will remain envious til I get there.
The dog shots btw, are great. Look forward to seeing your cat and other shots!
Sherry
Sep 5th, 2006, 05:49 PM
#75
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Thanks guys for your greetings and compliments on the dog pics.
I guess i missed airport issues in my trip report. I will talk about a couple of things now. The Bombay airport was a complete Zoo. I left India, just prior to August 15th (Independence day) and there was a lot of security. I packed my camera equip and gear in my hard top box and had bubble wrapped it suitably (The cameras). Glad everything came out ok when i unpacked in SA.
At security, people's shoes and coats were going into the security machine in one end and coming out together at the other end. Thank god, my coat was packed.
In SA and Bots, no issues at all.....
However, i bought a couple of nice bottles of shiraz and Pinotage at JNB and hand carried it with me. At the Bombay domestic airport on the connecting flight to home (COimbatore) they took it away from me. My office in Bombay will hv to collect it for me from the airport officials. Gosh!!!
Anyways, all's well.....
Thanks
Hari
I guess i missed airport issues in my trip report. I will talk about a couple of things now. The Bombay airport was a complete Zoo. I left India, just prior to August 15th (Independence day) and there was a lot of security. I packed my camera equip and gear in my hard top box and had bubble wrapped it suitably (The cameras). Glad everything came out ok when i unpacked in SA.
At security, people's shoes and coats were going into the security machine in one end and coming out together at the other end. Thank god, my coat was packed.
In SA and Bots, no issues at all.....
However, i bought a couple of nice bottles of shiraz and Pinotage at JNB and hand carried it with me. At the Bombay domestic airport on the connecting flight to home (COimbatore) they took it away from me. My office in Bombay will hv to collect it for me from the airport officials. Gosh!!!
Anyways, all's well.....
Thanks
Hari
Sep 5th, 2006, 07:23 PM
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Just catching up with your report and photos (!!!), but I wanted to say welcome back. Delighted--but not surprised--to read that you had an excellent safari.
And of course, thank you for checking back in.
And of course, thank you for checking back in.
Sep 6th, 2006, 01:14 AM
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Welcome back, Hari -- it was great to meet you briefly at Lebala, and sorry we didn't have a chance to spend any time chatting.
I just returned last night from Lebala and Nxabega: both were fantastic, and I'll try to put together a report in the next week or so. While I loved my time at Lebala, I was not as fortunate with my guide (a contractor named Richard Randall); still, as you say, Harry and Monique as well as every one of the staff at Lebala are terrific.
I just returned last night from Lebala and Nxabega: both were fantastic, and I'll try to put together a report in the next week or so. While I loved my time at Lebala, I was not as fortunate with my guide (a contractor named Richard Randall); still, as you say, Harry and Monique as well as every one of the staff at Lebala are terrific.
Sep 6th, 2006, 01:38 AM
#79
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Hello!!! Very nice to meet you also. Albeit briefly....sorry, we didnt get to chat longer, as u remember my final morning was hectic with the lions and the wildebeest.
As i remember, you were at Lebala for 4 nights. That makes it 3 more nights after i had left.
Richard Randall is a very experienced private guide, not a contractor. How was the game viewing after i left? Did the female cheetah continue to stay in the area or did she move back into the Selinda concession?
Hari
As i remember, you were at Lebala for 4 nights. That makes it 3 more nights after i had left.
Richard Randall is a very experienced private guide, not a contractor. How was the game viewing after i left? Did the female cheetah continue to stay in the area or did she move back into the Selinda concession?
Hari
Sep 6th, 2006, 06:33 AM
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Hari,I've really enjoyed your report and the passion behind it. But you're a bad influence by making me re-think the Kwando part of my itinerary 
Savuti camp cleared for me yesterday, at the expense of Duma Tau - so here is my current itinerary (51 days to go):
4 nights Chitabe Trails
3 nights Duba Plains
4 nights Savuti
4 nights Lebala
2 nights Lagoon
3 nights Kwara
4 nights Little Kwara
3 nights Kwetsani
After your report I was thinking of splitting my 13 Kwando nights at just Lebala (7) and Little Kwara(6), but they don't have the availability for it to work. Also, I fear I may lose out on roan and sable sightings by skipping Lagoon.
What do you think?
I'll also be meeting Rocco at Lebala (12th Nov) and Lagoon (14th Nov).
Regards
Gaurang
Savuti camp cleared for me yesterday, at the expense of Duma Tau - so here is my current itinerary (51 days to go):4 nights Chitabe Trails
3 nights Duba Plains
4 nights Savuti
4 nights Lebala
2 nights Lagoon
3 nights Kwara
4 nights Little Kwara
3 nights Kwetsani
After your report I was thinking of splitting my 13 Kwando nights at just Lebala (7) and Little Kwara(6), but they don't have the availability for it to work. Also, I fear I may lose out on roan and sable sightings by skipping Lagoon.
What do you think?
I'll also be meeting Rocco at Lebala (12th Nov) and Lagoon (14th Nov).
Regards
Gaurang
