December 2014 issue 30

1 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Klaserie Kroniek/Chronicle

December 2014 no.30

The Den of my Soul Beautiful Baobabs inside|

Weighing up the odds ...3 | Improving education one classroom at a time ... 5 | Rainer’s final sunset ...6 | Boomklim agter bromvoëls aan ... 8 | Bloomin’ beautiful Klaserie ... 10 | Love and the leopard orchid ...17

photo by Mark Sampson

Page kindly sponsored by a friend

2 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Inside

Corné’s

Keyboard

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his edition of the Klaserie Chronicle marks the conclusion of yet another successful year for Children’s Eco Training (CET). Before I say anything else, I would like to thank each individual donor, volunteer, team member and board member that contributed in one way or another to our success. I sincerely believe that everything we do make a difference, whether large or small.

I have learnt that the key to success is not in how large our works, accomplishments and deeds are or even if they are recognised, seen and appreciated. It is how much love we put into them that make our work meaningful and great in the long run. I can happily report that the CET team is not only very committed to our cause but also extremely passionate about educating the children that come across our paths and improving their learning environments. With this goal in mind, one of the year’s success stories is the refurbishment of ten classrooms at our adopted schools.

Most recently we – in partnership with the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR) – renovated five classrooms at Seganyane Primary and we plan on continuing this trend.

The idea is to think globally while acting locally, making a difference within our local community to contribute towards solving a much greater problem within society. I would like to encourage you to adopt this ethos and give the gift of your time and good energy to someone in need in your environment. Even though it might not look like you are making a difference, I can assure you, you are.

On a sad note, we recently had to bid farewell to one of our beloved friends and CET Board members, Rainer Jahn who passed away on 13 September. In the short time I knew Rainer I came to know him as a soft-spoken, unassuming individual with an incredibly generous heart.

He was a man of great integrity, extremely committed to CET and inspired me to achieve more and believe in my own abilities. He was not only a wonderful friend but also an inspirational mentor. His presence in the Klaserie will be sorely missed.

Corné

The Klaserie Chronicle is published quarterly and distributed to KPNR owners, as well as CET donors, partners and Chronicle advertisers. For any contributions or queries please email admin@ecochildren.co.za or contact Laura on 082 713 7550. We would love to hear from you!

Weighing up the odds Aerial census 2014 Investing in a sustainable future Improving education one classroom at a time Rainer’s final sunset Wild dogs at Klaserie Camps Boomklim agter bromvoëls aan Hippo foreplay Bloomin’ beautiful Klaserie Silent and secret With many thanks and elephant hugs Protect the elephants Beautiful baobabs With a little help from my friends Adult Eco Training gaining popularity Love and the leopard orchid Dragons of the Klaserie Old Whiskers, the lion from Kent Mahlathi library refurbished with Swiss precision Sightings The den of my soul Christmas is humming Kitting kids since 2009 Vultures in Africa and Europe could face extinction within our lifetime warn conservationists BLiNG the Secretarybird leaves a leagacy of valuable data Farewell Grade 7’s Happiness in a shoebox EcoKidz attend Wild Child Bush Holiday Camp Saving our soil one day at a time Life lessons from nature Evening in the garden Turning Kruger Green

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Welcome Summer!

Klaserie Chronicle /Kroniek Team Editor: Corné Havenga Sub-editor: Catharina Robbertze Advertising and articles: Laura Craig Layout and design: Lynette Strauss Contributors Corné Havenga, Colin Rowles, Peter Lawson, Nini Baxter, Judy Meeser, Ivan Gillatt, Shaurya Tarni, Cassie Carstens, Dr Michelle Henley, Corlia Steyn, BirdLife SA, Derek and Sarah Solomon, Jan Pienaar, Gay Wabeke, Mark Sampson, Jess Lund, Jacquie Gauthier Photographs Esté Gerber, Lynette Strauss, Colin Rowles, Donald Strydom, Garth Batchelor, Navarre de Villiers, Derek Solomon, Ivan Gillatt, Mark Sampson, Craig Myers, Jan Pienaar, Cassie Carstens, Bruce Meeser, Stefan Breuer, Nini Baxter, Jacquie Gauthier, Gay Wabeke, Willem Wabeke, Ziggy Hugo, Jahn family, Iwan Nel, Dean Redelinghuys

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Weighing up the odds Story and photos by Colin Rowles

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t was late, approximately an hour of daylight remaining.

The pilot Ben and I had just located an injured rhino bull following the report of a gunshot from the western edge of the reserve. The two of us considered the options. Do we leave the animal until first light the next day or do we act now?

If we delay treating the animal until the next day, will we find him? Will he still be alive? Considering I have to obtain authority from our provincial authorities before we capture the animal and I need to arrange a vet to do the work, do we have enough daylight time left to work safely if we act now?

With light fading fast and two phone calls later, Ben and I were at tree tops, with the Jet Ranger helicopter at full speed, heading for Hoedspruit civil airstrip to collect Dr Pete. We banked sharply over the SPAR complex with rotors clapping and onlookers grateful for the air show. In a cloud of dust we loaded Pete, his dart gun and box of muti. We lifted off, cranked up the turbine and routed out north east.

The baboon troops were settling in for the night on the western power lines when we screamed overhead. It was getting dark quickly.

Another rotor clapping turn and I was on the ground with my ranger team, and in radio contact with Ben. There was no time for mistakes, no room for error; everything

had to go according to plan. I closed my eyes for a few moments of silent prayer.

Eight minutes later the dart was in and the massive bull staggered to a stop and went down. Ben squeezed the screaming helicopter into a small gap amongst the trees and shrubs, dropped Pete and headed into the orange of the western skyline.

With the shivering, heavily breathing bull in hand, how relieved I was to see that he’d not been shot and that the severe facial injuries had been sustained in conflict with another rhino bull. In the twilight, as the temperature dropped and darkness crept in, we cleaned and treated the injuries and administered a long acting antibiotic. When all was done and with the escalating whistle of a Pearl-spotted owlet in the distance,

the bull’s ears began to twitch and he staggered to his feet. He stood motionless in the blurriness of dusk, then turned and disappeared into the night.

All packed up and with Pete in the passenger seat, we set off for the hour drive back to Hoedspruit. I was overwhelmed with a sense of achievement and grateful for Pete and Ben’s commitment to making things work.

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Aerial census 2014 Story by Colin Rowles

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he month of September is a month of the year that I always look forward to as it’s the month of the year in which we conduct the annual aerial census of this 60 000 hectare piece of semi pristine Africa.

Over three consecutive days I have the opportunity to observe every square metre of this beautiful landscape from the air.

What a privilege it is to experience a bird’s eye view of the rolling semi-arid landscape below, dry and seemingly desolate, with green arteries of life made up of seasonal rivers and streams.

As we pass overhead from the greenness of the drainage lines, kudu bound from cover, fleeing the whirling helicopter above, with tails curled white as they run. Giraffe gallop away almost in slow motion and warthog families carry on with life, seemingly undisturbed by the commotion around them.

In spite of the wonderful views and experiences that the census provides, it’s hard work for all on board. The pilot has to concentrate on maintaining direction and altitude and respond to calls from the observers to circle a herd of animals below – a real challenge with a laden helicopter at 150 feet on a 37°C day. The observers sit in open doorways, exposed to the hot sun and wind which beats their faces with each rotor rotation. Their eyes strain to see through the dust kicked up by running buffalo below as they count and tally the totals.

The smell of paraffin exhaust fumes fill the cabin with each nauseating turn. Eye gene

certainly brings welcome relief to bloodshot eyes at the end of each long day.

The results from the three day census this year were very encouraging, with all species except buffalo showing positive or stable trends.

The slight decrease in the buffalo population can be ascribed to the movement of a few large herds out of the reserve and into adjacent areas in search of grazing, following the burning of approximately 10 000 hectares earlier in the year.

The census provides the opportunity to audit not only the animal species but also active vulture and raptor nests. Saddle billed storks are also counted as well as alien plants such as prickly pears, which are very visible during the time of the census thanks to their colour.

Towards the end of one of the long days and on the last grid, we saw a rhino cow with an extremely small calf. When we circled to age the calf, we noticed a pride of lions lying close by.

For fear of flushing either of the two species towards one another, we quickly left the area.

That night the little rhino featured prominently in my prayers.

The next morning, with the sun low on the horizon, we flew back to the area where we’d seen the pair. The lion pride was still lying where we’d left them the previous day, but the cow and calf were nowhere to be seen.

On the next grid we saw an adult cow and circled low. How very relieved we all were when from behind her and out of her shadow, the little fellow emerged.

I look forward to seeing this little calf again next year, older and no doubt a little wiser.

Investing in a sustainable future Story by Corné Havenga, photos by Esté Gerber

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he importance of trees to protect the environment and sustain life as we know it cannot be overlooked.

For this reason, Children’s Eco Training (CET) is a staunch supporter of Arbor week and celebrates this event every year.

Arbor week in South Africa is a time when South Africans of all ages are encouraged to celebrate the beauty and importance of trees. People from all aspects of the community are urged to get involved.

This year was no different and CET celebrated Arbor week by visiting one of their adopted schools, Seganyane Primary School and educating learners at the school on the many benefits of trees in order to create awareness of the importance of the many different aspects of forestry. CET had the privilege to partner with Hoedspruit SPAR for the celebrations and received six trees as well as delicious cupcakes and juice for all the children at the school from SPAR. It was a day filled with fun, games and learning in the fresh air of the Lowveld.

The event was enjoyed by all and the main objective of creating awareness amongst young South Africans about greening activities was most certainly achieved.

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Improving education one classroom at a time

Story by Corné Havenga, photos by Esté Gerber and Lynette Strauss

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hildren’s Eco Training (CET), supported by the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR), recently renovated five classrooms at Seganyane Primary School in Green Valley, bringing the total number of renovated classrooms at the organisation’s adopted schools to ten.

CET is committed to improve the quality of educational institutions in South Africa and, thanks to the continued support of the KPNR, this vision is becoming a reality in the Acornhoek area. The most recent refurbishments took place at Seganyane in October and follow the renovation of five classrooms at another one of CET’s adopted schools, Matikinya Primary in July.

These refurbishments are not only to make the classrooms look pretty. CET believes a warm classroom environment can lead to increased academic achievement and a sense of pride and belonging at school. Before the renovation the classrooms were rather cold and bare and did not create an atmosphere conducive to learning.

However, with a splash of colour these sterile classrooms were brought to life to create an attractive and functional space that will not only increase learners’ ability to learn but also make them feel at home in order to maximise their cognitive abilities during lessons.

After

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Rainer's final sunset Children’s Eco Training (CET) Board member, Klaserie farm owner and lifelong friend and partner, Rainer Jahn passed away on 13 September after a short and intense battle with cancer. CET, the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR) and the greater Hoedspruit community are poorer after Rainer’s passing and we would like to extend our sincerest condolences to his family. His presence on the Klaserie will be sorely missed.

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orn during the Second World War and with his father serving in the German Army, Rainer was still a very young baby when he started moving around Germany after his family was forced to vacate the family home in Berlin.

On leaving school, he entered into an apprenticeship as a motor vehicle engineer and joined the Daimler Benz company.

He rose through the ranks of the industry and was posted to various locations, from the Philippines to Australia and South Africa, before finally rising to the position of President of DaimlerChrysler in Japan.

His semi-retirement brought him to Hout Bay in the Western Cape, where he continued his connections to the Mercedes Benz family by obtaining a franchise. During his retirement, Rainer stayed active as a Rotarian and was extensively involved in various educational and social upliftment projects.

Rainer’s interests spread far beyond the Rotary in Hout Bay and in particular to his passion for the preservation of wildlife and the local population around the Klaserie, where he established his second home on Bateleur’s Nest some 20 years ago. His

love of the bush was so strong that often, on his frequent trips between Japan and Europe, he would make a detour via Johannesburg and drive up to the Klaserie just to spend a day and a night on Bateleur’s nest before continuing on his original trip!

This passion eventually led to his active participation in CET, where he was involved in a number of educational projects – something that was always close to his heart.

John Braithwaite, a fellow director on the CET Board, said that Rainer’s sage counsel and commitment would be sadly missed. John commented that he admired Rainer’s calm and sensible approach and his desire to always contribute meaningfully and improve the lives of others.

Rainer’s close friends, Rosi and Christoph Köpke, said they could not have wished for a better partner

over the last 23 years in the Klaserie.

“Together we had weathered many storms and always reached calm waters. He cherished the sundowner spot and the bush braais out there at full moon. Nobody could make a better fillet than him on an open fire.”

Chairman of the CET Board, Deon Huysamer added that Rainer made an immediate impression on him from the moment they met. “The quiet spoken, unassuming individual had an unmistakable presence.

Over the years I got to know him as a friend, client, colleague and sometimes a mentor. I will miss his energy, zest for life and wisdom.

Also how he cared for people and the passion and dedication he displayed for the work done by CET. Thank you Rainer, for your contribution and loyal support.

Rest in peace. Hamba kahle.”

WildDogs

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at Klaserie Camps

Story and photos by Jan Pienaar

Painted wolf, Cape hunting dog, African wild dog

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hese are just some of the names given to one of Africa’s most iconic and threatened predators. Their teamwork, scarcity of sightings and their inquisitiveness are just some of the traits that make the wild dog one of my favourite animals (and that is quite something, coming from an avid birdwatcher!). Any one sighting is special, but us lucky ones here in the northwest of the Klaserie had not one, but four sightings in the space of eight days!

It started on the morning of Monday 13 October when Liana, up at 5 for some early morning exercise, noticed a pack of six dogs chasing a duiker past our house. She promptly woke me and, groggily, I managed to get some excellent photos of them being chased by a zebra stallion. They moved off north, toward the Olifants River, and we thought that was it for a while. Then, on Tuesday 14 October, staff at our Kitara Camp saw two dogs trotting past, also heading up to the Olifants.

Dundee was in on the action again on the morning of Friday 17 October, when the dogs were seen by staff as they were chasing some impala around (the dogs chasing the impala, not the staff). They moved west from there, into the Balule but we could not relocate them for our afternoon drive.

On the morning of Tuesday 21 October, it seemed that these two groups had met up as we had eight dogs on a kill which we watched from our stoep. Although we could not ascertain the prey’s identity, it was a good size and we thought it was at least the size of an adult impala ram. We watched them for a good hour or so, as they alternatively moved between the kill site and the small waterhole about halfway to our house.

We left them there as we made our way to Nzumba to start our day’s work, only to have them visit us there around tea time. There they stayed for another hour or so, before

disappearing across our airstrip.

I am sure everyone with an interest in African wildlife knows of the plight of these uniquely

patterned predators, so seeing them doing well in the Klaserie is certainly encouraging. Here’s hoping to many more sightings!

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Boomklim agter bromvoëls aan Storie en foto’s deur Cassie Carstens

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ier by die Bromvoël Projek is ons altyd die tyd van jaar besig met nesbesoeke. Die bromvoëls broei vanaf vroeg Oktober, net voor of saam met die eerste reën. Die kuikens broei uit so teen einde November en hulle is groot genoeg om uit die nes te klim teen vroeg Februarie.

Aangesien hulle broeisukses, en die gedrag wat daarmee saamgaan, ’n belangrike deel van ons studie is, monitor ons al die nesse in ons studie gebied op ’n gereelde basis gedurende hierdie tyd.

Elke twee en ’n bietjie weke ry ons die reservaat plat en klim by elke boom op om te sien of daar iets aan die gang is. Sodra ons ’n aktiewe nes vind, doen ons komplekse berekeninge om te bepaal wanneer die kuiken gaan uitbroei. Dan los ons die wyfie en haar groep om hulle dinge te doen.

Die werk klink dalk nie na pret nie, maar die nesbesoek-siklus verskaf groot opwinding.

Die eerste struikelblok is die boomklim. Nou ek het as ’n klein tjokkertjie baie in bome geklim en gespeel, en ja, so paar keer uitgefoeter, maar ek het gedink ek het my boomklim-streke baie jare terug laat staan. O nee, ek het die afgelope paar jaar meer geklim as ooit.

Van die bome is heel maklik, dink aan hulle as jou beginner boom. Jy laat die leer teen die boom staan, klim op, en klim af. Maklik.

Hier en daar in die reservaat is ’n standaardgraad boom. Hier moet jy met die leer op, en dan

klouter jy so bietjie om mooi te kan sien hoe die nes lyk. Hulle vereis meer moeite, maar word ook maklik oorwin.

Dan kry jy jou Meneer bome, jou hoërgraad boom. Die bome verg beplanning en ’n paar groot albasters. Eerstens, trek jy jou bergklim harnas aan en kry jou toue reg. Dan klim jy die leer tot heel bo.

Dis dan dat jy soos Tarzan moet maak en rondswaai aan takke en oor stamme kruip sodat jy die toue kan vaskry, net om met ’n uitgestrekte arm ’n kiekie van die nes se inhoud te kan neem.

Mens weet nooit wat jy gaan vind in ’n bromvoël-nes nie. Jy hou duimvas vir ’n eier of twee, maar meestal kry jy net blare. Of ’n slaperige uil. Of ’n muskeljaatkat. Of daai keer toe ons ’n luislang in die nes gekry het.

Dan is jy nogal bly dat jy jouself aan die boom vasgebind het...

Naas die boomklim en jou kop by die nes insteek, is die ander groot bron van pret en plesier die stap na die nes toe.

Die meeste van hulle is gelukkig baie naby aan die pad, en jy hoef jou nie te bekommer oor wat jy dalk gaan teëkom nie. Maar daar is wel die handjievol wat so entjie verder van die pad geleë is.

Ons het ten minste drie keer al olifante raakgeloop oppad na ’n nes toe. Elke

keer het ons met alleen bulle te doen gehad en gelukkig was hulle nie baie gepla nie. Hulle het rustig die onderskeie areas verlaat, terwyl ek daar gestaan en wonder het of ’n olifant sal skrik as ek hom met die leer gooi. Ons het ook al ’n alleen buffelbul gesien, wat ons gelukkig ook geïgnoreer het.

Die mees onlangste voorval was met ’n luiperdmannetjie.

Ons was besig om ’n droeë rivierloop oor te steek toe hy skielik op die oorkanste wal verskyn het.

Ek hoef seker nie vreeslik te verduidelik van ons groot skrik nie. Hy het vir so paar sekondes daar gestaan en ons aangegluur, en homself toe uit die voete gemaak. Ons was in ekstase! Al wat ons nou nog kort is ’n renoster.

En ’n leeu. En as jy wil sien hoe ek ’n Olimpiese rekord breek met ’n ysterleer oor my skouer, maak seker jy is die dag saam as daai maanhaar vir my brul.

9 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Hippoforeplay?

Story and photos by Derek and Sarah Solomon

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ne’s normal reaction when observing two hippos ‘mouthing’ and apparently pushing each other around, is that it is two males in some form of aggressive interaction. While based in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park some years ago we were able to spend some time studying underwater communication in hippos. One afternoon while watching a pod, we saw two hippos in contact with each other, gapes wide open and apparently clashing. Waiting for what we thought would escalate into a battle, we suddenly realised that this was something different and started taking photos of the two animals.

The ‘mouthing’ appeared more gentle, no great splashing of water in each other’s faces as so often happens, no slashing with the teeth. After a few minutes the larger of the two moved around and mounted the other hippo and started mating. The female (as we then realised) was pushed down in the water by the weight of the male, her head disappearing completely on occasion while he thrust away. Then, when it was over they faced each other and the ‘mouthing’ started all over again and lasted for several minutes until they separated.

Another hippo was hanging around throughout the performance but, probably wisely, did not join in on the action.

A long way from the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, yes – but we wonder if anyone on the reserve has observed similar behaviour? We have not been able to find anything like this in the literature and presume, like us, that what we have now termed ‘hippo foreplay’ has simply been written off as aggressive behaviour between two bulls. We would love to have your reaction and comments.

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Bloomin'’Beautiful Klaserie Weeping Boer-bean, Schotia brachypetala

Story by Judy Meeser, photos by Judy Meeser and Ziggy Hugo

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Knobbly Bushwillow, Combretum mossambicense

Apple Leaf, Philenoptera violacea

he bush in early summer can look harsh and grey, so the sight of a tree full of bright flowers when travelling around a bend in the track can take your breath away. The contrast is astounding when seemingly dormant trees announce their comeback and proclaim their breeding status.

Flowers galore and nothing can resist them! We the visitors can only marvel at their colours, while sun birds hover gleefully around them and honey bees and other insects set about their pollination task and feed off the sweet nectar. Giraffe and kudu select the prime pieces and even in the lower strata, impala nimbly pick up fallen petals within shade cast by only flowers! Better be quick though, as within days the splash of colour will be transformed into a mass of verdant, fresh green leaves.

Perhaps the most familiar are the startling bright yellow flowers clustered along the branch ends of the Sjambok pod Cassia abbreviata. You will recognise this tree as the compact, neat little tree with incompatible long and untidy sjambok or whip-shaped seed pods dangling from the tree after mid-summer. The Cassia abbreviata has a sub species beareana, which was discovered by Dr O’Sullivan in 1902 to be effective treatment for black water fever, an advanced stage of malaria, and sold successfully for years. This tree was once also part of the Senna genus, still today used as a natural laxative.

Those impossibly deep red clusters of flowers against a perfect blue sky are those of the Weeping Boer-bean or Tree Fuschia Schotia brachypetala. These impressive trees often grow on a termite mound – a horse and carriage scenario, what comes first? Insects and birds are drawn to this beautiful tree, which literary weeps nectar in good years, thus the common name, Weeping Boer-bean.

The Rain Tree or Apple Leaf has recently been renamed and for once the new botanical name is for the better, what a lovely botanical name: Philenoptera violacea .This tree, while in full flower, simply looks like violet lace, too beautiful. These trees were first known to me as Rain Trees because in mid-summer, one would find puddles of water under the groves.

The Rain Tree (and other trees such as the African Wattle) is home to the nymph stage of the Spittlebug Ptyelus grossus, also called a Frog Hopper. These soft bodied nymphs are vulnerable to dehydration from the harsh sun and to predation. To protect themselves they drink and excrete the tree sap, covering themselves in a foamy substance that falls to the ground, sometimes forming puddles. The other common name, Apple Leaf, is believed to come from the sound of cracking the dry leaves – crisp and fresh!

The eye catching shrubs of Combretum mossambicense, full of creamy white shuttlecock type flowers (as in badminton) that are so evident in early summer, soon fade into the general greenery of the bush. It is hard to believe that these scrambling shrubs are of the same genus as our beloved Leadwood trees. They are found along water courses and share the same four or five winged pods of all the Combretums.

Its cousin is the showy Flame Creeper, a mass of red petals along a jumbled scramble of branches, often found over the lattice of bomas and such and hence found in many camps in the KPNR. Gardenias too are in flower during this time and their scent is sweet.

Sometimes they bloom a pitiful few of the creamy white flowers that soon turn to a buttery yellow and in other years they are a busy melody of white and yellow simple flowers.

Sadly all these sights are short lived and the timing is never the same.

I hope you get to see at least a few and enjoy the blooming of the KPNR!

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Silent and Secret Black Pie

Bronze–winged Courser

Story by Peter Lawson, photos by Garth Batchelor

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oursers are ground birds and resemble Plovers. Five species occur in South Africa, of which two can be seen in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR). Their preferred habitat is open savannah and mopane with bare patches between trees. They are are also fond of frequenting recently burnt areas of grassland.

The Bronze-winged Courser is the largest of the five species and is strictly nocturnal, hiding under cover during the day. Not much is known about this secretive bird due to it being strictly a bird of the night. They can be encountered on roads and open areas at dawn and dusk, particularly in the latter part of summer when migrant birds from further north join up with resident birds in the southern part of their range, thus there are more birds present between December and April.

When you do come across these special birds whilst driving at night take care because they are easily dazzled by bright lights, resulting in many birds being killed on country roads. Take note of their large eyes surrounded by a red ring, vitally important for seeing in the dark. Also note the bronze tint to the wing tips which enables them to keep contact when in flight as this iridescent violet sheen is fluorescent under ultraviolet light. They only fly at night and are always in pairs as they have a life-long pair bond. They also only feed after dark and ground insects form a major part of their diet.

Another secretive feature of this Courser is that they seldom call, but if you are fortunate enough to hear them they have a haunting call of piping notes, not easy to describe but wonderful to hear. The best description of their call I have read in a recent reference is of four notes repeated, the third note being highest in pitch, sounding like: “come, back lat-er, come, back lat-er...�

This is a special bird to get on your KPNR bird list and worth searching for after dark. Your list will be the richer for it.

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With many thanks and elephants hugs Story by Dr Michelle Henley As the year draws to an end one always tends to look back on what has been accomplished. With the realisation that much has been achieved, one appreciates that this is due to the support and interest coming from many people and organisations. Therefore, I thought it appropriate to use this opportunity to thank you all, share some of the year’s highlights and to briefly tell you what lies ahead.

W

e are very grateful to the SATIB Conservation Trust and Jaguar Land Rover South Africa for their donation of a 2014 Land Rover Freelander 2 SD4 SE. It is a real treat to glide around the Reserve in near silence!

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n World Elephant Day we enjoyed support from both the local and international community as we built a cardboard replica of the largest recorded elephant which once measured 4m at the shoulder. Although it represented an enormous task to construct, paint, transport and erect, it was well worth all the effort. Numerous people throughout the world kindly contributed R50 (or $50) towards a coloured square which we pasted on our homemade paperpachyderm. The phone buzzed and emails kept streaming in from remote sponsors while local young and old visitors came in person, to write their messages on their colourful square. It was heart warming to see how concerned people were about the unsustainable poaching of elephants across Africa. All the terms of endearment soon transformed the

grey giant into a rainbow mosaic of support which was then featured on SABC news.

We are very grateful for the local interest we received from Hoedspruit. Pick ‘n Pay proudly displayed the elephant at their entrance, Buco supplied a ladder which helped us locate any outof-reach squares, Protrack supplied the transport for the elephant while PostNet printed enlargements for a photographic raffle, free of charge. To each and every person who sponsored a square, we appreciate your effort and value your concern.

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hen we were privileged to re-collar Intwandamela (He who greets you with fire in his eyes) in the Manyeleti Game Reserve. Thank you to John Bassi who flew free of charge in support of our programme, Dr. Ferreira du Plessis for being the veterinarian in charge, African Wildlife Tracking for supplying the collar, Mark Bourn for keeping tabs on the elephant whilst in Manyeleti and all our supporters who contributed financially towards the overall continue on page 13

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Elephant hugs

running expenses of this operation.

We hope to be recollaring another three elephants in the foreseeable future.

Protect

T

he Global March for Elephants and Rhinos, hosted by Zandspruit Aero and Wildlife Estate, started off with a presentation on what is happening to elephants on a continental scale – one elephant is being poached every 15 minutes! We then joined all the citizens who voiced their solidarity with footfalls and conversations of concern. We were very grateful to Relate for producing a limited edition of bracelets to highlight the plight of elephants. To each and every one of you who participated, thank you for caring and joining the ripples of awareness that moved across the globe on this particular day.

L

ast but not least, we are very grateful to Colin Rowles for his support, tireless sense of humour amid trying times and the dedicated protection of the animals under his stewardship.

To each and every landowner in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR) who has kindly sent us elephant pictures, we appreciate working in your Reserve and value the extension of our research contract for another five years, thus representing almost two decades of elephant research within your area.

In the months to come, we look forward to telling you more about some interesting findings related to the collared elephants and our surveys on large trees and elephants’ effects on these. You will be fascinated by a bees, ellies and trees project (BET) which we hope to get off the ground and kept up to date with the launch of our new website under our new name: Elephants Alive.

the elephants!

Story and photos by Jacquie Gauthier

W

hile we were indulging in some divine downtime at Angela’s camp, we had the absolute privilege of watching a small group of seven elephants cavorting in the riverbed. They waded back and forth between the banks, stopping on each side to splash, roll in the mud or just rest against the embankment.

They rubbed themselves on rocks, and rubbed each other with their trunks. Big and small alike took turns trying to climb up the slippery slopes, only to watch each other slide back down into the water. It was sheer joy to behold!As I write this I am still basking in the afterglow of the first ever Global March for Elephants and Rhinos. Thousands upon thousands of people in 136 communities across six continents came together to urge all of our governments to protect our precious wildlife. I am proud to say that Hoedspruit was among those communities with citizens coming out in full force to celebrate these magnificent creatures and to realise how perilously close we are to losing them forever.

It is estimated that an elephant is poached every 15 minutes across Africa – that’s 96 a day, or 36 000 a year. If the killing continues at this rate, there will be no elephants left in the wild in 2025. This is the deciding decade, a critical time in the life of this beautiful, important animal.

The elephant is what is known as a keystone species. Their activity influences the landscape, the plants and the other animals around them.

When they knock down a tree, other animals gain access to the leaves for food and a new place to build a nest and breed. There is no better propagator of plant life. Their droppings deliver seeds to new locations, conveniently encased in fertiliser. Their impressive footprints catch rain water creating small pools for other animals to drink from. Virtually every move they make creates ripples through the ecosystem.

The landscape of the African bush will be forever changed without their majestic presence.There are many organisations working to ensure the survival of elephants. Let’s throw our support behind them to ensure the survival of this magnificent species.

14 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Beautiful Baobabs Story by Nini Baxter

U

ndoubtedly this magnificent colossus is the most frequently discussed botanical phenomenon in Africa and its prehistoric appearance provides one of the most dramatic landscapes Africa has to offer. The origin of the name baobab is to be found in the Egyptian name ‘Bu hobab’, given to it by Cairo merchants who traded in exotic products during the 16th century. Dr. David Livingstone referred to the baobab as ‘that giant upturned carrot’, which is an apt description of the tree.

What very few people know is that bats are particularly fond of the baobab’s beautiful white flowers; they pollinate the flowers which appear in early summer and open at night.

Much superstition surrounds this tree. It is believed that an evil spirit which inhabits the tree’s white flowers will cause a lion to eat anyone who plucks them. The belief exists that spirits congregate beneath the tree at night.

African women in Zambia are forbidden to eat the fruit during the beer brewing process, as it is believed that this will cause the beer to go bad and some tribes believe that drinking water in which the seeds have been soaked will protect one from crocodiles.

These magical, strange and ancient trees can grow older than 2000 years and a very large mature tree requires several people with linked arms to span the trunk, they are some of the oldest trees on earth. They grow less than a quarter of a meter per year and have a large water storage capacity.

Its fruit contains one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C and the leaves are rich in vitamin A – we often use leaves in our braai sauce for our catered guests. There are many legends about why the tree appears to grow upside down – most believe gods and spirits angrily uprooting the tree and re-potting it the wrong way round.

Traditionally parts of the tree have been used for many illnesses. The dried fruit pulp is mixed Male withboomslang water to make a refreshing drink used to

treat fevers, diarrhoea and the spitting of blood. A concoction made from the bark and leaves is used to treat urinary disorders and mild diarrhoea, while the powdered seeds are given to children as a hiccup remedy. The trees wounds heal in a similar way to ours.

When most trees’ bark is stripped, new bark closes in from around the side; with a baobab, as with our wounds, the tree wounds heal from the sides, but also from the inside out. When a tree dies, it first rots from the inside, then dries out so that the whole tree becomes brittle. It continues to look entirely intact until the day it implodes, leaving behind nothing but a pile of dust and fibre. The tree lives for hundreds of years and can survive extended droughts, as it stores great quantities of water in its giant, sponge-like trunk, which has proved a human life saver as its trunk hollows with age, forming a natural water reservoir.

During World War II a certain Major Trollip built an operative toilet in a hollow baobab in Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi Strip, Namibia which still contains the toilet and is known as the toilet tree. Another specimen on the grounds of

the Kasane Police Station in northern Botswana once served as a jail.

Although many people think the baobab tree is unique to mainland Africa, six different species of baobabs occur on the island of Madagascar, one of which is the same species that occurs on mainland Africa. The vitality and resilience of a mature baobab is quite remarkable and it can recover even after being ring-barked. Thomas Baines commented on this fact in 1862 when describing the fallen trunk of one of the trees in the famous group of baobabs near Nxai Pan in the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans area, Botswana. The fallen tree is still growing to this day. He did a painting of the group and they have subsequently been named Baines’ baobabs. More recently, Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, was taken there on his request to do watercolour paintings of the very same trees.

On poor, shallow soil, thick roots radiate from the stem and are sometimes visible above the ground as much as 10m from the tree. Young trees are difficult to recognise (we have about 24 young baobabs around Baobab Ridge’s cottages), as they have simple instead of digitally compound leaves. This difference has given rise to the San belief that there are no young baobabs and that fully developed specimens are flung from paradise.

Being top-heavy, they land with their roots in the air. The authenticity of this belief is supported by their claims that thuds of falling baobabs are clearly audible from time to time.

Source: Botswana Tourism Organisation (botswanatourism.co.bw)

15 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

With a little help from my friends

By Shaurya Tarni (Volunteer at Kinyonga Reptile Park)

I

came to South Africa for a wildlife conservation internship structured to train me in conservation for the first three months, followed by a placement for the next three. Living and working in a snake park was something that I had never considered but after spending a good 12 weeks in the bush, I felt it would be fun to learn a thing or two about something other than mammals.

Little did I know that I would eventually find myself imagining different scenarios and trying to figure out the thoughts in that delicate reptile brain.

A NEW WORLD OF KNOWLEDGE I confess sans embarrassment that back in 2010 I remember being a person who, at the blurriest sight of a snake would spend the next two terrified hours thinking about it. But even though I was scared of them, they never failed to fascinate me. Today as I look at them with wonder and work with them up close, I realise how beautiful they are, and a distinguishing feature of beautiful things is that they never ask for attention!

When people choose something outside the boundaries of convention and turn it into the air they breathe, you know it’s their passion and passion gives wings to curiosity. Likewise, curiosity gives wings to knowledge and knowledge ends fear. Fear, which as the British philosopher Bertrand Russell appropriately says, is the main source of superstition and one of the main sources of cruelty. Well that’s how my equation balanced when I started as a volunteer at the Kinyonga Reptile Centre in Hoedspruit. Very few things are as strong as the voice of experience, as it has time backing it up, and I am sure all the people who visit the Centre experience that as they go. The staff is delightful and has this uncanny ability to make you feel safe in the most precarious of situations.

I’ve gathered empathy in their speech

and reason in their explanations as they try to systematically desensitise people day in and day out. Personally, I would say it’s quietly gratifying to be able to break through to the other side and tell people how snakes and reptiles are not out there to harm us.

Their motivation rarely has anything to do with us and like every other form of life on this planet, they aren’t against us; they are simply for themselves!

UNIQUE EXPERIENCES Last night’s road cruise has so far been my best experience here. Road cruises are these relaxed late evening surveys where we drive around the area at not more than 40km/hour, paying attention to every little movement and sound on the road. It made me realise how easy it is to miss the exceptional displays of life and death when we’re on the road, mostly in a hurry to get somewhere. Only once we stopped did I realise how incredibly loud that chorus of guttural toads beside the road was, and how spellbinding it was to hear all of them stop at

once as a big truck rumbled by.

There are quite a few other activities and excursions that the volunteers get to go on, for instance a trip to Mariepskop, an Olifants river walk, “herping” on the slopes of the Drakenberg, a walk to the waterfall in the mountains, Kruger National Park safaris, baboon spider collection and relocation projects and so on. Apart from that, if there is something special that we want to do or see while at Kinyonga, the staff is always happy to arrange it for us.

We also get to go with the curators on various call outs and releases. Their policy states that they neither expect nor accept any money or tips as it might dissuade people from calling in, as opting to just kill the animal might appear to be an easier option. In the past 17 years Kinyonga has been the source of countless stories for more than 200 volunteers from all around the world. Apart from that, the centre is open to places like the Klaserie and other private reserves in case anybody needs to carry out any form of research. continue on page 16

16 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Adult Eco Training gaining popularity Story by Gay Wabeke

A

second successful Adult Eco Training (AET) course was hosted

by Children’s Eco Training (CET) during August at the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR) headquarters.

The course was a repeat of the first edition that took place in February, with

12 workers from eight different farms on the KPNR attending – double the number of participants that attended the first workshop.

It was encouraging that four of the participants were women, all of whom certainly held their own against the men.

The course was run over five consecutive days and as all the participants showed a keen interest in environmental education on day one it was incorporated into every lesson wherever the opportunity arose.

The appreciation for the opportunity to gain new knowledge was evident by the constant smiling faces, punctuality, eagerness to learn and the high academic level achieved.

Even intermittent breaks between topic talks were shunned by the participants who wanted to spend as much time learning as possible.

A hundred percent pass rate was once again achieved by the learners of CET’s new, ever growing AET initiative and it is safe to say these workshops will keep on gaining popularity as time goes by.

Well done to all the participants

With a little help from my friends from page 16 VOLUNTEERING ADVANTAGES Life is not too rushed here and people are always willing to help. You know you’re doing all right when you often have five squirrel monkeys waiting to join you for breakfast; when instead of ego clashes and office politics, your biggest wars are with the cheeky parrots at the facility, who can sail smoothly through life based solely on their looks; when the leaves you’re raking are not just in your messy backyard, but in a Nile crocodile enclosure and when just looking at the spider accepting its new home it was introduced to a few days ago, brings a big smile to your face.

As Jacques Yves Costeau said: “The happiness of the bee and the dolphin is to exist. For man it is to know and wonder at it.” This is the same with glistening snakes, glowing scorpions, spinning spiders, lizards, bees and fireflies.

and thank you for a great and very rewarding week, continue to fly the environmental education flag sky high.

Here’s what some of the participants had to say about the course: “I learnt lots of things I did not know about Klaserie. I’m happy I was able to gain knowledge about nature and now know more about which organisms are important to our lives. I learnt about rocks, living and non-living organisms and also gained a respect for nature because it is important to us.”

Christopher Mathebula, Camp George “I gained so much knowledge about nature on the course and am really happy because I’m really interested in it. I was very excited when we learnt about geology because I’ve always wanted to know more about rocks.”

Ronald Moropane, Dover Rocks Camp “I am happy because I learnt so many new things. I gained lots of knowledge that I lacked especially about the animals, plants, rocks and birds.”

Marita Mathebula, Janovsky Moscow Camp

e v o L

17 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

and the leopard orchid

Story by Nini Baxter, photos by Lynette Strauss

H

umans have always looked for ways to attract the one they love. Locks of hair sewn into love dolls, spring flowers under the pillow, bodies smeared in crocodile fat and the magical leopard orchid Ansellia Africana.

Traditional healers say if you want to attract someone, you must chew some of the cane and root at midnight, then spit it out while saying the name of the person you love. From that moment the person will start to think about you.

The leopard orchid becomes suitable for muti after about ten years – that is when its power matures.

Really large clusters can be between 50 and 100 years old. In the Kruger National Park and here at

Baobab Ridge, when these beautiful clusters are in full bloom, they give off an overwhelming scent.

The Spotted Eagle Owl sometimes roosts in the middle of a mature cluster and monkeys and baboons often feed on the sweet, succulent young canes in late summer. Its Zulu name, imfe-nkawu means “sugar cane of the monkey”.

The orchid is an epiphytic organism, meaning it grows on trees, so it does not have any roots in the ground. However, it is not an epiphytic parasite like the mistletoe, which obtains its nutrients from its host. The leopard orchid often grows high up in dead trees, showing that it does not need to obtain nutrients from its host. The root system is designed to anchor it to the tree in which it grows, but it absorbs moisture and nourishment from the air. What appear to be thickened stems are in fact the roots. The roots, unlike most orchids, grow upwards to form a basket in which they collect leaf litter and water, on which the plant feeds. The thickened stems form pseudo-bulbs, which act as storage organs to support the plant during the dry season. Also, unlike many other orchids, they do not have a spur in their flowers – the spur normally attracts insects for pollination. Not enough is known, but it is thought Hawk moths may pollinate the leopard orchid.

CET says thank you for ongoing support to ...

•

• •

Trevor Thomas of Budget Couriers – Assistance with Santa Shoebox collection Volunteers who assisted during Santa Shoebox drop off days.

NG kerk Hoedspruit for Santa

• • •

Shoebox drop off venue Santa Shoebox donors Kit-a-Kid donors Erich Alder and Swiss exchange group for refurbishment of the Mahlathi library

Advert kindly sponsored by an anonymous donor

• • • •

Book donation from Elodie Janovsky.

Rynfield Primary donated sanitary towels Gay Wabeke for hosting the Wild child Bush school.

Book donation from Debbie Hibbett

18 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Dragons

of the Klaserie

Story by Judy Meeser, photos by Derek Solomon and Ziggy Hugo

M

onitor lizards do look vaguely draconic it must be said, but they share more than scales and morphology with the ancient lizards and dinosaurs. Monitors breath like dinosaurs did and the way modern birds do. This adaptation in birds allows them to fly at high altitudes where the oxygen is thin and similarly facilitated respiration in dinosaurs during the Triassic period when the oxygen level in the atmosphere was around 12% and not the 21% we know today. This “unidirectional” method of breathing

extracts oxygen from the air while inhaling AND exhaling. This may simply be inherited from common ancestry but it has benefited the monitors in their current niche in the ecosystem.

The two different monitors we get in Klaserie – water and rock monitors – are both well adapted to their respective niches. The water monitor Varanus niloticus, at 2 meters in size, is Africa’s largest lizard. With a slender streamlined body and long, latterly flattened tail, water

monitors have a varied menu and will eat almost anything available in their aquatic habitat including birds, mammals, reptiles and even carrion. They are a formidable predator of crocodile eggs and have perfected the habit of locating the nests and consuming eggs and hatchlings. The prey is mostly swallowed whole when the powerful jaws become unhinged while larger prey can be dismembered. Water monitors can stay submerged for extended periods, close to an hour.

By contrast, the rock monitor Varanus albigularis is most at home on the ground or in trees.

Both species have long strong claws adapted to climbing and digging. Rock monitors have a heavier build and move about on the ground extensively. They may seasonally nest in elongated tree cavities that are filled with dead grass. This

Water monitor

page kindly sponsored by an anonymous donor

19 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30 Water monitor

nest is also used for courtship purposes.

Male rock monitors have territories that they actively defend with wrestling matches. Monitors threatened by predators are fearless and stand tall on straightened limbs with a distended body, throat puffed out and mouth wide open while emitting loud hissing sounds. The tail is thrashed from side to side and the bite is powerful and steadfast, while the strong curved claws will rake the aggressor. Rock monitors are also known to feign death, a defence mechanism called thanatosis.

Aggressors such as dogs may believe the lizard is dead and loose interest.

With each of the monitors adapted to a specific habitat, their prey has a degree of overlap and some specifics.

To locate potential prey they use eyesight but also rely on taste and smell. Monitors have a forked tongue that flickers in the air, collecting scent chemicals which are then delivered to the Jacobson’s Organ positioned on the roof of the mouth. The Jacobson’s Organ has two receptors or lobes, one for each fork of the tongue. The

organ detects differences in the concentration of scent so the monitor is able to find a direction and the scent trail of the quarry. Water monitors can even “smell” underwater. Both species possess distinct ear holes.

Being reptiles, monitor lizards are poikilothermic or cold blooded and are most active after warming their muscles in the sun. They mate in early spring and the eggs of the water monitor are often deposited within an active termite mound that maintains a constant temperature, aiding in the incubation of the eggs. The incubation period may be up to a year and is thought to be temperature related. The tiny hatchlings emerge after the rains when the soil is soft or the mother may return to open the nest and release them. This is a fascinating thought, that something as primitive as this lizard has a built-in clock that will send her back to a nest and eggs laid up to a year ago! After the hatchlings emerge, they receive no maternal care. Monitors are thought to live up to 10 to 15 years and become sexually mature at three to four years

old. A relic of the ancient lizards they may be, nevertheless they have adapted brilliantly to the modern world and I am told by our visitors that they are found on many continents across the world.

Rock monitor

20 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

An Old Timer Remembers Photo by Simon Roberts

Old Whiskers, the lion from Kent

Left: Mack’s hut and boma.

Right: Mack in front of his hut

By Ivan Gillatt

I

n the early 1950s lions were still on the menu for hunting but were not hunted aggressively on Northampton. My father, Freddie Gillatt was very mindful of the need to have adequate dogs to track lions if they were wounded. He used to compare notes on the type of dog and what was required of it with his friends who hunted down at Mala Mala. Bullterrier type dogs tended to be too aggressive and would get too close to the lions and get killed. A good lion dog had to be brave and agile and not rush in and attack the lion, but once the lion had been located the dog had to bark and keep just the right distance to keep the lion at bay and allow the hunter to get his shot in.

Dad had an Airedale cross bitch that produced some very good pups. He selected some from one of her litters who seemed to have the required characteristics. Dad then established that the most convenient way to get them to Northampton was by train via Pietersburg to Acornhoek. In those days the railways took full responsibility for dogs and they were fed and watered en route. In two days they would be there.

Two dogs and a bitch were chosen and sent up. We met them at Acornhoek and introduced them to the bush.

Mack was our senior game ranger at the time. A man with a fine physique who reminded one of what I imagine one of King Shaka’s warriors to have looked like. Mack used to say that if there was a problem with a leopard, the easiest

way to deal with it was to go out after it armed with a large knobkierie, known as ikhandalengani (a child’s head) and a hessian pocket filled with straw, as a shield. The leopard, when confronted, would attack the hessian bag, giving the holder time to dispatch it with a blow to the head.

Sounds rather a far-fetched story, but if anyone was capable of carrying that out, Mack was.

After we left, Mack resumed his patrols on Northampton with his number two. They used to take the dogs along with them. On occasions when they encountered lions, the dogs would go into the reeds where they sometimes chased lions out onto the opposite river bank. When lions came around camp the dogs would bark and alert Mack of their presence. The dogs were never actually used to follow up a wounded lion, but would have been very useful had they been needed.

While those dogs were still around Mack built a double fence around his hut to keep the lions out of his yard – one with reeds and the outer one a wire fence so any dogs could be relatively safe. This is shown in the photo of the ranger’s hut. While the bigger dogs were still around Mack got a smaller terrier type dog which he called Zondi. Zondi was taught by the older dogs to chase lions. The dogs developed a “game” with the lions. They would go up the road towards Kent and bark at the lions as they approached. The lions would then chase them back to camp and the safety of Mack’s boma.

As time went by, the older dogs all got too close to lions. The two dogs were both killed and the bitch was mauled but recovered. This incident caused her to lose her nerve. When she had recovered she made her way to the gate on the southern boundary of Kent to live with the gate keeper and could not be persuaded to return to Northampton. We took pity on her at the end of our next visit and took her back to Natal to see out her days in peace.

A pride of lions apparently resident somewhere on Kent started their evening patrol down the river most evenings, grunting and roaring as they came so one could get a rough idea of how close they were. The leader of the pride, a lion with a grand black mane who we named Whiskers, would start his patrol soon after sunset and as he came closer to camp, Zondi would go up the camp entrance

road barking. As the lions drew closer he would retreat back to camp before making a quick turn into the safety of the wire fence – Mack always left that gate open.

The lions wound then go past and on their way.

One evening we were in the dining room hut having just finished supper. We heard the lions starting their patrol so Dad and I drove out in the van to see if we could intercept them and so get a better view of the pride, but were unsuccessful. While we were out, old Whiskers came into camp just above Mack’s hut and, as if knowing that we were out, gave the biggest roar ever. Right then there was a knock on the door.

Mum thought it might be one of the servants seeking refuge, so rushed to open the door, but upon opening the door there was Dabula Mbele, my old faithful. “Funa ushukela,” he said. The sugar bin was kept in the dining hut and the Zulu’s own sugar had obviously run out.

All went well for that camp and Zondi and the lions had their play. Sadly, not long after we had left for home Zondi was outwitted. One of the lionesses had had enough of his antics and this time Zondi was going so fast that he couldn’t take the corner into safety and overshot the gate. Right there was another lioness waiting in ambush for him.

It was a sad end to a brave little dog and his games.

21 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Mahlathi library refurbished with Swiss precision

After

Story by Corné Havenga, photos by Esté Gerber

C

hildren’s Eco Training (CET) welcomed a group of eight Swiss exchange students accompanied by their teacher, Erich Alder to Mahlathi Primary School on 1 October for a three day community service programme.

The students formed part of an annual student exchange group hosted by Southern Cross Schools in the Hoedspruit area. In 2013 CET hosted the student exchange group for a single day community service project at Matikinya Primary when the group assisted CET with maintenance in the Eco Village. The group enjoyed the experience so much that they requested to return in 2014 for a three day programme at one of the CET adopted schools.

The group raised funds prior to their exchange and were able to make significant changes in refurbishing the library at CET’s newly adopted school Mahlathi Primary. Further to this, CET received a generous donation from the Ghekube farm owners in Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR) to complete the project.

Erich and his students decided to transform the library with a beautiful mural of the Swiss Alps and the Drakensberg Mountains in KwaZulu-Natal, indicating the significance of new friendships formed across the globe.

CET would like to thank the volunteers for their dedication to the project and the manner in which they completed the project. The library was transformed with Swiss precision and looks absolutely stunning. This new inviting space will facilitate many hours of reading and we will strive to use this area to cultivate a culture of learning and reading at Mahlathi Primary School in order to ensure a better future for all.

Before

22 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30 Stefan Breuer

sightings Craig Myers

Craig Myers

Craig Myers

Dean Redelinghuys

Les Myers

Jan Pienaar

Pieter Steenkamp page kindly sponsored by an anonymous donor

23 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Jan Pienaar

Stefan Breuer

sightings

Iwan Nel

Dean Redelinghuys

Bruce Meeser

sightings

Stefan Breuer

Jan Pienaar

page kindly sponsored by an anonymous donor

The den

24 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

of my soul

25 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Story and photos by Mark Sampson

P

hotographers out there will know the Canon 100-400 mm lens loses its ability to focus when the subject is closer than approximately 1,5 meters. Little did I know, when setting out for an evening game drive I would have a close encounter with one of Africa’s so called nastiest critters, which would forever find a place into my heart.

It was early June and as the sun set, the bush did its normal trick of suddenly erupting into life with the promise of another exciting night. Our ranger, Ronald, had gathered some inside information about a litter of spotted hyena on a neighbouring farm. After following his cousin through some unknown territory in the south eastern corner of the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR), he pointed out a massive anthill approximately 100 metres from the road.

We slowly made our way through the bush until we were about 30 metres from the anthill.

It fast became apparent this was more than just an anthill as numerous hyena pups, of varying ages, began to suddenly appear.

Completely oblivious to our presence they started a game of hide-and-seek between the trees and grass around the den. As a photographer it is always better to be eye level with your subject. Knowing full well the possible dangers and risks it entails I ran it by the ranger who said it would be OK to sit between

the lights of the vehicle as any animals would struggle to see me. There was also a second ranger on the bonnet for extra safety.

Readying my equipment I slowly opened the Landy door and crept to my appointed position. At this stage, one pup seemed to notice the vehicle and slowly made its way towards us while I quickly tried to adjust my settings.

I was using a Canon 100–400 lens on a 5D Mk 3 body with monopod for the photo bugs out there.

Although on silent mode, the noise of the camera seemed to attract the little guys’ attention and it was not long before I realised they were actually coming my way. Knowing that any movement at this stage would be a bad idea, I simply let go of trying to control or react to the situation and focused on shooting. With my heart in my mouth and a huge grin on my face the situation became completely surreal as the pups reached my toes and my lens was unable to focus due to their proximity.

I certainly was eye to eye as I had wished, but now had two pups showing alarming interest in my outstretched bare feet and clearly unsure as to what they were dealing with.

Sitting, looking at them filled me with a feeling of utter amazement and joy. All of a sudden a movement in the vehicle broke the spell and they did a 180-degree turn and hurtled towards the den and a safe distance.

After a few minutes they regained their composure and bravery to once again start a staccato journey

back towards me, smelling branches and the grass in an attempt to identify this unique creature clicking away at them. After a few minutes and numerous backward looks to their den, in order to make sure it was not out of reach, they reached me. My camera’s focal length was once again violated and I simply shifted my eye from the viewfinder and met those of the pups. Dark, inquisitive eyeballs met my surely tiny adrenalin-dilated pupils. For some reason they seemed to understand I meant no harm or malice. After a final attempt to smell my toes they retreated back to the edge of the light.

From elephant in Botswana, cheetah in the Kgalagadi to

cheeky monkeys in Tsavo, I have never in my life experienced something like this.

The raw, unhindered interaction I had with those pups will forever be with me, and I will forever carry in my heart the exhilarating feelings stirred up during this experience.

Photographing and interacting with Africa and its creatures is a privilege and honour and sometimes we find ourselves in unexpected situations. This particular one has scarred my soul with a smile of happiness. What a beautiful country we live in!

Contact Mark Sampson on mark@thribe.co.za or find him on Twitter @MarkSampsonCT.

26 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Christmas is humming Story by Peter Lawson, photo Wikimedia Commons, Martin Villet

A

s Lowveld residents, how do we know Christmas is coming? Not because the geese are getting fat but because Christmas Beetles are humming in full chorus – so loud at times that it is difficult to hold a conversation in their midst. They start their merry song when the weather is hot and balmy about a month before Christmas and continue well into January, or even early February at times.

Hence the name we all give them.

However, they are not beetles at all, but an insect in a family of their own, known as the Cicadidae, commonly called Cicadas. There are many species throughout the country and the one we refer to as a Christmas Beetle is generally the Giant Forest Cicada Pycna semiclara. Its favourite hangout is subtropical riverine forest and you will certainly hear them in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve along rivers and drainage lines where there is dense tree cover. It is a large insect with a wingspan of about 90 mm. They are not easily seen as their green and brown colouring blends in perfectly with the trees they attach themselves to in order to feed on the sap. Also, their song has a ventriloquial effect, making it difficult for us humans to locate the exact spot where the sound is coming from.

Like many humans they are gregarious and congregate in large numbers, attracted to each other by the loud music the males make by singing in chorus.

The females are voiceless but hone into the non-stop, shrill and deafening music played by the guys. The males are unique in that they have a built-in sound producing organ consisting of a cavity on both sides of the abdomen, where the drums are lodged, and this sound-producing organ is covered by plates. The drums, or timbales, are tightly stretched membranes with strong muscles attached to them. By contraction and expansion of these muscles the timbales are made to vibrate, producing the shrill sound.

The plates can be raised or lowered during the song to increase or diminish the sound, and thus attract some gorgeous and loving female. She has a pair of mirrors at the base of her abdomen that serve as her ears. Just like some of our kind the loud song serves as an assembly call and also has a stimulating effect on the mating instinct.

Something else similar to us is cicadas’ complicated life history – they take about 17 years to reach maturity. In South Africa their life history has not been well documented, but in North America there is at least one species on which detailed studies have shown their longevity. Throughout its life our cicada is a sap-sucker, and because of the constant fluid intake they actually need to pee frequently, believe it or not. Thus it is wise to wear a hat when walking under trees full of cicadas, and it is not wise to open your mouth when looking up.

Eggs are deposited by our male songster’s chosen female in slits in the bark of trees where she has been feeding on the sap. They take about

six weeks to hatch and the little infant resembles its parents but is stoutly built and has spiny thighs that serve as digging instruments. The little chap drops to the ground and immediately burrows into the soil, where it spends its entire immature life in search of roots where it can feed on the sap and slowly grow to maturity. It then emerges from underground, climbs a short way up a tree trunk, where it rests for some time before its skin splits down the back and the adult cicada struggles out, slowly and laboriously.

Most humans have a dread of insects en masse and fear that they must be doing damage to the vegetation. Then of course out comes the insecticide. In the case of cicadas they are not doing any damage whatsoever and in fact are beneficial to the ecology. First of all they are a valuable food source to birds and other wildlife, and even to humans in some areas.

Their egglaying in slits in the tree produced by the females is a natural prunage which results in new foliage and more and better fruit production. Still further, emergence from the ground by numerous youngsters turns over the soil and decaying bodies when they die adds nitrogen and other nutrients into the soil.

The final stage in the life-cycle is when the new arrival, our teenager, is clinging to a tree trunk after struggling from the split skin of the sub-adult. As soon as its wings have expanded and dried it is ready to fly away and spend time revelling in the sunshine, singing its loud, monotonous song to attract a mate and start the process all over again.

27 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Kitting kids since 2009

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he Kit-a-Kid Programme remains one of Children’s Eco Training’s (CET) most important and most successful projects since its inception in 2009. Thanks to this programme, and the generosity of donors, 1 432 children have been kitted out with brand new school uniforms.

That’s 1 432 children that can go to school who would not have been allowed to otherwise.

That’s 1 432 children who do not need to worry about the state of their uniform and can concentrate on their education.

That’s 1 432 children who can take pride in their appearance and build on this pride in their work.

Through the Kit-a-Kid initiative a child can be provided with a full school uniform consisting of a shirt, shorts or a skirt, a jersey and a pair of shoes for only R250. For many children this is their first brand new set of clothes and something they will cherish for a long time. Though the primary aim of the project is to allow children to attend school, the ultimate goal is to empower children to develop their self-worth and self-confidence by taking pride in their appearance and their work.

The Kit-a-Kid Programme has proved its worth in its consistency and sustainability, however to continue to make a difference we need your help to donate and support.

Should you wish to contribute you can visit the CET website @ www.ecochildren.co.za and donate via the Payfast link or alternatively you can donate via EFT, payment reference Kit-a-Kid Children’s Eco Training Account no: 013 253611 Cheque account Standard Bank, Hatfield Branch code: 01-15-45 Swift code: SBZAZAJJ Please email your receipt of payment to corne@ecochildren.co.za

Your R250 can change a life Buy a uniform - consisting of a shirt, shorts or a dress, a jersey, shoes and socks.

Contact Corné @ 082 713 8778 or corne@ecochildren.co.za

Advert kindly sponsored by an anonymous donor

28 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Vultures in Africa and Europe could face extinction within our lifetime warn conservationists

By BirdLife SA

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irdLife International, the world’s biggest conservation Partnership, has announced that vultures are declining and rapidly becoming one of the world’s most threatened groups of birds. In a bid to stop this important family of birds slipping towards extinction in Europe and Africa, they have launched a global campaign asking for public support to Stop Vulture Poisoning Now. The crash of vulture populations in Asia was shockingly fast – quicker than any other wild bird, including the Dodo.

Within a decade, species such as the White-rumped Vulture declined by 99.9% in India alone as a result of the veterinary drug diclofenac that is lethally toxic to vultures. Despite the tragic experience in Asia and the availability of safe and inexpensive drug alternatives, veterinary diclofenac is now commercially available in Spain and Italy. Both these countries are strongholds for vultures in Europe.

According to James Lawrence, BirdLife’s Preventing Extinctions Programme Manager, they know veterinary diclofenac needs to be banned in Europe to protect vultures but they need to urgently understand fully the threats and extinction risk in Africa to act quickly.

Eleven species of vultures occur on the African continent, and threats to these vultures include deliberate and accidental poisoning, habitat loss, energy infrastructure and persecution for body parts to be used in traditional medicine.

Seven of the 11 vulture species that occur in Africa are listed on the IUCN Red List and these species are facing a complexity of multiple threats. Worryingly, five of these species joined the Red List of threatened species only in the last seven years. According to Kariuki Ndanganga, BirdLife Africa’s Species Programme Manager, “unless the threats are identified and tackled quickly and effectively, vultures in Africa and Europe could face extinction within our lifetime.”

Vultures are essential for our health as they dispose of animal carcasses thus reducing the spread of diseases, and they are therefore a critical component of ecosystems. For more information and to support the Stop Vulture Poisoning Now campaign visit the website at www.justgiving.com/stop-vulture-poisoning-now.

BLiNG the Secretarybird leaves a legacy of valuable data

By BirdLife SA

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LiNG, a Secretarybird tracked with a sophisticated satellite tracking device for almost two years, died on 8 October 2014. Despite the unfortunate circumstances of this Secretarybird’s death, valuable data was obtained during his short life that will be of immense value to conservationists in their work to conserve the globally threatened Secretarybird.

BLiNG became well known amongst South African ornithologists when a 38g tracking device was fitted to the eight week old chick on 21 January 2013 at the Sondela Nature Reserve near Bela Bela.

Ernst Retief, one of BirdLife South Africa’s regional conservation managers, reported that during the 21 months the bird was tracked, 6 481 location points were downloaded, providing a unique opportunity to determine which habitats it uses.

BLiNG was killed when he flew into a power line north of Pretoria.

Dr Hanneline SmitRobinson, Terrestrial Bird Conservation Manager

at BirdLife South Africa, stated that “the way BLiNG died provided us with an opportunity to highlight the threat of power lines to large raptors and other birds”.

“Powerlines are unfortunately responsible for large numbers of bird mortalities in South Africa, especially of large terrestrial birds, such as Secretarybirds, Blue Cranes and Ludwig’s Bustards,” said Mark Anderson, CEO of BirdLife South Africa.

“Eskom is sponsoring the testing of power line marking devices, but the effectiveness, cost and practicality of marking thousands of power lines remain to be determined,” he added.

BirdLife South Africa is grateful to BirdLife Northern Gauteng for sponsoring BLiNG’s tracking device and will continue to monitor the movements of the other tracked Secretarybirds.

The information will assist BirdLife South Africa with the development of the necessary actions to conserve this threatened species.

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Farewell Grade 7’s Story by Corné Havenga, photos by Lynette Strauss

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s another year comes to an end it was once again time to say goodbye to the grade 7’s of Children’s Eco Training’s (CET) three adopted schools.

In November joyous farewell functions took place at Seganyane, Mahlathi and Matikinya Primary Schools and, as always, there were ululations all round as parents’ and teachers’ chests swelled with pride. CET was equally proud of the achievements of this year’s grade 7’s and were there to take part in the prize giving ceremonies to award and acknowledge the learners who excelled during this academic year.

At each school, CET awarded 30 Eco Kidz that had displayed exemplary behaviour throughout the year with Kit-a-Kid vouchers to purchase new school uniforms. A total of 90 vouchers were handed out during the ceremonies and the children and parents were extremely appreciative of the support, especially since most of these learners are moving on to high school in 2015 and need to purchase new school uniforms.

These ceremonies are always colourful and joyous affairs with entertainment galore and this year was no different as pupils performed traditional dancing, poems and speeches. The events were very well attended by traditional leaders, circuit mangers, local principals and parents and were thoroughly entertaining – a fitting way to celebrate the end of the grade 7’s primary school careers. CET wishes them well on their journey in the future.

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Happiness in a shoebox Story by Corné Havenga, photos by Lynette Strauss

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he Santa Shoebox (SSB) project once again took South Africa by storm as thousands of beautifully wrapped and carefully packed shoeboxes were dropped off throughout South Africa to ensure that underprivileged children get to experience the joys of Christmas.

For the fourth time running, Children’s Eco Training (CET) had the privilege to join the Santa Shoebox frenzy and coordinate the collection and distribution of boxes in the Hoedspruit area.

We were once again blessed with a phenomenal response from local schools, lodges and the greater Hoedspruit community, as well as corporate sponsors and schools from Phalaborwa and the Johannesburg area.

Corné Havenga, SSB coordinator for the Hoedspruit area confirmed that 1 731 boxes were collected and will be distributed to 17 facilities in the area.

The excitement in the air was palpable as the boxes started to pour in and, with that, the

knowledge that we will soon be able to hand out these gifts. It is a wonderful experience to see the children’s eyes light up as they open their gifts and, without fail, the realisation that such a small gesture can make such a big difference in a person’s life bring tears to our eyes.

However, during collection it was quite evident that the joy was not only felt by those on the receiving end but also by all the SSB donors as they dropped off their exquisitely packed boxes.

One donor thoughtfully said that she loved doing this project with her children because of their happiness at the thought of making a difference in someone’s life. It was a wonderful thought that both donor and recipient could experience such a magical feeling of joy, kindness, giving and sharing.

As Ben Carson, retired neurosurgeon and author once said: “Happiness does not result from what we get, but from what we give.”

This was most evident during the SSB project and we hope to continue supporting and growing this initiative long into the future.

31 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

1 731 happy hearts appreciate Christmas cheer

Thank You

32 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Eco Kidz | Eco Kidz | Eco Kidz | Eco Kidz | Eco Kidz

attend Wild Child Bush Holiday Club

By Gay Wabeke

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our Eco Kidz from Seganyane Primary School were recently selected to attend the first ever Wild Child Bush School holiday club at the Blyde River Cabin Guesthouse, thanks to a sponsorship from Children’s Eco Training (CET) and the Wild Child Bush School. The children spent a magical two days playing and learning in and about the bush and the wonders it has to offer, together with two other scholars from the Hoedspruit Christian School.

Day one was action packed and full of fun lessons and games including topics like why game reserves are important, the dung scramble game, my first bush walk, bush police forensic detectives and my first game drive.

There were many highlights, the most exciting being the bush police forensic detectives game where children learnt about the job of a wildlife forensic detective and got to solve their own wildlife crime scene together.

The biggest highlight on day 2 was the opportunity to explore the Blyde River. After a short lesson the children set off to the river armed with bug boxes, nets,

underwater viewers and magnifying glasses to explore and learn all about the creatures that live in the river.

A wide variety of endemic fish, aquatic insects and amphibians were caught, identified and released.

On the last day each child received a certificate of attendance and promised to look after nature for the rest of their lives during a special ceremony. A fun-filled time was had and all the children left with a wealth of new knowledge, new friends and many happy memories.

The Wild Child Bush School is owned and run by Willem and Gay Wabeke and caters for eight children per holiday club between the ages of 7 and 12. Each holiday club is run over two days and two nights. Children sleep on an extensive deck in a large tent overlooking the Blyde River. Should you wish to send your child on an adventure in the bush they will never forget contact info@blyderivercabin.co.za or 082Â 560 4945.

33 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Eco Kidz | holiday workshops | Eco Kidz

Saving our soil one day at time Story by Corné Havenga, photos by Esté Gerber

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oil conservation was at the forefront of everyone’s minds during the most recent Children’s Eco Training (CET) holiday workshop during the October holidays.

Learning materials were specifically designed to teach children how to prevent soil from eroding from the earth’s surface and how everything we need in life is dependent on soil. The children were amazed to learn what a critical part soil plays in the ecosystem. They discovered through various games and experiments that soil not only supplies plants with nutrients but also absorbs water and serves as a home for many living organisms like earthworms, centipedes and the microscopic protozoa.

Great fun was had by identifying these critters in the soil and assessing the quality of the soil. The children happily reported that the gardens at Klaserie HQ have healthy soil and many living organisms were identified.

Games and experiments were then implemented to show the children how human activity is the main cause of soil erosion and what impact it has on the environment. Finally the children were tasked to design posters where they discussed various methods to prevent soil erosion.

The creativity that was demonstrated by all present was encouraging and there were some beautiful posters with extremely practical solutions like gabion baskets, stick fences and rock packing.

At the end of the workshop everyone realised that soil is more than just dirt under our feet and that we as humans need to look after soil to ensure the longevity of both animals and plants.

For this reason the CET Klaserie Eco Kidz all pledged to look after soil and received their certificates as CET soil rangers.

Between lots of fun and laughter it was clear that the message of soil conservation was definitely well received and truly taken to heart. Here’s to healthy soil!

Life e r u t a N

34 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Lessons rom f

By Corlia Steyn

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e live in a fast paced world where success and instant gratification is at the order of the day.

We are over stimulated by technology and the race is on to be the best and to have the best. The lists of what we need to do keep growing, yet the hours in each day never seem enough as we feel that we should always be doing more. Nature, however, is exactly the opposite and in the hurried pace of our daily routines we should take a cue from animals and have quiet moments to rest and give ourselves time to reflect.

There are qualities in wild animals which can teach us life altering lessons. So what can these uncivilised beasts or tiny little creatures teach us about life? The way they conduct their lives they adhere to certain principles that we as humans can learn from.

• Lions form strong social units and as a pride they work together in synergy. Individuality or an attitude of me, myself and I takes the sense of our own being to an unreasonable height. Yet it is in togetherness that we learn, grow and better understand others and ourselves. Lions sleep for more than 12 hours every day and eating is the most important aspect of their life. Their very existence depends upon their daily search for food, yet they never compromise. They hunt, relax, sleep and eat. This teaches us the importance of balancing hard work with family time and relaxation.

• Elephants have much bigger ears in relation to their mouths. We have been blessed with the gift of being able to express our feelings, emotions and opinions into something called words, yet the noise of useless words creates a thick fog that makes it difficult to understand each other. Sometimes we should listen more, talk less, think before we speak and listen before jumping to conclusions.

An elephant herd is led by an older, experienced and knowledgeable female. People older than us are the ones with more life experience and can guide us with the knowledge of what to do, or not to do. Learning from others’ mistakes saves us time and energy.

Photo: Jan Pienaar

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“Nature does not hurry yet everything is accomplished.”

Lao Tzu

When a buffalo faces a dangerous situation he courageously turns his head to face and stand firm against the danger. This quality reminds us to have courage and face problems head-on.

Leopards are independent, graceful, secretive and self-assured. We can learn to listen to our own intuition and instinct and understand that this sense is as powerful as knowledge. We should also believe in ourselves and be selfassured no matter what our circumstances.

Giraffes with their long necks have foresight and vision. We also have the ability to see the big picture while remaining firmly grounded in the reality of the physical world.

Ants form part of a large community and do their bit to ensure the survival of the whole colony. Each ant knows its place and fulfils its duties with total loyalty to the whole, honouring and respecting each other whilst working together toward their common goal. As well as being extremely hard working they possess an extraordinary ability to work as a team to build their homes, gather food, protect all members of their colony, etc. Ants teach us the trait of perseverance and patience in all that we do.

The world would surely be a better place if humanity held and utilised the virtues of ants. Physically, ants might be small but studies have shown that they can carry objects that are 50 times their own body weight. This teaches us that no matter how insignificant we think we are, we should have courage and faith in ourselves and believe that our dreams matter.

Even when you’re feeling small, face life with a big attitude.

Cheetahs have amazing speed and focus when hunting. They teach us to be focused on our dreams and goals and have the burst of energy to reach it.

Porcupines live life at the pace they want to and are not aggressive, but with their quills they have powerful defences against danger. This teaches us to slow things down and concentrate on the simple things in life. It also teaches us to protect ourselves against criticism and to beinfluences, continue on page 35

35 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 30

Life lessons from nature confident in who we are and less sensitive to what others think or say about us.

• Zebra stripes are some of the most distinct markers in the animal kingdom. Like a human’s fingerprints, no two sets of zebra stripes are exactly the alike. We should realise that each one of us are unique in our own way, and should not compare ourselves to others.

• Rhinos can run at speeds of around 45km/h. Their eyesight is relatively poor and they can’t see much beyond the distance of 30 meters. This means, while they are running at high speeds they are unaware of what they might encounter, but that doesn’t deter them. Our biggest fear is the unknown. We try and predict what the future holds through all kinds of science. We should learn to live in faith, run without doubt and fear of what lies ahead. Not doing something out of fear may protect us from probable failure, yet it would haunt us in the form of regrets.

• Eagles are the only birds that love stormy weather. Whilst other birds hide in the leaves and branches of trees, an eagle uses the wings of the storm to rise higher. Once it finds the wing of the storm the eagle stops flapping and uses the pressure of the raging storm to glide amongst clouds. This teaches us that we can use storms and trouble in our lives to rise to greater heights. Achievers in life relish challenges and use them to their benefit.

Nature teaches us so many simple, yet invaluable lessons of life. Even a rock can inspire us if we take a good look at it. Make time to catch the sunrise or sunset. Gaze at the vastness and beauty of the blue sky. Every single day we can learn something new. The possibilities are endless.

Evening in the Garden Story by Jess Lund

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n the past, gardens were patches of tame vegetation in the midst of wilderness, a delightful rarity. As time went on, cities became those smears of domestication, bound on all sides by feral landscape.

But now, the wilderness has become the garden, the rarity, trapped and heckled along its border by the pungent mass of society. Wilderness, should it be preserved, is ringed by a fence and scarred by naked roads to make its presence agreeable to the general population.

My garden is one of these places. It is a small dream encapsulated by a fence.

It is my home and my paradise and my refuge, just as it is for countless other wild-hearted creatures. It is not pristine, no wilderness is any more, and it bares the coarse marks of my species. However, occasionally, particularly in the evening and half-lighted dusk of my garden, one can glimpse the virgin Africa – unadulterated, exquisite and entirely regardless of one’s puny life. Like autumn, the evening is rich with colour and plump with languor.

The red, gold and green foliage of Mopane trees catch the honey sunlight and toy placidly with it – tossing it from leaf to leaf and from tree to tree as the still breeze flickers the leaves to and fro. The tawny-gold grass below, not to be outdone, stretches its filigree of stem stalks and flower faces towards the lavender sky and strains to catch the vaporous gold between its fronds.

Tiny insects hover and sway, glowing amber from the sun. The air is still thick with the day’s activities and the scent of dust, sunlight and blistered grass begins to fall slowly toward the darkening earth.

The languorous honey hue is echoed in the cadence of the evening chorus.

This cumulation of birdsong is even more beautiful than that of the dawn.

At dawn there is intention in the song – a warning, an invitation, a proclamation – but in the evening the urgency has dissipated. The song and sound is more an acknowledgement of existence – gentle and pure – than a statement. A pair of hornbills kokkel in a bare knob thorn tree, the curvature of their citrine beaks appearing to burn with a divine light. Family

flocks of chuckling guinea fowl strut in the dust, kicking up luminous clouds that billow and fall ever so gracefully. A flock of starlings whirrs overhead, chortling as they meander in the direction of their roosting tree, the setting sun saturating the emerald and indigo iridescence of their plumage.

Meanwhile, in an elegantly gnarled rain tree, a drongo teases the world he loves so much. With playful malice in his beady eyes, he constructs a complicated symphony out of familiar segments. A couple of characteristic raspy twangs and then he begins his piece.

The melodies and harmonies of robins, goshawks, starlings and barbets jumble from his beak in full-throated ecstasy.

Proud of this composition, he pauses, ruffles the black luxuriance of his plumage, feather dust catching the sun, and tries another trick. The rising and falling notes of a Pearl-spotted owlet ring through the crepuscular bushveld. In the distance, the authentic owlet, deceived, answers vehemently back.As the orb of day dives below the dark sea of the land, a new world is born. The creatures who basked in the remains of the day disappear, and a new order replaces the old.

The aroma of the night begins to leak into air – a light fragrance of earth and herb and dew.

The first stars flicker, their brightness intermittently eclipsed by the cavorting shadows of nightjars. The night comes on with a chilled breath of new beginnings.

A second dawn dominated by those that live their life in moonlit shadow.

There is something about the bushveld that makes one acutely aware of the insignificance of one’s life and infinitely thankful for the beauty of it. It is in this paradise, my garden, that life is found.

The soul of man is nourished on the pap of nature, for they are constructed of the same materials. The experience of absorbing the drifting aftermath of a day in the bushveld is sufficient to sustain the soul through troubled times.

In my garden, my mind is tranquil and my soul content, and when I am in a culture not of my own, I frequently find my mind wandering towards that innereye where it can dance its solitary ballet – tiptoeing through the golden sea.

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Turning Kruger Green

Update Story by Peter Lawson

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s explained in the September issue of the Klaserie Chronicle, an important birding project – Turning Kruger Green – kicked off recently in the Kruger National Park (KNP). I visited the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR) from 16 to 18 September for the purpose of conducting bird surveys in the Reserve and to ascertain progress on the project in this area to date.

Private reserves adjoining the KNP are an important part of the project.

I am pleased to report that a considerable amount of bird atlasing has been done by a number of visitors and residents and in particular I would like to thank Angela Lund and Cassie Carstens for diligent work in a number of pentads throughout the KPNR. I should also mention Kate Carstens and John Burchmore, who have both submitted data for more than one pentad in the area and there are at least six others too who have listed birds in single pentads.

All this is a valuable contribution to the project and most appreciated.

Keep up the good work all

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of you, we need enthusiastic ‘citizen scientists’ like you.

During my stay I was able to cover five pentads in the KPNR. It was exceptionally hot and dry at the time, with little surface water other than the Klaserie and Olifants Rivers, but fair lists were obtained and some good birds were encountered.

These included ‘specials’ such as the Grey Penduline Tit in two pentads.

This is the smallest bird in South Africa, weighing in at only 6.5 g and measuring a mere 8 cm from tip of beak to end of tail.

They are delightful little birds.

Other good birds were Saddlebilled Stork, Lappet-faced and Hooded Vulture, Verreaux’s Eagle-Owl, Southern GroundHornbill, White-crowned Lapwing, Purple Roller, Black-chested Snake Eagle and many more.

I would like to thank warden, Colin Rowles for his friendly assistance, particularly in giving detailed directions and Corné Havenga of CET for providing really comfortable accommodation in a good birding area. I look forward to returning again later on during the project.

DECEMBER HWS: Teachers’ training dates: 4 and 5 December/ Workshop dates 8 – 11 December 2014 – Theme: Energy cycle in the environment

Dates to remember

How can you help CET?

Your contribution can change a life Children's Eco Training. Standard Bank, Cheque Account, Acc 013253611, Hatfield Branch, Code 01-15-45. Swift Code: SBZAZAJJ, PLEASE use your name as reference and send confirmation of payment to corne@ecochildren.co.za

... for only R250

You can make the first day of school memorable for the right reasons

or shirt, shorts a f o g n ti is s n - co s.

Buy a uniform, a jersey, shoes and sock s s a dre Contact Corné @ 082 713 8778 or corne@ecochildren.co.za

The Klaserie Chronicle is published quarterly and distributed to KPNR owners, as well as CET donors, partners and Chronicle advertisers.

For any contributions or queries please email admin@ecochildren.co.za or contact Laura on 082 713 7550. We would love to hear from you!

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