Volume 14

The Elusive Impala Not to be underestimated

Guiding you to your PB

Boldly, Beautiful Bela-Bela Nature in all it’s splendour

HUNTING I FISHING I ADVENTURES I CONSERVATION I DESTINATIONS

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Featured species

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African Buffalo Killer Whale Grey Heron Bottle Tree

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Hunting

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The elusive Impala Can you hear that?

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FIshing

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Fighting Sharks and Flatties Fishing deep structure

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dESTINATIONS

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Boldly, Beautiful Bela-Bela Travel & Stay

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cONSERVATION

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Leopard Conservation Project

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Khubelu Valley, Lesotho

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Regulars

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Editors Letter Events Recipe: Tender Lamb Casserole Product Review

Adventures

Contents

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Editors Letter

It is hard to imagine that half the year has passed and that most of us have already planned our December holiday, but let’s not forget that there are still plenty of time to make 2013 a memorable one.

An air of expectation hangs on the South Coast. July marks the return of the silver tide and the fishermen are waiting with bated breath on this natural phenomenon.

It has been a couple of years since these migratory fish visited our shores and let’s hope on favourable conditions that bring these silver fish to our coastline.

Join us in this edition as we adventure through Bela-Bela, find out why the impala is such a worthy adversary, head to the highlands of Lesotho and target large sharks and rays along our coast. We’ve also launched a new “Boskos” competition with great prizes up for grabs and I look forward to test some of your recipes.

Thanks for all the votes we received for the photo competition and I can assure you that it’s a close race. Due to deadlines we couldn’t publish the winner in this edition but be sure to grab next month’s edition where the winner will be revealed.

Enjoy your read and remember to subscribe to you digital magazine at www.africanadventures.co.za

Johan Viljoen

“Men and fish are alike. They both get into trouble when they open their mouths.”

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hunting

The

Elusive Impala Gerhard Dirker

A

sk any hunter, who prefers the hunting grounds of the Northern Bushveld of South Africa, which animal will appear at the top of their target list for the coming season. The elusive impala is guaranteed to feature as the number 1 contender on this list. Best known by its ethnic name, courtesy of the Zulus, the impala is a magnificent specimen characterized by its distinctive short coat and glossy, reddish brown color, giving rise to the fitting Afrikaans name “Rooibok”. It goes without saying that the most hard-core and devoted outdoor enthusiast will refer with affection to the juvenile as “penkop” and to the maturing adolescent as “knypkop”.

What makes this animal such an interesting pursuit? Many reasons come to mind; being one of the most abundant antelopes in Africa, it is invariably a hunter’s first kill, so charged with adrenalin, leaving an indelible impression. The famous 1962 MKII Impala Warplane was named after it.

Another reason, amongst many, is because of its rare and astonishing beauty, the attractive Impala Lily was named after it. Seeing this serene creature of nature when entering the Skukuza Rest Camp in the Kruger National Park remains one of my most favourite sights.

The impala always takes its place on my personal hunting list, not only for the reasons given above, but because of its true and pure African beauty, its tender venison, its endless and unrevealed secretes and the satisfaction of disarming the herd after a lengthy stalk.

Experience has taught me that the impala is by no means an easy quest but rather a quarry to behold for the most skillful of us hunting critters in the bushveld. This is an animal with instinct as acute as its beauty. A clever “bliksem” indeed, never to be underestimated!

From the many years of indulging in my passion for hunting, talking to fellow hunters and game rangers around the campfire where never ending tales, advice and experiences are shared, I have gained valuable insight into the art of hunting down a mature impala ram, which I now share with pleasure in the paragraphs that follow: Impala are by nature herd bound. In these herds are more than enough ears, eyes and noses giving each individual animal an edge in these critical survival senses. Impala will very seldom be seen alone, and thrive on the protection of the collective herd. When startled or frightened, the entire herd will begin leaping about to confuse predators. The distinctive black and white stripes running down the rumps are in far too many instances, the only sight that most predators, 8

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hunting including hunters, will be left with while in pursuit of this deft animal. Being left empty handed, only with the vision of the butt end of a herd of impala, is a frustration that I myself have experienced on occasion, leaving me at the end of a well strategised hunt feeling as spent as a polygamous alpha male looking after his many concubines!

Male impala are very territorial and dominant, spending most of their time gathering ewes and fighting off intruder

rams. Protecting and catering for the needs of his harem is an energy sapping task that generally leaves the alpha male somewhat haggard and spent. When seeking your impala prize, do so from the ram-herds where individuals are far less stressed and healthier. However, do not for one moment believe that the alpha male is the only individual enjoying the action on offer from the ewes. Observation by many hunters has revealed that most of the new born impala are off-spring from the “knypknoppe� and fellow intruder rams that surround the heard. Clearly, the alpha male is far too concerned with his wealth rather than his health!

I have had the privilege of hunting a number of truly spectacular rams during my hunting career. One epic hunt, however, warrants special mention and in my mind, is yet to be beaten.

This unforgettable hunt took place in the Thabazimbi/ Dwaalboom region of the Western bushveld on a newly established game farms that were previously cattle ranches.

The veld was densely populated with sekel-bush, probably as a result of over grazing by cattle over many years. The first two days of the hunt were spent walking substantial distances through the sekel-bush encroached veld. I quickly figured out that the impala grazing height, and my line of sight, were out of sync with one another resulting in my position being constantly revealed, only to be left, as on other occasions, with a view of the proverbial butt end of the impala herd.

It can be difficult in the modern world to find time to exercise ones out of city passions and when the opportunity for a hunting excursion presents itself, I submit my soul to nature and relish every second of the privilege. This particular

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hunting hunt was indeed special and is the reason why, I guess, I feel compelled to share the moment with all my fellow hunters that read this publication.

Being able to find a herd of impala that was not aware of my presence was impossible, prompting my change in tactics. “Adapt to the environment” was the rule I adopted and I forced myself to painstakingly work each area with bent back to search the grazing level of this zoomorphic quarry. I soon realized that my 1.9 meter stature was doing me no favours. I started working shorter distances pausing on my haunches from time to time for a good 10 minutes. The strategy worked, and in and instant and I knew I was in for an exciting hunt.

I was astounded by the number of animals moving around the dense sekel-bush woods. Their deftness in negotiating around these thickets with what can only be described as the quintessence of silence, attracting zero attention, was truly amazing. I encountered waterbuck and a strikingly handsome and rare bush buck ram. During one of my numerous pauses, squatting down to collect my thoughts and reduce my pounding heart rate, I spotted a herd of impala through the thicket grazing some distance away. With a clear and focused mind, my heart rate down, I decided to wait this one out until the herd moved closer to me. Any attempt on my part to move towards the herd would undoubtedly reveal my position and destroy my chances of an accurate and successful kill.

I sat in blissful silence for almost 20 minutes observing the herd, and focused, with my heightened senses, on my gift from nature, a magnificent ram, following the herd from behind. Further careful observation on my part reinforced in my mind’s eye, the acute instinct of this animal, borne out by the fact that the ram will never be in the center of the herd, but rather lead his herd into the wind immediately sensing impending danger or he will amble alertly at the back of his harem. The impala herd was working its way across my field of vision and I tested my aim many a time at the ram but alas, the thick bush blocked the possibility of a clear shot. Once again, it was time for me to adapt to the territory in which I found myself. I noticed, about 30 degrees to my left, an open passage through the bush where I positioned myself, sitting with my rifle over my knee. All things being equal, this seemed to be the perfect spot in what was difficult hunting terrain, to wait until the ram entered the target zone giving me the opportunity to execute my own predatory instinct.

The herd continued on its way across my field of vision. The ram was briefly vocal, once or twice

There was a “knypkop” ram that broke ranks and was heading in my direction prancing with attitude typical of a cocky rebel teenager in the city.

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giving a guttural grunt as if expressing concern that something may be up. The closer they came to the passage that I had earmarked for a clear shot at my prey, the more disorganized they became.

There was a “knypknop� ram that broke ranks and was heading in my direction prancing with attitude typical of a cocky rebel teenager in the city.

Timing on the part of the predator and the prey is everything in these instances and I momentarily felt that the ram, fussing amongst his ewes just as they approached my passage in the bush, could not have timed his activity any better. All my work up to this point, and the chance of a clear shot at my prey, was potentially doomed by the mere ticking of the clock.

For longer than I could remember, my rear end was numbly planted in the dirt, my legs were throbbing with long-lasting dull pain, my heart was pounding in my throat but my head was clear, focused, waiting. The ram, instinctively aware of the danger that open space presents to his herd, suddenly stood proudly and alone in the passage, his eyes peering directly at me.

My mind raced to assess the quality of the trophy, the spectacular horns, pitched high, confirmed, this is the one! I subconsciously felt the pressure of the trigger on my index finger, hardly feeling the recoil of the rifle or the discharge of the bullet. My mind propelled itself parallel with the projectile to the point of contact. The ram went down. It was over!

The bushveld, nature, dirt, sweat, blissful silence, serenity, tension, anticipation, heightened senses, pumping adrenalin, memories, and the impala, all come highly recommended by this hunter from the city.

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Featured species

African Buffalo Syncerus caffer www.theanimalfiles.com

Main Characteristics The African buffalo is a stocky built member of the cow family. They have a body length between 2.1 and 3.4 m, a tail length between 75 and 110 cm, a shoulder height between 1.35 and 1.7 m and weigh up to 685 kg.

They have a sparse covering of hair that is dark brown in colour. Buffalo have a large head, a thick neck, a broad chest and strong legs. Their ears are large and droopy and they have large, low curved horns. In males the horns are joined by a boss, which is a shield that covers their entire forehead.

Habitat African buffalo inhabit the forests, woodlands and savannas of Africa. Females and their young, including males up to 3 years old, live in herds of up to 1000 individuals. Herds are very protective of their members and they are thought to “vote� on which direction they should take.

Males are mainly solitary or they form bachelor groups consisting of 3 - 4 individuals.

Diet The diet of an African buffalo consists of grass and other vegetation. They need to drink once a day so they are never too far away from a water source.

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Featured species Breeding After a gestation period of 340 days, 1 calf is born weighing approximately 40 Kgs. The calf remains hidden in vegetation for the first few weeks where it is nursed and looked after by its mother. When it is ready to join the group it is held in the center of the herd to keep it safe. The calf is weaned after 120 - 360 days.

When males reach 2 years of age they will leave their mother but females stay with their mother until they have produced their own offspring or sometimes longer. Males reach sexual maturity at 8 years of age and females 5 years of age.

Breeding can take place at any time of the year but generally births tend to peak during the rainy season.

Predators Humans are a threat to the African buffalo but it has few natural predators, the main ones being lions, leopards and spotted hyenas. It takes several lions to bring down a fully grown African buffalo but leopards and spotted hyenas are only a threat to calves.

Subspecies There are three distinct subspecies of African buffalo and these are: Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer caffer); They inhabit savannas and woodlands, Forest buffalo (Syncerus caffer nanus); They are approximately half the size of the Cape buffalo and they are found in forests near the equator, West African Savanna buffalo (Syncerus caffer brachyceros); They are also known as Sudanese buffalo. They inhabit West Africa and are relatively small.

Interesting Facts African buffalo are regarded as being very dangerous animals and a number of people are mauled and killed by them each year.

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hunting

Can you hear that?

“He is a little deaf - and you’ re a little loud.”

Jofie Lampbrecht The imposing eland bull warns rivals in a very unique way – with loud clicks of the knee joints.

Male eland signal to rivals’ distinct superiority, with this clicking. Danish researchers, Jakob BroJorgensen of the zoological society of London and Torben Dabelsteen of the University of Copenhagen, observed this in Kenya, East Africa.

The clicks are made by a tendon caused while moving / sliding / slipping / snapping over the legs bones. Dr. Bro-Jorgensen explains: “The tendon in this case behaves like a string being plucked, and the frequency of the sound from a string correlates negatively with both its length and diameter. Thus, most importantly, depth of the sound is predicted to increase with skeletal measures and it can therefore be directly associated with body size.”

The bigger the animal, the louder the sound, which can be heard up to 100 meters away. The researchers wondered next why the clicking developed through evolution. Fighting and injury is possibly evaded through this process.

I am often amused, when walking into a room full of hunters, that the voices of a few are sun darkened Dagga Boy Ph’s voices are several decibels louder than a group of less fortunate nonhunters.

Tracking our spiral horned quarry, my hunting assistant and I stopped simultaneously. It is a rare pleasure, when after spending days, weeks and years in the field with a hunting assistant, that you are synchronized as one and can sense the other’s moves and body language. I had heard it too. Motioning the client and game scout to freeze, I closed my eyes and slowly in radar like way listened for the unique sound. If one took two separate wood and metal blocks and were able to bond these two materials and slammed them into each other… you would mimic a similar sound.

Nothing compares to the real thing. “Ping, ping, ping”, my client behind me didn’t understand, and then suddenly his face changed to a puzzled look, a change from looking hot and bothered. He

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hunting heard it too. After locating the sound, it sounded like it was moving to the right, almost toward us. Sliding to the right we were set up with a “shooting lane” naturally presenting itself, about 40 yards in length. The “blue” eland bull was walking towards the shade of the shadow rich weepingwattle tree to our right, and would pass within 20 – 30 yards from us.

The tension in the air was intense – the adrenal gland getting another workout, almost exhausted from getting chased up a tree 20 minutes earlier by a Black “hangover of the bush” Rhino.

Twenty minutes earlier we were on the track of a huge Eland bull. We were aware that he was skirting an enormous herd, but were hoping to catch a glimpse of him before he entered the masses. Tracker in the lead, yours truly, the hunter and then the game scout brought up the rear guard. In an instant the game scout came hissing by me, and as he broke the 40 yard dash record to the closest tree, I made out a terrified mumble: “Rhino!”. I turned and looked at me client – “follow them” I instructed, and turned to try and see or hear where the danger was coming from.

Our hunter ambled to the tree, where the tracker and game ranger were now perched like early Christmas ornaments. “Up.” I said. Albert started climbing the tree and was soon met by the rear end of the tracker. “Up.” Was the instruction again. Albert took his unloaded rifle and poked the tracker in the butt. Having its desired effect, the trackers hastened to the fragile limbs of the top of the not so large tree. We waited, me at the base, the early ornaments hanging above. There was snorting and bush breaking, finally pooping, and our “hook-lipped” attacker crashed off into the bush. After a few minutes, the ornaments came down from the small tree, and we continued our pursuit.

Safety off, ready, wait for the instruction – “yes or no” – we have not seen the trophy yet. “Ping, ping – stop”… Almost there. “Ping…” and into the opening stepped an honored old gentleman with a red tuft of hair standing punk, three inches thick on his forehead. His long, hairless grey / blue neck was stretched out, with his dewlap swinging back and forth, with a heavy burden of weight pressing down on his round hooves. The stripes on his flanks were almost non-existentleathery and balding.

“Don’t shoot!” was the instruction, the hunter raising his head from behind the scope, uttering quietly “I am going to regret not taking that shot”. The bull was magnificent, and everything we were looking for in an eland. Alas, his horns were worn down to less than 15 inches in a straight line measurement – short batons from years of wear. The bull froze, stiffening as he realized that there were aliens in his environment. He then turned, unaffected, and started his mile eating trot. Mature eland bulls are unable to break into a full run due to their weight – and he was gone.

We were exhilarated after this close encounter, and yet another memorable morning in Africa. We were soaked with sweat in the sweltering heat, on the second to last day of the Namibian hunting season in late November. This was our last scheduled day of hunting for eland, and the last day of the season reserved for the unique Damara Dik-Dik, on foot, at the foot of the plateau. “Lunch, a nap, and then we need to get back at it.” I told the hunting party.

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hunting I decided early in my ph career to look after my hearing. It has stood me in good stead, saving my hide several times from leopard charges, a spotted hyena sticking his nose inquisitively into a leopard blind, elephant in thick bush and charging black rhino to name a few. Like the animals we prey upon, when hunting you are using all your senses in a heightened state – sight, smell, sensing the wind direction with exposed skin (and yes, wearing shorts helps with this) and listening for your prey when you are close. There is nothing like a final approach, stalking quietly, and being able to smell and hear wild creatures in their element without them knowing you are there, hearing the grass part as they move, while simultaneously hearing them breath. I used to wear molded ear plugs, but have recently upgraded to “Magnum Ear” hearing protection. Dr. Deborah Price can be thanked and it has really saved my hearing, my hide and enhanced my hunting efficiency. I am able to hear everything within 50 yards while hunting, raise and hear and questions in the adrenaline filled moments before my hunters take a shot, have my hands free to assist the shooter or watch the targeted animal through my binoculars, and have my rifle ready when the mango hits the fan.

Earlier in my professional dangerous game hunting career, I would go without ear-plugs, due to the danger of blocking one of your senses in potentially life threatening situations. My hearing was numbed with the concussion of big caliber rifles for several days after a successful hunt, with the thought that there is no way of repairing the damage done to hearing in the back of my aching skull. In the first season that I wore the electronic ears, they were in my ears in the field for more than 220 days. And now, three and a half years of rain and shine, dust and dirt, blood, sweat and tears – they have seen in excess of three quarters of a thousand days of hunting in Africa.

Performance – cutting even the biggest bore rifles’ discharge down to nothing, and being able to hear the impact has impressed me time and again. They made it through it all. If you really want to know if your equipment is tough, have a Ph field test it for a season in Africa…

After an exquisite light lunch, overlooking a striking valley littered with red petrified sand dune rocks and cumulus clouds swelling overhead, we once again took up the pursuit of our quarry.

Late season in Namibia means the eland bulls have joined the breeding herds to compare their size and weight and test their intimidation ability. This means there are giant herds together, and in areas where they are abundant, you will find several hundred congregated. Several hundred multiplied by two is the number of eyes that are looking out for predators. They were our prey, so it was us that they were looking out for.

Spotting a large herd in thick bush, we casually drove past them to a safe distance, and got off to make our approach. We traveled 180 degrees from our current location to get the wind right and to get in front of the eland. Once in position, I climbed a weeping-wattle for a better vantage point and waited. There were a few young and dumb eland out in the open already, but those with years of experience were waiting the heat of midday out until it cooled to more sane temperatures. For more than an hour we sat and watched. This was our last chance. We had to make good use of our opportunity.

As if a silent alarm went off, in unison the thick bush in front of use became alive with movement.

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Eyes darting back and forth in the binoculars, overwhelmed with bodies, horns and color.

Concentration is key at this point. The angle of the approach would either mean success or failure.

Hunting eland at its most basic level is the same as Cape buffalo hunting, until the shot goes off.

With eland, this is the climax of the experience – if it is a good shot. With buffalo when the final ‘coup de grace’ is administered and the danger over, this similar indescribable hunting sensation is felt.

Out of the light tan, brown and red bodies, a larger frame suddenly appeared. A dark, almost black neck with a red tuft on the forehead and thick horns came ambling in our general direction.

There were a lot of bodies between us and the bull, and we would have to move quickly, quietly and when we got into position we would not have much time. With our line of approach chosen, bent double at the waist, we walked / jogged as best we could in the thick Kalahari sand. Left and right there were eland feeding, and when the familiar sound was heard over our hearts thumping in our ears we screeched to a halt, dropped on our knees and waited. The “knee-click” was in the general direction we thought it would be. Easing up, so as not to draw attention to our position, I glassed to try and see the bull. There was nothing yet, just a wall of bodies. I then focused my attention on the “shooting lanes” available from our position. The shoulder-high rosethorn bushes were enough for cover, and also annoyingly high enough to block an ethical shot.

Lanes had to be sought, and then your game had to participate in the exercise to step into these lanes. The few minutes that passed dragged on agonizingly. Was the bull getting closer, or was the “knee-click” just more audible because of our now subdued heart-beat and our straining ears wanting it to be louder? Mind games. The young and dumb were off to our left and right, unaware of our proximity. How many hunters miss this unique experience because they have not looked after their hearing?

Like a ship appearing through the fog. He suddenly appeared, head low, sniffing a cow to test her receptiveness. Moving left to right, he was hopefully going to pass through one of the less desirable lanes. Last day, last hour, last chance.

He was a great old bull. Horns worn but not as severely as the bull we saw that morning, and would make a fine mount on the wall and a fond memory.

Sticks up, the hunter slipped the rifle into position, with the safety off on the .300 Winchester Magnum Mauser Circa ‘98. This was it. He stepped into the lane, and was moving 40 yards off. I made a low “hey” call instantly stopping him in his circular tracks and in the same instant the shot rang out. He jumped almost straight up in the air 12 – 14 feet,

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hunting and with the naked eye it was evident that the shot was good and the life was running out of him. The crash of the bushes where he fell was heard over the eruption of eland fleeing the scene.

The disturbance was short lived as they stopped running at 100 yards and started feeding again. Success was sweet. Another great trophy was in the salt, with yet another life-long memory in the vault.

At first light, on the last day of Namibia’s hunting season had us walking slowly on the edge the thick sickle bush in search of a Damara dik-dik for Albert’s collection. We had seen several pairs and groups of three of these dainty antelopes. We had perused one male with an exceptionally wide spread horns, a unique trophy, but in retrospect it would have not scored as well as we were looking for. A curse of the measuring tape and record book…

What wonders might tomorrow bring?

Follow Jofie on Twitter: http://twitter.com/JofieLamprecht Contact Jofie Lamprecht for all your hunting and photographic safari needs: All images and text supplied by Jofie Lamprecht Photography © 2013

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fishing

Fighting Sharks and Flatties

A guide to fighting, landing, handling and releasing large sharks and flatfish.

Bradley Barrable You’ve read all the trace articles, tied all the right knots and put out the best bait into the most likely looking spot and it’s produced exactly what you have been looking for. A pull from a trophy fish! “Viskoors” takes over and you hammer the hooks home. As the fish takes string you lock up the drag and pull it hard to the side. You brag to your mates that this fish will come out without its teeth as you pull as hard as possible. No sooner have these words escaped your mouth and you feel the first tinges of fatigue in your lower back and arms. Your fish arrives in the shore break and your mates are yelling to pull it but your arms are too tired and the fish washes around in the shore break, dragging your line over mussels and barnacles. Pop! Your line parts with a sickening feeling as your first triple digit fish makes off. Your mates console you “it just wasn’t your day” but perhaps had you done a few things differently you may have been winning a catch of the month competition instead of sulking in front of the TV. The Bite: The first step, and probably the most difficult in any fight, is not to panic. When you feel that first bump, adrenaline kicks in and at the first sign of a take the urge to hit the fish is almost uncontrollable. Rather wait, keep the rod tip up and as the fish swims off let it pull your rod flat then slowly wind into the fish. As the line comes tight simply lean back into the fish and lift the tip about 1.5 feet. With sharp hooks this will be enough set the hooks and not run the risk of jerking

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fishing the bait from its mouth and missing the hook up or busting the line off with a sudden jerk.

If you are using a circle hook then the procedure is slightly different. This is just my personal method but makes for a good guide for any beginner. When the fish picks you up drop your rod tip slowly towards it keeping in contact the whole time. You don’t want the line hanging slack in the water. Put your thumb on the spool and engage free spool controlling the line as the fish peels line off. I generally count to 30, at this stage it equates to about 10 seconds since invariably your counting instead of the usual 1-2-3-4-5... tend to become something along the lines of 12345678910! If the fish stops at any stage, WAIT! Many fish will do this as they stop to manoeuvre the bait into position to swallow. When the fish moves off again or you reach 30 engage the clutch and start retrieving line. When it becomes tight slowly lean back into the fish, lifting your rod tip about 1.5 feet at the same time.

At no point should there be a violent strike or “hit” on the fish. This makes for good video shots but not for a good hookup. During this whole procedure your drag should not be locked or even overly tight since this could result in a bust off as the fish wakes up at the prick of the hook. The above steps are even more important if you are sliding. Most of the time your slide will not have reached the stopper ring and any wild striking will almost certainly result in a burn off.

The Fight: Congratulations, you are now hooked up to what may be your PB fish. Now is not the time for heroics or macho drag locking. Let the fish take line and if there are no obstructions between you and your fish drop the tip and straight stick. Your fish is now fighting not only your drag but also the weight and drag of your line in the water, while you sit back and conserve your energy.

If you have hooked yourself a real screamer your first impulse will be to tighten the drag as it runs.

Whatever you do, don’t do it! As the fish runs the drag pressure actually increases when the line diminishes on the spool. This means you may start off with a drag of 5kg on a locked full spool but by the time you reach the dying few meters your drag has spiked to 10kg! This, in combination with the drag of 600m of line trailing in the water, could just part you off.

Many species of fish will swim out then turn around and swim back at you often picking the line up and biting through the leader. This is why I would advise that the moment your fish starts to slow down you start pulling to ensure that should they stop and turn they won’t have any slack to pick up on. Now is generally the time when the fish will make its decision as to whether it will arc left or right. Why is this important you may ask? Well more often than not it is impossible to land the fish at the spot you were sliding or throwing from. This means that you need to have somewhere safe to land your fish and preferably 2 places, one north and one south of your

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fishing spot to allow you to land the fish regardless of which way it runs. Obviously this is not always possible in which case if the fish runs the wrong way you will need to put on some serious pressure to turn him the right way.

While the fish is taking its first run it may also be a good idea to try and get some height on the fish. Sand dunes, Transkei hills and even rock outcrops are all good options. The advantage of the height is that less of your line is in the water due to the steep angle which means less chance of being cut off. It also means that the fish will be fighting to not only swim away but to swim down.

The last point doesn’t have a massive effect but every bit helps. A fish in the upper water column will have less chance to cut you off.

Now that your fish has turned you need to start the hard graft! The entire fight you need to be actively working the fish towards your landing spot. If the fish stops swimming you need to be pulling it towards that spot. A very good tactic is to straight stick and walk backwards then jog forwards recovering line as you come towards the fish. Another option is to stand in one spot and wind your line tightly onto the reel pulling it to its maximum stretch and then wait. The line will return to its unstretched state pulling the fish in a little at a time. All these tactics will save your back and arms for the end of the fight. Bear in mind that when you rest the fish rests and it will recover twice as fast as you!

When the fish gets close is when things get a little tricky and in most cases a little sweaty. You now need to keep your rod tip up and pull! Keeping the rod tip up will help keep the line clear of snags. Pulling at this stage doesn’t mean aimlessly pulling to recover line but to get the fish in line with the gulley where you want to land him and then turn his head and keep it coming! Now is not the time to cry about painful muscles or cramps the end is near! Now you can finally crank up your drag a bit to turn the fish and keep him coming. Just don’t lock it up and make sure that it will release smoothly if the fish decides to make a last dash.

With such a short distance between you and your fish there is no stretch in the line to absorb head shakes or sudden lunges so be wary of putting too much pressure on the fish. The balance between getting the fish where you need it and not busting off will come with experience. If you are fishing off the beach it is a good idea to walk as far back as possible. Fifty meters of mono compared to 10 meters has a lot more stretch and can help absorb those head shakes and avoid hook pulls or bust offs. When fishing off the rocks it’s up to you to make sure that you use the right angles to pull the fish away from snags and keep your line clear. Once again this will come with experience.

Landing the fish: This is not something you as the angler have to worry about, but as a buddy to the guy on with

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fishing the fish of a lifetime, bear the following in mind.

Believe it or not Rock & Surf is a team sport!

It is your task to make sure that the angler is safe. Watch the water for your mate and watch your mate. When you are on with a big fish we all tend to forget the danger of certain situations so if your mate starts eyeing out a new ledge to pull from that looks a bit suspect it is your responsibility to make sure that common sense prevails over “viskoors”.

The moment anyone goes tight with a decent fish the decision needs to be made whether you all need to reel up your lines to assist or if some people can hang onto the remaining rods while 2 guys go along to land the fish and assist the angler. After making this decision one person needs to grab all the relevant tools. You should take the following: side cutters, hook remover, gloves (if you use them), gaff, tagging kit (if you have one), camera, tape measure/marking sticks and water!

It sure sounds like a lot but you won’t need to have everything on you the entire time. It’s more to ensure that it is all easily accessible.

Ensure your angler stays well hydrated during the entire fight. On a 45 minute fight dehydration won’t be an issue but after 5 or 6 hours it becomes a major issue. It is much easier to maintain hydration during intense physical exercise than to rehydrate so make sure you get the angler to drink from the start.

Throughout the fight assist the angler when needed by holding the line clear of rocks while walking and other small things. Don’t forget to snap a few pics of the deep burn!

As soon as the fish gets close you now need to swing into action. Avoid pulling the fish by the leader since this can cause you to tear the hooks out. Always have one person watching the water!

When you decide to grab then fish, do so by the tail and lift it slightly, pulling as you walk it out backwards. Lifting the tail makes it harder for the fish to swing around and bite you since they are angled down. Use the swell to assist you in moving the fish. Don’t try and drag it by yourself

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fishing without any water to support it. When you decide to grab the fish don’t hesitate and don’t let go!

I have taken a clout to the head from a 30kg sandy and believe me that little fish hurt enough!

I cannot stress enough at this stage how careful you need to be. You are dealing with dangerous animals at close quarters and in stressful conditions. Watch the water and beware of the fish.

There are numerous cases of people being washed off the rocks landing fish, and cases of people being bitten by their catch when a wave rolls the fish and angler in the shore break. Be CAREFUL. No fish is worth a life and this holds true for not only you and your buddies but also gillies who are sometimes encouraged by anglers to land fish in absurd conditions by the promise of extra cash. Once again be CAREFUL! Gaffing: This is, and will always, be a controversial subject. What follows is merely my own opinion so please don’t take it as the final word on all things related to gaffing. The gaff has no place on the beach. A steep shore break may be tough on you but the lactic acid build up caused by exertion is outweighed by a huge hole pierced into the fish.

Most KZN points do not need a gaff to quickly and safely land a fish and once again in my opinion the gaff can be left at home. Moving south to the Transkei we begin to find spots where a gaff is definitely a good option. Some places are impossible to land a fish at without one and not using one will cause more damage to the fish as it is bashed by massive swells against rocky outcrops.

A well placed gaff used to guide a fish into a land-able spot will do comparatively little damage to the fish. If you are going to gaff a fish do so only in the dorsal fin area and just through the skin. Some folks advise you to gaff the fish in its mouth but after watching a recent show on National Geographic where a large raggie somehow swallowed the gaff I would advise against this.

Handling your Fish: Once your fish is out, speed is the name of the game. Pose for a few pics if the fish isn’t too tired. Assess whether you can remove the hook or if cutting the trace would be better. Either mark the

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fishing fish with sticks on the beach or measure it quickly with a tape measure on the rocks. Now get the fish back and make sure it swims off strongly.

Always support the weight of the fish. The fish is not designed to support itself out of the water since they are always supported by the buoyancy of water. Never place a fish on hot or dry rocks or sand. Keep the fish as close to water as possible since this will limit the damage you do dragging it around. Never lift a fish by the tail only.

Never flip a flatfish over. This WILL kill it. Never stick your fingers in the spiracles of a fish. You wouldn’t like me touching your lungs so don’t poke your fish’s lungs. Apparently a good cure for this problem is to put your fingers in a raggies mouth?

Never ever hurl a fish back by its tail. You may think this is obvious but I have seen it done. Avoid grabbing a fish by the nose and stretching its mouth open to show off its teeth. We aren’t stupid we know it has teeth! Although sharks do bash their noses into crevices on a reef and use it to stun prey they do also have very sensitive organs located in their noses called the ampullae of Lorenzini. Although it’s unlikely you could damage them why run the risk of doing so?

Never sit on your fish! It’s amazing how many people actually do this. When handling rays beware of their spines located at the base of their tails. The smaller rays can arch themselves and jab your hand even though you were nowhere near the spine. If you do get spiked, pour some meat tenderizer powder onto it. This will to some extent denature the proteins in the venom. You can also submerge the wound in hot water, as hot as you can possibly handle and seek medical attention ASAP. Smaller raggies and cow sharks can in fact arch their entire bodies and reach their tail. This means that despite being nowhere near the sharp end you could walk away with a nasty bite. When handling fish and removing the hooks beware of fish which roll and squirm. Your main culprits are hammers, hound sharks and spotted gullies. Nothing worse than having a 10/0 in your hand with a rolling fish twisting it all over.

Well there you have it, a short guide to getting your trophy fish out. Hopefully this will lead to more photos and less stories about the one that got away.

AA

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fishing

Fishing deep structure

Goya Trade

No one likes getting onto a lake for a day without getting a bite! This could well be the case on some of our dams and lakes, especially here on the High veld during the winter months. It is for this reason we should learn to fish deep structure, and by deep we mean deeper than 4 meters.

Where to fish.

Points: Fish tend to school off deep points and during warmer periods may migrate up these points in search of bait fish that are also enjoying the warmer period. Here Carolina rigged plastics can be fished to cover pretty much the entire point from deep to shallow relatively quickly.

Humps: Humps are magnets for both summer and winter bass. A bonus would be if the hump you have discovered has a combination of timber, rock and vegetation on it. Deep diving crank baits are favoured for probing these humps. Once you have plotted your humps, begin by using a crank bait that just skims the shallowest sections of the hump. After saturating the area with casts move onto a deeper diving crank bait and begin bumping into the structure, your lure should attract a strike. Also try using a jig like Goya’s Fancy Football, crawl the jig along the bottom and slowly shake the bait as it hits something solid on the bottom Ledges: These areas can be perfect for schooling bass. The transition from shallow to deep is a very short distance so ledges are also ideal hang-outs for trophy size fish. Large spinner baits slow

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fishing rolled down the staircases of a ledge, as well as hopping a Football jig down will soon determine the feeding depth of the bass. Once you have figured this out you are able to target similar areas to get a solid pattern going. Mokolo Dam up in the Limpopo province is a perfect venue for walking a jig down the ledges. At times a change to walking your bait UP the ledge may be just what Mr. Bass wants.

Deep Standing trees: Big trees standing in deep water at certain times of the year hold fish.

These fish may be targeted with an array of baits, but anglers experimenting with rigs like the ‘Shaky Head’ or ‘Drop Shot’ may be pleasantly surprised. Bass positioned at the base of these trees will quickly eat a shaky head finesse bait presented tight up against the tree trunks. If the fish are holding against the timber up from the bottom, a drop shot rig may be deployed to try and get the feeding depth. Try the shady side of a tree if the water is very clear, also check if they may be a current present, this may determine where you place your bait. Also determine whether birds nest or perch in these trees.

River Channels and Bars: These areas are especially effective if there is a current flowing. Bass sometimes bunch up in these areas and feed on bait fish that use the current as cover. Here weightless plastic jerk baits would be the number one lure of choice. Try to match the hatch with regards to colour and size of the bait. The natural presentation of these baits could be deadly on a school of bass.

Pay careful attention to your sonar equipment and save these co-ordinates. By putting the effort in to dissecting and understanding deep structure one can be rewarded with quantity and quality bass. If the structure you have found is not visible or known to other anglers the fishing could be great season after season.

Baits: Bass this time of year are lethargic and your baits should be fished as so. Football Jigs, like Goya’s Football jigs, are a key bait right now, fish are keying more on crabs rather than other fish species and a jig matches them best. Texas rigged plastic also do well this time of year. Creature baits like Netbaits Paca Craw and Baby Action cat with a Goya Pro-Tungsten weight are deadly when dragged along the ledges and pitched along the sides of deep trees. If you are in the warmer parts of the country like KZN bass still feed on bait fish profile platics like Netbaits 4” Super/Twitch and the Lil’ Spanky. You can fish these numerous ways, i.e, on a Mojo, Carolina, Texas or weightless rig. Fish these in the same places you would a jig and creature. These baits will produce when the fishing is tough.

Remember winter fishing for bass can be slow, so no need to get up at the crack of dawn with your best fishing times starting from 9am-3pm. If you are patient you will get your just reward and possibly your PB .

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Knots outdoor paradise

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Killer Whale Orcinus orca

Featured species

www.theanimalfiles.com

Main Characteristics Killer whales are the largest species of the oceanic dolphin family and they are known to be one of the fastest animals in the ocean, reaching speeds in excess of 55 km/h. They grow to up to 9 m in length and can weigh up to 10 tones.

They are distinctively marked with black colouration on their back and a grey saddle patch behind their dorsal fin, with white on the underside of their bodies and flukes, and have a white patch behind each eye. The pectoral fins are large and rounded and act as paddles when swimming. The dorsal fin is extremely large and in males it can measure up to 1,8 m. Males have larger pectoral and dorsal fins than females and the dorsal fin is more elongated and triangular.

Killer whales are very vocal and have distinctive cries, screams, clicks and whistles that they use for communication and echolocation. Vocalizations vary with activity and they are much quieter when resting. Each group have their own discrete calls that are unique.

They are very social animals and are enthusiastic with their displays of breaching, tail slapping and spy hopping. Breaching is where they lift their entire body out of the water and spy hopping is where they raise their heads up out of the water.

There are three different types of killer whale that are distinct enough to be considered different races or perhaps subspecies: Resident - these are the most commonly sighted killer whales and they live in cohesive, complex family groups known as pods and are territorial.

Transients - These killer whales travel in smaller groups that consist of 2 - 7 individuals. Females have a dorsal fin that is more triangular and pointed than that of resident killer whales. They sometimes stay together as family groups and they travel on extremely unpredictable routes. continues on page 34

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events

Not to be missed GAUTENG

NORTH WEST

ScopeX 2013

Gone Fishing Competition

20 July

10 August

SA National Military History Museum - JHB

Hartbeespoort: De Rust Oewer

082 650 8002

Contact Wilma - 072 264 0561

KwaZulu-Natal

Springbok Vasbyt 13 July

Mr Price Pro Ballito

Voortrekkermonument Pretoria

7 July

Leon Bezuidenhout - 012 386 9000

Ballito www.mrpricepro.com

Halfway Toyota 4x4 Training days 12 July - Prado day - Halfway Toyota Fourways

Amanzimtoti Sardine Splash

13 July - Halfway Toyota Fourways

5 - 8 July

14 July - Halfway Toyota Honeydew

Amanzimtoti

Contact Ryan - 073 845 2003

031 903 7498

Potjie & Mampoer Fees

Durban Airshow

27 July

13 July

Vanderbijlpark

Durban North

016 982 2951

031 564 7167

SA Knifemakers’ Guild Show (KGSA) 30 - 31 August Mosaiek Lifestyle Centre - Jhb Marietjie Thorburn at 082 650 1441

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Mpumalanga Dullstroom Winter Festival 5 - 7 July Dullstroom www.dullstroomwinterfestival.co.za

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events

Northern Cape

WESTERN CAPE

Ice Swim Africa

Fees van die Ganse

12 July

8 July - 1 August Gansbaai Tourism: 028 384 1439

Fraserburg

Berg River Canoe Marathon

Quantum Leap 22 August

9 - 13 July

Tankwa Karoo National Park

Paarl to Velddrif

Limpopo

Anthony - 082 261 5442 Die Burger Mountain Bike Challenge 3 August Stellenbosch

Hoedspruit Wildsfees 12 - 13 July Limpopo Sheena Boshoff - 082 962 1735

Dirtopia Trail Centre: 021 884 4752 Ellisras Bushveld Festival 4 - 7 July Lephalale Jenny van Deventer: 083 434 9738

Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Biltong Festival

Lesotho

12 - 13 July

Halfway Toyota 4x4 Trips by Gerald O’Brien

Somerset East

12-15 July

Ros Turner: 042 243 1448

26-29 July

Running of the Bullshitters 7km 13 July

Email: gerald@halfway.ws

Colin Parkins: 041 407 5035

Cell: 082 874 6138

Wild Coast Wet ‘n Wild Festival Cintsa Candy Boonzaier: 083 653 3111

Semonkong Contact

Blue water Bay

28 July

2-5 August

If you would like to publish your event here, please send details of event to: info@africanadventures.co.za

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Featured species Offshore - These killer whales stay out in the open oceans and they have been sighted in groups of up to 60 individuals. Offshore killer whales tend to be smaller than both residents and transients.

Habitat Killer whales are found worldwide and residents live in pods of up to 50 individuals. The pods are matriarchal and both male and female calves stay with their mother for their entire lives. When they breed they create multi-generational groups and it is not uncommon for a pod to consist of 4 or 5 generations. Their range varies between 320 km² and 1300 km².

Transient pods usually consist of up to 7 individuals as some male and female offspring eventually leave the maternal group. Their home range is much larger than that of resident killer whales.

Diet Killer whales are apex predators and they prey upon a variety of animals. On average they will consume up to 230 Kg’s of food per day. Specific populations of killer whales are known to specialize upon particular prey species.

Residents mainly feed upon fish and squid. Over 30 different species of fish fall prey to killer whales. Transients almost exclusively feed upon marine mammals such as sea lions, seals and other whale species. Offshore killer whales primarily feed upon sea turtles, fish and sharks. Sea birds, penguins and walruses are also occasionally preyed upon.

Killer whales often use complex hunting strategies to find, subdue and kill their prey. They hunt in pods and they chase down prey or herd fish together then attack from different angles. They also head butt prey or slap them with their tail flukes to stun them, intentionally beach themselves to catch sea lions in the shallows or tip over ice flows to unbalance penguins and seals.

Breeding After a gestation period of 15 - 18 months, they give birth to one calf, this happens at any time of the year, but generally occurs during the winter months. At birth the calves weigh approximately 180 kg and are approximately 2.4 m in length. Calves will suckle from their mother for up to 2 years, but they will begin to eat solid food when they reach 12 months.

All resident killer whale pod members will take care of young whales, but calf mortality is high with approximately 50% of them not reaching 6 months old. Sexually maturity is reached at 15 years of age and they reproduce once every 5 years up to the age of 40. Killer whales within a pod do not interbreed; mating occurs with individuals from different pods.

Interesting Facts • Killer whales are also known as orca, seawolf or blackfish.

• Captive killer whales lives significantly shorter than those in the wild.

• Killer whales are well known for their intelligence and outstanding memory.

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Destinations

Boldly, Beautiful Bela-Bela Johan Viljoen Last month we introduced you to Pretoria’s friendly neighbour, and it is with great excitement that we share some of our unique experiences in this remarkable part of South Africa.

We decided to share this opportunity with friends and family to attain their independent opinion on what this small town has on offer to us city dwellers. For the fortunate that had their leave approved, the adventures started early on a Thursday morning...for the rest, well, they had to wait till Friday afternoon to join the rest of the group. We realized that our biggest challenge would be to get around and make the most of the large number of activities on offer. We formulated what we thought to be a full proof game plan, where family- and alone time were allocated, consequently allowing the group to enjoy this voyage of exploration to the max.

We arrive early Thursday morning at our lodge on the outskirts of town after a comfortable drive of a mere hour and a bit. Rooms were allocated, supplies were unpacked and the bar fridge stocked, just in case. We moved over to the boma where we were spoiled with an amazing breakfast and we were pleasantly surprised by a visit from a resident bushbuck in search of scraps of our gourmet meal. This set the tone for the weekend and we realized we’ll never be far from nature. The rest of the morning was spend exploring our immediate surrounds and this lead to an unplanned hike at the foothills of the majestic Waterberg. The abundance of game was evident in the well worn game paths which led us to a beautiful piece of water. Andre wasted no time in ripping off his boots and shirt and jumping into the dam, much to the disbelieve of our eager angler friend Pasch. He was convinced that this water, full of humps, dead trees and lilies were home

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Destinations to some lunkers and the reason for him joining us on this trip. To his great disappointment, a no fishing sign was pointed out by me. Being a private reserve, fishing and the collection of any flora was strictly prohibited and the thought of what monsters might lurk was left to our imaginations.

Excited by all the signs of wild life on our hike, the sunset drive was sure not to disappoint, but on arrival at the departure point, we were pleasantly surprised to find our old fashion mode of transport. A Toyota, with 4 wheels and a badge but only 2 horses. The horse cart drive was a huge treat for the kids and quite a far cry from the game viewers they were used to. We spotted masses of game, eland, waterbuck, kudu, impala but to name a view. The proud but stealthy manner in which “Ruiter” and “Witkous” escorted us through the bush allowed us to really get close and personal to the animals and our day concluded with a sundowner next to Pasch’s “Lake Lunkers”.

As the call of a francolin echoes through the valley and the sun’s rays makes an appearance over the hill tops to the east, 2 ardent hunters plan their stalk whilst not too far away a furious fish breaks the water, hooked on Pasch’s passion. Missing out on these privileges, the wives and kids are preparing for a action packed day at Zebula golf estate and spa, but more of that later...

Wondering through a wild seringa forest, the distinctive smell and sounds of a herd of wildebeest grazing sparked Quintin’s predator’s instinct. With the wind in his favour and the sun burning over his right shoulder, success was inevitable. Leaving the rest of the hunting party behind to analyze his approach, he pursued his quarry. Resolute, with precision and caution, he closed the distance, a careful step at a time, pausing ever so often as the herd scan the area for danger. The symphony of bird song and animal life was interrupted by the bark of his trusted .375 and the settling dust cloud revealed a magnificent old bull.

During this time Pasch and Luan devoted their time to unravel the feeding patterns of the resident carp. After trying a few combinations they soon settled on a FX on the top hook, paired with a earthworm on the bottom hook.

This combined with boulyn kolletjie feed kept the reels screaming till well after 10 that morning. With the carp of the bite and the water temperature slowly rising, they made several casts on the western shore, trying to fool a bass in taking their lures without any success. This was not due to a lack of effort but rather the cold front that was pulling in. With weather conditions deteriorating they decided to move over to the game farm where the hunters enjoyed the fresh liver from the wildebeest harvested earlier.

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Destinations While the men were out to conquer nature, the wives opted for much more subtle pleasures.

Dropping the kids to enjoy animal interactions such as feeding meerkats, petting lion cubs and learning all there is about snakes and reptiles, they were treated to a herbal hot stone massage and a holistic africology facial treatment. Completely rejuvenated and with exhausted kids they headed back to the lodge where they were met by true fisherman’s tails and Quintin’s in-depth overview on his successful hunt. We on the other hand had to hear how they are worthy of being spoiled more often. Photos of the day’s events were downloaded and stories shared, and when it got to the kids and their animals the chatter didn’t stop. So many things to share but with a limited vocabulary, words like “oulik” and “leeutjies” were repeated in every sentence.

The arrival of the rest of the group Friday evening brought these discussions to an end and we all moved to the boma to warm up next to the fire. The wildebeest of the morning provided us with tender fillets and we washed it down with a nice glass of Merlot. It was a long and exhausting day so we hit the sack fairly early.

At the crack of dawn we were up and ready for another adventure filled day. Getting in a more conventional game viewer we headed out from the lodge and planned a breakfast picnic somewhere secluded under tree tops. We spotted a lot of game but coming around a sharp bend, Christo spotted a leopard feeding under a bush. We were ecstatic! A leopard on a fresh kill, on private land, is something special and a rare sighting to a privileged few. Our day was made and we observed this elusive cat for more than 30 minutes before it disappeared into the undergrowth. From there, the beautiful kudu and eland found it hard to match the leopard and we gave in to hunger. Feasting in the presence of danger was a thrilling experience and certainly beats the local diner down the road.

The afternoon was spend supporting the “Boks” in a cozy pub with some locals. The hospitality, paired with their signature shooter made it hard to leave but with an astrology lesson lined up we had to part. Unfortunately cloud cover set in and we had to leave this for another occasion. Pulled up next to a fireplace, time was passed with stories of nature, laughter and some wine.

We had a remarkable time in this small corner of Africa and yet we left a lot unexplored. The activities are endless to the traveler and is certainly a travel destination of choice.

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Recipe

www.cookbook.co.za

Tender lamb casserole

Folks, this lamb casserole is the easiest and most delicious casserole you will ever make. It’s my mothers recipe that has been a regular meal for many years and is so tasty that your family will be asking for it every week at least once. Perhaps it took so long to get the recipe is that the flavour is almost too good for it to be so easy. (4 people) What you need 500-600g lamb braai chops or leg chops cut into pieces 1 425g tin chopped peeled tomatoes 1 small onion chopped 1/2 chicken stock cube

1/2 cup boiling water 1 teaspoon mixed herbs 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper Oil

The process Heat your oven to 150 ˚ C. In a hot pan with a little oil, brown the meat well, remove and place in an oven dish that has a lid. In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, cook until translucent, add the tomatoes, crumble in the stock cube, add the herbs and the water and bring to the boil.

Pour over the meat, put the lid on and then into the oven for 4 hours. That is it folks, no fuss and the result is superbly tender meat with a rich tomato sauce. You can add carrots or beans, just add a little extra water and keep an eye on it every hour or so. Serve with mash, pap, boiled baby potatoes and some greens like olives.

Time is everything with this recipe so don’t be tempted to take it out early, it keeps in the fridge without any problem and reheating is as simple as popping in the oven or even reheating in the stove top or dare I say microwave.

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Conservation

Leopard

oject

n Pr Conservatio Fred BerrangĂŠ

Background Fred BerrangĂŠ established the Leopard Conservation Project (LCP) in 2000 and together with other concerned citizens has had the privilege to conserve leopards in many different locations throughout Southern Africa.

The Organization was registered as a non-profit, section 21 Company in 2007. The focus of the project has primarily been to protect leopard from poaching, poisoning, trapping, and overhunting, however in recent years focus has shifted to include the collection of data on population and territory size as well as the genetic kinship and diversity of leopards within different regions.

LCP has captured, darted, collared and released a number of animals into suitable environments with GSM cell phone collars and now monitors their movements remotely through the use of cutting edge technology. Collaring these animals has enabled LCP to collect morphometric (physiological) data that will contribute to a better understanding of how these animals are equipped and affected by the challenges they face.

Aims and Objectives Little is known about the population numbers of leopard in Southern Africa. Due to their elusive nature, ability to adapt to almost any environment and, in some instances, extensive territories, estimates are sketchy and unsubstantiated in many areas.

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Conservation To achieve our objectives Leopard Conservation Project has three areas of focus: 1. Protection:

As an apex predator, leopards play an extremely important role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. In conjunction with keeping wild prey species alert and ecologically fit, stable leopard populations help to keep lesser predator numbers under control. As one of the high-profile cat species, the economic value of leopard in the tourism industry cannot be underestimated since sightings are infrequent and highly sought after.

In regions where trophy hunting is permitted, it is vital to secure measures that will allow hunters to hunt in a sustainable manner without removing prime specimens from the gene pool.

Throughout the country, areas where natural prey has been reduced or depleted and land has been given over to stock farming, leopards are often labeled “problem” animals and together with lesser predators are subjected to sometimes in-humane and painful control methods.

2. Research:

If we are to protect leopards we need to understand what motivates their choices, how they utilize the landscape and how human habitation and development affects these choices. A lot of general information has been gathered on leopard however, we have come to realize there is still a great deal to be learned.

LCP works closely with farmers, conservation bodies and other research organizations to address areas of concern regarding leopard, their habitat and ways to manage them effectively; in short ensuring their survival for future generations.

What we are trying to establish: • Population and territory sizes in specific regions.

• Photographic database of known individuals.

• Determine the influence of encroaching farmlands in free range areas.

• Population sizes in areas where hunting occurs.

• Prey preference in specific areas according to natural or stock prey availability.

• Infant growth and mortality rates.

• DNA collection and analyses to determine genetic relatedness to leopards in other areas across Southern Africa.

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Conservation • Develop more effective tools (namely collars) to allow us to gather better data. • Male to female ratios in specific areas (how many females does 1 male service) and is there an overlap in male territory. • Mature to sub-adult ratios.

Once this information has been gathered it will be used to develop operational guidelines to better manage predators, gain insight into conflict between predators and humans and provide a better overall understanding of broader conservation concerns.

3. Education:

By providing information based on sound research we hope to educate and assist farmers on how to better protect their livestock from leopard predation. Our sharing of information can be used to formulate ethical and acceptable means of control.

Leopard Conservation Project welcomes public participation and involvement and values opportunities to interact through radio talk shows, television shows, public exhibitions, and presentations at schools and environmental get-togethers.

Valuable data gathered by local residents and communities is an important source of information for LCP. It is our strong belief that if drastic changes in attitude, methods and legislation are not made in the immediate future, the leopard could be added to the Extreme Danger List sooner than we think. It is for this reason that we are actively engaged in talks with major stakeholders up to government level to ensure both the immediate and long-term survival of the leopard in Southern Africa.

If Leopard Conservation Project is to achieve its objectives, it is essential that we have the latest technology at our disposal and are equipped with the right tools. In order to function as effectively as possible in the field we need to have access to technology of the highest standard.

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Conservation

Fairlands Scouts

Contributions and benefits to you As a non-profit organization we rely heavily on sponsorship of both equipment and resources.

In exchange, we provide our sponsors with exposure by branding our clothing, vehicles and equipment and we provide the opportunity for free advertising at public events. You will be featured on our website and your contribution acknowledged in our newsletter sent to individuals and organizations worldwide.

Want to help?

If you would like to make a donation to the Leopard Conservation Project our banking details are: Account name: Leopard Conservation Project Branch no: 151405 Registration no: 2007/02347/08 Account no: 1514257408

Bank: Nedbank Branch: Randridge Mall

PBO no: 930030057

Should you wish to learn more about the Leopard Conservation Project or get more involved please contact: Fred Berrangé: 082 813 8013 – fred@leopardcon.co.za Chris Pearce: 082 447 0801 – chris@leopardcon.co.za Or visit our website at www.leopardcon.co.za We will be happy to address any queries that you may have.

The leopard is a big part of our African heritage. It is only with the assistance, participation and sponsorship from companies and individuals concerned with environmental issues that we can ensure their survival.

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Grey Heron Ardeidae Johan Viljoen The Grey Heron is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe, Asia and parts of Africa. It is a large bird, standing up to 100 cm tall and a body length of 84 – 102 cm. It has a large wingspan of up to 2 m and the body weight can range from 1 – 2.1 kg.

The upper body is grey with off-white plumage on its under part. Adults have a white head with the primary flight feathers being black. A very distinctive black band extends over the head into a long slender crest. It has a powerful orange bill which is brighter in breeding adults. It has a slow and majestic flight motion, with its long neck retracted into an S-shape. This characteristic distinguishes them from storks, cranes and spoonbills.

Habitat The Grey Heron is a familiar bird around lakes, rivers, pans and also rocky coastlines where it is usually seen hunting in shallow water.

Diet Grey Herons are opportunist feeders, they eat a wide variety of fish, invertebrates, ducklings and land animals, such as rats and young rabbits.

Breeding Like most herons they breed in colonies. Mostly in trees along waterways where as many as 10 nests can be found in a single tree. Sometimes they will build their nests on a cliff or in reed beds.

They will often mix with other species such as egrets, cormorants and spoonbills. The nest is an untidy platform of sticks around 25 cms in diameter, build in the top of a tall tree. The average clutch size of the grey heron is 3-4 eggs.

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Featured species Predators They are large birds and not many predators are capable of handling their large size and spear-like beaks, but nests and chicks comes under attack from other birds and snakes.

Interesting facts In medieval times the heron was a favorite quarry of falconers who valued its great flying skills and ability to evade the falcon’s stoops. Roasted heron were also popular at medieval banquets: the young birds, called branchers, were thought to be the best to eat. The fat of a heron killed at full moon was once believed to be a cure for rheumatism.

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Recipe

adventures

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Adventures adventures

Khubelu Valley Lesotho

Gerald O’Brien

This was a fantastic trip with challenging driving to get away from the maddening crowd and just enjoy great camaraderie. Unfortunately Marsha had family ‘over’ from Jo’Burg and could not join us, and so Jacky came along with Gerald. We met at 9am at the Himeville Arms, 8 people and 4 Land Cruisers. We stocked up on firewood and headed for Sani Pass. The weather was perfect and we drove up Sani on a clear day, blue, blue skies, snow capped peaks with magnificent views into the valleys. The road was in good condition and we were only held up once while a back hoe was working compacting stone. It was a little rough at the top and difficult to negotiate the sharp corners going from bright sunlight into shadow and losing sight of the track. We paid R 60 each at the Lesotho border and were on our way until the McKenzie’s had a puncture. Luckily Gerald had issued us all with radios and we brought the convoy to a stop, off came the high lift jack from Dan’s roof rack and with help from Gerald, Gary and Dan the tyre was changed and off we went.

We stopped at the top of Black Mountain, the highest peak in Southern Africa for a photo shoot and of course a snow ball fight, instigated by Gerald. Gary and Cheryldene couldn’t help but to join in. We passed the shearing sheds and herds of sheep and Angora goats, hearing the tinkling of the bells around their necks and seeing the herd boys wrapped in their blankets on their little ponies.

The Chinese are busy building a highway from there to Mokhotlong using local labour to do the drilling and blasting of the mountain side. We didn’t go into Mokhotlong but stayed on the main road and stopped for lunch after crossing the Khubelu River. Gerald was hoping that we could take a route to the camp site via the river but it was too deep and fast flowing to risk it. We

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Adventures continued on the main road to the Litseng Diamond Mine and waited at the gate for Gerald to go and collect the key, and while we waited yet another snow ball fight broke out. Soon we were on our way on a single track down to the river, it got worse as we progressed, very wet and then very rocky. The locals, having seen us crawling down the mountain side, had come to our aid after we found our way blocked by a massive boulder. With great excitement 10 men were already waiting, one with a crowbar, and each telling the other what to do. There was much laughter until the bolder was dropped on some toes. Eventually the boulder was tipped over the edge and Gerald was able to get through. This provided such fun that the men had already decided to move another bolder out of the way before we could even follow. Eventually we were on our way, rough road, slow going, magnificent scenery,and passing clean isolated villages, everyone waving and very friendly. It was still light when we reached the camp site and put up our tents. Frank, the caretaker, lit the donkey but we were too tired to shower. The camp site consisted of a large stone building with gas heating in case of bad weather, 10 camp sites along the Khubelu River each with a built in braai and a tap and 4 showers and 4 long drops funded by the mine and left to the locals to run. It was cold once the sun went down but we were prepared, we had warm jackets, plenty of blankets and soon had a fire going. We thought we were alone until Dan discovered his biltong and a loaf of bread had gone missing. Later we saw the culprits, 3 cunning dogs so we were very careful not to leave food unattended.

On Saturday we were up at first light for coffee and rusks and to stoke the fire. We showered and dressed once we had thawed out. The men worked on fixing the McKenzie puncture, and endured the process of cleaning the gravel out between the tyre and the rim. This worked but the hole was too jagged and the despite of putting in 3 plugs it still leaked. Alice, a local girl who spoke perfect English, came to do our washing up and said that there was going to be a celebration in the village and we were invited. It started at midday so Gerald drove Gary, Cheryldene, Jackie and Eyvete up the mountain and Dan, Gavin and I stayed in camp and just chilled.

We watched the locals coming from far and wide on their horses or by foot throughout the afternoon and thought this is African time, who cares when the celebration

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adventures starts! The reason for the celebration, as we later found out, was the victory of the local soccer team and the netball team who had won R 3 000 in a tournament. The mine supplied their uniforms and the players looked very smart. A sheep had been killed and there was plenty of pineapple grog. Cheryldene writes; The 5 of us arrived up at the “stadium” early.

The stadium is just a flat piece of land that has been made to take both soccer posts on one side and netball on the other. You could see the excitement mounting as everyone started to arrive all dressed in their Sunday best.

The soccer players went off to get dressed into their uniforms along with the netball girls. We were given a soccer display from the winning team and what amazing players – watch out Bafana Bafana. Both teams got in line to have photos and videos taken. Then there were plenty of speeches and thank yous and prayers for our benefit. Apparently it is a great honour to be invited to such an event and not taken well if one refuses to go. After much dancing and singing by the teams and some of the locals we had a display by 3 traditional dancers all splendidly attired. More photos taken and finally food.

They dished up for us first which was a great honour as everyone sat back and waited for us to finish. We had to tell the cook not to give us so much as our plates were bursting with the most amazing mutton, rice and gravy. We didn’t want to offend them so we just told them that we had food waiting for us back at our camp and to rather give us smaller portions and give more to the people. All the choicest pieces were taken out for us and I was shocked to see some of the folk eating the fatty and bony pieces whilst we had the best cuts – but again you cannot refuse so we just ate what was put in front of us. We then went and said our goodbyes to everyone including the chief and all the speakers. In a speech given by Gerald thanking them for their hospitality, he made mention of the fact that the club would endeavour to return in the summer with proper goal and netball posts. A small gesture in light of the harsh living conditions (see photos of existing soccer and netball posts). I’m sure as a club we could all do something to make their lives a little easier. They are such friendly and welcoming people.

The party-goers got back to camp at 4pm before it got too cold, they had been treated as VIPs, Alice sat with them translating the speeches and they were served with mutton and rice before the chief, the food was delicious. Gary decided that they needed decent goal posts and netball posts, a definite project for the club. We spent another magical, clear evening around the camp fire, the Milky Way resplendent above.

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adventures On Sunday we needed to thaw out around the restoked fire and then Gerald offered to take us on a drive, we jumped in with him and Jackie and Dan and Eyvete joined Gary and Cheryldene and we crossed the river at the camp, water seeped in and our feet were slightly wet, but it wasn’t to bad. We climbed up the other side and enjoyed a view of the camp site and river and continued on up to the local school. The children were there playing hop scotch blindfolded, we just peeped in through the windows, a lot were broken and there weren’t enough desks. We saw their school books on a silland were impressed with their maths and writing and command of the English language. If Gary had his way the club would be fund raising to supply them with desks, stationary and more teachers, unfortunately we can only do so much! From the school we looked down onto the lodge and the road following the river that we could take home. We winded our way down to the river but it was too deep and fast flowing to cross so we headed back to camp.

On the way Gary radios for help, he was bogged down in thick black mud, too busy talking and not concentrating, he’s such a chop, this was the second time he’s had to be rescued and winched out in a month. Back at camp we had a fry up and then Jackie and Gerald walked up stream to throw in a line. The water was so clear they could see the fish, plenty of them but didn’t catch any.

We had 2 birthdays to celebrate around the camp fire, Gerald and Gavin’s, and Eyvete cooked a delicious chicken curry.

Monday: We packed and waited for the ice to melt on our tents before dropping them.

We left at 09:30 am and made our way slowly up the mountain side climbing over very rocky terrain and through wet mud patches as the snow was still melting. We made it back to the gate without incident and from there it was smooth sailing. We stopped for lunch just below Black Mountain to stay out of the wind and stopped for a pit stop at the Highest Pub in Africa. This time the top of Sani was covered in cloud but we dropped out of it and again enjoyed the view while descending the pass. We got through the SA border at 16:30 pm, said our goodbyes and headed for home arriving in Durban at 18:30 pm, happy and exhausted. Ideally we needed another day there to hike to the hot springs, but that’s something to look forward to on the next trip. Thanks Gerald for making it happen, we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

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Petr Kosina

Pachypodium lealii

BOTTLE TREE

Featured species

www.kew.org The bottle tree owes its name to the unusual swollen shape of its trunk. Like other pachypodiums, this succulent stem of the plant acts as a reservoir that enables it to tolerate the hot and dry environments in which it grows. Its sap is highly toxic.

There are two subspecies of Pachypodium lealii, found more than 1,000 kilometers apart in Africa.

They share many characteristics, but have a different habitat of growth. Due to this and the large distance that separates the two subspecies, most botanists treat Pachypodium lealii subspecies. saundersii as a separate species, P. saundersii.

Geography & Distribution Pachypodium lealii is found in northwestern Namibia, southwestern Angola and northwestern Botswana, while Pachypodium saundersii is found in South Africa, Swaziland, southern Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

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Featured specieS Description Growing to a height of 1 to 8 m, with a swollen trunk and covered in slender spines, the narrow branches of this shrub or tree spread sparsely from the top of the trunk, whilst the leaves are in spiral clusters towards the tips. At flowering time, the leaves drop off, and long, pointed buds at the ends of the leafless branches open into attractive, sweet-smelling white flowers, flushed with purple on the undersides.

Threats & Conservation Neither Pachypodium lealii or Pachypodium saundersii appear to be under significant threat, but the lack of young specimens, and the removal of wild plants for trade, is a concern in Namibia.

Both plants are listed on Appendix II of CITES, which makes it an offence to trade these plants internationally without a permit.

Uses Traditional hunters in northern Namibia have used the highly toxic sap of the bottle tree as an arrow poison, and have carved drinking bowls from the wood to poison unwitting birds.

Cultivation This species is reportedly the most difficult to cultivate of the continental African species of Pachypodium. It is not currently grown at Kew. The trickier Pachypodiums such as P. lealii can be grafted onto the rootstock of a more robust species such as P. lamerei to avoid roots rotting off.

Kew and the British Museum are bringing a small corner of South Africa to the heart of London. The South Africa Landscape celebrates our shared vision to strengthen cultural understanding and support biodiversity conservation across the world.

Pachypodium lealii (bottle tree) is one of the star plants featured in the Landscape.

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Product adventures Review

TWO DOORS ARE BETTER THAN ONE Now you can set either compartment as fridge or freezer!

SnoMaster has recently launched their NEW 52l double door and 70l double door 12V fridge/ freezers. After listening to the market, they took into consideration that their adventurous customers want to have choice when it comes to keeping the goods chilled or fully frozen, at the same time or separately.

To add value to the new release, you can set and monitor the temperature while traveling with a Digital Remote Temperature Controller. The new 52l double door and 70l double door fridge/ freezer comes with a standard protective bag.

The fridge/freezer is rated to -20˚C and is being used every day by their army of customers in “off the beaten track” areas such as Kruger, Kalahari, Hwange, Chobe, Vilankoulos and Etosha, in fact anywhere where the conditions demand ice cold goods at the end of a bundu bashing day!

The new Snomaster Johannesburg showroom is now open so that all customers can call in every Saturday morning. The staff are there to discuss service, upgrades, new models and they can also purchase end of line items or shop soiled goods at discounted factory prices.

WE’RE NOT SURE WHY YOU WOULD CHOOSE ANY OTHER CHILL....

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Product review adventures

BD/C-60D • 52l Stainless Steel • Double door fridge/freezer • Can set either compartment as fridge or freezer 24l – 28l split • Danfoss 55 watt compressor • (715x455x525)

BD/C-70SS • Double door fridge freezer • Can set either compartment as fridge or freezer 22l – 48l split • Wireless temperature controller that can be set while traveling • Danfoss 55 watt compressor • (830x500x530)

Contact Shane Bennett Tel: (011) 392 5315 or (011) 392 3147 Fax: (011) 392 4198 Email: shane@snomaster.co.za • Website: www.snomaster.co.za Snomaster Address: 97 Fleming Str, Meadowdale, Edenvale, Johannesburg GPS Coordinates: S 26˚ 08. 924’ | E 028˚ 10. 982’

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Travel adventures & Stay

Bsorah

For more information: Tel: 039 973 2542 | Fax: 086 603 6819

e-mail: umkomaas@netactive.co.za www.aliwalshoalscubadiving.co.za

Happy hunting for the “grey ghost of the African bush “.

E-mail: willem@matlabas.co.za Web: www.matlabas.co.za/ hunting

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Travel & Stay

Tessa Roux 032 458 4093 info@driftw s.co www.driftwoodchalets.co.za

Carol Grobler 082 378 9870 carol@lugardomar.com www.lugardomar.com

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Tel: (013) 254 0136 | Sel: 082 922 6835

www.elandskloof.co.za www.sableranch.co.za

Bowhunting destination situated in the Waterberg region Abraham | 073 176 4898 Abraham@sikilelesafari.co.za

Has been in the Roos family for five generations

Affordable accommodation Hiking trails, mountain bike trails, horse riding trails Helena: 083 744 4245 Christo: 083 628 5055 www.bokpoort.co.za

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To advertise contact Lizel Stavast @ lizel@africanadventures.co.za

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Models are for riders aged 16 and older.

E&OE.

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