Game updates: Delta / Linyanti
Sep 15th, 2006, 10:39 AM
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Game updates: Delta / Linyanti
A few tidbits emailed to me by a couple friends who guide for WS...
Game along the Linyanti is pumping now, with loads of ele, buf and zebra starting up and the Namibian 6 (male lions) are spending time in the WS concession now. They have driven out the Chobe pair of males, although the "Nambians" have split into two coalitions of 3 each now. They are mighty impressive boys.
Jao leopards are still around, and the old lion and two females near Kwetsani as well.
The Mmantshwe female leopard (Savuti) had her subadult/adult young female cub (who was now independent) taken out by a male leopard and then lions.
The "Burnt Ebony" (Mombo territorial male) leopard's reign seems to have come to an end due to both age and an injured paw. His injury has become infected, making hunting and protecting his territory against nomadic males very difficult. A large nomadic male leopard was sighted a few weeks back and Burnt Ebony has not been seen since.
Bad news about the Mombo wilddogs, the alpha female has given birth, but none of the pups have survived. They had not seen the dogs for about a week; this is when she had obviously given birth. When seen later, the alpha female's teats also seemed that they had not been suckled on. It isn't known what happened to the pups, but it is assumed that they may have succumbed to hyenas.
The Mathata pride (Mombo) are missing two of their cubs. It's unknown what happened to the first that disappeared, but the second was found wandering around on his own, miles away from the pride. He may have lost the pride whilst finishing off a meal, not knowing that the pride had started moving again.
Hope this satifies some of those yearnings I know so many suffer from
James
Game along the Linyanti is pumping now, with loads of ele, buf and zebra starting up and the Namibian 6 (male lions) are spending time in the WS concession now. They have driven out the Chobe pair of males, although the "Nambians" have split into two coalitions of 3 each now. They are mighty impressive boys.
Jao leopards are still around, and the old lion and two females near Kwetsani as well.
The Mmantshwe female leopard (Savuti) had her subadult/adult young female cub (who was now independent) taken out by a male leopard and then lions.
The "Burnt Ebony" (Mombo territorial male) leopard's reign seems to have come to an end due to both age and an injured paw. His injury has become infected, making hunting and protecting his territory against nomadic males very difficult. A large nomadic male leopard was sighted a few weeks back and Burnt Ebony has not been seen since.
Bad news about the Mombo wilddogs, the alpha female has given birth, but none of the pups have survived. They had not seen the dogs for about a week; this is when she had obviously given birth. When seen later, the alpha female's teats also seemed that they had not been suckled on. It isn't known what happened to the pups, but it is assumed that they may have succumbed to hyenas.
The Mathata pride (Mombo) are missing two of their cubs. It's unknown what happened to the first that disappeared, but the second was found wandering around on his own, miles away from the pride. He may have lost the pride whilst finishing off a meal, not knowing that the pride had started moving again.
Hope this satifies some of those yearnings I know so many suffer from
James
Sep 15th, 2006, 06:03 PM
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James,
"Hope this satifies some of those yearnings I know so many suffer from..."
I think it increases the yearnings! But thanks for the kind thoughts, anyway
As you know, many of us come here for the fix between trips.
Another tidbit: buffalo have been seen in such numbers (thousands) near the eastern end of the spillway that some apparently are reminded of the days of Old Selinda camp.
John
"Hope this satifies some of those yearnings I know so many suffer from..."
I think it increases the yearnings! But thanks for the kind thoughts, anyway
As you know, many of us come here for the fix between trips.Another tidbit: buffalo have been seen in such numbers (thousands) near the eastern end of the spillway that some apparently are reminded of the days of Old Selinda camp.
John
Sep 15th, 2006, 07:06 PM
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Hi John,
Although I've spent loads of time in the WS Linyanti areas - even way back, long before the Savuti Channel area changed to a strict photo safari area, I had not done much in Selinda.
I did my first serious scouting in the Selinda this past June on a full-day outing that included a stop at Zib and to see the progress of the upgrades at Selinda.
Spectacular area.
Our Digital group stayed at Selinda in May and loved it as well. Even though we're at Savuti this coming November and again for 2 trips in 2007, I'm thinking I should switch one of the '07 trips to Selinda. I really liked what I saw in terms of terrain - although the buff weren't around yet in June.
Of course, with all the extra water in June up there, including in the Sav Channel - everything I saw was an amazement to me after having been through there so many times and seen nothing that even compared to this year.
I only wish I had somehow been able to spend another week just working the upper 3k's of the channel - it was raptor heaven and is evidently still a mini-paradise now with all the fresh graze.
Maybe we'll cross paths one day and say hello.
James
Although I've spent loads of time in the WS Linyanti areas - even way back, long before the Savuti Channel area changed to a strict photo safari area, I had not done much in Selinda.
I did my first serious scouting in the Selinda this past June on a full-day outing that included a stop at Zib and to see the progress of the upgrades at Selinda.
Spectacular area.
Our Digital group stayed at Selinda in May and loved it as well. Even though we're at Savuti this coming November and again for 2 trips in 2007, I'm thinking I should switch one of the '07 trips to Selinda. I really liked what I saw in terms of terrain - although the buff weren't around yet in June.
Of course, with all the extra water in June up there, including in the Sav Channel - everything I saw was an amazement to me after having been through there so many times and seen nothing that even compared to this year.
I only wish I had somehow been able to spend another week just working the upper 3k's of the channel - it was raptor heaven and is evidently still a mini-paradise now with all the fresh graze.
Maybe we'll cross paths one day and say hello.
James
Sep 15th, 2006, 07:51 PM
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Hari,
Generally, the area I'm referring to is from the flooded part of the spillway near Selinda camp, north towards Kwando. Until 2004, the water from the river wasn't far past Selinda camp but now it extends south-west along the spillway for some kilometres. Mokoba walking trails camp is in this northern area of the Selinda concession, not far from the Kwando boundary. The other trails camp, Tshwene, is further down the spillway and therefore closer to the Zib area as you could see on that map I told you about. Lynn spent a night there on her recent trip. But even before these latest reports of growing buffalo numbers, we've seen sizeable herds both north and south of the spillway (in 2004 and 2005).
James,
I hope you do spend more time in the Selinda area...it's worth it. It certainly captured my imagination. It'd be good to catch up in person...as you say, maybe someday.
John
Generally, the area I'm referring to is from the flooded part of the spillway near Selinda camp, north towards Kwando. Until 2004, the water from the river wasn't far past Selinda camp but now it extends south-west along the spillway for some kilometres. Mokoba walking trails camp is in this northern area of the Selinda concession, not far from the Kwando boundary. The other trails camp, Tshwene, is further down the spillway and therefore closer to the Zib area as you could see on that map I told you about. Lynn spent a night there on her recent trip. But even before these latest reports of growing buffalo numbers, we've seen sizeable herds both north and south of the spillway (in 2004 and 2005).
James,
I hope you do spend more time in the Selinda area...it's worth it. It certainly captured my imagination. It'd be good to catch up in person...as you say, maybe someday.
John
Sep 16th, 2006, 03:49 AM
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hi james,
any news on the female cheetah at Mombo with 5 cubs? when we saw her a week ago she only had 3 with her and was separated from them with 2 hyenas on her tracks. i'm worried that she may not have them anymore. it was the first time i have ever seen a cheetah charge hyenas and initially from quite a distance away. quite a sight. thx in advance
any news on the female cheetah at Mombo with 5 cubs? when we saw her a week ago she only had 3 with her and was separated from them with 2 hyenas on her tracks. i'm worried that she may not have them anymore. it was the first time i have ever seen a cheetah charge hyenas and initially from quite a distance away. quite a sight. thx in advance
Sep 16th, 2006, 01:24 PM
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BC,
I wasn't even aware there was another "mother with Five" at Mombo.
I've sent an enquiry and will post back as soon as I hear.
I won't be back to Mombo again until early December, but I certainly hope that a couple of these little guys can somehow survive the lion gauntlet that exists there currently.
Mombo's a rough place for dogs and cheetahs at present - just too many lions around.
Back in the early days, when Tippy and Stompy reigned supreme, the dogs and cheetahs at Mombo were spectacular and present in good numbers.
However, whatever dynamic has led to the influx of so many lions has certainly made it difficult for these two species to successfully raise young there today.
Will post back again with any news I hear.
James
I wasn't even aware there was another "mother with Five" at Mombo.
I've sent an enquiry and will post back as soon as I hear.
I won't be back to Mombo again until early December, but I certainly hope that a couple of these little guys can somehow survive the lion gauntlet that exists there currently.
Mombo's a rough place for dogs and cheetahs at present - just too many lions around.
Back in the early days, when Tippy and Stompy reigned supreme, the dogs and cheetahs at Mombo were spectacular and present in good numbers.
However, whatever dynamic has led to the influx of so many lions has certainly made it difficult for these two species to successfully raise young there today.
Will post back again with any news I hear.
James
Sep 16th, 2006, 05:44 PM
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thanks a lot james,
i think they had only seen her once or twice with the five cubs before we arrived so it's definitely a recent development. there are too many lion and hyenas in the area for cheetahs or dogs to thrive. unfortunately i've only been able to see mombo while lions were dominant so never got to see the wild dog and cheetah in their prime their, but the stories i've heard definitely leave me yearning. who knows maybe in 5 years things will change back again. probably depends on the success of the Bob Marley boys. anyway look forward to hearing any news you get.
i think they had only seen her once or twice with the five cubs before we arrived so it's definitely a recent development. there are too many lion and hyenas in the area for cheetahs or dogs to thrive. unfortunately i've only been able to see mombo while lions were dominant so never got to see the wild dog and cheetah in their prime their, but the stories i've heard definitely leave me yearning. who knows maybe in 5 years things will change back again. probably depends on the success of the Bob Marley boys. anyway look forward to hearing any news you get.
Sep 16th, 2006, 09:56 PM
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Hari -
Cheetah viewing is decent at the Vumbura camps as well as in the Savuti channel.
For non-WS camps, look at Kwara, Lagoon, Lebala, all of which have had cheetah sightings in the last month.
Mombo is hit or miss, mostly miss, and will continue to be this way I'd guess untill another coalition of males moves in.
James
Cheetah viewing is decent at the Vumbura camps as well as in the Savuti channel.
For non-WS camps, look at Kwara, Lagoon, Lebala, all of which have had cheetah sightings in the last month.
Mombo is hit or miss, mostly miss, and will continue to be this way I'd guess untill another coalition of males moves in.
James
Oct 2nd, 2006, 10:07 PM
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Anyone seen Selinda's website with their current news from September? If not, check under campnews. They hv updates about their lions, leopards and the cheetah boys. No mention about the Selinda pack of dogs, so i wonder if they are in Lebala or Duma Tau at the moment?
Hari
Hari
Oct 3rd, 2006, 12:34 AM
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Thank you... I'm sad to hear about Burnt Ebony as he was the male we enjoyed following during our 2001 visit.
I was hugely annoyed when we returned on our 2004 visit and I asked our guide several times if he could tell me anything about BE and he insisted he didn't know any such animal of that name.
When I got home I noticed in the trip reports of others that not only was BE still alive and well but still seen very regularly in the Mombo area!
I would not have minded if he had said that we would not see BE because he was not in the immediate area - I just wanted him to give me some information about whether he was still alive, how he was etc. Certainly given the sightings both shortly before and after my visit it's inconceivable that he didn't know of BE.
Ah well...
I was hugely annoyed when we returned on our 2004 visit and I asked our guide several times if he could tell me anything about BE and he insisted he didn't know any such animal of that name.
When I got home I noticed in the trip reports of others that not only was BE still alive and well but still seen very regularly in the Mombo area!
I would not have minded if he had said that we would not see BE because he was not in the immediate area - I just wanted him to give me some information about whether he was still alive, how he was etc. Certainly given the sightings both shortly before and after my visit it's inconceivable that he didn't know of BE.
Ah well...
Oct 3rd, 2006, 04:05 AM
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Hari,
Not quite right.
"The waterhole at Zibalianja is getting more & more visitors. Elephant are almost a constant, but we have had the wild dogs & cheetah grace us with their presence."
The pack is almost never absent from Zib.
John
Not quite right.
"The waterhole at Zibalianja is getting more & more visitors. Elephant are almost a constant, but we have had the wild dogs & cheetah grace us with their presence."
The pack is almost never absent from Zib.
John
Oct 3rd, 2006, 06:13 AM
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Bigcountry -
Just heard from my friend at Mombo.
Here's what he says re: the Cheetah and cubs...
"Regarding the cheetahs, my last drive, Brandon and myself confirmed that there were seven cubs in total. Unfortunately she was being trailed by a small clan of hyenas.
I was away for a few weeks and on my return, the guides had been seeing a cheetah at Suzie's (ed. Suzie's Duckpond) with three cubs, possibly the same female but unconfirmed."
So - not very enlightening or promising news on the cheetahs I guess.
I'll be heading back there again for a week in early December, so maybe I'll get to see them. I'll post anything further I hear from Mombo until I leave.
James
Just heard from my friend at Mombo.
Here's what he says re: the Cheetah and cubs...
"Regarding the cheetahs, my last drive, Brandon and myself confirmed that there were seven cubs in total. Unfortunately she was being trailed by a small clan of hyenas.
I was away for a few weeks and on my return, the guides had been seeing a cheetah at Suzie's (ed. Suzie's Duckpond) with three cubs, possibly the same female but unconfirmed."
So - not very enlightening or promising news on the cheetahs I guess.
I'll be heading back there again for a week in early December, so maybe I'll get to see them. I'll post anything further I hear from Mombo until I leave.
James
