1 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 29
Klaserie Kroniek/Chronicle
September 2014 no.29
Sighting success Scorpion
tails and tales
inside|
Klaserie burn 2014 ...3 | Praying Mantids ... 5 | Wahlberg’s Eagle ... 9 | Euphorbia action ... 11 | Winter fishing in KPNR ... 12 | Bat boxes ... 14 | Klaserie Woodpeckers ... 19 | Third Eco Village: Wallabies help ... 26
photo Cassie Carstens
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Inside
Corné’s
Keyboard
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s spring settles in, nature’s most beautiful colours appear renewed. Skies appear bluer and floral buds in saturated yellows, reds, purples and pinks burst forth beckoned by the sun. It is nature’s way to rejuvenate the soul and inspire us to look at everything with fresh eyes. Likewise, I was recently completely inspired by a group of volunteers. CET had the privilege of collaborating with Australian Volunteers International (AVI) in hosting the Classic Wallabies’ Exchange (CWE) volunteers. The six young men and women assisted CET in establishing a new Eco Village at Mahlathi Primary. It was amazing to see these unique individuals embrace this opportunity wholeheartedly and pay it forward with endless energy and enthusiasm. It was also exceptionally rewarding to see the tremendous amount of personal growth experienced by all the volunteers and the compassion and respect they had for the community and children they worked with. Their positive outlook and kindhearted approach has definitely resonated with me and I am extremely grateful that these young individuals gave their time, energy and skills freely to help make that little corner of the world just a little bit better. Volunteering allows for positive change, connecting with individuals and communities while embracing your passion. That sense of satisfaction to know that you are part of something that is making a difference is priceless and it is these priceless moments that keep us at CET motivated. No matter how hard it gets, there are always those miracle moments that lift you back up onto your feet. On that very positive note, we have once again received an array of interesting articles from our faithful contributors that will keep you entertained and informed while spring announces its spectacular arrival. From reports on the recent Klaserie burns to hitting the safari jackpot to the importance of the humble bumble bee. Enjoy spring and enjoy the read!
Corné
The Klaserie Chronicle is published quarterly and distributed to KPNR owners, as well as CET donors, partners and Chronicle advertisers. For any contributions or queries please email admin@ecochildren.co.za or contact Laura on 082 713 7550. We would love to hear from you!
Klaserie Burn 2014 Foreign volunteers help build third Eco Village Praying Mantids Bee wise Wahlberg’s Eagle Human-elephant conflict vs coexistence Euphorbia action Winter fishing in the KPNR Mauritan tomb bat Bat boxes My time in Klaserie Scorpion tales and tails Your Hornbill sightings: how they help Wild dog kill Klaserie Woodpeckers Snakes! Who you gonna call? Sightings Turning Kruger green A handle on hippos KlaserieKidz get up close with Hornbills A third eco village. Wallabies volunteer at Mahlati Hitting the safari jackpot Cassie goes to Germany Dates to remember
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The annual Rhino Wine Auction took place at Moholoholo Ya Mati on 12 July. With host Johan Klopper and auctioneer Beyers Truter at the helm, it was a hugely successful day and R58 000,00 was raised in aid of Stop Rhino Poaching / Game Reserves United and Children’s Eco Training.
Klaserie Chronicle /Kroniek Team Editor: Corné Havenga Sub-editor: Catharina Robbertze Advertising and articles: Laura Craig Layout and design: Lynette Strauss Contributors Corné Havenga, Philip Oosthuizen, Peter Lawson, Sean Fairhead, Victor Swan, Kate Meares, Donald Strydom, Jonathan Leeming, Dr Michelle Henley, Alison Hanson, Nthabiseng Monama , BirdLife SA, Derek Solomon, Jan Pienaar, Chloe Cooper, West Coast Connection volunteers, Cassandra Mnisi, EcoSolutions, Michael Galluzo, Dani Rotstein Photographs Philip Oosthuizen, Donald Strydom, Jonathan Leeming, Esté Gerber, Leon Marais, Heinrich Human, Sean Fairhead, Derek Solomon, Lee Gutteridge, Chloe Cooper, Jan Pienaar, Cassie Carstens, Matthew Willman, Derek Heale, Janine Malan
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Klaserie Story and photos by Philip Oosthuizen
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fter a real busy and exciting program, we can certainly be proud of the efforts that have been put into making the Klaserie burn programme for 2014 a huge success. The programme started off with an herbaceous veld condition survey (VCS) which was done with the help of the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) representative, Mr André Jacobs. André and I spent time on the proposed burn areas by assessing several factors with regard to the sensitivity of the area to burn, fuel loads, and compilation of grass species in the area as well as the moribund status of the grasses. Each block portion of the proposed burn areas had a VCS done on a strategic point, in order for the survey to be as representative as possible. Thereafter the second stage of the programme was the preparation of firebreaks on the borders of the proposed burn blocks, as well as the preparation of camps and infrastructures, to ensure that the fire stays within the prescribed burn area. Where necessary, roads were slightly widened and cleared of all grass. This year the burn programme was conducted and managed by a team from Working on Fire (WOF). A total of 42 troops from WOF, as well as their
Burn 2014
site manager, Brick Shield joined in to help make the burn successful and safe. In modern day veld management systems, the aim is to manage and conserve the environment as far as possible, because of the delayed recovery the veld would have. This limits the natural ecosystem losses, as there are already many losses due to human habitation and other disturbances. For this reason the burn was carefully planned to avoid unnecessary loss. There were three main factors of the elements that had to be assessed each time before burning could be conducted: relative humidity, temperature, and wind speed. Each of these plays a major role in fire behaviour. The burn was thus conducted with cool and calm temperature and humidity factors, to ensure a safe and simple outcome and remove the moribund grass layer to make way for and stimulate new growth of grasses. During the programme we received numerous questions about the safety of the animals in the burn block and their ability to escape the burn. We also received questions regarding the damage to trees and other flora. I can confidently say that nature in itself is always prepared for burn. Fire is a natural element in a healthy ecosystem and the fauna and flora of the environment are able to survive almost any extremes
that Mother Nature can throw at it. However, the wrong artificial burn proceedings can have an effect on the environment that will be a setback for the ecosystem. An interesting occurrence I experienced through this period of burning was an elephant encounter on foot. A small group of about six elephants came running down the road in my direction whilst I assisted with a mop up process. They ran from an area that was still burning towards the area that was already burnt. About 30 meters from me they turned and ran into the already burnt area. It was clear that these elephants knew that the burnt block would ensure their safety. The moment they reached this area, they slowed and calmed down, continuing on their way. The post burn assessment concluded that the fire presented in a mosaic burn pattern in some areas. This was mostly due
to some grass species still having moisture in their leaves and the calm environmental factors on the day of burning. Most of the areas had good results, while some areas burned more than others due to good fuel load and temperature differences. Fire is undoubtedly an amazing natural element that has to be treated with great respect, as it can have some devastating effects if one is not prepared for it. It’s a good idea to always have some form of safety mechanism in place, should an unplanned fire occur. I believe it is safe to say that the 2014 burn programme was a huge success, with minimal complications and a satisfying result. I would like to express my gratitude to all the members for their understanding during the programme, as well as everyone who assisted me and the WOF crews with refilling of our water tanks.
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Foreign volunteers help build third Eco Village at the school had a fantastic time and the volunteer week is definitely going to be remembered by all who were involved for a long time. A big thanks to Westcoast Connection and Edutours Africa who continue to work hard in the background to make these visits possible. These are a few of the Westcoast Connection volunteers’ impressions from their week in Mpumalanga.
Story by Dani Rotstein, photos by Derek Heale
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hildren’s Eco Training (CET) and Edutours Africa has had a long and fruitful relationship over the past three years, with several volunteer groups travelling to Mpumalanga to work at CET’s adopted schools, thanks to the facilitation of Edutours Africa. The last of these groups came from Westcoast Connection 360° Student Travel
and helped to establish a brand new Eco Village at Mahlathi Primary School. 26 volunteers worked alongside the Classic Wallabies Exchange volunteers from Australia and worked hard to build several new keyhole gardens at the school to get the Eco Village up and running. This is the third Eco Village to be established by CET after it adopted the school to be the third school in its Support-a-School project. Both the volunteers and the children and teachers
“23 teenagers left JFK airport anxious and as individuals but arrived unified, set on making a difference where it counts the most. We are Westcoast Connection trip AF1 (aka “A-FUN!”) and we are a tight-knit, open and accepting family. Many of us come from diverse backgrounds but have joined together to experience South Africa and help the people who call it home. It’s the reason why we chose to do what we’re doing this summer. I firmly believe every single one of us was put on this planet to help those in need and use our talents to make others smile.” -Randy Genson “My first community service day was very humbling. When we arrived at the school my group and I received a very warm welcome. The kids were all so warm and appreciative of our time there which really made me feel like I have made an impact on the world in a positive way and I can’t wait for more opportunities and experiences like this!” -Alyssa Leon “My experience at the Mahlathi School over the past few days has taught me so much. On the first day of service I had no idea what a keyhole garden was, let alone how to make one! But over the past four days, working with the incredibly intelligent and skillful students, I could not be prouder of the work that we as a team have accomplished.” -Jenna Trattner “Painting the ecology classroom at the Mahlathi School was fun, entertaining, and eye-opening. Learning what the classroom was going to be used for and to see how excited the students were to have a bright, new space to learn in showed me how truly lucky we are. All of us Westcoast Connection trip members and staff are extremely thankful for our lives at home and to have the opportunity to help these students.” -Aja Pollack “These past four days at the Mahlathi School have taught me so much. In addition to manual labour skills, I have learned so much about the world. Despite the language barrier, we were able to make close relationships with the students. It was a truly life changing experience!” -Carly Poczik
5 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 29 Praying mantid, Spodromantis gastrica
Praying Mantids Story by Peter Lawson, photo by Heinrich Human Praying Mantids or hottentotsgot as they are sometimes known are abundant, carnivorous and frequently come to lights at night to hunt insects. They are easily recognised by the peculiar shape of the front legs, which are adapted for catching and holding their prey. There are a number of species of various size and colour but the one we are going to talk about is common in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR). The Common Green Mantid or Giant Mantid, Sphodromantis gastrica, has a body length of 55 mm and is robust and bright green. It lives in undisturbed vegetation and is often on leaves of shrubs and trees in gardens. Although it feeds on a variety of insects it is unusual in that it enjoys caterpillars and should thus be welcome in your garden. It is sad though that many domestic gardens will not be blessed with this wonderful insect due to the use of insecticides. When you come across a Common Green Mantid take time to watch her fascinating method of hunting. Her triangular head has two
bulging eyes and she swings it around on her long flexible neck as she watches the movements of her intended victim. This ability to turn her head in all directions, even to look over her shoulder, is a curious characteristic of mantids. Most other insects have short, stiff necks and are unable to twist their heads round to look in another direction. Watch your chosen mantid carefully and note how she cocks her head to look at you in an engagingly pert and intelligent-looking manner. She has a frightening face, like an unknown monster from outer space but I just love this look she has. Your patience will be rewarded when you see her slowly stalk her prey, moving cautiously with a slight swaying motion on her four hind legs until she is close enough for her deadly front legs to make a lightning grab at the insect. The victim has no chance of escaping from those legs, which are armed with a double row of spikes. She has a very long reach which allows those grappling irons, toothed like a saw, to strike swiftly and surely from some distance. What I find appealing is that she gives the impression of being a fearless, impudent
little creature. She certainly has no hesitation in attacking insects as big as herself and she will tackle spiders, honey bees, wasps and other armed insects and arachnids should they happen to come her way. The lady praying mantid is very discreet when mating and egg laying. This is
always done in the dark. Perhaps the chap who chose her for his partner feels safer in the dark as he is very much smaller and more slender than his lady love and could easily be mistaken for food if she could see him. I like to think otherwise though, being such a skinny little chap he would not be embarrassed in the dark. The order in which mantid are classified is Mantodea, which comes from a Greek word meaning a prophet or soothsayer. No doubt it was given to these insects because of their deceptively meek appearance when they are at rest, with their front legs lifted as though in an attitude of prayer – hence the South African name of hottentotsgot.
Bee Wise
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Story by Victor Swan
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s a young boy growing up in the barley fields of Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, I was extremely allergic to the little African honey bee, Apis mellifera scutellata. As a youngster I was playing between the tobacco barns when I accidently disturbed a swarm of bees that had taken refuge within my reach. The subsequent swelling was so severe that on the way to the hospital, my breathing became so laboured my dear uncle drew his pocket knife and was preparing to make an incision just below my oesophagus to ensure my survival. It was many years later on a family fishing trip to the St Lucia estuary that the idea of becoming an apiarist was born. Seated in the local doctors’ reception, a wrinkled old Free State farmer leant over and whispered: “Sonny, if you want to make easy money and enjoy it, start bee farming.” My dearest wife sat up straight and paid close attention to what the old geyser had to share, and our bee adventure took flight. Our training took place with Sidwell at Honeybadger
farm in Pretoria in 2008 and we were on our mission. It was only after being stung 12 times on my hand during a honey extraction that I was sure I had outgrown my allergy and all fear of these amazing little creatures dissipated.
Interesting facts A honey bee colony typically consists of three kinds of adult bees: workers, drones, and a queen. Each member has a definite task to perform, related to its adult age. Surviving and reproducing take the combined efforts of the entire colony and one bee (workers, drones, and queens) cannot survive without the support of the colony. Several thousand worker bees cooperate in nest building, food collection, and brood rearing. In addition to the worker adults, a colony normally has a single queen and several hundred drones during late spring and summer. The social structure of the colony is maintained by the presence of the queen and workers and depends on an effective system of communication. The distribution of
chemical pheromones among members and communicative “dances” are responsible for controlling the activities necessary for colony survival. Labour activities among worker bees depend primarily
on the age of the bee but vary with the needs of the colony. Reproduction and colony strength depend on the queen, the quantity of food stores, and the size of the worker force.
7 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 29 A colony can grow up to 60 000 workers and as the colony grows so does its efficiency.
The Queen Each colony has only one queen, except during a period following swarming preparations or supersedure. Because she is the only sexually developed female, her primary function is reproduction. She produces both fertilised and unfertilised eggs. Queens lay the greatest number of eggs in the spring and early summer. During peak production, queens may lay up to 1 500 eggs per day. One queen may produce up to 250 000 eggs per year and possibly more than a million in her lifetime. A queen is easily distinguished from other members of the colony. Her body is normally much longer than either the drone’s or worker’s, especially during the egg-laying period when her abdomen is greatly elongated. Her wings cover only about two-thirds of the abdomen, whereas the wings of both workers and drones nearly reach the tip of the abdomen when folded. A queen’s thorax is slightly larger than that of a worker, and she has neither pollen baskets nor functional wax glands. Her stinger is curved and longer than that of the worker, but it has fewer and shorter barbs. The queen can live for several years – sometimes as long as five, but average productive life span is two to three years. The second major function of a queen is producing pheromones that serve as a social “glue” to unify and help give individual identity to a bee colony. One major
pheromone, termed queen substance, is produced by her mandibular glands, but others are also important. The qualities of the colony depend largely on the egglaying and chemical production capabilities of the queen. Her genetic makeup, along with that of the drones she has mated with, contributes significantly to the quality, size, and temperament of the colony. About one week after emerging from a queen cell, the queen leaves the hive to mate with several drones in flight. Because she must fly some distance from her colony to mate (nature’s way of avoiding inbreeding), she first circles the hive to orient herself to its location. She leaves the hive by herself and is gone approximately 13 minutes. The queen mates, usually in the afternoon, with seven to 15 drones at an altitude above 20 feet. Drones are able to find and recognise the queen by her chemical odour. If bad weather delays the queen’s mating flight for more than 20 days, she loses the ability to mate and will only be able to lay unfertilised eggs, which result in drones. After mating, the queen returns to the hive and begins laying eggs in about 48 hours. She releases several sperm from the spermatheca each time she lays an egg destined to become either a worker or queen. If her egg is laid in a larger drone-sized cell, she does not release sperm. The queen is constantly attended to and fed royal jelly by the colony’s worker bees. The number of eggs the queen lays depends on the amount of food she receives and the size of the worker force capable of preparing beeswax cells for her eggs and caring for the larva that will hatch from the eggs in three days. When the queen substance continue on page 8
Oh honey! Honey can be used in many ways other than a sandwich topping: • Relieve hangovers Had a little too much fun last night? A few tablespoons of honey, which is packed with fructose, will help speed up your body’s metabolism of alcohol. • Heal wounds, cuts, scrapes and burns Don’t reach for the Neosporin the next time you cut or burn yourself — simply apply honey to the affected area. It works as a natural antiseptic. • Soothe sore throats and coughs Combine honey with the juice of one lemon and drink. It works like a wonder! • Remove parasites Combine equal parts honey, vinegar and water and drink. The combination of these three ingredients is the perfect parasite killer. • Moisturise dry skin Honey is a fantastic moisturiser, especially on dry patches like elbows or hands and even lips. Rub onto dry, patchy skin and let it sit for about 30 minutes before washing off. • Condition damaged hair Honey is a great natural conditioner. Simply add a teaspoon of the stuff to your regular shampoo to smooth your damaged locks. You can also combine it with olive oil for a deeper conditioning. Let it soak for 20 minutes with your hair wrapped in a towel before shampooing as usual. • Have an amazing bath Relax your body and soak your skin in a soothing bath. Add 2 tablespoons of honey to 1 cup of hot water and let it dissolve for about 10 minutes. Add 2 or 3 drops of lavender essential oil and add it to your bath. • Remove acne Stubborn acne can really benefit from a small daily dab of honey. Place a band-aid over the pimple, and take it off 30 minutes later. • Boost energy Replace your cup of coffee with a cup of tea and mix in a tablespoon or so of honey. • Substitute honey for sugar in baking For every cup of sugar a recipe calls for, replace it with 3/4 cup of honey. For best results, add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and reduce another liquid in your recipe by 1/4 cup.
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Neonicotinoids: A concern for our birds and bees? The queen’s genetic makeup, along with that of the drones she has mated with, contributes significantly to the quality, size, and temperament of the colony.
from page 7 secreted by the queen is no longer adequate, the workers prepare to replace (supersede) her. The old queen and her new daughter may both be present in the hive for some time following supersedure.
Protector bees In Kenya, bee hives have been used to successfully protect crops from elephant devastation, with a success rate of 93%. African elephants buzz off when bees are in the area and, once stung, they never forget to behave around the bee hive. Biologist, Lucy King put elephants’ fear of bees to use guarding crops in Kenya. Not only do the bees protect the fields, their honey provides a secondary income for the farmers. King’s twoyear pilot project surrounded 17 farms with bee hive fences in three districts amongst three Kenyan tribes. The hives were set 10 meters apart and connected by wires. When an elephant tried to raid the farm, it would bump into the wires, shaking the hives and stirring up a swarm of angry bees. The pachyderms pushed through only six times out of 90 attempts and farms in Tanzania and Uganda are now replicating the project. After reading about the Kenyan success, and witnessing a landowner
using this same principal in an attempt to protect the Marula trees in the Timbavati, I decided to assist with the idea and during the July to August swarming season, will be placing hives in these fruit baring trees in an effort to keep the marula crazy pachyderms from destroying the trees altogether. Placement of the hive is essential as honey badgers have an insatiable appetite for honey and will stop at nothing to get their paws on a honeycomb or two, destroying the hive in the process.
Plight of the honey bee Since becoming involved with the bee industry, which is controlled by the Southern African Bee Industry Organisation (SABIO) I have become increasingly aware of the plight of the honey bee globally, and the threat this poses to the agricultural production in many countries – China for instance, has had to hand pollinate crops due to
the lack of bees. It is no secret that the existence of the honey bee is under serious threat globally. This is directly linked to pesticides in agriculture and the massive rate of deforestation taking place around the world. With a little effort it is perfectly possible to grow food and look after the environment to ensure the survival of bees, as without them there is a danger that farming will collapse. Without bees, our diets would be depressingly poor. We would be forced to survive on windpollinated crops – wheat, barley and corn – and little else. Imagine shops without raspberries, apples, strawberries, peas, beans, courgettes, melons, tomatoes, blueberries, pumpkins and much more. Bees and other insects have provided free pollination for our crops for millennia. They will continue to do so if we learn to recognise their importance and return the favour by providing them with what they need to survive.
BirdLife South Africa
BirdLife South Africa has noted with concern the Dutch study that links the presence of neonicotinoid pesticides in the environment with a decline in insect-eating birds. Previous research has already firmly established that chemicals in this class of pesticide have a negative impact in ecosystems, particularly on invertebrates. These pesticides have been linked, through a number of different mechanisms, to the drastic decline in honeybee colonies in Europe and North America. It is important to note that neonicotinoids are not the only thing impacting Europe and North America’s bees, with habitat loss and various fungal and parasitic infections all playing a part. Indeed, one of the defences of neonicotinoids by the chemicals industry is the observation that South Africa and Brazil both use these pesticides extensively with no obviously widespread effect on our bee colonies. Mike Allsopp, who heads up the Honey Bee Research Section at the Agricultural Research Council’s Plant Protection Research Institute, warns against overreacting to the perceived threat of neonicotinoids. “These pesticides are very, very safe as compared to older generation pesticides used in the past”, he says.
9 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 29 Story by Peter Lawson, photo by Leon Marais This small brown eagle occurs throughout the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR) during the summer months. It is a clever eagle and has the best of both worlds as it spends most of its time where food is seasonally abundant. Thus it abides north of the equator in our winter and moves south to breed in early spring. Pairs arrive from about mid-August and by September they are already in full breeding mode. They leave us again towards the end of March. There are a number of brown eagles in the KPNR, but the Wahlberg’s is easy to recognise. When perched it has a squat appearance and gives itself away by displaying a small crest on the head. In flight it holds its tail straight out and its body at right angles to the wings. This unique appearance makes it
one of the easiest raptors to recognise in flight, even at a great distance. Johan Wahlberg, a Swedish naturalist explorer and collector, first discovered this eagle in 1851 and sent specimens to museums back home, where it was named after him and was given the scientific name of Aquila wahlbergi. Wally may be small for an eagle but he is both rapacious and elegant. When his partner is on the nest, hatching a single egg, he lovingly brings her food consisting of squirrels, rodents, young hares, birds,
reptiles and even frogs. He continues to feed her for well over two months, even after the egg has hatched and until the chick is old enough to be left on its own while both parents are out hunting. By the time the chick is fully fledged it is old enough to accompany its parents on the long flight north at the end of summer. It will return again next spring but not with its parents. By now it is old enough to find a mate of its own and will do so when it returns. Breeding may not take place until the following season though, so there is adequate time for courtship.
The parent birds will return to the same nest, repair it and line it with green leaves before egg laying takes place. Wahlberg’s Eagles are often dismissed by casual observers as a brown hawk. We tend to conjure up an impression of an eagle as a large and formidable bird and not the lightweight raptor that Wally tends to be. He weighs no more than a kilogram and has a wingspan of about a metre, but Wahlberg’s Eagles are the most numerous of all eagles in Africa. In the KPNR you can find a pair every two to three kilometres, and in flight they can be located by the plaintive ‘kleeeu’ note they utter while soaring at height over the woodland. Listen for this and search the sky. When you locate it you will know it is Wally by the distinctive straight and narrow tail.
Wahlberg’s Eagle
10 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 29 Michelle Henley and Robin Cook
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n elephant can weigh 75 times the average weight of a man. This gives elephants the need to roam over large areas, the strength to break the structures that we build to try and confine them and the ability to compete for the same resources as those required by us. A subtle and important distinction between elephants and people lies in the different communication systems that we have. Although we share sounds that both species
Human-elephant conflict can hear, there is a whole range of elephant infrasonic communication that is below our range of hearing. We are only now beginning to understand that elephants also have the ability to respond to seismic vibrations that can travel many miles through the earth’s surface. Elephants have a secret language that, unbeknown to us, can alert them to silently and swiftly remove themselves from our presence. Their effective and diverse communication systems make allowance for them to choose to live close to us or to avoid us. Humans still represent the biggest threat to elephants, and their stress hormone responses to particular human activities like immobilisation, translocation, hunting, or tourism have successfully been quantified. We are facing an ever increasing human population whilst at the same time have the privilege to share the planet with a species who, because of their very large presence, challenges us to meet their needs if we are not to lose them. The elephant poaching crisis across Africa is taking one elephant every 15 minutes at present with this downward
vs
spiral in numbers having started as early as 2010. In our attempts to live with elephants, to interact with them rather than to react to them, either party can seek innovative ways of solving potential conflict. To what extent are elephants prepared to avoid conflict with us? Here follows some of our research findings. In 2008 to 2009 we first collared 12 elephants in the Pafuri region of the Kruger National Park. We re-collared selected individuals in 2012. Over the years we have followed their movements as they have freely moved into Limpopo National Park in Mozambique and Gonarezhou in Zimbabwe. When moving between these areas or choosing to occupy them, they have met with villagers and people who need to use the land to grow their crops. Cleverly and secretively, they chose to avoid conflict by moving closer to people when we would be less active and present less danger to them. So under the cover of darkness bulls chose to not only move closer to us more frequently than cows but also chose to take more risks by sometimes doing so whilst it was still light. Breeding herds were
Human-elephant coexistence
far more cautious as the protection of their young will take precedence over securing a tasty treat that may come at a high price. These results have far reaching implications and call for an attitude of human-elephant coexistence rather than human-elephant conflict. Robin Cook is an Honours student at the University of the Witwatersrand with Dr Michelle Henley representing his co-supervisor. We would like to thank the Kruger National Park for all the logistical support when working up north. The US Fish and Wildfire Service (USFWS), Wilderness Safaris Trust and Wildcon Safari and Events are thanked for financial support. We are very grateful to Jerry and Madeleine Cohen who financed all the replacement collars for this study to continue.
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Potter Wasp
Black Pie
Assassin Bug
Range of photos taken at a Bushveld Candelabra Spotted Joker
Regal Blowfly
Shield bug
Euphorbia Action Gecko
Story and photos by Derek Solomon
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uphorbia’s are a common but often overlooked family of plants. Euphorbia cooperi, commonly known as the Bushveld Candelabra, and E. ingens, the Naboom, are two of South Africa’s largest succulent trees. Worldwide there are over 2000 members of the Euphorbiacae family
and it is the fourth largest genus of flowering plants. The family includes well-known species such as Tamboti, various species of Croton, the Lebombo Ironwood and the Potatobush. Mexico’s Poinsettia, cultivated in many South African gardens, is another member of the family. Within this group are 850 species belonging to what is called the succulent Euphorbias; 723 of these are found only in Africa and Madagascar with 188 distributed in South Africa where they are widespread and occur in different habitats from deserts to forests. All Euphorbia’s produce a milky latex when cut or damaged. This latex is poisonous and can cause damage to the eyes and intense irritation and inflammation to the skin. The latex in the Bushveld Candelabra is particularly toxic and often causes extreme pain
or blindness if just the smallest drop comes into contact with the eye, or causes painful inflammation of the mucous membranes and throat. One book refers to the Bushveld Candelabra as the “Deadliest Euphorbia”. This plant flowers during the winter months and attracts a huge variety of insects, particularly various species of flies. There is virtually no detectable scent from the flowers and one wonders what makes it so attractive to flies. On one large specimen one can see literally hundreds of brightly coloured Regal Blowflies in addition to other species. But it is not only the flies that come to feast on the nectar – a wide variety of butterflies, wasps and bugs come to the party as well and several hunters such as spiders and the tiny Dwarf Gecko, and in one instance a tiny Assassin Bug, make excellent use of this opportunity to catch prey.
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Winter fishing in the KPNR Story and photos by Sean Fairhead
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e are well into winter and Olifants River conditions are perfect so we still have a few months to give largescale yellowfish and tigerfish a go. Winter fishing can be pretty slow but the right techniques and a bit of patience can be very rewarding. One is not as regulated by the extreme temperatures experienced in the summer so even a short midday session can be successful.
Above: Rubbery mouth - yellowfish Below: Subterminal mouth - yellowfish
Largescale yellowfish Barbus marequensis Yellowfish are without doubt my favourite freshwater angling fish and the largescale yellowfish is no exception. They are exceptionally beautiful and on light tackle will have your reel singing before being subdued and landed. When I first started fishing the Olifants River I knew these fish were there but frustratingly wasn’t able to catch them on a regular enough basis to make me feel confident that I had acquired the correct knowledge and skill to do so at will. Typically one fishes for yellowfish species on fly or in a similar manner in which one would catch carp – food balls with small hooks baited with an assortment of mielie pips and homemade flavoured dough or kneaded bread. I prefer fly, but in this case it wasn’t an option. Wading to strategic positions
with a fly rod in the Olifants would only have one result which I am not too excited to be part of. After numerous attempts I cracked the Olifants River largescale yellowfish code, and it was pretty simple really. Tackle and rig is vitally important for success. I took an old 9ft 5 weight fly rod, added a butt section from a broken rod (a broomstick worked to size is just as good) and removed the guides, replacing them with spinning rod guides. Now I had a long floppy and lightweight rod. A small 1000 - 2000 size coffee grinder with .18 monofilament line completed the terminal tackle. The end rig is pretty simple.
Tie a small power swivel to the end of your line and add a 30cm piece of .25 fluorocarbon monofilament as your trace. Fluorocarbon line is almost invisible to fish under water. This is important with clear water winter conditions. Tie a size 8 hook with a centauri knot to the end of your trace. Crimp the barb on the hook to ensure minimal damage to the fish. As long as you keep your line taught you will not have a reduction in number of hook ups or landed fish. To get your bait onto the bottom a small split shot is crimped onto the trace just below your swivel. The bait must be on the bottom, but still be able to move with the current, so size and number of split shots is dependent on river conditions at the time. Of course your tackle can be perfect, but you won’t catch anything if your bait is not in the correct spot. Head straight for the rapids, don’t bother with the quiet pools. At the bottom of the rapids look for any big rocks which create swirling eddies behind them. Thread an entire worm onto your hook and cast into the rapids above the target zone and let the current take your worm into it. You want the worm to move along as if it was naturally in the water. This is why fishing light is important. Keep your rod tip held high and watch your line. Yellowfish tend to suck baits in so most of the time you do not even feel the bite. If at any time your line stops moving lift the rod tip gently. If the split shot is stuck on an obstacle, this movement gets it going again. If it’s a yellowfish that has sucked in your worm then lifting the rod tip gives it a fright and it takes off like a steam train, at the same time setting the hook. Make sure your drag is set correctly; if it’s too tight you will be snapped up faster than you can say yellowfish. Soft rubbery mouths enable an easy hook up so striking hard is not necessary. They will normally make a few strong runs, using the current to assist them. Let them do their thing until they have tired themselves out and then retrieve, being
13 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 29 ready for one last run as the fish nears the bank. Use a “skepnet” to avoid handling as well as keep you safe from the crocs. Unhook and release to fight another day. Largescale yellowfish are a relatively small species and a one kilogram fish can be considered a good catch. They have, as their name suggests, disproportionately large scales. Colour varies with water clarity from olive to golden yellow. A blunt nose, subterminal mouth, two pairs of barbels and a big strong tail make them unmistakeable.
Tigerfish Hydrocynus vittatus The very mention of the word tigerfish invokes trembling hands amongst most anglers. The Olifants tigerfish in this region are however generally small with a 1 kilogram fish being big. My guess is that many decades ago this was not the case, and size and density constraints have been placed on these fish unnaturally. The Olifants is the most polluted river in the KNP and numerous man-made structures inhibit natural movement of these and other fish species. Periodic chemical spills also place a strain on adult tigers, as they are piscivorous. So called due to their predatory nature, huge teeth and striped bodies, with their red fins and tail they are unmistakeable. Females generally grow larger than males with the former growing to 70cm and the latter about 50cm. Except for when they are mature, like sized fish form roving schools. I would imagine these schools to be quite piranha like. Tigerfish prefer warm
oxygenated water where they tend to utilise the surface layers and in so doing often fall prey to fish eagles. Interestingly they replace whole sets of teeth at fairly regular intervals throughout their nine year lifespan. New teeth develop in trenches on the jaws below the functional teeth. These teeth enable tigerfish to attack prey up to 40% of their own size. Unlike with yellowfish, I feel I have not yet come close to cracking the tiger code. There are many different methods and baits with which you could target tigerfish in the Olifants. Tackle is again of utmost importance and the same terminal tackle described in the December 2013 issue to catch barbel can be used for tigerfish. With those teeth one has to use a short piece of steel bite trace otherwise you will lose fish after fish. I recently did a few tests to see just how effective their teeth are. As the water was a bit dirty I decided to use a 10lb fireline bite trace instead of steel. Fireline is like dental floss and I figured it may be supple enough to get in between the tigers’ teeth and not get bitten off. I got taught a lesson by the tigers that day. I had gone as far as making a quadrupled fireline trace and still lost fish, so back to steel trace it is. I like to use a piece of 30lb “piano wire”. Tie one end to the hook and one end to a small power swivel using a haywire twist. The overall trace length should be about 10cm once done. Artificial lures are my favourite and work well in large pools below a set of rapids. There are a multitude of spinners, spoons and crankbaits on the market but my favourites are # 3 & 4 Mepps spinners, DAM effzett
spoons and 8 – 10 cm Rapala and Sensation crankbaits. The crankbaits tend to be more effective early morning and late afternoon with the deeper swimming spoons and spinners working well during the day. One can also catch tiger on bait. Use a large float to keep your bait suspended and moving. Cast into some moving water and let it follow your float downstream. Small fish hooked just below the dorsal fin or a piece of bream fillet would be your best bet. Bony jaws result in many missed strikes so be sure to set the hook properly when you get a bite. Even so you will probably only land 1 out of 5 fish. Use a pair of pliers to remove the hook or
risk the look of your fingers being changed drastically! Olifants yellowfish Christina Blunden
Olive coloured yellowfish due to water colour
Tiger fish
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Mauritian Tomb Bat Story by Peter Lawson, photo by Frank Vassen
T
he popular phrase, “as blind as a bat” gives the impression that bats are sightless. This is not entirely true as most species can see and the delightful little Mauritian Tomb Bat, Taphozous mauritianus is one such bat. It has relatively large eyes and can see pretty well, no doubt because it will on occasions catch a butterfly in broad daylight. Its main diet though is nocturnal moths and it has a special adaptation for this. We all know that bats use echolocation when flying at night, but some prey, such as moths, can hear and will take early avoidance measures
Male boomslang
when bats are present. Thus our little bat keeps its voice down and uses very low echolocation frequencies that fall below the sensitivity range of hearing moths. Clever little chap! The name, Tomb Bat is misleading as they do not roost in tombs. Generally their day roosts are on the outer bark of trees under covering vegetation to be out of the sun. They cling face-down to the surface of the roost tree and generally have their eyes open, watching your every move. Should you get too close for their liking they will shuffle rapidly sideways in a crablike fashion, keeping their sharp little eyes on you at all times. Have a look for roost sites in the Klaserie Private
Nature Reserve (KPNR). They are there, and when you find them you will note their grey, grizzled plumage on the upper body and pure white under parts, unique in bats and thus easy to identify. They also like roosting under the eaves on the outer walls of buildings in Kruger National Park and private reserves nearby, including the KPNR. They are not plentiful and a roost may consist of no more than ten individuals, or even less. Recently I pointed out such a roost to a visiting naturalist from the United States and she was absolutely delighted and considered this to be her top mammal sighting of the tour. So much for the Big Five! There are so many prevalent myths about bats and one of these concerns rabies, a fatal disease. The fact is that in southern Africa ‘typical’ rabies is carried by dogs and wild mammals, but has never been detected in bats. In the United States and Canada, public health records over a 20 year period indicate that 22 people contracted bat strains of rabies. Now, that may sound disastrous but over the same period approximately 400 people died from the attacks of healthy dogs, not to mention 20 000 from spouse attacks. Male Mauritian Tomb Bats usually keep apart from the females, except when the mating urge takes over of course. He is then with his chosen mate briefly but is not very polite. He bites her neck, mating is noisy and violent, and she protests with loud squeals. The gestation period is four months and a single young is born, but Dad keeps away all this time. He certainly knows his likes and dislikes.
Bat Boxes
Bats are super little critters and often wrongly vilified. Encouraging bats in your garden is the very best way of getting rid of those pesky mozzies and other insects. Bat boxes are a great way to provide housing for our other winged friends. The slim and unobtrusive boxes are installed against the side of your house and will stop them from setting up house in your eaves. These remarkable mammals live in sophisticated colonies and each can eat half its weight in insects a night. A single bat house may become home to 100 or so bats, which will consume up to 60 000 insects per night, including flies, mosquitoes, beetles and cockroaches. You could say bats are a sort of ‘bug police’. They catch insects using a process called echolocation where they make high-pitched sounds that bounce off objects and return to the bat as echoes. They reduce pests naturally, reducing the need for pesticide usage and thereby helping to make our water and earth cleaner. Bats are also responsible for pollinating trees, flowers, and cacti and certain microorganisms found in bat droppings may have important medical uses for humans. EcoSolutions has been involved in urban ecological planning and urban ecology for the last 15 years. We consult to municipalities, corporations and the public on areas relating to integrated pest management and environmentally responsible land management. For more information on bat boxes, contact EcoSolutions on 011 791 7326 or info@ecosolutions.co.za.
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My time in Klaserie Story by Alison Hanson, photos by Cassie Carstens
F
ield research has always excited me, but when I heard that I had a chance to work with the Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR) Ground-Hornbill Project, I could not believe my good luck. A few emails and a couple months later I arrived in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR) all the way from the United States, knowing that Kate and Cassie Carstens were studying the birds, and that I would be going out into the field for three days to look at the Ground-Hornbill nests. I could not imagine what an amazing experience I was about to undertake. With 5am wake up times, long hours in the car, and carrying a giant measuring pole around, the conditions were a bit tough, but the wildlife was outstanding. We drove from tree to tree and measured the cavities of the artificial and natural nests. We also judged the health of the trees and noted other animal activity, ranging from termites to a genet that was quite surprised to see us at his home. Cassie taught me a lot about South African wildlife, ranging from the buffalos to the Baobab. Over the course of my stay I saw 45 different bird species and three of the Big Five. From the first night, Kate and Cassie had dutifully informed me about safety in the field and discouraged me with their statistic: a chance sighting of the hornbills occurred once per 3 000km driven in these three reserves. I was dismayed that I probably would not see the birds that I had come to see, but luck was on my side. On the first day I caught a flash of red and black out of the corner of my eye, and we tracked down a complete group of Ground-Hornbills! I could not believe how large they were, and it was not until five minutes into our time watching the birds that I realised how fitting the name was. The hornbills actually walked past us, only flying to get into a tree for a short while. The
behaviour of the birds was unlike anything I had seen before. Cassie explained that they need a home range of 100km2, and it is difficult for me to fathom how quickly these walking birds must move to occupy such a large space. We caught sight of a different group on the second day, strolling across a road in Timbavati. As we talked with homeowners and tour guides at the three parks we took note of their Ground-Hornbill sightings. While talking with the different people, though, something else became obvious: people care about the
Ground-Hornbills. This endangered species isn’t just a nuisance that breaks windows, but rather a flagship species of the South African savannah. With their stark colours and the unusual habit of walking on the ground, these birds captured my imagination. It was plain to see that the same thing had already happened to the people in these reserves. Ground-Hornbills are deep in the hearts of South Africans.
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Scorpion tails and tales Story and photos by Jonathan Leeming
T
he fear of scorpions has become ingrained in humanity. Along with spiders, scorpions are greatly misunderstood creatures that are often persecuted on sight. Viewed as the iconic venomous animal, there are over 1 500 species of scorpion worldwide, with only 30 species considered to be potentially life threatening to humans. Worldwide, there are an estimated 1.2 million envenomations per year of which 3 250 result in death. Even though all scorpions have neurotoxic venom, the symptoms of their stings range from a small itch, to life threatening effects of the nervous system. Venom is created by two venom glands in the scorpion’s sting. It’s stored in the venom reservoir in the sting until needed. As muscles contract around the venom reservoir, venom is squeezed out of a tiny hole which is situated almost at the end of the sting. In some species, these muscles are so strong that they force the venom out as a spray. Scorpion venom is a complex mixture of as many as 60 different compounds. Each compound is responsible for a specific aspect of the venom. Not all scorpion venom is exactly the same, which is the reason why anti-venom from one part of the world is not particularly effective when treating a sting from another part of the world. In southern Africa there are on average 8 to 12 recorded fatalities per year. Although there are no accurate
statistics regarding scorpion stings, it is estimated that only 5% of all stings require medical assistance. Most stings occur from October to March, with February being the peak period. Scorpions are more active between 8pm and 10pm and it’s not uncommon for patients to be stung on the foot or lower leg, especially when closed shoes are not worn. All scorpions are venomous, however, their venomosity range from highly venomous to weakly venomous. Although the size of a scorpion has no direct relation to the strength of its venom, it does have an influence on the severity of the symptoms. The severity of a sting is largely based upon the strength of the scorpion’s venom. However, larger species of scorpion often have large venom glands so more venom is available. The greater the amount of venom that is injected during a sting, the more serious the symptoms. Stings from smaller scorpions generally result in milder symptoms than stings from larger ones of the same species. Southern Africa is inhabited by the 12th
most venomous scorpion in the world as well as the world’s longest scorpion, attaining a length of 210mm. This monster of a scorpion is also one of the world’s least venomous, preferring to use its pincers for defence and prey capture, rather than using its venom. In comparison, some smaller species of scorpion attain an adult length of only 28 mm. Unless a scorpion was sheltering in clothing or a bath towel, most scorpion stings occur when it is stepped upon or picked up whilst on an object such as firewood. When discussing scorpion venomosity, we group scorpions into three groups.
Highly Venomous Scorpions
These active scorpions are often seen at night during warmer times of the year. Highly venomous scorpions have small pincers and a thick tail, are large in size (more than 50mm in length) and eager to defend themselves. However, not all large scorpions are highly venomous. Many highly venomous scorpions actively forage for prey, during which time they are vulnerable to predators. In order to defend themselves, they have developed potent venom. Two species of scorpion in southern Africa are able to spray venom.
Mildly Venomous Scorpions
Mildly venomous scorpions come in many sizes and colours. They have medium sized pincers and a medium sized tail and are often reluctant to sting. Many mildly venomous scorpions live in protected places such as in a burrow or under rocks and logs. They rarely leave the safety of these shelters, except for the males during the mating season. While away from their shelter, they often act in a defensive manner. This show is normally enough to fool us humans into thinking the scorpion is highly venomous.
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Weakly Venomous Scorpions
Some scorpions have such weak venom that it is rarely used for defence or to capture prey. They can be small to very large, no specific colour, very shy and reclusive and very rarely sting in defence. They are also not often seen outside of their shelter. Due to their weak venom, these scorpions use their powerful pincers to catch prey. They rely heavily on the safety of their shelter, retreating at the slightest sign of danger. They are often
found in very high population densities, as they easily tolerate neighbouring scorpions. Some live in naturally occurring shelters, which are in limited supply. This leads to competition for the best and most protective shelters.
Venomosity rule of thumb
Although the size of a scorpion has no direct relation to the strength of its venom, it does have an influence on the severity of the symptoms. Larger species of scorpion often have more venom at their disposal than a small scorpion. The more venom injected, the more severe the symptoms. Therefore larger scorpions produce more heightened symptoms compared to a smaller individual of the same species.
Treatment of stings
There are many old wives’ tales regarding the treatment of scorpion stings. These range from rubbing lemons, vinegar, Handy Andy to crushed Panado on the sting. In the case of serious envenomation, scorpion antivenom is the only effective treatment. The majority of stings are not life threatening and do not require medical intervention. Psychological trauma can be averted by having an understanding of these amazing animals.
Weakly venomous
Jonathan Leeming is author of “Scorpion of southern Africa” and “A First Aid Guide to Spider Bites and Scorpion Stings”. He offers a venomous animal risk management solution to corporate clients and is guest lecturer at the University of Pretoria for the Diploma on Tropical Health and Diseases. Jonathan is running a series of First aid courses at the Khamai Reptile Park in Hoedspruit. For more information visit www.scorpions.co.za. Jonathan is offering readers of the Klaserie Chronicle, free postage when purchasing his book: “First Aid Guide to Spider Bites and Scorpion Stings” if purchased in September and October. Email orders@scorpions. co.za and mention the September edition of the Klaserie Chronicle.
Mildly venomous
Highly venomous
CET says thank you for ongoing support to ... • Westcoast Connection 360° AF1 volunteers – toys, stationery, clothes • Westcoast Connection 360° AF2 volunteers – toys, stationery, clothes, buckets & other equipment • Bold Africa volunteers – toys and stationery • Parma nursery – seedlings • Chantel Corless – monthly donation to Kit-a-Kid • Australian Volunteers International: Classic Wallabies’ Exchange volunteers – establishing a
new Eco Village at Mahlathi Primary School. • Wildlands Conservation Trust – Hosting CET and partner organisation for an information session on “Trees for life” project. • Johan Klopper- hosting a wine auction in support of STOP RHINO POACHING, Game Reserves United and Children’s Eco Training. • Xikukutu family – adding a link on the Save the Rhino SA website www.savetherhinosa.co.za to
Advert kindly sponsored by an anonymous donor
the CET website www.ecochildren.co.za • Mabula Ground-Hornbill Project (MGHP) and the Percy FitzPatrick Institute’s APNR Ground Hornbill Project for hosting a Hornbill themed holiday workshop. • Catharina Robbertze and Lynette Strauss for assisting with CET Annual report • Kit-a-Kid donors • Gay Wabeke - random recyclable items
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Your Hornbill sightings How they help
Story by Kate Carstens, photos by Cassie Carstens
T
hanks to the help of many people in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR) and the other reserves, we are hitting record numbers of group sightings each month! Cassie has set up a very successful Hornbill sightings log book scheme allowing lodges, field guides and anyone who is interested to keep a log book of Hornbill sightings which we then collate every few weeks. These all come together in the end to build on our existing knowledge of group movements and group composition. So what are the stats then? • 17 to 56 group sightings per month in the 2013/2014 breeding season. • 12 to 25 group sightings during this dry season. • In 2013, we had a total of 196 group encounters. • In 2014, with the addition of sightings log books, we have surpassed that and are already at 328 group encounters - only halfway through the year! We don’t encounter Hornbills by chance very often. That is if we’re not actively driving out to locate groups but driving around doing other fieldwork and happening upon the birds by chance. Historically we only encounter groups incidentally once every 3000km driven. That’s like driving between Incheni Gate and HQ over 250 times. For those who don’t know how to report sightings or who to report them to, please record the following information and send to nghututu@gmail.com: • When and where you saw them. • How many birds. • Any colour rings seen. • Photos are like gold! Do send any, even if old.
Story and photo by Jan Pienaar It was late afternoon on Thursday, 26 June, as we headed toward the Olifants River to try and find some lions we had heard roaring the night before. We were well away from the lodge when Liana called me on the radio, informing me that she had just found four wild dogs between the lodge and our house. Well, the lions could wait as we sped toward the sighting. Regular updates from Liana kept us up to speed, as it were, with the dogs’ activity. We arrived roughly 30 minutes after first receiving the call, Liana informing us that she lost visual of them not one minute earlier. She heard them yelping off the road, and saw one of the dogs speeding past her with a face full of blood. We investigated and found all four dogs, some resting in the road and others feeding on the carcass of a yearling impala ram. We stayed with them for almost an hour, until it was too dark to continue the sighting, before heading on. The guests were so enthralled by the sighting, that they didn’t even register what I told them on the drive about these super predators. Only at dinner did they realise what a special experience this was!
Wild dog kill
page kindly sponsored by an anonymous donor
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Klaserie
Woodpeckers Cardinal Woodpecker pair
Male Bearded Woodpecker
Female Bearded Woodpecker
Story and photos by Derek Solomon
I
n the June 2014 issue of the Klaserie Chronicle, Peter Lawson wrote an excellent article on the Bearded Woodpecker – the largest of the woodpeckers that occur in the Klaserie. Despite their bright colours, identifying the different woodpecker species is actually not easy so here are a few tips to make your life easier. Firstly bear in mind that ALL species have golden tail shafts so the name for one species, Golden-tailed, is a bit of a misnomer. If possible focus firstly on the underparts. This is not always easy as woodpeckers love to hide behind a branch when you get close enough to try to identify them. But pick up your binoculars and give it a go. The largest of them all – the Bearded Woodpecker – has horizontal grey and white barring on the underparts. Bennett’s Woodpecker on the other hand is spotted on the breast and belly, whereas the other two species, Cardinal and Golden-tailed have vertical streaks on the breast Male Golden-tailed Woodpecker
and belly. Now obviously you have to look at other characteristics to sort out the last two species but all is not lost. The tiny Cardinal Woodpecker shows a broad, black moustache stripe in both sexes (remember the male has a bright red hind crown whereas that of the female is black). The slightly larger male Golden-tailed Woodpecker has a red moustache stripe and the whole crown is bright red. The female has a well speckled black and white crown with red on the nape or hind crown. If you can get all of this stored in your memory bank then you are on your way to sorting them out. Good luck!
Female Goldentailed Woodpecker
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Snakes!
Who you gonna call?
Story and photos by Donald Strydom
S
nakes are common to the Lowveld and are often seen in and around our homes throughout the year, even in winter. So what should we do and how should we handle the situation?
Contact the Kinyonga Reptile Centre The Kinyonga Centre has been in the area for 30 years and is available at any time to help where possible. The Centre will not buy or sell reptiles and also does not charge for the removal of snakes. The Centre does accept donations, should you feel obliged, that are utilised to further finance the snake rescue service. Rescued animals are kept within a quarantine facility at Kinyonga until such time that they can be released back into the wild. The Centre puts in a lot of effort and time to select release sites within the same geographical range of where they were originally found. Periodic aerial surveys of viable release sites are made with the generous help of the Hoedspruit Air Force Base. Google Earth and digital topographical data is used to understand the finer details of the layout of potential release sites. The tedious task of ground surveys and interviewing land owners have to be done so as to make sure that the reptiles can be safely released without any danger to both people and snakes. The Centre is in the process of further understanding the implications of releasing reptiles back into the wild by initiating a number of field research projects. With the help of students and researchers as well as the cooperation of local land owners, the Centre has managed to collect valuable behavioural data about releasing snakes back into the wild.
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Capture the Snake Yourself Snakes Can Kill! We have within the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve seven snakes that can kill us. This includes Africa’s most venomous snake, the boomslang and the continent’s largest venomous snake, the black mamba; as well as the snouted cobra, the Mozambique spitting cobra, the twig snake, the shield nosed snake and our most dangerous snake, the puff adder. Don’t think that because you have a snake grab stick and a bucket you can go out and capture venomous snakes. Be very careful, it takes more than the correct equipment to capture snakes; it takes many years of experience to do so safely. Even the most qualified snake experts get bitten from time to time. The Kinyonga Reptile Centre runs snake handling courses during the summer months. Not everyone is a candidate for this training course. Candidates will have to first pass an ISZS accredited reptile orientation course and then it is up to the discretion of Kinyonga’s qualified staff to be allowed to do the advanced ISZS accredited handling course. Contact the Centre or have a look at Kinyonga’s website for more information.
Call someone else to capture the snake Please be careful when calling upon just anyone to help remove a problem snake. Not everyone who keeps snakes as pets or is interested in snakes is an expert in capturing snakes. Ask yourself, are you prepared to carry the responsibility if someone you called to capture the snake gets bitten? There could even be legal implications in the case of an accident.
Leave the snake alone To leave the snake alone may not sound like an option. But in reality most seemingly dangerous situations are in fact not really as dangerous as may seem, for example a black mamba sitting in a tree next to your house. The snake is not living there and was probably attracted to the house by food
or water. It will move off all on its own once satisfied. It will never attack and is super alert, so will always make a plan and avoid confrontation. It’s understandable that a snake under your bed or in the kitchen cupboard needs to be relocated. But you could
learn to live with the large python that you spotted at the far end of the farm.
Kill the snake Most of us are dedicated conservationists and to kill the snake goes against our principals of conservation. We understand that snakes are useful and are all part of the very delicate ecological balance. For example a single typical mouse eating snake is capable of eating more than 2 500 mice in its lifetime. It should be noted that throughout the world most people bitten were due to them trying to kill a snake. A snake is at its most dangerous when attacked and will defend itself to its maximum, trying to bite with major intent and injecting as much venom as possible. It’s wise to leave the snake alone so that it leaves us alone.
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sightings
Buffalo drinking by Jan Pienaar
Angry hippo by Jan Pienaar
Dead wood by Jan Pienaar
Hornbill feeding by Jan Pienaar Pieter Steenkamp page kindly sponsored by an anonymous donor
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Giraffe by Mark Sampson
Leopard by Mark Sampson
sightings
Lion by Janine Malan
Vulture feast by Sean Fairhead
page kindly sponsored by an anonymous donor
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Turning Kruger Green Story by Peter Lawson
I
n late November 2013 the South African Bird Atlas Project 2 (SABAP2), run by the Animal Demography Unit (ADU) at the University of Cape Town, received an invitation by SANParks Avian Research Manager, Sharon Thompson, to engage in targeting poorly mapped areas within the Kruger National Park. This led to the Turning Kruger Green (TKG) project being officially registered with SANParks with myself as the leader. A small team of atlas researchers were duly appointed to actively atlas those areas of the Kruger National Park that are not accessible nor open
to the public. This now extends to private reserves adjoining Kruger and thus work is soon to take place in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR). For those not familiar with SABAP2, the explanation is that bird data is collected in areas known as pentads (10km x 9km) and submitted to the ADU in a prescribed manner. They in turn manage and collate the data. The analysis and interpretation of this data enables the development of an understanding of the distribution, population and trends of birds, and thus contributes to their conservation. The collection and analysis of long term data regarding bird populations
and movements will help establish valuable evidence for meaningful interventions limiting potential future impacts of climate change on ecosystems and biodiversity. A large protected area such as Kruger National Park and adjoining reserves is extremely valuable for comparison of what takes place away from such pristine areas. The project is termed Turning Kruger Green as each pentad needs to be mapped a minimum of four times over a period for meaningful data to be collected. The SABAP2 website colour codes each pentad and once they
have been mapped four times they turn green on the map. Before this they are white, yellow or orange. More information is available on the website at sabap2.adu.org.za. The bird data collected in the KPNR will be posted in future issues of Klaserie Chronicle. I must thank warden, Colin Rowles for giving me the go ahead to start working in the area, and thanks also to Corné Havenga of CET for providing accommodation.
A handle on hippos
Story and photo by Chloe Cooper
T
he baby hippo needs all the protection it can get in its young life because it can provide a healthy meal for a hungry lion or croc. As a matter of fact, its father, or any one of the other males in its pod, can turn on it. Funnily enough, male hippos only seem to attack the babies in water,
but leave them alone on land. Hippo calves are born either in shallow water or on land, but either way they are taught how to swim very quickly. At first they can only hold their breath for about 30 seconds, but they soon develop ‘scuba lungs’ and can remain submerged for up to 6 minutes. Young’uns are often seen lying on their mothers’ backs in order to stay afloat, but they have
a skill for suckling under water. A hungry baby will take a breath, close its nose and ears, and secure its tongue around the teat. Hippos stay cool in water and in muddy environments, and they produce a red secretion on their skin that is said to protect their hairless skin from the scorching African sun. The mother hippo is a ferocious protector of her
baby, and she is not one you want to get too close to. At nDzuti Safari Camp, where this baby and mom were spotted, guests were on a walking safari, but guides are careful to avoid hippo paths for the very reason that these plump mammals have a nasty temper. Hippos leave clear signs of their presence around and near their local waterholes. Narrow paths leading to and from the water are carved out in the tall grass, doused in dung, and are re-used over and over again. The hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal, after the elephant and the rhino, and its thick skin can weigh up to half a ton. Despite its bulky form and its relation to the pig, hippos’ charging speeds can reach up to 10 metres per second, and one is advised not to get in the way!
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KlaserieKidz get up close with Hornbills Story by Nthabiseng Monama, photos by Nthabiseng Monama and Kate Carstens
T
he African Hornbill took centre stage at the most recent Children’s Eco Training (CET) holiday workshop in the June holidays. CET collaborated with the Mabula GroundHornbill Project (MGHP) and the Percy FitzPatrick Institute’s APNR Ground Hornbill Project to bring a Hornbillthemed holiday to the children present at these very popular workshops. As the Southern Ground-Hornbill is an endangered species in South Africa, the program was full of fun and informative activities, such as a treasure hunt, which all incorporated a strong conservation message. The kids were also taken to view one of the artificial nests on the reserve. This enabled them to see some of the conservation work in practice and understand what the birds require to breed. It also allowed for some Hornbill-spotting from the bakkies on the way, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Species such as the Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, the Southern Red-billed Hornbill and the African Grey Hornbill were all spotted and identified by the children en route. The holiday workshop focused on the Southern Ground-Hornbill, as the Klaserie area forms part of the ever-
decreasing range where they still occur. It is important to educate the young generation about their biology and the threats which they are likely to face in those areas, in order to promote their protection in the future. There is also an effort to promote a sense of ownership to
the local residents so that they can know, protect and be proud of ‘their’ birds. The programme contributed to the wide education outreach that the MGHP is conducting in all areas where the Southern Ground-Hornbill still occur, which includes a custodianship
programme to further encourage ownership within communities. The majority of threats facing the Southern Ground-Hornbill, such as persecution for breaking of windows, poisoning and loss of habitat, are as a result of human presence and therefore the sharing of knowledge within these areas is an invaluable tool in helping the species to survive. It was clear from all of the children that the message of conservation was certainly heard, in amongst an awful lot of fun, and these special birds were surely the talk and attraction of the holiday workshop for all that came. Kate Carstens, researcher at the APNR Ground Hornbill Project was very happy with the outcome of the workshop and said it was an incredible week. “We are extremely grateful to CET and the Mabula Project for coming on board for making this a fun and fact-filled week for the learners and instructors,” she said.
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Mahlathi Primary School Eco Village
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A third Eco Village
Wallabies volunteer at Mahlathi Story by Michael Galluzzo, photos by Esté Gerber and Matthew Willman
I
t has been an exciting time at Children’s Eco Training (CET) as Mahlathi Primary School was recently adopted as part of the Supporta-School programme. Thanks to the unwavering support of MAD CHARITY™ this is the third school to be adopted and goes a long way to extend CET’s reach in the community and improving the level of education in the area. The first step after adopting Mahlathi was to establish its very own Eco Village by building an eco garden and renovating a classroom in the school where eco lessons would be taught. With the help of six inspiring Australian volunteers from the Classic Wallabies’ Exchange these goals have been met and not only are
the gardens built but the first cycle of seedlings has been planted and the school’s learners have adopted the project wholeheartedly. This is the story of the Australian volunteers’ experience in South Africa and at Mahlathi Primary.
staff in Johannesburg, their volunteers on assignment in country and the Children’s Eco Training (CET) staff. We visited Constitution Hill, the South African History Archives,
CET adds third school to its Support-a-School programme.
continue on page 28 before
Getting to know South Africa Words cannot adequately describe the sights, sounds and feelings of being in a new country and experiencing all it has to offer. The first week of our journey in South Africa was structured in such a way that allowed each of us to develop a foundation of the history of South Africa and an understanding of the privileged role we have been given as volunteers to represent Australia. We were welcomed by the Australian Volunteers International (AVI) office
after
After lunch with the Australian High Commissioner, His Excellency Mr. Graeme Wilson.
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28 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 29
Mahlathi Primary School Eco Village
had lunch with the Australian High Commissioner, His Excellency Mr. Graeme Wilson, and visited the Mandela Foundation and Soweto. All of these were invaluable experiences and aided us in our preparation for our project commencement. After four days in Johannesburg we made our way to our new home for the next four weeks. The drive took us almost the whole day, taking it easy and taking in all that the South African landscape had to offer. On our way into the Acornhoek area we stopped to take in the view and were amazed at the beauty and size of the area. We could not have imagined that this picture of serenity was to be where we would volunteer.
Stepping into the unknown
There is always both fear and excitement when entering the unknown. These were the mixed emotions the group were feeling as we were about to start our volunteer experience. The week began with an introduction to CET and, most appropriately, a drive through the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve (KPNR). We were in the middle of the bush, surrounded by wildlife, and we loved it! The session was run by CET CEO, Corné Havenga. During the session we learnt about the history and day-to-day programmes which CET facilitates and we met the principals of Senganyane, Matikinya and Mahlathi Schools.
The Eco Village project is centred on creating an eco-friendly and selfsustaining garden which can provide both fresh veggies and fruit while promoting environmental education to the children. As a team we also wanted to run some fun and engaging holiday activities for the students. We asked the students what they wanted to play and of course the favourites were soccer and rugby. We were taught how to build a keyhole garden at Seganyane Primary. For the most part we were hesitant and unsure of what we were doing, but by the end of the day we felt we could at least build one keyhole – the test would be building 27 more, refurbish a classroom, and much more.
The hard work begins
We were met at the gate of Mahlathi Primary by more than 300 smiling students. The principal greeted each volunteer with a firm but warm handshake and that was the beginning of a great relationship with
the school community. Following this greeting we had the opportunity to view a spectacular showing of the local culture with the girls and boys from the school performing for us. After the festivities the volunteers wasted no time in getting to work. On the first day we were presented with a piece of land. There were no markings to indicate where we should begin but after discussing the needs of the school with CET we got to work digging 28 keyhole gardens.
Working with the community
We were eager to begin creating the Eco Village but wondered whether the school community would accept us and if we would adapt given our cultural differences. On our second day, once we were separated into groups with our school kids we commenced and completed digging all 28 key holes. Despite our initial fears we achieved our first goal. The days to follow continued to be as successful as the first. As we reached new milestones both daily and weekly we maintained and enriched our working relationships with the CET staff, school children and each other. The school children who knew English reasonably well would translate for us to our groups as needed, and every day we learnt to speak a few words in the local language to help us along the way. But no translations were required each morning when we arrived at school and were greeted with big smiles from all the school children. Our daily routine saw us wake at 7am and arrive at the school by 8:30am. Before starting work we would chat with the CET staff to make sure we are working as a team to get the village completed. The students always wanted to be
29 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 29 there ahead of us to make sure everything was ready. When we arrived each morning the students would rush into the tool shed to pick their tool of choice and would work until everything was finished, not just until lunch was ready, which we found both endearing but also surprising. It was through this commitment and enthusiasm to the school project that we were achieving better than expected results. With the keyhole garden foundations dug and cement laid in the first four days, we moved onto making some functional and colourful fencing as well as refurbishing the eco-classroom. Everything slowly but surely went up around us and the Australian artwork in the classroom was a big hit! While we were reaching milestones and getting things done ahead of time some of the volunteers started to feel the effects of homesickness in the middle of the project. However, open communication, being supportive of each other, support from the CET staff at every step and plenty of laughs went some way in helping. The rest of the need was met by working with the school children, seeing their smiles each day and knowing that what we were working towards is rewarding for them in so many ways.
The Classic Wallabies’ Exchange was made possible through the collaboration of Classic Wallabies, the Eidos Institute, MAD CHARITY™, Children’s Eco Training (CET) and Australian Volunteers International, through Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID), an Australian Government initiative. Faith “Invigorating is the word I would use to describe what the group experienced.” Dale “Saying goodbye never gets any easier. When I left South Africa, I said goodbye to some of the most welcoming kindhearted people I have ever had the privilege to meet and work with.”
Alice “When I finished reading out loud to one of the girls she said that was beautiful and gave me a big hug. It’s the little things in life that can mean so much to one person!” Tallisha “We’ve made new friendships and formed new bonds. It’s been an unbelievable experience and while we were often worn out digging and
building the Eco Village we were also filled with a sense of accomplishment being able to facilitate the development of such a valuable resource for the community.” Vayda “On behalf of myself, Tallisha, Dale, Faith, Alice and Michael we thank those students and community for the opportunity to grow and learn with each you.”
Alice
Coming to an end
As we drove into the school grounds for the last day we were unsure if we will get to finish all that we set out to achieve. Over those last few hours though the sign boards were hung and everything finally came together. Stepping back after the mad rush it was great to know that we finished! As much as completing the physical structures, and finishing the refurbishment gives a sense of accomplishment the opening words of a thank you card from one of the students, “To the honourable Australian volunteers”, encapsulates what this experience meant for all of us. To have gained the respect of such hard working, kind hearted and beautiful students has meant the world to all of us.
Faith
Tallisha
Dale
Vayda
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Hitting the Safari Jackpot Story and images by Chloe Cooper nThambo Tree Camp is an unfenced lodge, and we are escorted to bed by rangers with torches, just to be sure that there are no predatory creatures hiding out underneath our stilted chalets or silent elephants walking their babies to the waterhole just a few metres in front of camp. For the lodge staff, it is not unusual to have late night visitors, but any informed safari-goer will know one can never predict what will happen, so it was a thrill to experience such up-close and unexpected visitors. The game drive here made my personal top 5. Our Land Rover, driven by guide, Matt, happened upon a herd of elephants. There were about 50 individuals, ranging in age and led by one dominant female, the matriarch.
She let us know that she was in control of the situation and stood in the road eating for longer than necessary. Her little calf kept well underfoot of her and made it difficult for us to get moving again after a wonderfully long visit with the whole family. We were well and truly stuck in an elephant traffic jam! Matt expertly managed the situation and we moved slowly through the herd. A couple of members objected, and Mrs Matriarch made resounding stomach grumbles, which we felt right to the bone. By the time we were back at the lodge and had tucked into dinners, we were alerted to a violent rustling in the bin area behind the kitchen. A honey badger had made its way to nThambo Tree Camp and was determined to find some tasty leftovers. We stalked him as far as we could before catching his rear end disappearing into the dark. While we were being distracted by the antics of the honey badger, a small herd of six or seven elephants had sidled up to the birdbath right
You know you’ve hit the safari jackpot when you don’t even have to leave the lodge to see some excellent game. The thing is, we HAD been out on game drive and we had already had our fill for the evening. The fact that we had a honey badger, a herd of elephants, and a lone spotted hyena visit the lodge after dinner was a bonus! next to our dinner table. A big momma and her baby drank first, as we stood about 5 metres away, then the others stepped forward to drink. Their low, alto grumbles reverberated through the ground, but they were unfazed by our awestruck presence. Photographs were difficult because of the poor light, but the experience was unrivalled. Just as we thought the show must be over, a spotted hyena entered the light surrounding the lodge. Walking on its own, it appeared to be on a mission, but slowed down to give us the once-over before skulking around the perimeter of the boma. We later heard that Matt was on his way to his room at this time and soon realised he was being followed by this lone hyena! We went to bed hearing the eerie call of hyenas beginning their night’s hunt. The excited ‘whooooop’ was interrupted only by the distant roaring of lion we are yet to find. However, our ears are pricked and eyes peeled as we learn about the paw prints of lions from Isaac, our Shangaan tracker.
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Cassie goes to Germany Story by Cassandra Mnisi Cassandra Mnisi, one of the MAD CHARITY™, Children’s Eco Training (CET) and Southern Cross Schools (SCS) bursary students, travelled to Germany during the winter holidays as part of the school’s outbound exchange programme with the Martin Pollich Gymnasium (MPG) in the Rhön Biosphere of the country. The exchange was funded in part by the German organisation, ENSA, and Cassandra’s participation was made possible by the generous support of MAD CHARITY™ and CET. This is Cassie’s report on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
I
had a fantastic experience in Germany with my fellow students and two teachers. We travelled to the beautiful Rhön Biosphere, which is completely different from the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere with gigantic, green maple and pine trees in the forest, green grass, never-ending views and mostly Rhön sheep. We learnt a lot about the carbon dioxide we release every day and took some actions by measuring our carbon footprint and learning more about our ecological footprint. The exchange programme consisted of different activities during the three weeks. On our first day we were welcomed at the school hall at MPG and their best drummer performed on stage. We went home with our hosts and were all excited and jovial about spending time with them at their lovely homes. My hosts, the Damn family, were very hospitable and made me feel at home instead of like a guest. The first few days we were involved in class lessons
with our hosts and the rest of the time we were outdoors in the forest – hiking, removing alien plants called Lupines and creating land art using different plants and branches. We visited the bio-energy factory and the earth house where we played volleyball, soccer and table tennis. We also worked on the design for the logo for the exchange programme and brainstormed ideas to earn money for the exchange programme to continue. We had some free time on weekends with our hosts, during which we went to Frankfurt to shop and explore as well as took a tour of Erfurt and learned about the history of the city. We also attended a family wedding, went to a church festival, visited other family members, watched soccer at the public viewing when Germany won the Soccer World Cup, went to a lake festival, barbequed at home and went bowling in Münnerstadt. During our last few days before leaving, we went to Point Alpha Memorial where we learned
about the Cold War, negotiating peace and the Berlin Wall. We were very lucky that it was summer because we experienced rainy and sunny days as well as some almost-freezing weather. I found their transport great, as they have luxurious trains and busses and you don’t need your own car to go to town or anywhere. It was so sad on our last day and everyone was in tears when they said farewell at school, the headmaster even sang us a song. I miss all the the lovely,kind and good people that I met. My host family were very kind and caring, I found it very touching to meet new people who loved me. We were busy all the time and didn’t have a lot of time to relax but it was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Sometimes I wish I could rewind to those lovely moments when we all had fun together, my German and South African friends. The memories we shared shall remain close to our hearts and remembered forever. I would like to thank MAD CHARITY™, CET and my family for supporting me every the step of the way and SCS for giving me this opportunity. I hope the friendship between SCS and MPG continues forever.
32 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 29
•
OCTOBER HWS: Teachers’ training dates: 2 and 3 October 2014/ Workshop dates 6 - 9 October 2014 – Theme: Soil erosion and the environment
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DECEMBER HWS: Teachers’ training dates: 4 and 5 December/ Workshop dates 8 – 11 December 2014 – Theme: Energy cycle in the environment
Dates to remember
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