Klaserie Chronicle December 2013

1 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

December 2013 no. 26

Kroniek/Chronicle

Hopping

Madness There’s a leopard on my stoep

Walk with Mac

The legendary black mamba

- good or bad the truth revealed

Lone ranger

- the slender mongoose

inside|

Keeping tags on vulture chicks ...5 | Our forest, our future ...8 | Tightrope walker ...10 | Summer fishing in the KPNR ...18 | Dwarf mongoose...12 | Is there another wildlife war looming ... 35

photo Allison Sharp Page kindly sponsored by Mike Anderson

2 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

Inside

Corné’s

Keyboard

I

am sure most of us will agree that this year seems to have gathered pace in the past few months and is now spinning uncontrollably to a conclusion.

On top of that, temperatures are rising significantly week by week and summer has officially announced its arrival in the Lowveld. After the first rain the bush has now rolled out its green carpet and a few wild flowers are contributing specks of vibrant colours to the lush green background to create a beautiful summer spectacle.

The rains also welcomed our amphibian counterparts back into the fray and as one may suspect nature lovers all round are identifying various frog species in the area. The article “Hopping madness” will help you identify some frog species that might be unfamiliar or simply jog your memory as to that secret world that is all around us. There are many other articles to keep you entertained during the holiday, including the story of a leopard that ventured into a local lodge to catch his dinner, a bird that caused great excitement after appearing way outside of its normal range and many more.

With the end of the year looming, one can’t help but get excited for the upcoming holidays where much-needed relaxation time takes priority over the hustle and bustle of our daily routines. This is only one of the reasons why the December holiday is my favourite time of the year. It is a time for family and loved ones and as the Christmas spirit takes hold of everyone, people seem to be friendlier and show greater compassion to others.

At CET we have been celebrating Christmas since the first week of November. We have been extremely privileged to see hundreds of children receive their very own Christmas gifts as part of the Santa Shoebox initiative that we coordinate in the area. When the children receive their gifts it is magical to see the unparalleled joy and pure excitement on their faces. However, it is when you realise these are humble gifts that include a toothbrush and a bar of soap that you become even more thankful for all that you have.

That is why this year my new year’s resolution has nothing to do with losing weight, improving my fitness levels, drinking less coffee or staying away from the very lethal chocolate, I so adore. No, thanks to the inspiration from a Chinese proverb that says: “Use your smile to change the world; don’t let the world change your smile,” I have decided to place greater emphasis on not only smiling more, but also making other people smile.

I would like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas, a relaxing summer holiday and a prosperous new year.

May we smile and make others smile in 2014.

Corné

There’s a leopard on my stoep .............................................................. 3 The eye in the sky counts all .................................................................. 4 Support the CET golf day ........................................................................ 4 Keeping tags on vulture chicks ............................................................. 5 New causeway at headquarters ............................................................ 5 The walk with Mac ................................................................................... 6 Our forest, our future ............................................................................... 8 The legendary black mamba ....... ........................................................... 9 Tightrope walker ..................................................................................... 10 Early morning surprise ........................................................................... 10 Hornbills: A brief history ........................................................................ 11 Dwarf mongoose ..................................................................................... 12 Lone ranger: The slender mongoose .................................................... 13 Hopping madness .................................................................................. 14 Old timer remembers the Taxi Year ....................................................... 16 Positive vibes from clean-up campaign ............................................... 17 A rare feathered visitor ............................................................................ 17 Summer fishing in the KPNR ................................................................ 18 A succulent workshop ............................................................................ 20 African hawk eagle .................................................................................. 21 Sightings ................................................................................................... 22 Shoeboxes spread magical smiles ........................................................ 24 Clicking for conservation ....................................................................... 26 A clever cuckoo ....................................................................................... 27 Important leopard reproductive research ........................................... 28 R250 to change a life .............................................................................. 29 More Groen generosity .......................................................................... 30 Bird of the year flies into King Shaka International Airport .............. 31 860 Kills .................................................................................................... 31 A rare feathered visitor ............................................................................ 32 Grade 7’s moving on .............................................................................. 33 The dazzling dames of Southern Cross Schools ............................... 34 Elephant war coming? ............................................................................ 35 MAD pupils perform ................................................................................ 36 Notices ..................................................................................................... 36

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, W J Nortier, Ivan Gillatt , Kate Carstens, Ian Sharp, Donald Strydom , Judy Meeser, Dr Michelle Henley, Tanya Zeelie, Fay Howa, Fred Berrangé, Hayley Cooper, Mark Anderson – BirdLife SA, Dr Hanneline SmitRobinson – BirdLife SA, Sean Fairhead, Lynette Strauss Photographs Colin Rowles, Donald Strydom, Esté Gerber, Navarre de Villiers, Jacques de Villiers, Grant Murphy, Kate Carstens, Dr Michelle Henley, Ivan Gillatt, Ian Sharp, Allison Sharp, Pieter Steenkamp, W J Nortier, Lilje Markus, E Bussiere, A Mason, S W Evans, Nick Warren, Ziegfried Hugo, Sean Fairhead, Warren Howson, Ant de Boer, Hannes Steenkamp, Miana Janeke, W Tarboton

3 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

There’s a leopard

on our stoep

By Hayley Cooper Photos by Grant Murphy

M

y partner, Grant Murphy and I have been staying and working at Elephant’s Drift for a couple of months now and have already experienced some interesting sightings right here on our doorstep. None more exciting than the visit we recently received from our resident male leopard.

One morning Grant got up at 4:30 to prepare coffee for the morning game drive and to wake up the guests.

As he walked to one of the rooms to knock on the door he noticed an impala carcass lying next to the room! He immediately realised that the resident feline had been around and obviously been either disturbed during the night or Grant had just disturbed him as it was only just getting light. After showing the guests the impala and taking lots of holiday photos, they were off on their morning game drive.

The impala was left where we found it and a camera trap set up just before dark to catch the leopard on camera, as we were sure he would come back. Sure enough, after sunset he was back and even though we were only a few feet away he snuck in as soon as it was dark and took his meal with him.

The following morning we decided to track him to see where he had taken the kill.

He didn’t get very far as the carcass was just a couple

of metres away stuck on our electric fence! He hadn’t eaten any of it and when we touched the impala we realised why. The impala was electrified and would have given him a shock each time he tried to touch it.

He must have given up just before we got there. If only we had a camera on that!

We decided to take it off the fence for him as the electric fence is not natural and although we would not normally interfere we felt this is not something a leopard would encounter in the wild. We left it inside the lodge grounds as there were three hyenas around outside the gate looking for an easy meal.

The following night we watched him come from the river bed at exactly the same time as the night before. He came back into the lodge grounds and took his carcass up a tree, where we got some shots the following day with the camera trap.

However, he probably decided the lodge really wasn’t the place to eat his meal as there were too much noise around, including a big herd of elephant just next to his tree on the other side of the fence. He eventually took his kill in the direction of the Kruger Park.

We did manage to take a couple of pictures of him dragging it away before he disappeared past our boundary towards the river.

Hopefully he will be back again to make a 4:30 wake-up that little bit more exciting!

4 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

The eye in the sky counts all

By Colin Rowles

Sean Fairhead, Mike Pingo, Colin Rowles and Dr Mike Peel.

T

he annual audit of the wildlife resources of the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve was conducted during the early part of September this year. Approximately 18 flying hours and 2000 litres of paraffin later the data analysis could start.

Spreadsheets were prepared in respect of each species. These spreadsheets were then converted to database files which were subsequently imported into our Geographic Information System (GIS) programme for further analysis. This programme enables us to produce maps depicting the special distribution of each species across the reserve. The data analysis also entailed the production of trend graphs relevant to each species.

Furthermore, the inclusion of the annual rainfall figures to these graphs provides an understanding of the population trends in relation to rainfall.

The 2013 census was conducted in ideal weather conditions, the skies were devoid of clouds and very little wind was experienced.

From an environmental perspective, trees were devoid of foliage and the large knob thorn trees had not produced too many flowers, which would have otherwise obscured animals from view during the warmer hours of the day.

In conclusion, the census was a success and the results largely favourable and as expected. The highlight of the event was the observation of a very small black rhino calf, believed to be the first to be born in the reserve.

Thanks to Mr. Mike Pingo from Sunrise Aviation for once again providing the helicopter. Thanks also to Dr. Mike Peel and Sean Fairhead for again being part of the Klaserie team. Thank you to George Mnisi for ferrying the helicopter fuel and the all-important scoff box which was prepared daily by my wife Janice. Thanks Jan.

Support the CET Golf Day

By Corné Havenga

C Date: 26 March 2014 Club: Johannesburg Country Club, Woodmead Contact: Corné at 082 713 8778

hildren’s Eco Training (CET) will be hosting a golf day at Johannesburg Country Club on 26 March 2014 in order to raise funds to sustain current projects and expand them further. The money raised at the golf day will enable CET to take on extra bursary students, expand the Support-a-School project by adopting another school and further grow the eco villages at all adopted schools.

Though fundraising is essential for CET to perform their duties, what is more important is that these

developments will contribute greatly to spread the message of conservation by promoting the organisation within the broader community and increasing support groups and awareness for CET. It is ultimately by amassing community support that we ensure the future preservation of our beautiful natural heritage.

As former-president, Nelson Mandela said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” If you are interested in taking part in the golf day or sponsoring the event please contact Corné Havenga at 082 713 8778 or corne@ecochildren.co.za.

5 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

Keeping tags on vulture chicks

By Colin Rowles

D

uring the late winter a number of white backed vulture chicks were fitted with patagium tags in a combined operation between the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), Birds Of Prey Working Group and Eskom.

During the annual aerial game census of the reserve that was conducted in September, all active vulture nests were recorded.

These records provided GPS coordinates for the various nests which facilitated their location during the tagging exercise. The EWT researchers were assisted by a team from Eskom, who provided and operated a hoist platform truck, commonly called a cherry picker.

Upon arrival at the identified nest, a remote camera was attached to a telescopic pole.

This camera was raised to

the nest, and images of the chick were then transmitted to a monitor on the ground.

The size of the chick was an important criteria on which the decision to tag was based. If the chick was deemed suitable, the truck was manoeuvred into a suitable position and the operation commenced.

Given that vulture chicks are equipped with very strong and sharp bills, it was important for the handlers to wear thick protective gloves. While the chicks were in hand, numerous measurements were collected and the birds were weighed. Blood samples were also collected in order to confirm the sex of the bird and for DNA purposes.

Metal identification tags were fitted to the lower legs. Upon completion of the operation each bird was safely returned to the nest.

Although this kind of scientific intervention may be seen to be invasive, it’s critically important for research scientists to learn as much as possible about the dispersion of these chicks and the movement of adult birds.

Should you be fortunate enough to observe a tagged vulture in the future, please take note of the tag number and the location of the observation and report it to the reserve warden on 083 290 1059.

New causeway at headquarters

By Colin Rowles

T

he exceptional floods of January 2012 destroyed and removed most of the infrastructure which existed along the Klaserie River banks and in the riverbed itself.

The low level causeway at the Reserve’s headquarters, which was vital in linking the eastern and western halves of the reserve during the wet summer months, was not spared. For the past (almost) two years the only way to cross the river has been by four wheel drive vehicle, and only during the winter months when the river is at its lowest.

During the late winter of 2013, construction began on the new causeway which had been planned and budgeted for completion during the year. The new structure, which is more robust than the previous one, has been anchored to the natural rock

base with reinforcing rods which have been epoxy glued into predrilled holes.

We’re confident that this measure will ensure that the structure will not be exported to Mozambique again during the next flood, as was the case in 2012.

The causeway has been designed to provide safe passage for vehicles for the best part of the average summer and the expected river flow regime. Nine large diameter pipes have been installed at various intervals which should ensure this.

There may however, be a few days where the water level may overtop the surface deck. The upstream slope is angled at 45 degrees to deflect any debris that may be carried down by flood waters. Such debris will be deflected up and over the causeway, causing minimal damage to the structure.

I’m sure that the Klaserie members and all visitors to the western half of the reserve will be grateful for the new causeway, the Klaserie management certainly is.

6 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26 Photos and story by W.J. Nortier

I

t was a sunny Saturday morning which started like all the rest, except for the fact that Mac was on the menu. I was waiting to receive the GPS coordinates from Dr. Michelle Henley, who heads up the Save the Elephants – South Africa Research Programme (STE-SA) and who has been studying Mac for over a decade, so that I could at least have a starting point. Mac’s collar has been set to only give one location reading per day to extend the collar’s battery life. With this in mind and realising that a reading would have come through much earlier there was a good chance that Mac had already moved a couple of kilometers from where the collar transmitted. I knew Mac should still be on Luttig Trust within the Umbabat Private Nature Reserve (UPNR) on the western border of the Kruger National Park, as he was spotted by the trustee, oom Piet van der Walt the previous afternoon.

But allow me to start at the beginning. Mac is a very special elephant, known internationally. He is about 60 years old with two magnificent tusks. He was first collared in 2002 when a Texan hunter darted him as part of a green hunt. Green hunting involves the darting of a prospective study animal as part of a bona fide research project. The hunter pays to immobilise the animal for the researchers

under the supervision of the warden and a qualified wildlife veterinarian, while the private reserve gets the money for management purposes. Mac has worn a collar for more than a decade, with his latest recollaring operation taking place in 2010. During this operation, measurements of his tusk length and the circumference at the lip estimated his tusks to weigh in excess of 50kg each, meaning Mac is no ordinary elephant.

Getting to know mac

Mac is recognised as one of the longest and largest tusked, continouosly monitored elephant in Africa today.

Mac’s tooth casts place him in the 50-55 year old category and in all likelihood he will live approximately another 10 years.

His home range exceeds 7000 km2, one of the biggest ranges that STE-SA has monitored within the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park.

I had my first encounter with Mac almost a year ago on the very same property. It was a very special meeting where my parents and I had the chance to witness him drinking for about an hour. It was as if the water was running down a bottomless pit. Each year during Mac’s musth cycle in

The walk with Mac

7 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26 the early winter he visits the Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR) on the western border adjacent to the Kruger. Like the other large bulls, he seems to favour the mopani veld found on the eastern side of Umbabat as winter begins to unfold.

A walk to remember

As I sat in front of my computer, busy with all kinds of administrative tasks but with Mac still on my mind, my phone suddenly buzzed. Without thinking twice I grabbed it and saw the coordinates pop up with the words “please take some pictures for me, hope you find him”. I anxiously punched the coordinates into the computer to see where old Mac was spending his time during the early hours of the morning. He was not too far from one of the internal boundary roads, bordering another farm.

Both the previous and current chairmen of UPNR, Peter Grigoratos and Ivo Lazic were also keen to join in on the adventure.

We met up with oom Piet on the road and while the others stayed behind, oom Piet and I decided to walk into the block towards where the collar transmitted Mac’s position.

Once we reached the position we could see signs of Mac. We wandered around for a while, trying to follow the tracks but the going was slow. I was upset with myself for not bringing tracker. We were just about to give up when oom Piet grabbed me by the arm, loudly whispering: “There he is”, and pointing the direction with his eyes. It felt unreal. There he was in all his splendour.

Contrary to what I expected, he only moved about 100m in four hours. Oom Piet stayed behind while I went to fetch the others in the vehicle. The going was tough as we drove off road towards the location where I left oom Piet. Once we got there, we could see Mac but there was a red bushwillow tree between us and him, thus it wasn’t a fantastic sighting. We eventually left as it would not have been possible to get closer without disturbing him. I could not get any photos which made me decide that I wanted to try and find him again the next morning.

Trying again

I asked Michelle to again provide me with the coordinates but as a result of other commitments I unfortunately only reached the location five hours later. This time he was on the move, but after learning from my mistakes I brought a tracker with. Although we lost his spoor twice we finally heard the

Kruger park staff found Mac’s carcass on November 5, 2013.

It is with great sadness that we received the news that Mac was found dead.

The cause of death is still under investigation.

We pay tribute to this wonderful animal that allowed us a glimpse into his life.

Dr. Michelle Henley

sound of snapping branches. We were amidst small to medium shrub mopani trees and I could only see the top half of his body. We were not too far away but as a result of the dense shrubs, I could not see his tusks. Mac immediately became aware of our presence and wasn’t too keen on spending time with us. He walked away while stopping every now and again to listen and smell, probably trying to establish if we were still following him. Once he had confirmed that we were still close, he continued walking with a stiff tail, a sign that he was alarmed. Although he never ran, he was walking at a brisk pace and we were finding it difficult to keep up.

He eventually crossed over to another block of vegetation where we decided to leave him in peace and walked back to the vehicle.

When we arrived at the vehicle I decided to drive around to the area where we left him in the hope that we may have another chance of a sighting. He was about 100m from the closest road, standing still and feeding. In the 15 minutes since we had left him he had stopped walking, so I decided to give it one more chance. We got out of the vehicle and approached him in a straight line. He immediately became aware of our presence as we were not stalking him and walked quite loudly.

Once again we got quite close to Mac, not being pushy but wanting to get some photos of his tusks. This time he got a bit agitated and was probably wondering if we didn’t get the message earlier that he is not comfortable with people on foot. He walked away and as we made our final approach he swung around and headed straight in our direction. He was only about 25m from us and although he wasn’t charging, I could see he was determined to reach us. It was clear that his eyesight wasn’t good as he lifted his trunk to try and pinpoint where we were, all the while walking in our direction. It was clear to me that he was bent on finding us and he seemed too intent on his mission to make me feel comfortable. There was a small drainage line between us. When he eventually reached the line, he spotted us and it was as if he went into battle mode.

The tracker wanted to run but I grabbed him by the collar and told him to stay put. I knew if Mac entered the drainage line, it would either have to be me or him. A decision I wasn’t keen on making. The stress of dealing with the situation was aggravated with the knowledge that this was an iconic elephant that was being followed internationally. continued on page 8

8 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

Our forest,our future

By Corné Havenga, photos by Esté Gerber

C

hildren’s Eco Training (CET) recognises the importance of educating the youth about the benefits of keeping the environment as green and healthy as possible.

With this in mind we celebrate Arbor Day once a year to recognise the importance of trees and the role they play in the circle of life. It is a day on which trees are planted across the world and we all do a little bit in helping mother earth to stay healthy.

This year we were very honoured to have Mr Jackson Phala from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as a guest speaker.

He delivered a very interesting and informative speech on the history of Arbor Day and urged

The walk with Mac My experiences with Mac in the past were always pleasant. He has been described as a gracious animal and a gentle giant. True, but I was only later told that he is not too fond of people on foot as his magnificent ivory probably makes him more popular than most. Hence, he wishes to remain elusive, has a shy demeanour and, like most elephants, doesn’t enjoy being pursued on foot.

Although we might have pushed him a little, this fact was once again proven. When it comes to an elephant charge, one thing you never do is run. It gives the elephant something to focus on and will give him confidence to follow through with his charge.

Usually it is only a show of intimidation and by standing your ground you intimidate him back, and more often than not, he will stop and stare at you with his head high and ears spread open. By this time he may also start to throw dust on himself, chafe his front feet or lift his trunk to get a whiff of you – all signs of irritation, him being unsure of himself and the danger that he is confronted with.

I never shout or wave unless I start to feel really uncomfortable with the situation, which I had to do in this instance. Mac immediately stopped, head high and trunk stretched out in front of him. Shouting at him gave

the children and community to become involved in local greening projects like CET’s Eco village project. He commended Seganyane and Matikinya Primary for being leaders in their community and educating their learners on the benefits of the many different aspects of forestry.

After his presentation Mr Phala asked the learners various questions and rewarded them with prizes.

The local fire department also did an educational presentation on the dangers of forest fires and emphasised some of the key elements that contribute to these fires.

All and all it was an informative and interesting day where the main objective was achieved by planting more trees for a greener, cleaner South Africa.

(continued)

away our position and although he was still agitated he was happy knowing exactly where we were and I think he knew that we got the message this time round.

While he gave us an intimidating stare, I got some really nice photographs that somehow still fail to do justice to his magnificent tusk because of his raised head.

I told the tracker we must back off, which we did. I returned to the vehicle a richer man with another story to tell. Experiences like this make one grateful to be in the privileged position of standing a couple of meters from a wild elephant, almost three times my age.

To be able to learn from them, knowing how long they have been here, what they have seen in their lifetime and what they have conquered and overcome in their day-to-day travels.

After leaving an elephant on foot I always aim to say that not only me, but also the elephant are richer for the experience.

The next morning Mac was just north of the Olifants River, about 5km from where we saw him the previous morning.

Thanks for your time and the experience Mac, it was an honour.

Ed’s note: Kruger National Park staff found Mac’s carcass on November 5, 2013.

9 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

black mamba

The legendary

Good or bad: the truth revealed

Story and photos by Donald Strydom

A

frica’s legendary black mamba, a snake feared by many, has a reputation of being an aggressive and dangerous reptile. A reptile that many say is more intelligent than any other snake and will calculate and plan an attack on humans.

Some believe that these snakes have the most potent venom of all African snakes and that it takes mere seconds to kill.

It is also said that the black mamba lives within a well protected territory and will defend this territory by attacking anyone nearby. People say this snake has super strength and is able to move about with only a small section of its tail on the ground and that it will bite onto its tail to form a hoop and roll down hills to chase after you.

Another common belief is that it intentionally sits in a tree above a bush path to attack unsuspecting people and animals that passess by.

The most ridiculous belief though, is probably that this snake is able to move like the wind, as it’s said by some that an innocent dust devil is a black mamba moving about seeking to destroy anything in its path.

It’s no wonder people are afraid of the

black mamba. The truth is, if any of these stories were in fact true, then we would be in big trouble. We wouldn’t be able to live, work or holiday in areas where black mamba occur. You would be correct to say they might defend themselves against an enemy, but one should understand that if you attacked or tried to kill the snake, it would first try everything in its power to move away from you.

The black mamba is a strong, fast and agile reptile that lives its life mostly in trees, so a real dangerous encounter hardly ever happens. If it were for some reason actually cornered and couldn’t escape, then it will stand its ground by lifting about one third of its body up into the air with a slight hood spread and its black mouth agape – a frightening sight even for the most hardened bush whacker.

Now, if our hero still stupidly insists on interfering with the snake, then I’d say it’s his own fault when the snake bites as a last resort.

It is no myth that the black mamba’s venom is lethal and that it takes a small amount to kill a person in

sometimes less than an hour, but this is incomparable to the danger we humans inflict upon ourselves by the way we drive our cars, not to mention excessive smoking and drinking habits to mention a few.

An average of only 14 people per year die of snakebite in South Africa, of these hardly any from the black mamba. People who get bitten the most are those trying to kill them, second are snake collectors and last are civilians walking through the bush who accidentally happen upon a snake.

The golden rule is to stand still and let the snake pass.

The black mamba is active throughout the year, they live in warm climate regions and although they do not hibernate, they do become a little less active through winter.

However, they eat throughout the year and are considered the most efficient mouse eradicator in the animal kingdom.

A single snake will eat approximately 4 000 or more rodents in its lifetime.

The fact remains that without the black mamba, we would have serious problems in agriculture as there is no better way to control nature than let mother nature do it herself.

With all this said please remember that the Khamai Reptile Centre will always where possible send someone to capture and relocate your black mamba or any other reptile should it be necessary.

Contact us on e-mail at reptile@yebo. co.za or phone (015) 795 5203. For further information visit our website at www.khamai. co.za. In the next Klaserie Chronicle we will be covering the Boomslang and Twig Snake, two more venomous snakes of the Lowveld.

10 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

Walker

Tightrope

Story by Judy Meeser Photos by Nick Warren

E Juvenile Bataleur

Adult Bataleur

very couple of years the bosses of the birds decide to keep us on our toes and go and change the names of many of our well-loved feathered friends.

Favourites like the aptly named adorable Emerald Spotted Wood Dove was once changed to the cold and clinical Green Spotted Dove and the Red Billed Wood Hoopoe became the Green Hoopoe (I see black, but I suppose colour can be subjective?). The poor Dikkops were not overlooked and one bad name replaced another when they became Thick Knees.

However, the worst of all the renaming has to be the acrobat of our skies, the Bateleur, now renamed the Short Tailed Eagle.

Bateleur is a French word meaning street performer, more specifically a tightrope walker, referring to the canting flight of the Bateleur.

The early naturalist, Le Vaillant named this eagle Terathopius ecaudatus meaning marvellous face, short tail. He must have been so impressed with this beautiful and exceptional raptor!

The tail feathers of raptors are called recticles and they act as a rudder so the bird can steer and attain stability in flight.

One wonders why then the Bateleur has elected to have such a short tail. The theory is the shorter tail reduces the overall weight of the bird which in the case of the Bateleur that can cover up to 300km per day must certainly be of benefit. Also, the shorter tail has less drag in a dive and Bateleurs undoubtedly display some impressive dives, both when hunting and in courtship displays.

Young Bateleurs have longer wing feathers and tails than adults so they can learn to fly. The tail feathers get shorter with each consecutive moult as the eaglet grows and perfects its flight skills. Bateleurs pair for life and rear only one eaglet per clutch. They nest within the tree canopy and use the same nest for a few years running. They are sexually dimorphic with the female having a predominantly white under wing with a narrow black trailing edge while the male has a more masculine broad black trailing edge. In flight they sometimes emit screaming and cawing sounds, especially in courtship when they are incredibly acrobatic.

Somehow the Short-Tailed Eagle just doesn’t do justice to this enthralling and unique raptor.

Early morning surprise ... black backs Story and photos by Colin Rowles

I

’m often up early and have to leave the reserve headquarters before dawn or just as the first rays of the sun peek over the eastern horizon. Travelling at this time of day is always a pleasure for me. The air is cool and fresh and I often bump into hyenas, honey badgers and other nocturnal animals heading home to their dark subterranean burrows following a night out foraging.

Towards the end of October, just after the break of dawn one morning, I was heading south towards Incheni gate when some distance ahead of me, I saw a small fluffy animal bouncing across the road. I strained

my eyes to see what it could have been as I drew up to where it had crossed. Then I saw them, three very small jackal pups who instinctively dived down a hole on the side of a termite mound. Soon, one by one they reappeared and curiously bobbed their heads as they tested the scent on the cold early morning air.

I was immediately concerned for their safety, given that the termite mound is so close to the busy access road where vehicles pass regularly. Please keep your eyes open for these little fellows, they live in the small termite mound on the western side of the HQ/Incheni road, near the southern end of the old airstrip on Charloscar.

11 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

Story and photos by Kate Carstens

B

y tracing the phylogeny of Hornbills back from prehistoric times to the present day, I hope to briefly shed some light on the origins of Hornbills and how the species currently present on Earth came to be.

The history of Hornbills goes back as far as the Mesozoic Era, approximately 75 million years ago just before the extinction of dinosaurs, when Hornbills and Hoopoes split from their common ancestor. Around this time there were many species of birds and winged dinosaurs competing for space on the ground, in the skies and trees like the Soundly Sleeping Dragon Mei long, Gonzalez’s Vulture Roost Robber Buitreraraptor gonzalezorum and Ostrom’s Menace-from-the-Clouds Bird Rahonavis ostromi.

Later, around 52 million years ago, the ancestors of Ground-Hornbills and Tockus Hornbills arose.

Then finally, around 47 million years ago there was an explosive radiation of species which gave rise to the ancestors of all remaining and very diverse African and Asian species we see today. 61 species of Hornbills are currently recognised with just under half of these occuring in Africa, and the rest in Asia. Some of their closest relatives are Hoopoes and Woodhoopoes.

Interestingly, the only Hornbill fossils ever discovered were the fossils of two exctinct GroundHornbill species, present 5 to 15 million years ago, in Morrocco and Bulgaria.

Hornbills

A brief history 16 species

Rhyticeros, Penelopides and others (eg Wrinkled Hornbill)

11 species

Anthracoceros and others (eg Oriental Pied Hornbill)

4 species

Buceros and others (eg GreatHornbill)

11 species

Bycanistes and others (eg Trumpeter Hornbill)

17 species

Tockus Hornbills

2 species

Ground-Hornbills

12 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

Dwarf Mongoose

Strength in numbers

Story by Judy Meeser Photos by Ziegfried Hugo

D

id you know the dwarf mongoose has the proud title of the smallest carnivore on the African continent?

It is also the carnivore with the highest densities per square kilometre; occurring in packs of up to 30 odd individuals and living a semi-nomadic lifestyle moving from one termite mound refuge to the next in a circular route. This rotation prevents the depletion of food in one area and probably also helps keep pest numbers down in their dens. It belongs to one of the four sub-families of Viverridae, the largest carnivore family.

Dwarf mongooses are a highly social species and have developed a fascinating system of co-operative breeding. Each group consists of a dominant breeding pair, some adults and sub-adults from previous litters and the odd immigrant that has succeeded in joining the group. The alpha pair effectively monopolise the breeding, so that no other individual in the group is permitted to breed.

In fact, full sexual maturation of the other members is somehow suppressed by the dominant pair who will attack members who show sexual behaviour. Perhaps because of this, the frustrated dwarf mongooses spend lots of time at play with lots of bodily contact.

Four to six young are born to the alpha female who stays with them for the first day only. There-after she goes out foraging with the others, returning periodically to check on her young but leaving the bulk of the babysitting duties to willing members of the pack. She is much larger than the other members and needs to spend a lot of effort foraging, both to maintain her bulk and her milk supply. Both male and female mongooses attend to the young, and astonishingly adult females are able to produce milk and lactate without ever being pregnant. Babies are carried from den to den as the group moves until they are old enough to keep up at four weeks.

The babysitters attain rank by fulfilling these duties. When the young mongooses leave the den to forage, the same members,

along with the alpha male, are responsible for teaching the youngsters to hunt.

They teach by example, catching prey and passing it to the inexperienced babies, who are quick to learn and fully weaned at eight weeks. It appears that the unrelated immigrant members give the pack youngsters the same quality care as related members.

Large groups of dwarf mongoose stand a much better chance of survival both from conflict with other groups and from predation and this could be the reason why immigrants are accepted. Members of groups share a tight bond and this is reinforced by continuous contact between the pack members with play and allogrooming as well as sleeping together cementing

the bonds. They mark their territory methodically as they emerge from the den in the morning and each time they move to the next refuge for the night.

Territory is marked with an anal gland secretion that necessitates a handstand against tree stumps or other vertical objects – quite comical! But if you’re a mongoose, this is serious stuff, with each one having an individual odour that is recognisable for more than 20 days. So even when they are absent during their territorial rotation their scent still claims ownership of the overnight refuge.

Insects make up the bulk of the mongoose’s diet and they will eat other arthropods such as scorpions and spiders as well as small vertebrates like lizards and rodents.

They have a close association with Hornbills who forage with them and benefit from the insects they flush while the Hornbills act as added sentries on the lookout for predators. Birds of prey are their major predator as well as other mongoose and snakes.

Typically the group rushes for cover in response to an alarm call or they may unite against snakes and other predators with formidable force.

They are quick and agile and have the advantage of numbers and a close knit society with individuals functioning for the better of the pack as whole. There is a lot we can learn from these intrepid little hunters.

13 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

Lone ranger

The Slender Mongoose

Story by Peter Lawson Photo by Jacques de Villiers

W

e are blessed with a number of mongoose species in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve. Some, like the Banded Mongoose and the tiny Dwarf Mongoose live in family groups and like to chatter, but the common Slender Mongoose, Galerella sanguinea, is a silent loner. You will find individuals throughout the Reserve and they are best seen at the side of roads bordering onto dense vegetation, diving for cover if disturbed, or crossing at a trot with a long, black-tipped tail cocked vertically. They are terrestrial mammals but take readily to trees if pursued and there is nowhere else to hide.

The only time you will see two adults together is during courtship, which is brief. There is no time for marriage and he believes in getting down to business and then rapidly exiting the bedroom. The maternity ward is a burrow, hollow log or a tunnel in a termite mound and one or two babies enter the big wide world during summer. For a short period they are blind but soon gain their sight and follow mom

around on foraging trips. They never see their dad and mom doesn’t know him either.

Food consists mainly of insects and mice, but they do have a rather catholic diet and will hunt spiders, scorpions, reptiles, frogs and birds, plus fruit and berries too for dessert. Eggs are also eaten and it is comical seeing them break open guinea fowl or francolin eggs by thrusting them backwards through their legs against a stone or other hard object. The little ones are taught by mom to hunt and soon become independent and go their own way.

Foraging and hunting is a daytime activity for the Slender Mongoose and at night they will find a secluded spot to sleep, only venturing out after dark when flying termites are emerging as this is a food source treasured by many creatures, even

humans in some areas. Also like some humans they like to sunbathe, particularly in the early morning and late afternoon.

You can sometimes see individuals lying stretched out in front of their burrows on sunny days.

These are usually females guarding the bedroom when the babies are inside. It is a well known fact that mongooses tackle snakes and fables originated from the Indian Mongoose, but our friend the Slender Mongoose is also fast and fearless.

His low-slung, sinuous body is only 30cm in length with his tail another 30cm, but he will kill poisonous snakes such as cobras and mambas without hesitation. In the Kruger National Park, a single mongoose has been seen fighting and killing a formidable three metre long black mamba, with surprising ease and skill, and then chopping it up to take home for dinner.

Sadly they do also have enemies and are hunted mainly by Martial Eagles and African Hawk-Eagles. That is perfectly natural though, but what I find exceedingly sad is the number killed by speeding motorists outside the KPNR, and even in the Kruger National Park. That should never happen.

14 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

Hoppingmadness!

Story by Ian Sharp Photos by Allison Sharp

T

he summer rainfall season beckons and with it the emergence of clammy hopping organisms called frogs. It is also a time when a small group of nature enthusiasts may be found driving very slowly along roads, partaking in an activity called road cruising.

Please be aware as these slow moving vehicles brake abruptly when a frog or other interesting critter is spotted in the headlights.

One evening during such a road cruise along the Eastgate road, 16 species of frogs were found on a metre five kilometer stretch.

Following a good dose of late afternoon rain, frog activity is stimulated and can deliver a rich diversity to reward those who enjoy frogging.

In the central Lowveld area one can expect to find some 31 species of frogs but if the escarpment area is included this figure is closer to 39 species.

Local species vary in size from the African Bullfrog, Pyxicephalus edulis at 120mm, to the minute Dwarf Puddle Frog, Phrynobatrachus mababiensis measuring only 21mm.

A few of the lesser known and somewhat spectacular frogs are discussed here to stimulate awareness of these wonderful hoppers of rainy nights.

Brown-backed Tree Frog Leptopelis mossambicus

As the name indicates, this frog can be expected to be up a tree. First the call has to be identified before lifting your eyes to a height of about 1,5 – 2m to find it.

Scanning the trees with a flashlight suddenly illuminates a Brown-backed tree frog, comfortably seated in a fork of a branch.

The explicit sounding call of ‘yuuuck’ makes one wonder what it had eaten or maybe seen from its perch in a tree. The juveniles can be misleading as one may be inclined to think that they are another species because of their green colouring.

can frequently be found during daylight in an exposed position away from water.

Very similar to reed frogs but can be distinguished by vertical pupils. Their name comes from the fact that they hide their eggs in a leaf that is delicately folded into a tubular shape by the male as he moves along the leaf-blade to fertilise the eggs.

Golden leaf-folding frog Brown-backed tree frog.

Above: adult, below: juvenile

Golden Leaf-folding Frog Afrixalus aureus Keen observation skills are needed to spot this character. An apt description once heard was that it looked like a piece of yellow snot moving up a reed stem. They

Ornate Frog Hildebrandtia ornata The Ornate frog may be considered the prince or princess amongst frogs. The beautiful colour patterning cannot be mistaken: the bright green ventral stripe is striking but this colour wash can be found spread across the whole back as if it was busy transforming into Shrek! The markings are mirrored from the dorsal line giving symmetry to the patterning. Paired lateral vocal sacs in the Ornate Frog males are a distinguishing characteristic which is found in only one other group of South African frogs.

Ornate frog

15 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26 In the central Lowveld area one can expect to find some 31 species of frogs but if the escarpment area is included this figure is closer to 39 species.

Banded Rubber Frog Phrynomantis bifasciatus The aposematic colouring of bright red banding against a black background sends a warning: do not touch! One of the few frogs found in Southern Africa that are toxic to the touch.

When disturbed will extend legs and walk as if on stilts probably to accentuate the fact that it should be avoided.

The call can easily be identified echoing through the night air like a high pitched jackhammer.

The head is characteristically mobile with some movement in the lateral plane.

Mottled Shovelnosed Frog Hemisus marmoratus Even while no surface water can be seen in a dam, following a decent shower of rain, a walk in the dam will reveal an awakening.

The dampness from the rain awakes the aestivating Mottled shovel-nosed Frog and each step across this damp surface may reveal a couple of these effective burrowers. These frogs, unlike others, tunnel head

Bushveld Rain Frog Breviceps adspersus The Bushveld rain frog can burrow as deep as 50cm in sandy soils where it will aestivate only to emerge following a good rain event.

They are often found encapsulated under rocks awaiting nature’s alarm clock – rain.

Their bodies are stout and globose and can be accentuated by the ability to inflate the body when disturbed. The limbs are short and stout and therefore this frog will be found to have an almost waddling gait and obviously a reluctance to hop. The tadpole stage is suppressed and development takes place in the egg jelly thus making this group of frogs wholly terrestrial.

Bushveld rain frog

Banded rubber frog

A final thought. The morning after a good late afternoon Lowveld thunderstorm, it is sad to see how many frogs have been squashed by passing vehicles. When driving at night during or following a rainstorm please be aware of frogs that may happen to be hopping across the road. Reduce speed to increase the chances of avoiding these frogs as some are pretty small and difficult to spot when travelling at 120 km/h!

Water Lily Frog Hyperolius pusillus This small green frog attaches itself to vegetation during the day or for the lengthy dry periods typical of the Lowveld.

During such periods of inactivity the Water lilly frog can easily be overlooked as it closely resembles a leaf gall.

Following a good shower of rain the frog becomes active and will move away from the perch.

When active the frog is a translucent green in appearance and its internal Male boomslang organs may be seen through the skin.

first into the soil, using their sharp-edged and hardened snout as a shovel and powerful forelimbs to push the soil aside.

References: Du Preeze, L. & V. C. Carruthers.

2009. A complete guide to the frogs of southern Africa. Struik Nature, Cape Town.

Passmore, N. I. & V. C. Carruthers. 1979.

South African frogs. Witwatersrand University Press, Johannesburg.

Mottled shovel-nosed frog

16 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

An Old Timer Remembers Photo by Simon Roberts

The Taxi Year Story and photos by Ivan Gillatt July 1943...

School had just broken up and my Uncle John (JJ Crookes) was going on a trip to Northampton and we were invited! But how to get there? The Second World War was underway and petrol was rationed in South Africa. Each vehicle was allocated a limited number of petrol coupons for a month at a time. The standard ration was not sufficient for us to get to Northampton in our pick-up as it was deemed private because we did not own a farm at that time. Farmers could apply for extra coupons so JJ had adequate coupons and could go in his pick-up.

Dad (FSV Gillatt) had been in contact with his friend Lionel Daddy who was to come up with us. Lionel owned the garage in Umzinto which was the Chevrolet agency. He regularly serviced two Chevrolets belonging to a contractor who delivered the daily morning and evening newspapers from Durban to Port Shepstone. These cars were registered as taxis as was required by law at that time. We rented one of these cars and Lionel and Dad took out taxi drivers’ licences, so the trip was on.

The car, a 1939 Chev sedan, had leaf springs all-round and was sprung similarly to our pick-up so it was very suitable for driving around in the bush. Excitement was running high. Thursday the 15th dawned and Lionel arrived with the taxi at about 8am. Dad’s cousin, Victor Crookes soon arrived in his pick-up and the trip was underway.

During those war years the main bridges, especially the steel cantilever ones were guarded. As we left Sabie on our second day of travelling our convoy of NX vehicles were stopped by a rather officious police sergeant. When it was explained to him that JJ was driving up to his farm, Northampton in the Pilgrims Rest district he allowed us to proceed. We drove on to Graskop where we overnighted at the Game Reserve Hotel.

Next morning we set off only to run into another police road block. Again we were able to satisfy them of our legitimate journey and were allowed to proceed. Nearing the turn-off to the police post at Bushbuckridge we were stopped once more. This time Dad was getting somewhat irritated. He walked up to where the discussion was taking place to explain what we were doing there and why, and also that we were about to go to the police post and have our hunting permits stamped. With that the

good biltong as were wildebeest.

Warthog were all over the place.

We did a lot of walking up and down the riverbank from camp looking for lions and although we caught a brief glimpse of one now and again it was never long enough to take a shot. The eastern side of the river was good walking country. The ridges were relatively open country, far less bushed than today, while the creeks were covered in dense bushes.

Dabula Mbhele standing next to the taxi

sergeant obligingly asked to see all our permits, stamped them and that was the last time we were stopped.

Game aplenty On we went to Klaserie to call on Pump Willis, who looked after the farms for JJ. We had a welcome cup of tea with him and headed off to Northampton.

Driving through Kent we saw four cheetahs, an exciting sighting for me. We arrived in camp about 1pm.

That night we had a real bush welcome with many night noises, including a succession of lions calling.

It turned out to be a very good year for game, which was plentiful. We were even treated to seeing a herd of about 18 tsesseby antelope.

Sable was also plentiful, with prize bulls being quite evident. There were kudu all over the place as well as numerous waterbuck.

Remember that in those days impala and giraffe were limited compared to what you see today. Wildebeest were in their hundreds and zebra were also plentiful. As a result of the numbers we were quite happy to exercise our permits for a trophy sable each for Dad and I. These were the only ones that we ever collected along with a good trophy kudu each.

Kudu were prized for making

Taxi trouble One afternoon we were driving along the road towards the Dover boundary after one of us had bagged a big warthog and put it in the car’s boot when the car petered out. On opening the bonnet we found that the petrol pipe had fractured at the union into the fuel pump. I fiddled about a bit but was not able to make a leak-proof repair.

It was getting dark and we dared not waste any petrol so we started walking back along the road to camp. In camp they realised that something must be amiss so a couple of those in camp came out in JJ’s pick-up to look for us. It was most welcome to see the car lights coming and we were soon in camp.

Next morning Lionel came out with the rescue party but to get near the car was a different matter. We had forgotten the warthog in the boot and we couldn’t bear the smell!

The warthog had to be thrown out for the hyenas and vultures and the car given a thorough airing before we were more comfortable in it. Lionel soon made a permanent repair and we were mobile again.

All too soon it was time to pack up and drive the 600 miles back to Renishaw. We all left about mid-morning, were hosted for lunch by Pump Willis and overnighted at Machadodorp. Next day we took the long hop home getting a puncture on the way and only arriving home about 10pm.

And so another most enjoyable trip to Northampton came to an end. As it happened this was to be the last trip for some years.

The war came to an end but things took a while to return to a ‘new’ normal and of course it took a couple of years for petrol rationing to become a thing of the past.

17 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26 Story by Corné Havenga, Photos by Esté Gerber

C

hildren’s Eco Training (CET) recently hosted a cleaning campaign at their adopted schools, Seganyane and Matikinya Primary. The goal of this campaign was to inspire and empower learners to make the environment a cleaner, healthier and altogether more pleasant place to live.

Winky Mokgope, CET Support-A-School manager presented a lesson on pollution, emphasising both the immediate impact and long term affects it has on the natural environment.

After this very informative lesson, the learners were divided into groups where they had to identify different factors that cause pollution.

They were also challenged to come up with sustainable solutions to prevent pollution within their local communities. Various interesting solutions were formulised but one thing was clear – everyone felt that immediate action was needed and embarked on a quest to pick up litter within their school and surrounding areas.

It was amazing to see how the children bought into the idea and they showed that local action can have a far-reaching impact.

Since the cleaning campaign, the grade 6 and 7 learners of both schools have initiated their own cleaning committee. This committee sets up a cleaning roster for their school and pick up litter on a regular basis so the legacy of the campaign will carry on in future.

Positive vibes from clean-up campaign

18 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

r e m m u S

Fishing in the KPNR

Story and photos by Sean Fairhead

S

ummer is upon us, and along with the temperatures the fishing should heat up as well. That said, one has to be cognisant of the extreme temperatures and plan your fishing activities accordingly. Early mornings and late afternoons are best – for both you and the fish. The Olifants River is quite volatile at this time of year and when it comes down in flood as a brown seething mass of water you shouldn’t even try to fish.

Sharptooth catfish Clarias gariepinus

Barbel are ugly, slimy and smelly, but they are loads of fun to catch as a big one is one of the top fighting freshwater fish and actually fairly pleasant eating. The most important aspect of catching a fish is having your bait in the right

place. Look for quiet, deep pools in the river and concentrate on getting your bait into them. Overhanging vegetation, especially if there are nesting birds around will be a hotspot as well. Typically one catches barbel using big smelly baits on 3/o or bigger hooks and strong terminal tackle. A medium to medium heavy 7ft rod with a coffee grinder of 2500 size and up is ideal. Catfish are dirty fighters and one should use line of at least .28mm if you consistently want to land the bigger fish. If you are comfortable with braid and the knots associated with it, then that would be the way to go. 10lb Berkley Fireline is unbelievably strong and all I fish with. It cuts through reeds (also your fingers if you aren’t careful) and debris, which the fish will invariably try to take you into.

A barbel rig is pretty simple. As we know, they are bottom feeders so you want to get your bait to the bottom. A simple running sinker trace works best. This entails a ball sinker running freely along your mainline which is attached to a swivel. On the other end of the swivel, your 40cm trace

CET says thank you for ongoing support to ...

• Santa Shoebox volunteers - who helped during the SSB drop-off days • Kit-a-Kid donors • Santa Shoebox donors • Rynfield Primary School - donated sanitary towels and books • Lucille Sequira - donated books

• Elodie Janovsky - donated books • Kent & Charmaine McQueen -donated books • SCS Swiss exchange group - donated 2nd hand clothes and assisted at the CET Eco village • Gay Wabeke - development of Adult Eco Education programme • Tanya Zeelie - development of

Advert kindly sponsored by an anonymous donor

Support-a-School eco exam • Student volunteers - who gave up holiday time to volunteer during DEC HWS • Groen family-donated sports equipment and toys • Pieter Steenkamp - donated 2nd hand clothes

19 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26 line (line between swivel and hook), should be at least .40mm as catfish have broad bands of sandpaper like teeth, which damage line quickly. The ball sinker helps you get distance with your cast and also gets the bait to the bottom immediately. When active you should get a bite very soon after the scent of your bait has permeated the water. You can then either hold your rod or lay it down with the drag very loose. Either way, once you feel the first tug, allow the fish some time and line in order to get the bait into its mouth properly. When you’re pulled tight, strike hard, in order to set the hook in those rubbery lips and hold on.

Make sure your drag setting is correct as these fish often take off like a bullet and an overly tight drag will result in tears. Be particularly aware of this when the fish is close to the side as they have a lot of stamina and just when you think the battle has been won they take off into the deep again.

Circle hooks are relatively new and I use these exclusively for barbel. The hook-up rate is excellent, and because they are designed to hook the fish in the “scissors” of the jaw, the release is quick and damage to the fish minimal.

The biggest habit change one has to get used to is not striking when you have a bite, but simply tightening up the line by reeling in quickly and solidly in order to set the hook.

Strike with a circle hook, and you can wave your fish goodbye.

One can use a variety of baits for these fish, the meatier and smellier the better though. Bream heads, chicken gizzards or hearts and bits of impala offal are my favourites.

Over the last few years my son, Luke and I have managed to land some pretty hefty catfish in the river, with the biggest being around 15kg. We have also caught these fish using artificial baits such as fly, spoons, spinners and crankbaits, but that is a whole other discussion. Give the barbel a try the next time you go fishing. You may be pleasantly surprised and even grow to love catching old whisker face.

Silver Catfish Schilbe intermedius Rüppell Summer is definitely the time of the makriel as the fast flowing water from the Klaserie into the Olifants stimulates huge numbers of these fish to migrate upstream to spawn.

They don’t get particularly big so your tackle requirements are completely different to those of barbell. A light, fast action 6.6ft rod with a small 1000 – 2000 size coffee grinder with .20 mono is more than sufficient for these fish. As you will often be fishing in water which is covering terrain that for most of the year is dry, fishing with a sinker tends to get you snagged in all sorts of vegetation. A float thus works best. Water depth determines your trace length, but a good starting point would be about 30cm. Again use a slightly heavier .28mm trace, as these fish have rough teeth. Although they have large mouths for their size I tend to use fairly small hooks, eventually deciding on a size by bait preference. Earthworms are great bait for makriel and a worm threaded onto a size 6 – 8 hook won’t be left alone for long. Occasionally, when the little tiddlers are being annoying I will use a piece of any barbel type bait on a size 2 – 4 hook. You have to be sharp with these fish though as they strip your bait off in a flash. Once that float starts bobbing around be ready to set the hook as soon as it goes under water. Fishing on the edges of fast flowing water will normally get you the results you want. Remember to be very careful of those dorsal and pectoral fins when removing the hook.

I speak from experience, very eina. Makriel can also be caught on small artificial lures such as mepps #1 and #2 spinners, salmo hornets and sada curly tails.

Mozambique Tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus Bream are probably the best eating freshwater fish we get and the odd pan fried fillet makes for a delicious pre-meal snack. Tackle requirements are the same as for makriel, but a longer rod may help to get your bait out a bit further. Those quiet backwater pools and eddies where I always imagine huge crocodiles are waiting to grab me are exactly where you should be fishing for bream. Place your bait under an overhanging tree, next to a protruding branch, or a clump of reeds and wait for the gentle sipping movements of your float and as it slowly starts crawling away from you, gently set the hook. Once hooked, a good bream takes off on a hard burst before slowing down and putting up a short but dogged fight. What you may have originally thought was a ghillamientjie bite often turns out to be a good sized fish with bream. Stealth is key to success.

Approach your intended fishing spot quietly and observe for a while before your first cast. Bream can often be seen in shoals basking in shallow water close to the surface.

A well positioned worm, retrieved slowly into the shoal can result in instant success. You can fish for bream either using a float and light trace, the traditional sliding sinker rig or by crimping a light split shot onto your line about 30 cm above the hook. In the river I tend to use a float, with trace length again dependant on water depth and clarity.

Sinkers tend to get snagged on a regular basis. A handy tip for float fishing in a river is to crimp a small split shot onto your line about 5cm above your hook, thereby getting your bait into position immediately. Bream have relatively big mouths but are pretty shy feeders so I tend to use smaller hooks for them. Anywhere from a size 10 for baitfish up to a size 4 for pan sized fish. Play your fish with a delicate hand and a light drag as the hooks have a tendency of pulling if you apply too much pressure. Earthworms are in my opinion the best bait by far, but grasshoppers, and kneaded white bread will also do. Bream can also be taken on artificial lures, much the same as makriel.

Remember to limit your catch, don’t catch your limit and beware the flat dogs, even in shallow water and small pools.

Crocodiles see humans as food and you should always be aware of the danger.

In the next issue I will discuss how to catch largescale yellowfish and tigerfish when winter and clearer water is around the corner.

page kindly sponsored by an anonymous donor

20 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26 Story by Tanya Zeelie Photos by EstĂŠ Gerber

T

he September holiday workshop was definitely one to remember.

Succulents, especially cacti, are normally people as well as animals’ least favourite plants due to a bad previous experience with the spines of the plant.

Only a few animals are adapted to feed from a cactus or to use it as a home and because of this the importance of succulents is often overlooked.

During the September workshop succulents were looked at from a different perspective, stressing their importance.

The biology, physiology and morphology were discussed. The students were in awe of these amazing plants and how they function by reflecting sunlight, having special cells to retain water and are able to heal damaged cells. A lot of interesting questions were asked thanks to this newfound interest.

Cross sections of aloe leaves were made to view under dissection microscopes.

Normal leaves were also viewed so students could see the differences and to highlight the uniqueness of succulents.

The students were so amazed at what they saw under magnification that this lead to looking at grass, pieces of bark, flowers etc. Lots of artwork was also included to stimulate other sections of the brain. Who would have thought you can build a cactus with a toilet paper roll and rice! Games related to the function of succulents were also incorporated to keep the young bodies active and ensure enough oxygen to the brain in order to keep up their concentration.

The participation during this workshop was especially encouraging and I believe both the children and the trainers enjoyed themselves immensely.

A succulent workshop

21 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

African Hawk-Eagle

A big eagle in a small package Story by Peter Lawson Photo by Jacques de Villiers

T

he title sums up this eagle species perfectly. The African Hawk-Eagle might be one of the smaller eagles but it’s big when it comes to boldness and hunting ability, often taking prey larger and heavier than itself. It weighs in at about 1.5kg but will tackle prey up to four kilogram, using its large feet for the killing.

The place to look for it in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve is in mopane, marula and knob thorn habitat which it favours, but it does also occur in other wooded areas where there are large trees.

From a distance it is black above and white below, but when it’s closer you will see its heavily streaked chest. When seen in flight from below you will notice ‘windows’ in the wings which aids identification.

Birds of prey are always exciting to see, but what I find so appealing about the African Hawk-Eagle is that despite their feistiness they are usually seen in pairs and make devoted couples. They soar at great height on occasions, always together, and when perched in tall trees they are side by side. If you see one alone it is usually a male in close proximity to his spouse on a nest. Hunting very often consists of great teamwork with no fuss or argument. One will flush the prey for its mate to pounce on and make the kill,

usually game birds such as Francolins or Guinea Fowl, but also small mammals.

They share the meal and dine together so to speak.

When nesting, mating takes place near the nest after the male has presented his spouse with prey as a gift. The female incubates the eggs, but her devoted husband takes his turn when she needs to hunt or have a break. When there is a chick in the nest it is fed by mom, but dad brings the food and quietly perches nearby to admire his offspring. There will be a single chick on the nest and it will remain there for almost two months.

After leaving the nest the youngster is still in the care of its adoring parents for a further two months until it can hunt on its own.

If you are out in the KPNR and come across an African Hawk-Eagle on its own there is bound to be a nest in the vicinity. Look for it in a fork below the canopy

on the main stem of a large tree, usually a knob thorn. They like a spacious home and build an enormous nest of dry sticks to make a platform with a deep cup for the eggs to be secure. The cup is thickly lined with sprays of green foliage and the male often replenishes this decor for his wife by bringing her a fresh bouquet he has plucked nearby. The same nest will be used each year and both birds help to refurbish it and add new branches. It thus gets bigger in time and some old nests are enormous.

African Hawk-Eagles are territorial and a pair will both defend their territory. For this reason you will not see more than two birds in a particular area, unless there is a juvenile of course. They do not tolerate other raptors and are very aggressive toward trespassers. Territories can be up to 10km apart, but this is dependent on the habitat and food availability.

Sadly many birds of prey get poisoned at times but this never happens to African Hawk-Eagles because they are rapacious predators and never take carrion, but only eat what they themselves have killed. When territories extend into rural areas they are notorious chicken thieves and this is their downfall, as they then sometimes succumb to human hunters.

They are extremely vulnerable when perched because they are not scared of humans.

22 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

sightings

Below: Sevi & P책l Koxvig, Norway

Lilac-Breasted Roller Black mamba Bettinah Mohn, Germany

Bettinah Mohn, Germany

Pass Family, Germany

ASDIA, Eco Ventures

Hannes Steenkamp

page kindly sponsored by an anonymous donor

Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 26 | 23

23 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

sightings Sevi & P책l Koxvig, Norway

Anja Joubert Anja Joubert

sightings

Sevi & P책l Koxvig, Norway

Warren Howson

Warren Howson

Warren Howson

A pangolin from a different angle Warren Howson

Pieter Steenkamp page kindly sponsored by an anonymous donor

24 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

Shoeboxes spread magical smiles Photos by Esté Gerber

T

he Santa Shoebox Project (SSB), with its vision of connecting people through the joy of giving, completed its seventh annual gift drive across South Africa this year. All records were broken and the project exceeded its ambitious goal of collecting 100 000 gifts by collecting 117 774 gift boxes throughout South Africa. The SSB technical support team experienced a massive influx within the first three days of accepting pledges, amounting to more than 10 000 per day. Everyone was totally overwhelmed by this amazing kick-start to the 2013 campaign and it was official, the Santa Shoebox project was bigger than Bieber.

The focus this year has been to extend support to even more centres and schools in small towns and farming

25 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26 communities, who are in desperate need of assistance. Children’s Eco Training (CET) was once again up for the challenge to coordinate the SSB project in the Hoedspruit area. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of all the volunteers and donors in the greater Hoedspruit community, many children were able to experience the unparalleled joy and excitement of receiving a gift specially made for them. According to Corné Havenga, CEO of CET and SSB coordinator for Hoedspruit they managed to collect 1 280 boxes, distributing them to 14 facilities within the area.

Havenga said: “I have seen how these few essential items that we take for granted can bring great joy to the children who receive these gifts, especially the teenagers. Teenagers are often overlooked by donors; however, they are probably some of the children who appreciate the gifts most. One of the boys who received a box at one of our very own celebration days was so grateful I was almost reduced to tears. The sheer delight and excitement on his face, made me think that this might be the very first time he has received a gift and in that moment one truly realises that a small gesture can make a big difference.”

At the celebration days, before all the boys and girls received their Santa Shoeboxes, a teacher read a celebration story that emphasised the message of kindness, caring, giving and sharing with everyone around you. The reading ended with the sentence: “Your Santa Shoebox was made by a total stranger – a boy or a girl or even an adult – who chose your name and made up a present especially for you... Please know that this Santa Shoebox comes from a very kind person, who cares about you and takes great joy in giving and sharing this gift with you.” Profound words that epitomises the true essence of this project.

Havenga thanked everyone who donated a box, and said they were once again blessed by wonderful support.

“All the local schools, lodges and the greater community really came together to support this initiative, as well as corporate sponsors and schools from Phalaborwa and the Johannesburg area. We hope to continue to expand this project in the Hoedspruit area and spread the magic of the Santa Shoebox project even further.”

Thank you for your bulk pledges •Rynfield Primary School •Southern Cross Schools •Gomo Gomo Lodge •Phalaborwa Scaffolding •Drakensig Laerskool •Hoedspruit Pre-primary •Mariepskop Laerskool •Elodie Janovsky •Royal Malewane Lodge •Rimiro Construction •Sefapane Lodge & Safari’s

26 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

By Fay Howa

H

ow often in life are we struck with a sudden urge to do something to better our world only to be discouraged by the smallest hurdle? Whether it is deciding which cause to support, the amount of time that needs to be invested or the cost of a random act of kindness, we often leave the scenario just as we started – with just an intention.

However, as Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu says: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” And fortunately, we live in a time where we now have access to the kinds of technology that make these single steps not only possible but easy.

Enter MammalMAP, a conservation project run jointly by the University of Cape Town and the University of Pretoria which aims to map the current distribution of all mammal species on the African continent. These maps help us to make more informed, more intelligent and more effective conservation decisions.

The project focuses on all mammals, those on land and those in the rivers and oceans of Africa. MammalMAP updates the distribution ranges of mammals by consolidating the wealth of information collected by biologists and environmental professionals.

However, a vast amount of the data that comes pouring into MammalMAP

comes from regular citizens – photographers, holiday-makers and school pupils. That’s what makes MammalMAP so exciting. Anyone anywhere can participate and contribute information to this very important conservation database.

MammalMAP recently teamed up with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) to revise the Red List of South African mammals.

This list assesses the risk of extinction of each mammal species by detecting any changes to their ranging patterns and the causes of these changes due to the combination of threats that animal populations face. Knowing which mammals are likely to become extinct helps us to identify which areas and habitats we must most urgently conserve, as well

as the measures we must put in place to prevent these extinctions from happening.

The cog that sets this entire assessment process in motion is the very distribution data that MammalMAP is striving to collect.

This is where you come in. Think of your mother constantly telling you that many hands make light work.

It is simple maths. More eyes looking for mammals equal more sightings.

More sightings improve the quality of the distribution maps. Good quality distribution maps make it easier to save a mammal species from extinction. After all, you can’t save a species if you don’t know where it is.

And thanks to technology, submitting records to MammalMAP has never been easier.

You can tweet your sighting description and photo to @wildafricalive or you can simply upload your sightings and photographs using the form on the MammalMAP blog at mammalmap.blog. com. Those who are committed to submitting sightings on a regular basis can sign up to MammalMAP’s Virtual Museum at vmus.adu.org.za to keep track of all their sightings. Contributing to conservation has never been simpler, it is just a few clicks away. From start to finish, there are no hurdles. Just turn a good intention into an action. So dust off your camera and hit the trails. Happy photo hunting!

for conservation

C l i c ki n g A Manson

E Bussiere

L Markus

You can give to conservation by entering the MammalMAP, a conservation project run jointly by the University of Cape Town and the University of Pretoria which aims to map the current distribution of all mammal species on the African continent.

SW Evans

27 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 26 | 27

A clever cuckoo

Story by Peter Lawson Photo by Jacques de Villiers

T

here are many cuckoo species to be found in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, but most are shy and not easy to see. The small, bright-green Diederick Cuckoo is different though. It is not scared of humans and the male attracts attention by loudly calling a high-pitched ‘dee-dee-deederik’, telling us who he is and repeating it over and over again so that we can admire his flashy clothing, shining in the sunlight. The females are not quite as brightly coloured as their show-off spouses and perhaps that is why they tend to spend most of their time perched inconspicuously, replying on occasions with a softer and plaintive ‘deea deea deea’ as if she is too scared to voice her opinion. She is a clever cuckoo though.

We all know that cuckoos are brood parasites, laying their eggs in other bird nests and having nothing to do with raising their young. They do not build their own nests either and the moral streak in us humans looks down on them for this, but are we right? They most certainly are not lazy, as we tend to think, and they are not harming their hosts because a careful balance has to be kept so that future generations of clever cuckoos will also have someone to rear their young.

Breeding is not all plain sailing for cuckoos either and a lot of hard work goes into it, with a lot of cunning to be successful.

The flashy males are not all about showing off and what I find most appealing is that there is a soft side to them. For instance, when mating takes place he always awards his chosen mate with a nice juicy caterpillar. This is not all he does for her because his job is to lure the hosts away from their nests to enable his mate to quickly sneak in and deposit an egg. There is great teamwork involved and it is fascinating to watch the process taking place – most certainly a clever cuckoo indeed.

In the KPNR the host species of the Diederick Cuckoo are mainly Village Weavers and Southern Red Bishops and sometimes Lesser Masked Weavers. These are all colonial nesting birds, making things difficult for Mrs Diederick to get into an unoccupied nest to remove one of the eggs and deposit one of her own. This is where working with the noisy, macho, male cuckoos becomes very important. Several of them create a disturbance in the weaver or bishop colony and are chased by the rightful occupants. Mrs Diederick in the meantime, has been perched quietly undercover, watching a particular nest. As soon as the macho men get chased she times it perfectly to home in on her chosen nest and deposit her egg while there is a moment of absence with the host species attacking the male cuckoos. This procedure will be repeated a number of times so that she and the other girls can deposit single eggs in a number of vacant nests.

There is still more to the cleverness though. The cuckoo egg has to match the host eggs completely or else it will be discarded. Village Weaver eggs are speckled, Lesser Masked Weaver eggs are plain white and Southern Red Bishop eggs are blue. Mrs Diederick lays eggs to match the host species she has chosen perfectly. Now how is that for being clever?

The cuckoo eggs hatch shortly before the host species and within the first four days the young cuckoo has evicted all the other eggs from the nest. Now it can receive all food brought to it by its unsuspecting foster parents and grow up fast to be able to leave the nest while still small enough to do so. The little brat then perches nearby and begs and calls constantly for food and gets fed by other birds in the colony as well as its foster parents, merely to keep it quiet I feel.

Diederick Cuckoos are migrants from central Africa and move south in our summer to breed. They generally arrive during November and by December are in the height of their breeding period. Their host species are also clever and have by this time already raised a brood without interference.

This is one of the marvels of nature, making certain that brood parasites are not taking over. So forget about your morals that cuckoos are bad. Nature has more answers than we believe and we can all learn by being observant.

28 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

Important leopard reproductive research Story by Fred Berrangé Photo by Grant Murphy

T

he secretive and elusive leopard, Panthera pardus of the felidae family, was once widely distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa. Its habitat has been depleted by man, forcing it to be found in mostly sub-Saharan Africa and fragmented populations in Asia. The depletion of its habitat has forced these mammals out of its once isolated habitat and into the open.

The unique adaptability of this species has contributed to its survival as it strays into villages and farms to prey on dogs and livestock causing a severe conflict between animal and man.

This has caused it to be hunted, leaving little support for the conservation of this animal. However, as one of South Africa’s ‘Big Five’, the leopard forms a lucrative part of our economy and still remains a favourite in both the tourist and hunting industries.

Little is known about the conservation status of leopards in South Africa and although it is thought that leopards can survive in a human-dominated world, it is listed as “near threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Leopard numbers in South Africa remain questionable. In 2005,

concerns were raised by the Population Habitat Viability Assessment workshop that found that leopard populations were smaller than previously thought. Based on this insufficient knowledge of leopard numbers, bad decisions continue to be made with regards to their conservation and the issue of hunting licences.

The key to survival The key to all species’ survival is successful reproduction. By studying the physiology and morphology of leopards, development and viability of the spermatozoa from the males of these animals could lead to later success in assisted reproduction.

This information could also provide knowledge on possible problem factors such as pollution that may be interfering in the viability of the sperm for reproduction.

Understanding these intricate physiological processes could ensure the leopard’s future existence in South Africa.The Leopard Conservation Project in conjunction with the University of Johannesburg started carrying out this study at the beginning of January 2011 by the cryopreservation of sperm for the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) and conducting semen analysis. Spermatozoa are flushed from the epididymis of recently hunted leopard after which the motility, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity and morphology of pre-freeze and post-thaw spermatozoa are compared.

There is certainly a gap in the knowledge regarding the physiological aspects of reproduction in leopards.

Due to the drastic increase in local hunting and poaching activities there is a definite decrease in the good gene pool within this species.

The aim of this study is to fill these gaps and help in the conservation of the wild leopard population in South Africa.

Through possible methods such as cryopreservation, where sperm is preserved by cooling it to sub-zero temperatures, and the use of assisted reproductive technology, the Leopard Conservation Project hopes to alleviate the decline of leopards and aid in the management, breeding and preservation of the species.

29 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26 You can’t get many things for R250 these days but you can change a child’s life. How? By supporting the Kit-a-Kid project, that’s how.

Many children in South Africa do not own a school uniform and, as this a prerequisite to attend, therefore cannot go to school.

Through the Kit-a-Kid initiative, a child can be provided with a brand new uniform consisting of a shirt, shorts, skirt or a dress, a jersey and shoes for only R250. For many children this is the first time they own a new set of clothing and the advantages go much further than enabling them to attend school.

The ultimate goal of the project is to empower children by improving their selfconfidence and self-worth by taking pride in both their appearance and their work.

The look on a child’s face when they wear their very own uniform for the first time is ample proof that this goal is met.

This is one of the simplest initiatives run

by CET and has consistently made a huge difference to hundreds of children’s lives. It has proved its worth both in its effectiveness and its sustainability and thanks to the generosity of donors CET has given more than 900 children their own school uniform.

Through this project many people have experienced how their small contribution can make a big difference and CET has received many donations from committed individuals, KPNR members, corporates, trusts, local businesses, lodges as well as anonymous friends.

Corné Havenga, CEO of CET said: “We hope to continue to make a difference in the lives of South Africa’s future leaders but need the public’s support. We would like to thank those who have donated to this worthy cause and call on everyone to build on this support in order to make an everlasting impact on children’s lives. You can make a difference to a child’s life by not only enabling him/her to attend school but also empowering them by putting them in the starting blocks on the road to success.”

Should you wish to contribute contact corne@ecochildren co.za for more information.

Children’s Eco Training Account nr: 013 253 611, Standard Bank, Hatfield, Branch code: 0115-45, Swift Code: SBZAZAJJ. Please send your proof of payment to admin@ecochildren.co.za

R250 a life to change

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

30 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

More Groen generosity Story by Corné Havenga, Photos by Esté Gerber

T

he Groen family has been some of the most loyal supporters of Children’s Eco-Training (CET) since their first visit to Seganyane Primary School in 2011, when they assisted CET with the establishment of the eco village project at the school.

Back then they helped build some of the first keyhole gardens at the school and realised during their visit that there was a dire need for new toilets. Subsequent to this they established the Green Savannah Tree Fund and have been raising funds ever since then to support the school with various infrastructural upgrades.

To date they have sponsored two new toilets at Teedi crèche, eight new toilets at Seganyane Primary as well as assisting in upgrading their kitchen facility by installing basins. These projects have significantly improved the hygiene conditions of both schools by providing the children with adequate sanitary facilities and the staff with the proper kitchen facilities to prepare meals for learners every day.

It was therefore no surprise when the Groens received a very warm welcome from the community during their latest visit.

The family was treated to a display of traditional dance and poems from the children. Mr Eckson Raganya, principal of Seganyane Primary delivered a very inspirational speech, not only thanking them for their solid support but also reiterating how their commitment has

inspired him to improve the conditions of local schools in the area.

The Groen family was totally overwhelmed by the wonderful reception and presented more gifts to the school.

They donated much-needed sports equipment as well as stationery and skipping ropes. The girls were extremely excited about the skipping ropes and immediately demonstrated their skills to the Dutch visitors.

CET would like to thank the Groen family for their continued support and involvement. It is humbling to know that there are people who continue to give back, even when the recipients are on the other side of the world, simply to make the world a better place.

31 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

Bird of the Year

- flies into King Shaka International Airport Story by Dr Hanneline Smit-Robinson Photos byW Tarboton and Miona Janeke

A

n exciting bird-sighting was recorded in September at the King Shaka International Airport just outside Durban when a White-winged Flufftail, South Africa’s bird of the year and a critically endangered species, was spotted there.

The White-winged Flufftail is a small, somewhat mysterious bird species. First described in 1877 in Potchefstroom, the knowledge gained about this bird in the ensuing 136 years has been minimal. It is listed regionally as Critically Endangered and considered to be on the brink of extinction.

It is estimated that there are only 50 left in South Africa and perhaps only 250 globally.

This species is today only known to occur in South Africa and, nearly 4 000km away, in Ethiopia. In South Africa the species has been recorded at approximately 15 sites, although several of the records are vague.

The sites where the Flufftail has been regularly recorded are at Middelpunt near Belfast, Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga, and Franklin Marsh in KwaZulu-Natal.

The White-winged Flufftail was sighted in the vleis around Durban in 1906 but after more than 100 years without any new confirmed sightings, scientists started to question the records of the birds in these areas.

However, on Thursday, 5 September Marius van Rooyen, Senior Wildlife Control Officer, confirmed a Flufftail sighting at King Shaka International Airport. Van Rooyen said: “An airport staff member found the bird alive, alongside a close-mesh fence along a road

lining the main runways and handed it over to Wildlife Control staff.” The Wildlife Control staff took it to their office where it was photographed. Being unsure about the species identification, van Rooyen forwarded photos to David Allan, Curator of Birds at the Durban Natural Science Museum. Before Allan could confirm what the bird was, it was released at the site where it was found. Allan, knowing how extraordinary any sighting of this species is, rushed to the site just minutes after checking the photographs. In an attempt to relocate the bird for blood and feather samples to be taken for important genetic work, the surrounding grasslands and damp wetland was subsequently searched, but without success.

According to Dr Hanneline SmitRobinson from BirdLife South Africa, this organisation and the Middelpunt Wetland Trust recently travelled to Ethiopia to obtain blood and feather samples for genetic and isotope analyses. Seven flufftails were caught and released back in the wetlands near Addis Ababa. Blood and feather samples can help to better understand whether the birds move between Ethiopia and South Africa or whether the two populations are isolated.

When taking into account the number of sightings over the past 100 or so years, the chances of locating a White-winged Flufftail at King Shaka International Airport are very slim. With the numbers being so low, the bird located at this site could be one of the last of this species in South Africa, and possibly the world.

860!

P

oachers have killed 860 rhinos from January to 22 November this year.

The tally already exceeds the total count of rhinos killed last year with 192.

The Kruger National Park (KNP) remains a hot-spot with 521 kills. A total of 87 rhino have been poached in Limpopo, 82 in North West, 79 in KwaZulu-Natal and 77 in Mpumalanga.

In the two weeks leading to November 22, SANParks rangers arrested 13 poachers countrywide.

Since the beginning of the year 285 poachers have been arrested, of which 104 arrests happened in the KNP. A number of poachers have also been killed during skirmishes with the SANParks rangers.

The Department of Environmental Affairs welcomes the sentencing of two rhino poachers to 10 years imprisonment each by the Vryheid Magistrate’s Court in KwaZulu-Natal for poaching a black rhino and possession of two rhino horn.

The men – Philani Khanyile and Nhlathu Siyaya – were arrested at a roadblock in November 2010. The rhino horns were discovered in their vehicle.

Any information regarding rhino poaching and related tip-offs can be sent to the anonymous tip-off lines 0800 205 005, 08600 10111 or Crime-Line on 32211.

32 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

arare feathered visitor as he nimbly high-stepped to safety, luckily avoiding the sharp gnashes.

As some serious photographic equipment was unloaded, birders ne can never be too complacent were invited to join us on the veranda about what is to be seen in this and encouraged to relax as the bird wonderful environment we live in. was sure to show up in due time. On To the observant there may be a special most occasions, while sipping some treat just waiting to surprise you. refreshing iced tea, the bird would be The appearance of a rare bird in our garden spotted in the undergrowth of bushes on Saturday, 24 August caused a major stir close to the veranda. Binoculars in our family’s lives. While sitting in bed and cameras were grabbed and the enjoying an early morning cup of tea, a bird quest for that photographic record that seemed to be unfamiliar was spotted in to add to the collections began. a large fig tree some 10 metres outside our The Collared Palm-thrush was bedroom window. My daughter, Allison looked most cooperative and the majority at the bird and noted some distinguishing of birders had good sightings while characteristics. After consulting a bird field the photographers all managed to guide it was identified as being nothing else get that all-important photographic but a Collared Palm-thrush – a lost soul record. Some of the scenes witnessed way out of its normal distribution range that as the bird was stalked to get that should not occur on a farm along the Klaserie perfect photograph kept my family River near the Timbavati control gate. well entertained. Doubling over to According to Roberts’ Birds of Southern look as small as possible, some would Africa (2005) the Collared Palm-thrush is creep closer to the bird’s perching mostly known from the extreme northern position believing that it cannot see parts of the Kruger National Park around them, especially if they did not make Shingwedzi. An old sighting record exists for the Letaba area of the KNP but there have been eye contact. The more relaxed birders no recent sightings. North of the Limpopo River sat on the veranda and patiently waited for the bird to approach and in Mozambique it is much more common. within range of the camera lens.

Obviously we had to get photographic Recording the bird’s call did evidence to convince the birding community however present some difficulty to that this specific species has been seen in the Doug Newman who travelled all the Hoedspruit area. After much searching in the way from Gauteng to get the soughtgarden the bird was once again located and after soundtrack. All that the Collared photographs taken. These were clear enough Palm-thrush was prepared to reveal to confirm the identification. The stage had was a short burst of wing rattle. As been set for what was to transpire over the Murphy would have it, as Doug left days that followed. Photos were posted on and was no more than five minutes various Facebook Birding pages to generate gone, our friend sat on a low branch in comment and response from the birding the afternoon sun, singing at the top of community. Even though we expected some his voice for more than half an hour! keen interest, the response was a lot more Day 12 dawned and the search than expected. Enquiries started rolling in for the VIB (Very Important Bird) and requests to view the bird were received. yielded nothing. Had our source of entertainment left our garden A new breed: the permanently? So it appears. The VIB photographic “twitcher” has not been sighted again but all the memories of its early spring visit Having progressed from birding to will remain. Our paths crossed with butterflying I had lost touch with the activities many wonderful people from the associated with normal everyday birding. In birding community; all of whom we my day there were “twitchers”, compiling lists probably would never have met had of what birds they claimed to have seen. Now it not been for our special visitor. our home was exposed to this new generation The KPNR lies directly in line of birder: the photographic “twitcher”! Even with the known distribution range the threat of being attacked by an anti-social and the new record south of banded mongoose did not deter them. Most followed the warnings and arrived in a solid pair the reserve, so landowners and visitors should be on the lookout of shoes and long trousers to avoid damage. for this bird species as there may However, one brave soul arrived barefoot and be more individuals in the area. we were treated to some new dance moves Story by Ian Sharp Photos by Allison Sharp

O

33 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

Grade 7’s moving on Photos by Esté Gerber

T

he grade 7 farewell functions at Children’s Eco Training’s (CET) adopted schools, Matikinya and Seganyane Primary are always a joyous occasion with lots of local flavour as learners showcase their talents by entertaining the guests with educational plays, dancing, poems and farewell speeches.

This year both schools focussed on the importance of preventing pollution within their communities. This is true testimony to the cleaning campaign and environmental education programme facilitated by CET at the schools during the year. Corné Havenga, CEO of CET was also there and said she was extremely proud of the schools’ greening committees and grade 6 and 7 learners who form part of the eco village project at their respective schools. “The commitment shown by the learners and teachers has shone through in the size of their crops and the continuous growth of the garden,” she said.

As a token of appreciation, CET presented 40 learners at each school with Kit-a-Kid vouchers to purchase a new school uniform for the new year.

The greening committees also received gifts to thank them for their dedication to the project.

CET would like to wish the grade 7 learners well as they prepare to enter the next phase of their education going to high school.

34 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

DK and Mashudu

The dazzling

dames of SCS

Above: Mashudu (left) and DK with their moms.

The lovely ladies with their handsome dates on the way to the matric farewell.

Story by Corné Havenga Photos by Esté Gerber

E

xcept for the release of those all-important final results, the most anticipated occasion in most matric girls’ last year of high school is their matric farewell.

Mashudu Mutshaeni and Dikgetho Mametja have been two of the star performers of the MAD Charity bursary programme since they started attending Southern Cross Schools (SCS) in 2009 and are completing their high school career at the end of this year.

Before the looming final exams, the young ladies walked the red carpet with their fellow matriculants at the SCS matric farewell.

The learners looked like film stars attending a movie premiere, dazzling with sophisticated attire on this glamorous occasion.

It was wonderful to see how these two young ladies’ hard work and dedication during the past two years came to a conclusion in such spectacular fashion.

Dkgetho looked dazzling in an electric blue dress fitted perfectly on her tiny frame and Mashudu was absolutely gorgeous in a pink one-shoulder dress.

The young gentlemen who accompanied them looked equally handsome in their three piece suits.

The SCS matric farewell is definitely a very personalised and memorable occasion where parents, mentors and learners can share in the joy of new beginnings and past achievements. Mr de Boer, SCS headmaster encouraged the learners to remain focused, determined and committed for their final exams. They were further encouraged to aim even higher as they entered a new stage of their lives.

It was an honour to attend the event with these two ladies after seeing them develop during the past four years, but it was an even greater honour to get to know them during their high school careers. It was clear that they are no longer girls, but young adults on the brink of a new adventure. The farewell was a joyous affair for all involved, including the ladies, their parents and us at CET and MAD Charity, and we wish them all the best for their final exams and the new phase of their lives they are about to enter.

35 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

...Looking ahead

Elephant war coming?

Dr Michelle Henley

W

ith each passing season, I look with amazement at how perfectly new life springs forth from all the seemingly dead branches of the previous dry months. We are at that time of year again when the glowing, waxy leaves of a new season and a new year holds unexpected promise of abundance and life. I wish I could write with the same enthusiasm about the future of elephants in Africa today.

However, recent continental trends leave me hoping that they too will have the resilience of the surrounding flora to bounce back with vigour, no matter what hindrances man’s greed will put in their way.

The illegal wildlife trade is booming with a US$19 billion annual turnover. Laundering ivory has become more profitable than heroine or raw diamonds with US$3 000 being offered per kilogram at final markets outside of Africa whilst US$100-US$300 per kilogram is being offered locally. One elephant is killed for its tusks every 15 minutes with estimates of 35 000 to 40 000 being killed annually.

The onslaught started in West Africa leaving only fragmented almost non-viable populations in its wake. Central Africa was next in line and has already lost over 60% of its populations. In East Africa, Tanzania has lost 50% of its population in six years.

Kenya’s populations have nose-dived from 167 000 in the 1970s to just over 30 000 today, with predictions that there will be no elephants left in East Africa in 10 years’ time if current rates of decline don’t slow down.

With the recent cyanide poisoning of 300 elephants in Zimbabwe for their ivory and counts of up to 600 dead vultures at a single elephant carcass in Namibia and elsewhere where elephants have been poisoned, southern African states have come to realise that the entire continent is now under siege. For us in South Africa,

the rhino wars have been the forerunner of what our elephants may still be facing.

It’s about more than ivory

Why is elephant poaching or any poaching for that matter, so deeply disconcerting and why should we do our best to combat it? Firstly, there

Shannon et al. (2013) found that elephants subjected to severe disturbance were unable to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar elephant callers in play-back experiments and could not discriminate age and size related cues with increased social dominance. These findings follow on evidence from other scientists of post-traumatic stress disorder and lack of social learning in survivors (Bradshaw et al. 2005, Gobush et al. 2008, Archie et al. 2011, Wittemyer et al. 2013). Results such as these indicate that remnant populations of elephants which may survive the onslaught, although seemingly intact socially will be psychologically scarred by man’s actions with far-reaching effects which will influence the social cohesion of future generations of elephants.

The way forward

are ties between wildlife trafficking and human security that affect us all.

The illegal wildlife trade is tangibly connected to human trafficking, drugs, arms sales and more recently, violent extremist organisations such as the terrorist group, Al-Shabaab who fund part of their activities through killing elephants for their ivory.

Secondly, we are slowly witnessing the stripping of our natural resources and heritage to feed China’s global ivory consumption which seems insatiable.

Thirdly, it has recently been scientifically proven that severe anthropogenic disturbance leads to acute social disruption in closeknit cognitively advanced animals such as elephants.

The particularly glossy and rain-washed leaves of the Buffalo thorn Ziziphus mucronata, catch my eye. There is yet another botanical analogy to be found. Triumphantly the green leaves speak of hope for the elephants with politicians like US President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, respectively making US$10 million and US$80 million available to help combat poaching. Not to mention the countless brave people who are fighting on the ground to safeguard our wildlife. The zigzag branches represent the twisted road that lies ahead for the elephants, where the straight thorns of the branches will remind us that we need to look ahead without wavering, while the curved thorns will tell us to look back and to remember the need to continue the struggle to maintain the social integrity that we presently enjoy in our intact elephant populations.

References Elephant breakdown – Bradshaw et al Elephant behaviour and conservation – Archie & Chiyo Long-term impacts of poaching on relatedness, stress physiology and reproductive output of adult female African elephants – Gobush et al Effects of social disruption in elephants persist decades after culling – Shannon et al Comparative demography of an at-risk African elephant population – Wittemyer et al

36 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no.26

MAD pupils learn and play to the full

We

need

books!

And we hope YOU can help

The Southern Cross Schools Award for the learner who most exemplifies what an SCS learner should be, went to Mashudu Mutshaeni (Gr12).

Bursary student Sam Mahlalela doing what he’s good at - making some moves and rapping - at the Southern Cross Schools’ end of year play ‘The Mic’. Sam’s performance was very popular and caused loud cheers at the auction of the best performance of the evening.

Below: Mashudu was placed third of the top three Gr12 students.

The Seganyane Primary School Library needs age appropriate books and we are extending their appeal to you.

If you would like to donate any books, magazines or games suitable for children aged 5 to 13 please contact Corné at 082 713 8778 or corne@ecochildren.co.za Thank you!

Above right: Bursary student, Zandi Mamebula hitting the high notes with her version of The Wooden Mic, in the Southern Cross Schools’ play ‘The Mic’. Zandi had the audience in fits of laughter with her excellent and entertaining performance.

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

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

of nsisting , o c m r s r es nifo Buy a u t, shorts or a d ocks. a shir , shoes and s a jersey

... for only R250

visit us at www.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!

Date: 26 March 2014 Club: Johannesburg Country Club, Woodmead

Page kindly sponsored by the Connan Family Trust