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Some of Nhongo Safaris Fleet of Open Safari Vehicles

The photo shows some of our fleet of Open Safari Vehicles used while on safari in the Kruger National and Hwange National Parks. These ve...

Tuesday, 22 October 2013

On Safari With Mark from 14 October 2013

14 October 2013

Route: Numbi tar - Shabeni koppies - Albaseni - Nkambeni Tented Camp

2 large herds of buffalo (1 on the Numbi tar and other approaching mestal dam).

The Hyena den is still active with all four youngsters out playing around the entrance to the den.

General animals spotted:

Impala, waterbuck, common duiker, kudu and hippo's.

15 October 2013

Route: Nkambeni - Napi - Skakuza - Napi - Nkambeni

General animals seen:

kudu, waterbuck, warthog, common duiker, steenbok, klipspringer, zebra, hippos and vervet monkeys.

Large herds of buffalo's grazing on short grass in burn area at mestal dam.

Small herd of elephant near the buffalo. Matriarch wasn't happy with their presence around her young so performed a mock charge. Great sighting for guests and they could get great photos.

Further to this the day has been quiet with no cats spotted yet.

16 October 2013

Route Nkambeni - Napi - H3 - Napi - Albaseni - Doispan - Napi - Nkambeni

General animals seen:

giraffe, zebra, warthog, impala, chackma baboons, waterbuck, kudu, rhino and hippos

Great herd of sable just before Voortrekker link on the napi

4 hyena at the den on Numbi tar

Only elephant bulls seen on drives today.

Fantastic herds of buffalo on camp road and Numbi tar and napi. Largest herd seen was
approximately 300

Got a call for a female lions and cubs on alpha loop. She was lying in the dry riverbed enjoying the shade with her 4 cubs

On our return to camp we had a male leopard walking parallel with napi just before the flat rocks

17 October 2013

Route: Napi - H3 - S112 - S114 - Napi - Nkambeni

General animals seen:

kudu, warthog, zebra, impala, giraffe, hippos, crocodile, buffalo, elephant and waterbuck

Male leopard just past boulders exit. Walked parallel with the road and then turned off back into the bush.

4 lioness and 1 male seen eating an impala 300m before the S114 on the napi.

Females got up and walked towards deloport dam.

After lunch we found the same pride of lions lying at the dam.

On our return to camp we found a young male leopard lying in a Marola tree just before the S65.

No herds of elephant found today, will look for them tomorrow.

18 October 2013

Route: Albaseni - Shabeni - Fiaya loop - Albaseni - Doispan - River link - River road - Kruger gate road - Napi - Nkambeni

General sightings:

warthog, rheed buck, common duiker, impala, kudu, hippos, chackma baboons, waterbuck, elephant, rhino and zebra

Still large herds of buffalo on Numbi tar. They not moving around because of the new grass growth.

No large herds of elephant only the individual bulls along napi

3 lioness and 1 male lion walked off the rocks and headed towards river road, approximately 2km from Kruger gate. We lost visual as they entered the reeds between road and river.

Not fantastic sightings today due to weather being cold and raining.

We try for a leopard for new guests tomorrow morning before they leave for JHB.

Monday, 21 October 2013

Elephant Tusks Valued At R1.6 Million Seized At Beitbridge Border Post

Police in Zimbabwe intercepted a luxury bus carrying four elephant tusks valued at R1.6 million.
 
The tusks were found stashed in a secret compartment on a Citiliner coach.

 Limpopo police spokesperson Hlangwani Malaudzi told the media the two bus drivers were arrested at the Beitbridge Border Post and taken to court in Musina.

 Only one person was found guilty and fined R8,000 for smuggling and the illegal possession of ivory.

 The South African Police Service (SAPS) told state media in Zimbabwe they want to clamp down on ivory smuggling syndicates.

 It’s not clear whether the tusks were from Hwange National Park, where syndicates used cyanide to kill over 100 elephants.

 Four people convicted recently for illegally possessing ivory in Zimbabwe have each been given 15-year jail terms.

 Earlier this month, the man who supplied the cyanide used to kill the elephants was released on R1,000 bail.

 It’s unclear where Elvis Mncube got the cyanide from.

 By:
 Eyewitness News

Man Arrested In Kruger National Park For Possession Of Poison

A man was arrested after he was found in possession of poison in the Kruger National Park, management said on Saturday.
 
The man was arrested on Thursday after being searched by rangers in the park.

 "He entered the park through the Phalaborwa gate en route to Mozambique," spokesman William Mabasa said.
 
Rangers found four bottles on him and questioned about the contents, but found the man's story to be inconsistent.
 
The rangers called police and the man was arrested.

 Police could not immediately confirm the arrest.

 Earlier in the week, French news agency Agence France-Presse reported that a Zimbabwean court sentenced a poacher to more than 15 years in prison for poisoning and killing elephants with cyanide.

 This was the fourth conviction relating to poisoning wildlife in the country in a month.
 According to the report, the Parks and Wildlife Authority said 100 elephants were killed for their ivory with cyanide in one national park in just over a month.

 Three other poachers were sentenced in September to a minimum of 15 years each for poisoning 81 elephants.

 By:
 Times Media Group

Contact Made With Three Poachers

On Saturday, 19th October 2013, rangers in the Pafuri section of the Kruger National Park made contact with three suspected rhino poachers, close to the Eastern boundary.

During the incident, one suspect was arrested and the other two suspects managed to escape back into Mozambique.

A .375 hunting rifle, ammunition and an axe were recovered.

 Issued by:
 South African National Parks