Ngwenya Lodge - Crocodile Riverfront Game Sightings 2006

Ngwenya Eco-Diary

2006 Game sightings

Game sightings throughout the winter months have been excellent particularly for buffalo and elephants. A couple of bumper days were experienced with visits by lions and wild dogs.

December 2005
Game viewing was generally good with frequent sightings of buffalo and elephant reported throughout the month. Rhino and giraffe were also seen throughout December but less often than the elephant and buffalo. Lion sightings were reported twice and hyena on four separate occasions. Other game seen along the riverfront included warthog, impala, waterbuck, kudu, bushbuck, hippo, crocodiles and baboons.

January 2006
A wide diversity of game was seen along the riverfront during January. This included lion, hyena, buffalo, elephant, rhino, hippo, crocodiles, giraffe, zebra, impala, waterbuck, kudu, bushbuck, warthog and baboons. Heavy rains in late January caused the river rise over the floodplain with Crocodile Bridge Gate being closed to traffic for a while.

February 2006
As a result of the good rains and general availability of water in the veld, less game came to the river. Impala and waterbuck were spotted along the riverfront almost daily as were hippo and crocodiles. Sightings of lion and hyena were also received. Rhino were seen each week throughout the month as were buffalo and elephant. Giraffe, kudu and warthog were only reported on three occasions.

March 2006
With the Crocodile River in full spate and water widely available throughout the Park animal activity along the riverfront remained generally quiet. Buffalo were seen fairly frequently throughout the month and, for the first time ever, rhino were seen more frequently (6 times) on the floodplain than elephant (4 times)! No sightings of big cats were reported. Hippos relished the high water levels and crocodiles were seen almost daily. Reports of various species of antelope (impala, waterbuck and kudu), warthogs, giraffe and zebra on the riverfront were received throughout the month.

April 2006
Hippos & crocodiles were seen everyday as were impala and waterbuck. Bushbuck sightings were reported on 6th ,11th , 14th ,17th & 24th while kudu were seen on 2nd , 4th , 13th ,18th , 26th & 29th Other game that visited the riverfront included giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, warthog, baboons and vervet monkeys. Buffalo were seen on 1st ,2nd ,4th ,5th ,8th ,11th ,12th ,15th ,19th ,21st ,23rd ,24th & 28th and elephants were reported on 3rd ,6th ,9th ,11th ,21st ,22nd ,28th & 30th . Rhino came to the floodplain on the 1st , 5th , 12th , 20th & 23rd . Viewing highlights for April included a leopard on the 21st and lions on the 19th and 25th.

May
General game sightings during May were just as good as those reported for April. The frequency of riverfront sightings of buffaloes and elephants increased over the previous month with a number of breeding herds being reported. Rhino were seen on three occasions and lion once (31st).

June
The viewing highlights for June the lions which were seen on four separate occasions. On the 15th they killed an impala. Hyena were seen on the 7th, 25th and 30th. Hippos and crocodiles were seen everyday as were impala and waterbuck. Other antelope spotted included bushbuck and kudu. Giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, warthogs and baboons visited on the floodplain on numerous occasions throughout June. Buffalo were seen on at least 19 different days throughout the month. Elephant were reported almost as frequently and rhino were seen twice (1st and 28th).

July

The usual daily riverfront residents (hippos, crocs, impala and waterbuck) did not disappoint. The frequency of kudu, giraffe and bushbuck sightings increased to multiple weekly reports. Zebra and warthog sightings dropped but this could possibly be attributed to poor reporting. Buffaloes were seen on 2nd , 4th , 8th , 9th , 10th , 11th , 12th , 14th , 18th , 19th , 21st , 24th , 25th , 26th , 28th & 31st . Elephants visited the riverfront on 1st , 2nd , 3rd , 4th , 5th , 7th , 8th , 11th , 13th , 16th , 17th , 20th , 22nd , 24th ,27th , 28th , 29th , 30th & 31st . Rhino were seen on 4th , 10th & 21st . Game sightings can't get much better than this…or can they?

August
This was a real bumper month with some days as good as watching a wildlife documentary on the Discovery Channel. The most exciting viewing was undoubtedly that of the pack of 11 wild dogs that visited the riverfront on no less than 4 occasions (13th, 14th , 15th and 17th). On the 13th they spent at least 7 hours sleeping on the riverbank. During the same time the riverfront was also visited by elephants and buffaloes. Other viewing highlights included lions (19th, 20th and 30th), hyena (5th, 17th and 23rd) and rhino (7th , 19th & 29th). A porcupine was seen on the evening of 19th . Buffaloes were seen on the riverfront on no less than 28 separate days with a massive breeding herd (300 plus) coming down to drink on at least three occasions. Elephant traffic was almost as heavy with sightings reported on at least 21 separate days. Different breeding herds came to the river at different times of the day on a number of occasions throughout August. Between the viewing highlights guests were treated to a constant coming and going of general game.

September

This was another bumper game viewing month. The diversity and frequency of sightings was almost as good as those recorded during August. While no wild dog or leopard sightings were reported, lions were seen on the riverfront on 17th, 21st and 27th and hyena on the 2nd , 15th and 22nd. Rhino were reported on five separate occasions during September.

October
October is an interesting month being the beginning of the breeding season for many antelope and the time that the northern migrant raptors arrive. The vegetation is greening and daytime temperatures can get very hot. October proved to be a great month for game sightings. Viewing highlights were lions on the 4th, 5th , 9th , 12th, 14th, 18th, 24th and 30th; wild dogs on the 5th and 6th and cheetah on the 16th . Hyaena were seen on the 2nd, 3rd, 10th, 13th, 21st and 29th. The big Crocodile bridge buffalo herd (more than 200 animals) visited the river at Ngwenya on 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Other buffalo sightings were reported on the 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 19th, 23rd, 27th, 28th, 30th and 31st. Perhaps the presence of the buffalo accounted for the high frequency of lion sightings during this month. Elephants visited the river front on 11 separate days and rhino were seen on 10th, 16th, 23rd and 29th. Hippos, crocs, impala and waterbuck were seen every day on the riverfront. In addition sightings of bushbuck, kudu, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, warthogs, baboons and vervet monkeys were reported throughout October.

November
During this month the Park becomes lush with increasing summer rainfall. River levels rise. The calls of woodland kingfishers characterize the arrival of summer. Days can be very hot, nights warm and insect loads increase significantly. No big cat sightings were reported at Ngwenya during November. However wild dogs were seen on the 25th. Hyaena were reported on the 3rd, 7th, 22nd and 26th. As for the previous month, buffalo and elephants were seen every week throughout November as were kudu. Rhino were reported on the 3rd, 7th , 11th, 18th and 26th. In addition bushbuck, kudu, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, baboons and vervet monkeys were reported on the riverfront throughout November.

December
December is the height of summer and the height of the impala breeding season. The density of the vegetation can make game viewing somewhat challenging but birding is superb. Viewing highlights at Ngwenya included lions and wild dogs on 13th and wild dogs again on the 20th. The most frequent big game sightings were hippo (every day), buffalo (almost every day) and elephants (almost every day). Less frequent sightings included Rhino (4th, 18th, 24th, 25th and 27th ) and hyaena (6th,14th,15th, 21st and 24th ). Kudu were seen on no less than 11 occasions throughout the month. In addition crocodiles, bushbuck, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, warthog, baboons and vervet monkeys were seen throughout December.

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