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Inyati Times 7
Ongoing Research
The environmental management of the Greater Kruger National Park (Kruger, Sabi Sand, Timbavati, Klaserie and Balule) does an annual game count to try and establish trends in the game population. Once established, these trends are compared to factors such as drought, high rainfall, reintroductions, culling and harvesting to establish any deviation from the expected trend. Such deviations are investigated and management principals are adjusted if need be.We constantly refer to trend rather than numbers as it is near impossible to accomplish an accurate count in a tract of land as vast as the Greater Kruger National Park.
The count is done by air using a helicopter in the private reserves. Low altitude transects 500m apart are flown diagonally across the park at an altitude of 100m. The count is done under the same conditions at the same time of year each year to eliminate any variances due to environmental changes.
The data collected over the past few years is valuable as it aids in our understanding of the intricate relationships between biotic and abiotic factors within the system.
It also reveals the sensitivity of certain species to changes in rainfall patterns.
In a nutshell the majority of the herbivore population reacts to rainfall, increasing after good rainfall years and decreasing during dry spells. Predators react to the abundance of prey species, increasing after a spike in prey population and decreasing after slumps in food source numbers.
This is obviously a gross generalization as there are a vast number of factors such as competition between different species of predators, disease, sex ratio, and intra-specific competition that come into play.
Keep in mind that the fence between the Kruger National Park and the Sabi Sand was removed in 1993, thus the drop in numbers after an exodus of game in to the Kruger Park. Numbers prior to this would be jaded due to animals being contained.
A severe drought hit the park in 1992 and this would certainly also effect herbivore numbers during this time.
Note that the below graphs are applicable to the Sabi Sand only.
To keep it as short as possible I have isolated a few species to discuss:
Impala:
As per the above graph it is clear that impala react to rainfall. Compare the Rainfall and impala numbers poly. A steep decline is prevalent after the fences dropped but the population seems to have stabilized of late.
Buffalo:
The effect of the drought in 1992 and anthrax outbreak is prevalent here. A definite correlation between drought and anthrax outbreaks has been proven. Buffalo are severely affected as an interesting cycle between Vultures, buffalo and anthrax fuels the problem. Vultures tend to bathe after feeding on carcasses, if the carcass was infected with anthrax the spores are transported with the vultures and deposited in a water source used to bathe in. The spore is heavy and settles at the bottom of the water source, buffalo tend to wallow in the water source thus churning up the spores and drinking the spore laden water. Buffalo being a water dependant species also compounds the effect.
Zebra and wildebeest:
I have added these two species as there is often a perception that the Sabi Sand lacks general game, the data indicates a very different scenario. Just to brag!
Elephant and White Rhinoceros:
A much more accurate count is done on Elephant and White rhinoceros as these species are firstly large enough to see from the air and both species are of great importance to the Greater Kruger national park. These species are counted from a helicopter and photos are taken to poof the aerial count.
Rhino are closely monitored due to the challenges the population faces in Africa. South Africa is proudly the only nation showing a positive population growth curve in Africa and we would like to keep it that way by maintaining a very effective anti-poaching force and proper conservation management practices.
An accurate count is done on elephant as elephants have shown a positive population growth irrespective of rainfall patterns. This is due to elephants being intelligent enough to adapt to long term changes in rainfall by feeding on roots, bark and digging for water, thus nullifying the inhibiting effect of droughts.
The impact of elephants on the reserve is well documented and intervention with elephant population growth is inevitable. As this is a contentious issue the reserve is pedantic with elephant data.
The population growth curve of White Rhino is something to be very proud of. A record number of 275 white rhino were counted in the Sabi Sand thus making up 43% of all the private reserves combined.
A positive growth curve has been maintained since 2004.
I’d like to thank Jonathan Swart for making his data available!
New Arrivals
The first new impala lamb was spotted earlier this month. Remarkably the little impalas are carbon copies of the adults even shortly after birth. This is due to a relatively long gestation (+- 200days) allowing advanced development in the womb. Unlike many other mammals impala have to “hit the ground running” as they do not have the luxury of a mother that can hide or defend them. Less than half an hour after birth the lamb is able to keep a steady pace with its mother.
Scent glands stay redundant in the early stages of an impalas’ life thus leaving them scentless shortly after birth.
The ewes tend to drop at about the same time every year, this fact gave rise to a common but unfounded hypothesis that ewes are able to delay birth for up to a month if conditions are not favorable.
Impala ewes co-incide estrus (a common phenomenon in gregarious mammals) and the males “rut” in early winter. The rut is a response to shortening daytimes where testosterone levels spike to an annual high causing males to set strict hierarchies where one dominant male (at a time) has the right to mate with the “harems” of females. This perfect timing of rutting and estrus is natures’ way of ensuring that conception takes place at a similar time, this in turn means that lambs are born at very much the same time of year ensuring safety in numbers for individual impala lambs.
Proud new mothers
Impala are also one of the few antelope that have a conception rate of over 90%.
Impala furthermore have an uncanny ability to control tick infestation by practicing “allogrooming”, this grooming entails reciprocal oral grooming using specialized teeth called an “antelope toothcomb”.
The impala is also the smallest antelope to allow Oxpeckers to groom it. This attention to tick infestations contributes to energy levels due to less blood loss and also limits the amount of tick borne diseases contracted.
The impala epitomizes the diversity of adaptation that contributes to the success of African mammals.
Father of many
Summertime!
The arrival of the woodland kingfisher (Halcyon senegalensis) signals the arrival of the rains and confirms that summer is in full swing.The Kingfishers arrived within the first week of November and have been everywhere since. The high pitched call and shrill territorial displays can be heard all day at Inyati. The woodlands kingfisher migrates from east Africa to South Africa to breed here in summer. This is done due to the abundance of insects after the seasonal southern African rain. Woodland kingfishers, unlike their name suggests feed mainly on insects and small reptiles.
The birds are monogamous with the pair using a nest hole excavated by woodpeckers or barbets to lay 2-4 round eggs from November to March
 Juvenile Woodland kingfisher |
 Adult Woodland kingfisher |
Sightings Report
Leopard
Our leopard queen, Shangwa has been an absolute superstar this month with regular sightings of her and cub in and around the Sand river. This experienced and strong cat managed to kill three fully grown nyala cows and a few impalas.
Elephant
Big breeding herds, bachelor herds and some single bull elephants are a common sighting in, along and around the Sand river. A lot of babies crossing rivers and mud wallowing especially around the Hippo pool area have entertained us during morning breaks and sundowners.
Wild Dogs
Every dog has his day, they say, but this month at Inyati the dogs have not just had one day, but many - and in the process have made many of our days, too. The guests have been treated to some really special predator sightings of late
In and around camp
Our resident water buck herd have been entertaining this month, there are few new calves in the herd but unfortunately one of the cows was killed by a pride of lions just outside the lodge.
For full October Sightings Report click here
A Spring Wedding
The change in season has brought with it the first signs of new life. As the temperatures increase and the humidity slowly thickens the air many of the plants have reacted by producing fresh new leaves and bright aromatic flowers. One of the more obvious trees the Weeping boer-bean (Scotia brachypetala ) produces tufts of brilliant red flowers that create a fantastic contrast to the currently stark landscape. The flowers also emit an aroma that can be smelt for some distance.The local name for the tree is "Mvomvomvo" as the abovementioned attracts an array of insects creating a constant buzz overhead hence mvoooo-mvoooo.
The season also brought a change for a special couple this month: Alana and Eric Lapierre tied the knot at Inyati on the 16th of September 2009.
It was a relaxed and very romantic affair that included a private vehicle and private meals allowing the couple to savour the moment.
The witness arrives
During the ceremony an Elephant bull joined the proceedings to witness and bless the wedding in true African style.
The ellie keeping an eye on proceedings
After the ceremony the newly weds set off into the bush, wedding dress and all, in a Land rover carefully decorated by Piet and Nelson with all the bush flowers they could get their hands on.
The couple was met by a pride of lions and a herd of buffalo to top off the day.
The Inyati family would like to wish Eric and Alana a prosperous future and hope for them to return to the bush one day, maybe with some little ones of their own!
Tsemba Hosi
The Tsemba Hosi School for the disabled is growing from strength to strength and the Inyati guests have been showing great support for the project.As mentioned in the September newsletter, the school received donations for some maintenance work and paving. Mr. Heinrich Greter and his wife Daisy have once again made a contribution to the school by extending the current paving. The extension allows wheelchair access to bathrooms and also paves the access into the centre. With the rainy season approaching this will make life much easier for the children.
This means no more muddy puddles to negotiate. Tsemba hosi, the community and Inyati would like to thank everyone for their contributions to developing a healthy community.
The now paved area for morning assembly
Access to the bathrooms
The Oasis
Even though spring has arrived in the lowveld we have had no substantial rain as yet, this means that pickings are still a bit sparse for the large herbivores.The elephants have all congregated along the river to make use of the still lush vegetation on the banks of the river, and also to have a shower and mud bath in the now searing heat.
This has made for daily elephant viewing on drive and from camp.
A large herd of buffalo has also made the river its home and the river and reed beds now often resembles a line of ants as the herd feeds, stretched along the Sand River.
One of the bulls takes time from grazing to glare at us
Many browsers have also been frequenting the riverbanks as the larger trees have tapped into the groundwater and are already bearing fresh new leaves and flowers.
We spent quite some time viewing one giraffe bull that was gorging himself with leaves and flowers from a River Bushwillow. The flowers and pollen were obviously irritating his nasal passages from time to time making for some hilarious facial expressions.
That's one way to clear the sinuses
Outreach From Afar
Mr. Lewis and Mrs. Belinda Fuller form Fuller Medical Supply in Alabama U.S.A. celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary at Inyati.In honour of their anniversary the couple decided to donate a substantial amount of much needed medical supplies to a local village and clinic.
The clinic staff, elated with the donation
The supplies will be used to treat the children in the surrounding villages
The Inyati family and the local village would like to thank the Fuller's for their donation, it will most definitely make a difference to many little lives.
We would also like to thank Mr. Chris Cote from Kanyezi Africa for his on going support and generous contributions.
The clinic staff sporting the new equipment
and a young patient awaiting treatment.
Sightings Report
Lion
Mapogo and Ximhungwe females have been very
active giving great sightings throughout the month
of this report. They killed three buffalos this month
and two of these were killed in one morning. They
have also been mating and this started a deadly
fight between two of the four brothers that are on
our section of the reserve. Even though the younger
male won the fight he was badly wounded and
could hardly walk yet he took over the mating
privileges and did his best to satisfy her.
Cheetah
The month has been excellent with regard to cheetah sightings with several
close encounters with these amazing creatures. Two different males were
seen and the new, old male with hanging lip
got injured on his shoulder… possibly from
antelope’s horns.
White Rhino
White rhino numbers are on the increase in our reserve. There are
currently lots of calves that are becoming accustomed to vehicles.
In and around camp
Elephants have continued their almost daily appearance around
the lodge. Four bulls have taken a fancy to our trees in the lodge
and we have them almost every night.
For full September Sightings Report click here
Another rare surprise
The evening drives have produced some very interesting sightings this month. This can partly be attributed to the ailing grass cover that makes locating the smaller mammals much easier.Some of the interesting sightings include Small spotted genet, a white tailed mongoose with a black tail, and a Serval and cub.
After yet another successful evening drive Piet found a Cape clawless otter at the causeway in front of camp. He quickly called the rest of the rangers to announce his rare find but the majority of the rangers were either back at camp or too far to respond. As I was relatively close I decided to give it a go.
At first I was sure that the otter would quickly disappear as they are generally quite skittish, but this otter seemed to love the attention. Piet, the guest and I had the privilege of spending about twenty minutes observing the otter at close range.
The significance of this sighting is that otters for a start are rare to see and they tend to frequent areas in the river where a land rover cannot reach. The low water level in the Sand river most probably forced the otter to hunt in the areas less frequented, but the individual that Piet found has defiantly grown accustomed to humans. Probably watching us from the safety of the reeds quite often.
This particular otter is a Cape Clawless Otter (Aonyx capensis ), as the name suggests the otter is clawless but also has only partially webbed hind feet (no webbing on the front feet) and is a specialist at catching crabs. The closely related Spotted necked otter specializes at catching fish, using the clawed digits to catch and handle prey. The only reported occurrence of Spotted necked otters in the Sabi Sand is a track that was identified by a renowned tracking specialist.
The cape clawless otter is a relatively large animal and can weigh up to 14 kilograms. Little is known about their breeding behavior barring that 1 to 3 young are born and no paternal care has been noted.
Cape clawless otters spend a lot of time on land often basking belly up on rocks. For this reason tracks are often found on the banks of the Sand river.
Interesting times
It is sad for us to report that we presume our old male leopard “Wallingford” has died, I say presume because we haven’t seen him for a month but we also haven’t found any further evidence.
He had lost condition of late and seemed to be carrying quite a serious injury to his right front leg. These, together with a few new male leopards within his territory were sure signs that his time was out.
Due to the healthy population of leopard in the reserve there is a constant battle for territory and new males are always on the fringes of the dominant males’ territory waiting for any sign of weakness.
As noted before a new male ‘Tewkane” has been in Wallingford’s territory for about a year now, he was possibly responsible for the injury and condition of Wallingford when we last saw him.
Tekwane is also now under pressure as we have seen two new males in the north western section of his territory and one new male in the southwestern extremity of his domain.
As Tekwane is a large but young male the fight for the territory is on.
One of the males making some inroads is a young male from the east named Shinzele. He apparently had a serious fight with a large male in the east but survived, and is now trying his hand in the western sector. He is a very relaxed male but unfortunately not the no. 1 contender due to his age and size (for now).
Shinzele still at his cub-like antics
The second male is a far more serious contender for the dominance of the territory. He is a large male (larger than Tekwane) with very short ears.
He is a bit skittish and we are unsure of his history, he is often seen from Inyati and is slowly getting accustomed to the Game drive vehicles. We have named him Xindlevane (swindlevaan) “small ears” for now, due to his disproportionately small ears.
This interspecific competition could be disruptive in the short term as male leopards will kill any cubs that they have not sired. The long term benefit of this is a healthy genetic pool as an unrelated male will eventually settle in the territory and produce his own offspring.
Tekwane has already been sowing his seed. Of late he has been seen mating with the Hlabankunzi female. This at first was quite the spectacle as the female had approached him on numerous times when she went into season, doing her best to flaunt herself at him but to no avail.
On at least three occasions we encountered the pair together with Tekwane giving her the cold shoulder accompanied by some fierce growling. We were starting to have our doubts about Tekwane until he (very recently) got his act together and succumbed to her persistent advances.
Dejected: Hlabankunsi settles after yet
another
bout of unproductive flirting
For the time being Tekwane is ruling the roost but as all things in the bush his reign is currently on a knife edge. We will be watching closely and let you know what unfolds.
Tekwane the top dog (for now)
Sightings Report
Cape buffalo
The large herd of buffalo was here for the good part of the month of this report and there were also lots of bachelor herds of buffalo bulls all around the reserve at the moment, as well as the ever-present herd of old males that live around the camp.
Elephant
Elephants have arrived in the Sabi sand game reserve, Inyati in force - crossing back-and-forth across the sand river, providing us with superb sightings of swimming pachyderms. Situated just on the banks of the river- our lodge has become a very popular gathering spot for huge beasts, especially at midday when thirst drives them to drink from the waters directly in front of the lodge.
Leopard
Perhaps the only experience more wonderful than watching one female leopard playfully running up and down the branches of a sausage tree in perfect late afternoon light, would be two leopards playing together in the same way. And that's exactly the experience some of our guests had with Shangwa female and her young this month.
In and around camp
Many animals frequent the river from one time to another but watching a cheetah walking across the front of the lodge is always a treat for staff that don’t often get to go out on game drives. Leopards have even been seen in camp during dinner on a few occasions! We often hear the monkeys and bush bucks in camp barking (alarm calling), which tells us our favourite spotted cat is in the area again. We even had leopards, Thekwane and xikavi mating in front of all staff and guests.
For full August Sightings Report click here
More hearts go out to the community
Mr. Heinrich Greter and his wife Daisy have been great supporters of Inyati and Tsemba hosi over the past few years. They have once again made a substantial contribution to the community.Mr. and Mrs. Greter donated a whopping R35 400.00 to the center to install taps, fix drainage pipes, upgrade current electrical circuits and extend the paving.
The Inyati family and the local community would like to sincerely thank the Greters for their ongoing heartfelt support.
Daisy Greter and the Tsemba Hosi children
New blood
Due to the recent change in prides at Inyati a few interesting visitors have made their way onto the property.
A pride of eight individuals have made Inyati and it’s surrounds their home for the past month. The pride is comprised of two adult females, two sub adult males and four sub adult females. The exciting side of the new pride is the amount of young females witch in future will contribute to the prides’ size.
Historically many males have been born from our resident prides, this was only a short term contribution to pride size as the males are ousted by their fathers as soon as sexual maturity is reached.
The net result of this meant that the prides in the area continued to be relatively small in number. The stability that the dominant males (The Mapogo) provide, together with the fact that the reserve is part of the Greater Kruger National park that facilitates the natural influx and exit of lion has now become prevalent.
The new pride (Othawa pride) have settled well and managed to make some substantial kills in the area ranging from small game to a giraffe close to Inyati camp.
Othawa lioness surveying her new territory
All the sub-adults in the pride were fathered by the Mapogo males; this ensures protection from nomadic males as long as the Mapogo are dominant in the area.
The prides movement and territorial expansion will be closely monitored and we will keep you informed.
The pride feeding on a giraffe
A rare encounter
One afternoon drive produced a sighting considered by many to be the holy grail of viewing in the Sabi Sand. Most would expect that I’m referring to lions making a kill or ferocious interspecific interaction between predators, but this secretive animal is so illusive that many a ranger and guest spend the majority of their days on safari without even a glimpse.
Piet Marimane and I were viewing a crash of seven rhino (an amazing sighting in itself) when Piet noticed a scurry in the long grass close to his vehicle. At first Piet presumed that it was a snake or Plated lizard about in unusually chilly conditions.
When he noticed what it was his excitement was tangible. A very large pangolin had stumbled across our rhino sighting! The Rhino very quickly became of secondary importance as Piet and I scurried like excited children for cameras. The pangolin was kind enough to make its way to a nearby termite mound in full view of all us. It pottered around in search of termites for a while but as soon as it noticed us coiled into a defensive ball. We sat with the pangolin until it relaxed (which was well after sundown) and afforded us the opportunity of a few pictures.
The pangolin rolled up defensively
Whilst rolled into a ball the pangolins delicate underbelly and face is shielded by the keratinous scales, a formidable defense even from large predators.
The rarity of pangolin in the African wilds is mostly due to a slow breeding re-occurrence and trade in traditional medicines. The scales and even unborn pangolins are a sought after commodity.Luckily vast tracks of wild land such as the Sabi Sand ensure the protection of this remarkable and little understood animal.
In search of termites
Yet another pride
As noted last month the pride dynamics at Inyati have been very interesting of late, but the plot thickens.
Another pride of Lions have been seen on our traversing this month! With the help of our eastern neighbors we were able to identify the pride as the Sparta pride that usually roams far to the east of Inyati and our traversing. The prides visits have been way to sporadic to refer to them as residents but their occurrence in the area is noteworthy.
A total of eleven individuals have been noted, the most surprising being an old male that slipped under the Mapogos (our dominant males) radar.
It is believed that the Mapogo males originated from this pride but as we don’t see the pride frequently we are still putting together the puzzle.
The Sparta pride
Note the unusually large young male laying in the middle of the road. It is unclear to us as to why the pride is moving so far from it eastern territory, hopefully time will tell.
Inyati refurbishment complete
The Inyati refurbishment is now complete. We are very proud of our stunning 2 new Executive Suites as well as our new reception area, curio shop, guest toilets and wine cellar. The bar and lounge area also underwent a huge improvement and revamp which has resulted in bringing a chic but warm and cozy feel to the lodge. Inyati now boasts 7 luxury chalets and 4 ultra luxurious Executive chalets.
Sightings Report
White Rhino
The rhino numbers are also increasing now and there are very few drives that we do not see these prehistoric looking beasts. Amongst the new add-ons there is one with such character and full of energy. He seems to like performing for us. At the arrival of the vehicle he comes very close curiously and then as he jumps from side to side he charges back to his mum. He does this almost every time we see him and the mother has leant to ignore him. They are currently a few other little rhinos running around our property.
Lion
On one icy morning, we headed in search of the Ottawa pride after leaving them hunting impalas the previous night. We located tracks of both lionesses and cubs, further evidence indicated that they had been hunting giraffe. At one stage both lionesses were on both of the giraffe's hind legs yet this big animal managed to drag them off for about hundred meters distance. We comprehended all this from signs they left us and upon further tracking we found them still on the stand off with the giraffe.
Much more interesting wildlife
Dung beetle, these insects has fallen on hard times. Once worshipped by ancient Egyptians, its status has now slipped to that of unsung and forgotton hero, the butt of scatological jokes. Yet the dung beetle is truly heroic. It is a well known 'fact' that were it not for the dung beetle, the world would be knee-deep in animal droppings, especially those of large herbivores like cows, rhinos and elephants which, because they eat more food, produce more waste.
In and around camp
Most of our summer migrant birds have left for the warmer temperatures of Europe and Northern Africa; being a sure sign that winter is here but our garden is not left empty. Against the contrasting winter colors of the grass there are still some beautiful feathered friends like the malachite Kingfisher, the Purple Crested Turaco and the Yellowthroated Longclaw, to name but a few that still capture our attention with their awe striking colours.
For full May Sightings Report click here
For full June Sightings Report click here
Dinner with a twist
As the winter chill starts setting in and evenings become longer, the only way to keep warm and cozy in Africa is sitting next to a camp fire.Guest and staff at Inyati have been enjoying nights in the bush reminiscing about the day’s events around a roaring fire.
No lights, phones or any day to day gadgets that separate us from nature on a daily base. Only a crackling fire and nocturnal birds occasionally interrupted by a lion roaring in the distance.
A traditional South African meal is served off the fire as a reminder of days gone by; the only change is a glass of Red wine to warm the soul.
After dinner the guest are entertained by the Inyati staff that sing traditional Shangaan and Zulu songs, the voices and beat in sync with the ancient hunter gatherer rhythms.
A new litter
The rangers noticed that one of the Lionesses from the Ximungwe pride had been isolating herself from the pride for quite some time. She was monitored closely and it was noted that she was showing signs of mammary development and spending time in a thick and inaccessible drainage line, probably nursing a new litter.
She was left to go about her business with minimal disturbance and we had to wait until she was ready to show us her new litter.
A few months passed as we watched and waited.
One early morning this month the lioness decided it was time to show the cubs to us, and what a show it was! Initially the little one were understandably skittish but they soon adopted mom’s nonchalant approach to vehicles and afforded us the opportunity to share some time with them.
Our first view
The cubs have since relaxed considerably often approaching vehicle for a close inspection.
A closer view a few days later
Changing lives
Inyati is involved with numerous community projects; together with many of our neighboring lodges we believe community upliftment is an integral part of conservation.
A few years ago it became prevalent that there was a serious need for a facility to educate and care for mentally disabled children in the neighboring villages. The lodges in the Sabi Sand got together and built a school to facilitate this need.
The Tsemba Hosi (to trust God) school has grown from strength to strength with the support of the lodges and some generous donations from various guests.
Mr. Hartmut Selbach visited Inyati and was very keen to get the Lions Club in Germany to further the community development cause. Shortly after his visit he started to liaise with the Community development co-coordinator in the Sabi Sand and it was decided to pave the area surrounding the school as the children in wheelchairs were battling to get around in the dusty surroundings.
The paving project was completed this month and it looks fantastic, the children are now able to access the school and surrounds with ease!!
I would like to thank Mr.Selbach and everyone involved with the project for reaching out to the children.
Thank you Mr. Selbach!!
An eye on the environment
As mentioned in previous newsletters the reserve experienced a far above average rainy season, this is hugely beneficial to the reserve but has left us with some very important conservation work.
Due to a few very concentrated downpours many of the drainage lines flooded and together with human impact such as roads has contributed to erosion in certain areas. The primary objective in erosion reclamation is to preserve topsoil that contains many minerals and nutrients that support plant life. Badly eroded areas expose the lower layers (horizons) of soil that due to structure (rocky, sandy, lack of minerals, inability to ‘hold’ water) is unable to support much plant life. As you can imagine this quickly tends to snowball if left unmanaged.
The Inyati field team has been hard at work ensuring roads are properly constructed and maintained and a few extensive erosion reclamation sites have been built.
The structure above is called a gabion, the function of this structure is primarily to slow the flow of water, trap sediment and thus prevent further erosion and promote soil stability that will be followed by grass cover and a fully rehabilitated area
This work will ensure that the reserve we are privileged to live in will stay pristine for many years to come.
Sightings Report
Elephant
While driving along thekwane clearing along the bank of
Sand River we found ourselves amongst a breeding herd
of Africa's largest land mammal - the
Elephant. We sat back and watched
as the whole family including the
adults were rolling in a mud wallow
and splashing water from the paddle
like pigs. Who says elephants don’t lie
down? This gave the guests the perfect opportunity to take some awesome camera shots.
Cape buffalo
The large herds of buffalo paid us a few visits this month. “Love is in
the air”. The herd was quite active bull mating and fighting for the
right to mate. Few lone bulls have been seen in and around the
sand river. The Bachelor herd with one female has been around on
almost every game drive around top dam area
northern part of our reserve.
Cheetah
Sometimes the success of the game drive is the result of being at the right place at
the right time. As we were driving along hatlisa road we stumbled across a cheetah
kill right next to the road. The common duiker had just been killed when we
arrived. The area was densely vegetated, so had we been a few minutes earlier, we
would have missed the kill. Lucky for us that we had brought our cameras with us,
we got a couple of good pictures. What was very interesting however was that
cheetahs usually hunt on the plains and grasslands but we find this one below very
dense area.
Rather dangerous area for cheetah to be in, extraordinary! Obviously
the cat was very hungry; he took the chance and managed to get himself a good
lunch.
More Interesting Wildlife
The wilderness is always full of surprises.
On the way back from a successful
morning drive, just a few minutes out of
the lodge, we found black-backed jackal
feeding on an impala carcass. A few
minutes later a mother warthog with her
two piglets arrived. She drove the jackal
away and started feeding on the carcass. I
had always read or heard that they do eat carrion, but this was my first to witness this unusual behavior,
well they are pigs after all.
For full March Sightings Report click here
For full April Sightings Report click here
Fun in the river
The rain experienced in December continued well into January, many of the drainage lines within the reserve flooded this month. Apart from making deliveries impossible and leaving staff stranded from time to time, the floods have cleared a few of the reed beds from our drainage lines and rivers. Natures’ dredger hard at work!
The sand river in flood
Our northern traversing has been inaccessible at times as the Sand River has been in full flood. Georgie, being the pioneer that he is, decided that he would be the first Ranger in about 3 weeks to cross the Sand river. The water level had dropped sufficiently to cross safely but we were unsure of the condition of the causeway. George and Solly slowly crossed constantly prodding the causeway in front of the vehicle to check for obstructions. As they crossed the river they hit a sand bank on the northern bank and got stuck. The Inyati team got “stuck” in to free the landy. After a bit of tractor power and many laughs the vehicle was free and Georgie and all the rangers had passage to the north.
John and the tractor to the rescue
Silver Linings
The weather did clear toward the end of January. The moisture laden atmosphere and clean air after the rain made for some fantastic light and sunsets true to the South African lowveld.
The amount of water in the bush also made for some great water-bird activity. Painted snipes, Lesser moorhens, African finfoot and White Backed Night Herons were a few of the interesting finds.
 Male African finfoot |
 Female Greater Painted Snipe |
Dogfights
The resident pack of wild dog have been through some trials and tribulations this month.
Guests and guides have often been entertained by the pack of wild dogs we could almost call “resident”. The pack’s range has been surprisingly small of late, luckily the animals spent the majority of their time within the Inyati traversing affording us the opportunity to view them daily.
This also gave the conservation team the opportunity to inoculate the animals against introduced diseases such as rabies and distemper. Inoculations are done due to the endangered status of Wild dogs as well as the fact that rabies and distemper are introduced unnatural diseases that could potentially wipe out a pack with one infection!
The inoculations are done with a dart gun and thus has minimal disturbance to the animals. The pack was inoculated successfully in one afternoon.
The following day the dogs were hunting impala on the airstrip and blindly ran into the Ximhungwe pride. This is a common occurrence with wild dog as they focus almost solely on prey whilst hunting. One of the dogs was seriously mauled by a lioness and presumed dead. The following day the dogs were found and the injured individual was with them! He was in obvious pain for two days but the pack stayed with him, constantly urging him to “keep up”. Within two days a seemingly miraculous recovery was made as the injured dog was able to run with the pack and covered approximately twenty kilometers in a day! The resilience and care of the pack astounded us all.
The pack the day after the lion interaction
Old Salt
Nelson Valoi completed 20 years service at Inyati this month. Nelson has been tracking since the date of his employment, he thus knows the area like the back of his hand and is often able to pre-empt an animal’s movements whilst tracking! This is a skill that cannot be taught but only comes with years of experience with the specific animals, learning their habits, territories and favored haunts. Inyati is truly blessed to have staff with such skill and experience! Well done and we look forward to the next 20 Nelson!
Nelson (photo by Olof Karlsson)
Sightings Report
Lion
The famed buffalo hunter robs a carcass from a leopard. The young female killed and hoisted an Impala on a marula tree just off Inyati airstrip; she had a good feed for two days before the large male of Mapogo group found out about it. After chasing her away he stood at the bottom of the tree looking up at the carcass. I have seen lions climb big trees before but this one wasn’t an easy tree to climb it was very tall and the branches were very high off the ground.
We weren’t sure whether he was going reach the top. Impressively the big cat leaped on the tree and proceeded climbing all away to the top and stole the carcass.
Elephant
They were lots of breeding herds this month, we had few sightings of them moving from one marula tree to another enjoying their fruits. These giants love the marula season and one could almost see them smiling as they enjoyed this sweet delicacy after all the grass and bark.
Leopard
Leopards provided fine viewing this month, one of the more memorable encounters was an episode which started when monkeys were heard chattering on the western bank of the Sand River, just to the North-west of Kiri crossing. Upon investigation, the older cub of the Tai dam Female was located beneath the trees in which the monkeys were jumping around and shouting hysterically. Young leopards often respond to these taunts by chasing after the monkeys, invariably ending up being humiliated by the more agile primates.
White Rhino
We are spoilt with a great rhino sighting in our reserve; normally you look for other animals and let rhino find you. Its no secret, the last couple of months haven’t been the same. We often have to get out the vehicle and track them on foot into the woodland to have a chance of seeing them. They are all still here but its a bit thick to spot them from the road.
For full January Sightings Report click here
For full February Sightings Report click here
A new family member!
Inyati welcomed a new family member this month. Hazel Mdhluli has started in the Front office manager position as Precious is moving to the city with her new husband. Hazel has extensive experience in the industry and was a part of the Inyati family in the early days. She has taken to the lodge like a duck to water and we hope for many happy years for her at Inyati.
Hazel
A day on the river
The Inyati staff enjoyed a day of river rafting on the Sabi river this month. It was quite the experience as many of us had never been rafting and generally keep away from the river due to crocks and hippos!
I’m glad to report that everyone survived and returned to work free of injury!
Georgie, Cathy, Keith & Francis
A river runs through it.
After a downpour of seventy millimeters in one evening the Sand River rose to a level that has not been recorded in a while. The river was flowing over the lawn during dinner and lapping at the lower deck.
The game drives were unable to access the northern sections due to the crossing being unsafe for two days!
No damage was done but what a spectacle.
This season has already produced almost four hundred millimeters of rain, fantastic news for the herbivores.
The Sand River in camp 29.12.08
No need for sprinklers today!
This little piggy
The renowned warthog families at Inyati seem to be growing at a steady rate. Two of the sows that help trim the camp lawns have had piglets. The survivors from last years litters are fervently babysitting the puppy sized piglets whilst mom gets some feeding done. We will keep our fingers crossed that the piglets are able to avoid Wallingford, Maquela and the sand river pride.
The facelift
The refurbishment of the lodge is going well and the new cellar has been completed. The new cellar affords Inyati guests easy access to some of South Africa’s’ best wines, and the air conditioning is a great excuse to sample a bottle of Chenin blanc during the hot summer days.
The new cellar.
Levy and Rodger
Sightings Report
Lion
The Mapogo coalition is still going very strong in defending their territory.The recent encounter they had with our beloved Sand river pride was rather scary to watch.
We were watching the beautiful lionesses and their sons grooming each when all of a sudden all animals become extremely tense and nervous. When they started to look around they noticed two male approaching from a distance.
Cape Buffalo
The bush is ever the contradiction. Events range from murderous killings by predators to the wonder of a brand new little life. We had regularly sightings of a Small group of buffalo that is made up of about 23 males and 4 cows and one of the female has given birth. Dominant display come in different forms in the wild, picture (right) show buffalo bull mounting another bull to prove he is stronger and most dominant..
In and around camp
We have had a lot of activity around the lodge, despite the abundant availability of water all round the reserve. Buffalos, waterbuck, warthogs, nyala and bushbucks still frequent the lodge area.
Fishing with the crocodile, surrounded by elephant and while watching hippos is a great experience.
For full Sightings Report click here
Tie the knot in the bush
It was our privilege to host Mr. and Mrs. Lau at Inyati for their wedding day on the 29th of October 2008.
The ceremony was a small charming affair on the lower deck, birdsong and sunshine replacing organs and stained glass lighting.
The Inyati choir sang traditional wedding songs and blessings that created a truly unique South African experience.
After the ceremony the couple enjoyed a private lunch on the deck followed by a sunset cruise on the Inyati barge.
We wish Mr. & Mrs. Lau all the best for the future.
Rain glorious rain
The past eight weeks Inyati has been blessed with over 200mm of rain. The first downpour was quite an impressive storm that pelted us with about 40mm of rain in 20minutes!
The transformation to the bush is fantastic, within a week the most arid areas transformed into fields of lush grass and the river is again flowing over the causeway.
The Inyati barge (Thekwane) is operational again affording guests the opportunity to view birds, hippos and crocodiles at close quarters. The fishing is still a bit quiet but is sure to improve as the silt in the river settles.
New Life
Many of the herbivores have started dropping lambs and calves. This is another reason why the rains are so welcome as the feed quality is at an optimum to assist lactating mothers during this taxing time.
The impala were the first to drop lambs late November followed by the wildebeest.
Many of the birds have courted, nested and are now tending to their new broods. This makes for some interesting behavior as parents labour to sustain the insatiable fledglings.
Reptiles at large
As the temperatures increase and the humidity levels rise many of the lowvelds’ reptiles awake from their winter slumber to start a new season of feeding mating and hopefully reproducing.
Of late many species of snake have been sighted on excursions into the bush. Many people wouldn’t be to keen on snakes but with some insight and an experienced ranger these animals are extremely interesting as you can see in the below pictures.
Well done Richard!
As you can see some species such as the above African Rock Python can be handled with minimal risk to both human and snake.
Sightings Report - October 2008
Leopard
We had astonishing leopard sightings this month. Numbers of mating episodes were witnessed in the north and south with two different pairs.
Thai dam, the female occupying the north western corner of our Reserve was seen mating with Wallingford male a couple weeks after the separation with her year and half daughter.Makwela‘s life has been a dilemma in recent months. Unfortunately she had lost her last cub outside the reserve. Good news is she is well and has been mating with the source of all her trouble, Thekwane male.
Elephant
Excellent elephant sightings we had this month, a couple of big tuskers have been in musth (sexually active) lately, and have been wooing the breeding herds.
Regular encounters down in the sand river leave us breathless when mom's and their calves descend to the water.
In and around camp
We continue to see more and more general game like kudu, nyala, and impalas across the river and in camp. These two bulls stood there ruminating (chewing the cud) for about an hour before they wondered off in search of fresh growths of leaves.
For full Sightings Report for the month of October click here
Inyati’s Newsletter for September 2008
Daylight robbery
One morning this month our guests were having tea on the veranda as per the norm listening to the hippos heading back to the water and the morning chorus of the plentiful bird life.
Unbeknown to all, Thekwane the male leopard had killed a bushbuck and stashed his kill below the Jackaberry a mere fifty meters from the veranda. As everyone was quietly sipping tea one of the Mapogo (our dominant male lions) arrived on the lawn. He seemed quite upset as he was constantly growling, quite disconcerting to the guests at the crack of dawn!
He dropped his head and emerged from behind the Treehouse with a bushbuck in his mouth; he then made off with his stolen quarry and fed at leisure in the river.
After the lion had moved off the male leopard (who no one had seen) clambered out of the tree and sauntered across the lawn.
What a fantastic start to the day.
Game viewing from camp
As the dry season reaches its climax all the herds of elephant are spending time in and around Inayti camp. The herds seem to arrive at brunch and tea time, making for fantastic viewing pre and post game drive.
The bird life in camp has been nothing short of fantastic as most species prepare for the mating season. A pair of paradise flycatchers is nesting in camp, and the male is often sighted chasing birds of all species from his turf and displaying his extravagant plumage to impress his mate.
The resident pair of Hamerkop is also continuously renovating their already colossal nest. Their distinctive call seems to be continuous in the early morning.
Endangered species
A few guests at Inyati had the privilege of encountering one of Africa’s most endangered species this month.
A pack of Wild Dog spent some time in the southern section of our traversing area this month. The pack was made up of four adults and six pups. Fantastic news as a mere six pups is a helpful boost to the dwindling numbers of this species.
Unfortunately a hyena bit one of the pups at a temporary den site one morning; it seems the pup unfortunately did not survive his injuries. Inter specific competition is a major contribution to the status of these animals but is a natural occurrence and interference is never suggested.
We will be monitoring the progress of the pack closely and hoping they visit us from time to time.
Cheetah sightings have also been quite constant. A male, three sub adult males and a female with a sub-adult cub were seen on separate occasions during the month.
Sightings Report - September 2008
White Rhino
As usual, rhino sightings were great; the two mothers with their calves are doing well in the northern part of the reserve. There is also a male that has move into the territory North-West corner of our area.
On a sadder note, one of cows in the southern part of the reserve lost her young to the Mapogo males. She put in everything she had to fight off the lions but lost. She was dealing with four massive, strong males that have been known to pull down a full grown hippo..
Buffalo
A herd of some 300 provided for the bulk of our herd viewing as they moved back and forth across the length of the reserve, needing to move even further on a daily basis as most water holes have dried up and the grass they need to eat is becoming more and more difficult to come by. What was also nice was to see the dagga boys (old buffalo bulls) more regularly especially around the lodge.
There is much more interesting wildlife adding on the big five
The pack of African wild dogs was here; puppies have grown and have now left their original den site that was the south-eastern Sabi sand. We had few good sightings of this fascinating and second rarest carnivore in Africa. The pack has become more mobile and we are hoping for more frequent sightings of these predators in the coming months.
For full Sightings Report for the month of August click here
Lost and found
A silver stretch bracelet with stones was found at Inyati some time ago. We have tried tracing the owner from our guest list but haven´t had any luck. If you are the rightful owner please contact Head Office on 011 880-5907 to claim the bracelet.
Inyati’s Newsletter for August 2008
Guiding department on track
The guiding team underwent a stringent tracking assessment this month.
I am glad to report that all the Inyati trackers passed well.
Game viewing from camp
As we are entering the height of the dry season many of the pans have dried up and certain stretches of the river has run dry. August was an unusually hot month, the moisture in the foliage and grass has been baked out making water intake of utmost importance to most of the larger species. Due to the significant stretch of river in front of Inyati, the camp has been teeming with wildlife.
Buffalo, Elephant, Kudu, Bushbuck, Impala and giraffe have been visiting Inyati almost daily.
A shift in dominance
Wallingford the dominant male leopard has been under a bit of pressure this month. Although he is still in great physical condition he is getting on in life and the younger males are making attempts at his territory.
Thekwane seems to have settled in Wallingfords’ territory but is still submissive to the old boy.
Khimbini found a new male this month, he is similar in size to Wallingford but quite skittish.
20 years of service
On the 30th of August 2008 Eckson Ndlovu completed 20 years of service at Inyati. During his tenure Eckson did not take a single day of sick leave and was never late.
His bicycle did let him down of late but he still managed to run to Dumphreys gate to make it to the pick up point in time!
Over the past 20 years Eckson planted and managed the iconic Inyati lawn and garden with vigilance.
All the Inyati staff had a small celebration for Eckson at Treetops late this month. Eckson was presented with a present and a brand new bicycle form Inyati.
Sightings Report - August 2008
Elephant
Elephant numbers are at their peak. We are seeing these magnificent creatures on almost every drive. During the night and in the early hours of the mornings most of the elephants feed on the crest in the woodlands, and as the day progresses the matriarchs lead their herds towards the sand River.
Mapogo Males and Ottawa 2 & 6
Mapogo males continue to frequent our area. On one morning we were lucky to see them with Ottawa pride on a waterbuck kill which they devoured in one morning.
Leopard
Leopard sighting have been phenomenal this month.
Sadly, Makwela female lost one of her cubs to Thekwane
male and as result, she took the remaining 2 cubs out of
the Reserve.
For full Sightings Report for the month of August click here
Inyati’s Newsletter for July 2008
Road Repairs
All the erosion and ruts in the Inyati roads have been filled with gravel. This may sound like a simple task but it took Gideon and his team a full month and about fifteen tons of gravel from two quarry sites to complete the task. The gravel should compact significantly before the rains start and thus prevent future damage. The next task is to open existing miter drains and create more drains to prevent water build up on the roads. Thank you to Gideon, Julius, John and Norman for the hours of hard work.
Leopard Cubs
Makwela and her cubs are still doing well and the little one are relaxing around the vehicles. Unfortunately Shangwa and Makubela have both lost their litters to Hyenas and Lions.
One of Makwela’s cubs, at home in the trees at four months.
Archaeological site
An archaeological site was found north of the Sand river and east of Kirri crossing.
Pot shards, iron ore, ostrich eggshell beading and a grind stone are some of the artifacts found to date.
We are currently sourcing an archaeologist to have a look at the site in order to give us an accurate idea of it's age.
No excavation will be done until we are properly informed and trained to do so. This site could prove to be a unique and informative activity for Inyati guests.
Driven to develop
Ten of the Inyati staff are participating in a Driving licence training program.
A local driving school has been training staff to write their Learners licences, the exam will be written early in August and followed by an intense Code 10 training course.
Tim Howell, a graduate from the Entabeni Nature Guiding School, joined Inayti this month. He will be completing his six month in-service training with us. Tim is very enthusiastic with an affinity for reptiles and insects.
Sightings Report - July 2008
We are delighted to report that we located a new hyena den site on our property. There are two young cubs and about 6 adults. It’s really a treat to be able to drive to the site and watch and learn about the behaviour of these unique and fascinating animals.
They're mistakenly portrayed as slobbering, mangy, ugly, stupid scavengers always ready to do someone else's dirty work. All above mention is untrue about this strong successful hunter of the African savannah.
The truth of the matter is that the hyenas are highly intelligent, with mental abilities and social skills to match many a primate. They are also superb predators, feeding mostly on fresh meat in some other reserves. Their hunting skill equals that of lions or cheetahs. They do scavenge as most predators do and have strong jaws but female delicately carrying babies in those great bone-crushing jaws; you realize what wonderful mothers they are.
For full Sightings Report for the month of July click here
Inyati’s Newsletter for May 2008
Rhino research
It has come to the Sabi Sand ecologist’s attention that there is an influx of White Rhinoceros’s into the reserve from the Kruger National Park. This is great news, but in order to confirm the hypotheses and research the reason for this movement, accurate identification and counts will be necessary.
The reserve has implemented an ear- notching program to enable researchers and rangers to identify individual animals accurately.
The process involves darting a rhino in order to sedate and immobilize it and then make a small notch in its ear. The positions and number of notches are recorded and used for future identification.
Due to the size of the reserve a helicopter was used to locate and dart the animals. Douw Grobler (Wildlife Veterinarian) and Mike Pingo (Pilot) were brought in to assist the Sabi Sand with the project as they are vastly experienced in this field.
Douw and Mike were accommodated at Inyati for the duration of the project and this gave our guests and staff a rare opportunity to get involved with a most exciting conservation project. A few of our guests joined the notching project which involved them spending time in the helicopter finding and darting the animal. Our guests also assisted with the ground work that entailed notching, moving and monitoring of the animal whilst under sedation.
After the project was completed Mike took some of the Inyati staff for a flip in the helicopter. This was a first and very exciting flight for all of them.
Lions in good shape
A few of the prides in the Sabi Sand were tested for Bovine Tuberculosis this month.
BTB is a potential life-threatening and quite common disease so the results had us all on the edge of our seats.
The Sand River pride is one of the few prides that never leaves the western sector; as a result they are the most-viewed lions at Inyati.
The Sand river pride was the first pride to be tested and all the results were negative! Fantastic news for the future of our lions.
Tekwane up and running
Tekwane, the infamous Inyati barge, has received some TLC and is once again afloat. This affords an extra opportunity for close encounters with birds and maybe a hippo or croc if you’re lucky.
Inyati’s Newsletter for April 2008
A chilling storm
One early afternoon this month the western portion of Inyati experienced a freak hail storm that had some devastating but interesting effects.
The storm started at about 16h30 with the usual sudden gusts of wind and huge cumulonimbus clouds approaching at high speed. It progressed into light drizzle and seemed to have moved off when we heard a thump on the roof.
At first we thought it might be a monkey on the roof as they had been practicing their gymnastics in camp of late, then a few more thuds on the roof followed by golf ball sized hail stones rolling onto the lawn! Luckily we only had a few of these malicious balls of ice drop at Inyati, but the section west of Treetops caught the brunt of the storm.
The following day we went out to check the North Western sector and found quite an eerie-looking landscape. There was not a single tree that had not been battered by the hail, leaving only leafless skeletons. Many of the smaller trees had branches split by the combination of pelting hail and gale force winds.
The grass was left flattened as if a massive herd of elephants had marched through the entire section.
Luckily none of the game drives were in the areas worst hit and not one guest or staff member was injured.
Unfortunately the people of Dumphreys village suffered some damage to their homes and one elderly person and a child were killed.
The following morning the blanket of hail started to melt, seeping icy water into the sand river. As a result the river flooded with ice cold water (measured at five degrees Celsius at ten ‘o clock).
The local fish population suffered significant mortalities due to the drop in temperature. We collected at least 300 dead fish between Inyati causeway and New causeway.
Since the storm we have had less success during fishing excursions but this will improve. The vegetation has made an impressive recovery; the new shoots have actually attracted many browsers. Nature’s ability to bounce back has and always will be a source of amazement.
Some fish sorted after collection.
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Sharptooh catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Silver catfish (Schilbe intermedius) Brown squeaker (Synodontis zambezensis) Lowveld largemouth (Serranochromis meridianus) |
Banded tilapia (Tilapia sparmanii) Redbreasted tilapia (Tilapia rendalli) Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) Southern Churchill (Petrocephalus wesselsi) |
Bulldog (Marcusenius macrolepidotus) Threespot barb (Barbus trimaculatus) Rednose labeo (Labeo rosae) Redeye labeo (Labeo cylindricus) Imberi (Brycinus imberi) Tigerfish (Hydrocynus vittatus) |
A birthday-filled month
This month three of the Inyati family celebrated their birthdays George, Collen and Francis. Their birthdays were celebrated in true Inyati style at Treetops.
George was as usual in top form!!!
No more Eishkom problems
After a bit of a struggle and a thousand phone calls our new generator arrived!
This 125kVa unit runs the whole camp with ease and ensures no darkest Africa evenings. It is a pleasure to be able to use hurricane lamps and candles for aesthetic reasons only!
The old Lister generator has been fitted at Treetops.
Time for Gluwein and Hot Chocolate
As we are now firmly in winter’s grip the crisp mornings and chilly evenings make for a great excuse to sample some of our homemade gluwein in the evenings and a cup of hot chocolate (and Amarula for the adventurous) on the morning drives. As the bush has dried up a bit many animals are visiting camp to sample the greenery we so kindly provide.
As always the baboons were first in line followed by some bull Elephants and Hippos at night. Our resident buffalo bull has been spending a lot of time in the river in front of camp allowing the game viewing to start at tea.
That is all for April, but expect some exciting news of a few new Leopards at Inyati in May!!
Regards
The Inyati Team
Inyati’s Newsletter for March 2008
Young male leopard at home at Inyati
Our resident group of vervet monkeys has had a tough month due to some sleep deprivation. A young male leopard has set up a core territory inside Inyati camp! Some of our guests have been lucky enough to spot the leopard whilst lazing at the pool! Fortunately he tends to keep his distance and sightings are generally in the river or the scrub around the viewing deck. The vervet monkeys have been acting as our sentries by vigilantly alarming every time they spot him. Unfortunately for the monkeys he often decides to visit the lawn after dinner, thus causing a huge “after hours” disruption to the families’ rest.
Lions on the Lawn
The Sand River pride made a Wildebeest Kill on the airstrip close to Inyati Camp early this month. As the closest water source was within the camp the pride spent time between feeding lazing on our lawn. This made for some “interesting” interaction with the Inyati staff. The lions surprised us at reception one evening as they had a drink from the bird bath and then made use of the manicured lawn to have a snooze. Unfortunately we stumbled upon them and one female was not impressed with this intrusion, luckily she merely voiced her opinion with a growl and let us be. The cubs decided to use our hose as a toy, and as a result perforated the hose quite impressively. Nonetheless the lions made for some great viewing in camp.
Veranda re-vamp
The veranda is sporting new tables and chairs complemented with( ) placemats with lively pastel and traditional patterning. Teak camping chairs keep the rustic bush feel alive whilst giving the veranda a fresh look. Guests have been spending lazy afternoons viewing game and sampling some South African wines from the “new look” veranda.
Fresh interiors
The interiors of the rooms have received a bit of a lift. The soft refurbishment entailed replacing dark colours with fresh and vibrant pastels that complement the white duvets. This was all done keeping the traditional lodge feel in mind, so as not to lose the historical character of Inyati.
