Xugana Island Lodge - From Head Hunter to Lion Hunter

Xugana Island Lodge
Okavango Delta, Botswana
August 25, 2008

It is common to be told there’s no hurry in Africa.

So it was “ga gona mathata” (no problem) that Melinda Japs from California was taking her time today to join her daughter, Melanie Corey-Ferrini of Seattle, for a leisurely breakfast at the lodge. But then a crackling radio call came for their guide, Joel Body, at the breakfast table: Xugana’s other guides and guests were on a walking safari, and they had found the lions.

Lions are a reason to hurry.

Melanie rushed off to roust her mother at the bungalow. Joel rushed off to grab tracker John Dikeledi. I rushed off to change flip-flops for hiking boots. In a flash we were all on the boat and speeding across the lagoon toward Palm Island.

We were there yesterday in search of the lions. We found a herd of buffalo as well as a calf a dangerous distance away from the herd, crying for its mother. We stepped gingerly around steaming piles of buffalo poop and through tall yellow grasses to get closer. We searched for lion tracks and lion droppings.

Body waiting to take us to see the lions on Palm Island.

“Whenever I see buffaloes, I have to see lions close behind,” Body said.

But we had no luck. There was no sign of a lion, which left Body feeling “a little bit out of mood.”

Melinda and Melanie had a 10:15 a.m. flight to catch today. Their plan was to relax at the lodge and putter around in the boat until time to go to the airstrip. But this was their chance. Melinda had longed to see lions on her vacation, but she thought it was not to be.

At 8:39 a.m. we pulled our boat behind the other guides’ boats and stepped onto Palm Island. We walked faster than yesterday, and we had guide Lets’ radio cues to guide us. We walked right up to Lets and the Crookenden family of five from England. Lets was standing on the pinnacle of a termite mound. He showed us exactly where to go.

Lets Waiting to show us where the lions are.

“Good luck,” he told us. He gave me a thumbs-up to assure me he had snapped photos.

At 8:52 a.m. we spotted lion ears. We inched closer. Nearby, a hooded vulture atop a sycamore fig tree hunched forward, inspecting us, perhaps sizing up the competition for scraps. (Don’t worry, buddy, no competition here.)

Suddenly it all came into view. Two female lions sat under the shade of fan palms, while another female was drinking from marsh water a few yards away. The buffalo lay between us and the lions. Was it the calf’s mother? We will never know because we couldn’t get close enough to tell.

How close did we get? Probably 20 metres. Melanie wanted to slide forward a few more metres, but her mother didn’t like that idea. Melinda is a recruiter, what’s known as a head hunter in the United States, but now here she was an unarmed lion hunter smartly dressed and wearing red lipstick – brave, but not THAT brave.

With their stomachs bulging, the lions appeared content to laze around, guarding their meal and awaiting their next feeding frenzy. We hoped they were very full indeed, considering how close we stood.

“My first carnivore,” Melinda would announce later, with satisfaction.

As we watched the lions, Body and John told us about how the lions would stick around, munching on the buffalo for several days. They would have to fend off hyaenas, and in the old days they might have had to fend off people.

John grew up in the Delta and remembers being a part of groups that would form a shouting clump and advance toward the lions to scare them away, so that the people could steal the meat for themselves. Body said his parents told stories of how in his grandparents’ time, fathers would take their sons to the lions and do a little training with the help of a stick applied to the children’s backsides.

“Stand still, my boy!” the father would command. And that’s how the children of Botswana learned never, ever, ever, to run from a lion.

As we turned to leave and moved away, Body told us to stop. One of the lions had crouched a bit, flicked her tail from side to side and bellowed a low guttural growl. Uh-oh. A sign of aggression. We stopped and waited for the lion to relax. Then we took a hard left and marched quickly away from the lions, leaving a wide berth between us and them.

“I’ll be sketching that,” Melanie said back at the boat. She’s an architect who teaches a travel sketching class in Seattle. She had managed to capture the scenes with her camera and would soon be adding her own interpretation in black pen in her sketch book. “We were having a leisurely morning, and poof, we were off!” she said with delight.

The mother and daughter made their flight with time to spare.

“Today I am very happy,” Body said. “Unfortunately, the lions have killed a mom of someone, and it is lone-less (alone). But anyway it is nature.”

-- Maria Henson
Desert and Delta Safaris volunteer

Xugana Island Lodge - Elephant Surprise

Xugana Island Lodge
Okavango Delta, Botswana
August 2008

Lizl and Mark Carlsen, the lodge managers at Xugana, couldn’t resist the chance to see the lions on Palm Island. But on this day, the journey was as magical as the destination.

They cruised on a boat through a narrow channel lined with papyrus and reeds. Xugana guides travel these channels every day, showing guests the bounty of the Okavango Delta: African fish eagles soaring overhead, malachite kingfishers darting from reed to reed, the African jacanas walking on lily pads as if walking on water, earning them the affectionate nickname “Jesus birds.”

But on this day, around the corner was a bigger surprise. A bull elephant ambled alongside the channel, and Lizl caught him in all his massive grandeur.

They found the elephant in musth, (ready to mate), and as they boated toward him, it looked as if he move into their pathway in the channel. So they waited for him to pass, but he changed direction.

Mark and Lizl were left marveling at how you can set out to see one thing in Africa and, before you reach your destination, something equally magnificent shows up along the way.

The bull elephant “stood there long enough to pose for the photograph,” Lizl said, adding with a laugh, “the award-winning photograph.”

And, yes, Mark and Lizl got to see the lions as well. As they say in their hometowns of South Africa, it was a “lekker” day. In other words: A fine day.

-- Maria Henson, volunteer
Delta and Desert Safaris

Savute Large Predator Update August 2008

As the hot, dry season in Savute is approaching, the natural waterholes are drying up quite fast. The holes at Disaster Pan, Harveys Pan and Poachers Pan are almost dry, with only a little bit of stagnant water and mud left. The elephants are making full use of these sites, having daily mud baths, but they are moving to the artificial water holes to have a drink.

This drying up of the natural water holes is leading to larger concentrations of prey species, such as Impala, Blue Wildebeest and Kudu concentrating around the artificial water holes. This also results in an increase in the amount of predators that we see in the area. For the period Feb – July 2008 the figures has increased as follows:

Lions
February - 3
March - 19
April - 27
May - 21
June - 15
July - 40


Leopard
February - 10
March - 18
April - 13
May - 12
June - 17
31
Wilddog
7
13
13
6
7
17
Cheetah
0
5
0
10
8
24

Very interresting from these figures, is that most of the sightings have also doubled from the sightings in July. The increase in Cheetah sightings, from 8 in June to 24 in July is especially encouraging, as this means that the 2 cheetah that have moved into the area in June are settling in well, and that the two residents are still showing themselves regularly.

Another interesting occurrence is that two new packs of Wilddog are moving into the area. One group of three and another of four dogs are now regularly seen in the area. The resident pack of seven dogs are still around, although we only see six of them at this stage. We noticed in June that the Alpha Female was very heavily pregnant, and she is propably staying around the den site to look after her pups, therefore the missing dog in this group.

The Lions are also moving closer to the Lodge. Almost every night we fall asleep to a Lion chorus around camp. A new arrival in the Lion population is a huge solitary male in the prime of his life. His tracks are larger than the outstreched hand of a man. He was seen a couple of times in the area around camp. Last night (18/08) a big Lioness with two young cubs came to drink at the waterhole right in front of the lodge to the great delight of everybody in the camp.

As the trees are loosing their leaves, the distance we can see from the road is also increasing. This, combined with the lower water levels will result in even better sightings in Savute. I cannot wait to see what the sightings will be doing as the year progresses!

Submitted by Kobus Lubbe, Savute Safari Lodge Manager

Savute Large Predator Update August 2008

As the hot, dry season in Savute is approaching, the natural waterholes are drying up quite fast. The holes at Disaster Pan, Harveys Pan and Poachers Pan are almost dry, with only a little bit of stagnant water and mud left. The elephants are making full use of these sites, having daily mud baths, but they are moving to the artificial water holes to have a drink.

This drying up of the natural water holes is leading to larger concentrations of prey species, such as Impala, Blue Wildebeest and Kudu concentrating around the artificial water holes. This also results in an increase in the amount of predators that we see in the area. For the period Feb – July 2008 the figures has increased as follows:

Lions
February - 3
March - 19
April - 27
May - 21
June - 15
July - 40

Leopard
February - 10
March - 18
April - 13
May - 12
June - 17
July - 31

Wilddog
February - 7
March - 13
April - 13
May - 6
June - 7
July - 17

Cheetah
February - 0
March - 5
April - 0
May - 10
June - 8
July - 24

Very interresting from these figures, is that most of the sightings have also doubled from the sightings in July. The increase in Cheetah sightings, from 8 in June to 24 in July is especially encouraging, as this means that the 2 cheetah that have moved into the area in June are settling in well, and that the two residents are still showing themselves regularly.

Another interesting occurrence is that two new packs of Wilddog are moving into the area. One group of three and another of four dogs are now regularly seen in the area. The resident pack of seven dogs are still around, although we only see six of them at this stage. We noticed in June that the Alpha Female was very heavily pregnant, and she is propably staying around the den site to look after her pups, therefore the missing dog in this group.

The Lions are also moving closer to the Lodge. Almost every night we fall asleep to a Lion chorus around camp. A new arrival in the Lion population is a huge solitary male in the prime of his life. His tracks are larger than the outstreched hand of a man. He was seen a couple of times in the area around camp. Last night (18/08) a big Lioness with two young cubs came to drink at the waterhole right in front of Savute Safari Lodge to the great delight of everybody in the camp.

As the trees are loosing their leaves, the distance we can see from the road is also increasing. This, combined with the lower water levels will result in even better sightings in Savute. I cannot wait to see what the sightings will be doing as the year progresses!

Submitted by Kobus Lubbe, Savute Safari Lodge Manager

Camp Okavango - An Exciting Walk On Lopis Island

Camp Okavango
Monday July 28th , 2008

This morning we decided to walk on Lopis island. It's a small peaceful island in the Delta with a crown of forest and a round floodplain in the middle. Too many trees for the big herd of buffaloes to visit it for the risk of being ambushed by predators hidden behind thick trees.

So the island is home for a small group of giraffes, a family of kudus, some groups of impalas, a couple of families of warthogs, a big troop of baboons and a family of vervet monkeys. Elephants often pass by to eat the fruits of the jackal berry or the sweet grass in some areas near the channel, then they go. And of course there are great birds of many species: sometimes you can also see the elusive Pel's Fishing owl. All the animals on Lopis are used to the presence of a quiet and very respectful single file of camouflaged humans who come, take pictures and go.

This morning the island appeared completely empty: no antelope, no giraffe. nothing. The birds were screaming on a far side of the island, apparently for no reason.

We proceeded toward the centre of the floodplain finally seeing a tower of 3 giraffes in the distance. The minute we tried to get closer they ran desperately away and when we tried to reach them, they had already crossed the channel to another island. The strangest behaviour ever encountered!

What was happening!!?? We were walking back to the boat slowly and disconsolately when, around a curve on the track, we met 3 marvellous and very active lionesses running in the direction of the giraffes.

Now everything made sense! It was not us the animals were hiding or running away from! We followed the lionesses who were too busy and very annoyed by our presence. They hid in a thick bush for a while, but evidently they didn't have time to loose waiting for us to clear their way. So they ran through the tall grass and we were discretely tailing them walking from termite mound to termite mound in the attempt to get a better look at them and take some pictures. They got annoyed and roared at us. You don't need to study lion language to understand it and the message was clear and loud: - "back off". And this we did. Slowly, regretfully, but also with respect, we obeyed the order and let them go their way.

When we turned back to start the walk to the boat again, it was like having being transported to another island in one second. The lionesses gone, the island was full of life again: kudus, impalas, baboons, monkeys .. all the animals of the island came to greet us in a festival of relief and happiness. They were jumping and looking at us as usual, at safety distance, but evidently not afraid of us. What an experience!!

Sometimes it is more important what you learn than what you see in nature. Seeing predators is always exciting, but understanding animal behaviour from direct experience is a unique lesson that no book can teach you.

Many thanks to the Management and staff of Camp Okavango for this story.

Savute Safari Lodge - Elephants In Abundance

JULY 21/2008
SAVUTE SAFARI LODGE

With winter upon us the landscape has taken on a yellow hue as the grass dries up and breaks down and the leaves crackle and fall. The dry conditions mean that more and more elephants are finding their way to the waterholes at Savute Safari Lodge.

At brunch time yesterday guests counted on more than 20 elephants muscling in for water. Some of the males confronted their rivals with a trumpet sound and a swat of their trunks. It was only under the night sky, at 10p.m, that the breeding herd trundled down the hill to the water. Tiny elephants stuck close to their mothers and waded into the water, their mothers drinking their fill as well.

Missing though was a little elephant that caught our attention a few days ago. He had no trunk, only a stump of a conical nose where his trunk should be. We watched him ease up to the waterhole, extended his right back leg straight out, then tip his whole body forward to the water so he could drink. You could call it elephant ballet or elephant yoga, considering the grace shown by the bulky little fellow. Manager Obie Magunga said he thinks it’s the same one who came through a couple of years ago as a baby. It hasn’t grown much because he eats only what he can gather on the ground.

The odds of survival cannot be good for a little elephant without a trunk, an elephant born a misfit. But this little guy was adapting-with grace-and was keeping pace with the group. He was doing his part to fit in. I, for one, am pulling for him to survive another winter and beyond.

- MARIA HENSON - Desert & Delta Safaris Volunteer

Chobe Game Lodge – Latest Wildlife Sightings

Buffalos moving in to drink at sunset

Chobe in winter time will at first glance strike one as a very dry and harsh environment with cold mornings, mild afternoons and dry and dusty skies. But these factors contribute to the intensity and striking beauty of the area. The dusty skies for instance causes some of the most spectacular sunsets one could ever wish to see. And the dryness is part of an age old cycle of wet and dry seasons that govern this part of Africa. Part of the uniqueness of Chobe National Park is that it lies within one of the largest expanses of wilderness left in Africa, allowing animals to still follow the migration and movement patterns dictated to them by these climatic cycles of wet and dry. We are currently moving into the heart of the dry months, and the river has become the focal point of the regions’ wildlife movement. The river will now hold them captive for the rest of the dry season, forcing them into competition with each other for food and living space as if the onslaught of predators and disease wasn’t challenging enough. Only the very fit and healthy will live to see the next rains.

Apart from the usual large herbivores like buffalos and elephants, antelope species that normally prefer to avoid the crowds like tsessebe, roan and sable antelope as well as eland, have quietly moved in and have become a common sight as they nervously move in to drink and then try to vanish back into the miombo woodlands.

A group of male giraffes on their way to a mineral lick

Shadowing these herds, enjoying a time of absolute plenty, are the regions apex predators – the lions. They were relatively easy to find on our game activities as they simply moved up and down the river front targeting the buffalo herds especially. Apart from our usual pride we’ve also spotted a nomadic trio, two young males and a female being especially active between Chobe Game Lodge and the village of Kasane, but making very sure they do not meet the main pride. The Chobe pride itself seems to have a new addition in their ranks – a female was spotted with a cub that couldn’t be more than a few days old on the Water Cart loop. When the cubs are still young the mothers tend to hide them well so we will only later be able to confirm if indeed she has only one cub.
Leopard taking a break after a hard days’ work

Leopard sightings were also predictably common. They compete directly with lions for the same prey species, but cannot face up to lions which would be superior both physically and numerically in direct confrontations. We have noticed in previous seasons that the predominantly nocturnal leopards seem to adapt their behaviour to avoid confrontations with lions, by being more active during hours of daylight. This behaviour favours us greatly when it comes to sightings.

Pregnant alpha female

The wilds’ wide wanderers, wild dogs have also graced us with their presence on a frequent basis. We had a pack of 6 moving in and hope they will settle down for a while since the alpha female is heavily pregnant. Wild dogs roam over great distances in their hunting and only settle down to den when they have pups. This pack is the same group we were seeing over the Christmas/New Year period. Wild dogs have unique individual coat markings, making them easy to identify individually. The most striking pack member of this group is an individual with a very distinctive black and white banded tail.

Winter is never the best time for reptile activity but we had a great view of a large python as it crossed the road. It was probably just going out to sun itself a bit.

Pythons are the only protected reptile species in Botswana

Apart from that there were no other snake sightings recorded around the Lodge. Along the river banks crocodiles and monitor lizards were common; the water monitor lizards in the image below were seen mating near the boat station of the Lodge. Water monitors lay their eggs inside active termite mounds, digging their way in with their strong claws. After laying the eggs the female leaves the mound and the termites will close the damaged parts she left in an effort to protect the colony against intrusions by other predators. Monitor lizard eggs are well protected inside the mound as the termites keep the temperature and humidity levels constant – just right for the eggs to incubate. The eggs will take 9 to 10 months to incubate.

Mating monitors

We are incredibly privileged to be at the centre of all the action here at Chobe Game Lodge. No words or pictures could ever fully describe in full the wonder nature is playing off right outside our doorstep. We will however try to keep you up to date in following posts on this blog site as the exciting dry season has now only really commenced.

Regards,

The Chobe Game Lodge Guides Team

Written by:

Wouter Theron
Environmentalist
Chobe Game Lodge