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Action On The Riverfront - 2005 Game sightings
January
Every month can't be a bumper month in terms of game sightings. Never-the-less game was seen fairly frequently with the first half of the month being the most productive. Impala, waterbuck, hippos and crocs were seen daily. Buffalo, kudu and warthog were recorded every week. Elephant and giraffe visited Ngwenya only during the first half of January. Rhino were seen on the 25th. Hyena were only reported twice (11th and 16th) but heard more frequently. The openbilled stork which first made its appearance at the big dam in December was enjoyed throughout January.
February
Game sightings from Ngwenya during February were average in the sense that no sightings of major predators were reported. The frequency with which elephant and buffalo were recorded declined from January and reflected changes in herd movement within the area. Other game logged during February were rhino, kudu, giraffe and hyena. The usual wild riverfront residents (impala, waterbuck, hippos and crocs) were seen every day. While the frequency of visitation by mammal species dropped, the riverfront remained a veritable avian highway. The openbilled stork seemed to have found a home at Ngwenya and was still around the big dam during February.
March
March was a bumper month for Elephant and buffalo sightings. They were seen every week throughout the month. Elephants remained in the vicinity of the riverfront for up to 5 days at a time (23rd to 28th) and in large numbers. Lion were seen on the 19th, Hyena on the 13th and 19th and Rhino on the 22nd. Sightings of impala, waterbuck, hippos and crocodiles were recorded every day. Game seen less frequently on the floodplain during March included wildebeest, kudu, warthog, zebra, giraffe and baboons. Perhaps the most unusual sighting was that of a spotted genet on the 19th.
April
April was the month for lions. Lions were seen six times between the 6th and the 26th and on the 14th they killed an impala opposite chalet 76. April was also very productive for buffalo and elephant. Buffalo were seen on the riverfront on at least 25 different days throughout April. Elephants visited Ngwenya no less than 16 times throughout the month. Perhaps the most astonishing elephant sighting was that reported by Nancy and Harvey Stott on Saturday the 16th of April. Around sundowner time the KNP's largest living tusker, and possibly the largest in the world, pitched up at Ngwenya. Known as Duke this awesome creature lumbered out from the treeline and crossed the river towards Ngwenya. This was a real privilege for all who saw him. Check out the pictures of Duke the Magnificent on the Ngwenya webpage at www.winchestermarketing.com. Other game seen during April included Rhino, hyena, kudu, giraffe, warthog, baboons, waterbuck , impala, hippos and crocs.
May
Impala, waterbuck, hippos and crocs were seen daily. Other game recorded frequently included kudu, buffalo and elephants. Warthog, giraffe, baboons, bushbuck, zebra, rhino and hyena were seen but less frequently. Lion activity provided the viewing highlights for May. On the 1st May a lioness caught a hippo calf at the hippo pool opposite chalet 97. It was seen again on the 22nd. On the 24th four lions attacked an old buffalo who managed to shake them off. On the 25th a lioness was seen on the resort side of the river.
June
June sightings followed much the same pattern as for May. Elephant and buffalo visited the river almost every second day. Rhino were seen twice and hyena three times. Lions were reported on the 2nd, 7th , 15th and 29th. A lion kill was seen at 07h00 on the 15th from chalets 90 to 100.
July
This was another outstanding month of game sightings. The usual riverfront residents such as impala, waterbuck, hippos and crocs were seen everyday with buffalo and elephant being seen almost everyday throughout July. Sightings were of kudu, waterbuck, warthog, giraffe, zebra, rhino, hyena and baboons were less frequent. Lion were seen on the 12th and between the 18th and the 22nd a lioness with three cubs was seen every day.
August
August proved to be an exceptional month for game viewing at Ngwenya. On more than one occasion four of the big five were seen during the course of a single day. No leopard sightings were reported. There was lots of lion activity along the river and on the 3rd they killed a warthog. A lioness was seen hunting impala and kudu on a number of occasions throughout the month. This lioness with her two cubs was spotted frequently along the riverfront in the vicinity of chalets 100 to 102 while another lioness with three cubs was reportedly seen from the chalets upstream from the main complex. The frequency of rhino and hyena sightings increased over July. Elephants were seen along the riverfront and on the resort everyday.
September
September was yet again an outstanding month for game and bird sightings. Waterbuck and impala were seen everyday along the river bank and floodplain. Likewise, crocodiles and hippos were seen in river and along the riverbank everyday. Buffalo were seen everyday along river and in reeds and elephant were on the resort everyday. Other sightings reported included kudu, warthog, giraffe, rhino, bushbuck, zebra and vervet monkeys. Lions were seen on three occasions and hyenas five times throughout September. Saddlebilled storks were seen regularly along river and trumpeter hornbills seen and heard around resort almost everyday.
October
October proved very fruitful in terms of game sightings. The usual riverfront residents (waterbuck, impala, crocodiles and hippos) were seen everyday as were buffalo. Elephant sightings were reported almost as frequently with and elephant taking a swim in the large dam at the marketing office on the 14th October. Lions were seen twice and hyena 4 times during the month. Rhino were reported along the riverfront on 7 different occasions throughout the month and giraffe 10 times. Other sightings included kudu, warthogs, zebra, bushbuck and baboons. Bird life was prolific with the arrival of summer migrants.
November
Game sightings for November proved to be as good as, if not better than, October's sightings in that a lion kill (impala) was reported. The same range of game was seen along the riverfront with approximately the same frequency throughout the month. Elephants visited the river on no less than 20 separate days during November. On the 1st of November a reported sighting of rhino bulls fighting was received. Once again birders had a bumper month.
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