This year continues to produce very welcome rainfall. Over 700mm has fallen since January, a record of 223 mm fell in May. In this usually dry area, we are always thankful for rain as it is the baseline requirement for an abundance of animals.

In  vast wilderness systems that are less confined by fences that may restrict the natural ebb and flow of animal populations, rainfall plays a very important role in the maintenance of healthy populations of game.

Bedrock and soils which have remained stable over millions of years, together with  rainfall which is unpredictable and therefore not stable are the main variables in primary food  production (graze and browse). In short, good rain years produce a good yield of graze and browse, which in turn leads to an increase in grazers and browsers due to an abundance of food and surface water, as well as providing more cover to hide their vulnerable offspring. The increase in available prey species in turn bolsters the predator populations, and so the cycle continues.

Rainfall is thus the headstone of the abundant and diverse game that our guests get to enjoy at Inyati.

A generous rainy season does however come with its challenges, as roads and infrastructure do need some extra TLC in these times. The Rangers and field staff embrace this task with open arms. Bumpy roads do add to the authenticity of the true bush experience and are  the closest thing you may experience to a chiropractor in the Sabi Sands.

Our bush teams have done a sterling job and most of the damage to our road network has been repaired, making for “smooth” sailing on safari.
The seep lines and drainage lines are still running with water, unheard of in June,  the bush is lush and green and the animals are in great condition.

The winter temperatures have been slightly below normal this year, with the mercury once dropping to 3 degrees Celsius. To us locals, that is just about as close to an arctic experience as we can handle, and the sight of Rangers wearing every available piece of clothing can be quite entertaining.

A generous rainy season does however come with its challenges, as roads and infrastructure do need some extra TLC in these times. The Rangers and field staff embrace this task with open arms. Bumpy roads do add to the authenticity of the true bush experience and are  the closest thing you may experience to a chiropractor in the Sabi Sands.

Our bush teams have done a sterling job and most of the damage to our road network has been repaired, making for “smooth” sailing on safari.

The seep lines and drainage lines are still running with water, unheard of in June,  the bush is lush and green and the animals are in great condition.

The winter temperatures have been slightly below normal this year, with the mercury once dropping to 3 degrees Celsius. To us locals, that is just about as close to an arctic experience as we can handle, and the sight of Rangers wearing every available piece of clothing can be quite entertaining.

The swimming pool has been less busy than usual, but one does hear the occasional splash as a Canadian or a guest from the Nordic region decides to take a dip, much to the amazement of many of us Africans.

Dinners around the fire have been the norm and servings of “comfort food” has kept our guests cozy and in a healthy state of calorie surplus.

The Greater Kruger National Park is host to over 400 species of birds, many of which can be seen at Inyati. The diversity of our habitat is a huge draw card to birds of all shapes and sizes, with the Sand river being a hotspot for birds, as it provides food and refuge for an array of species.

Many of these birds are endangered in South Africa due to urbanization and habitat degradation. The Sand River, one of the most diverse rivers in South Africa, is a perfect habitat for many of these species.

As Inyati is situated on the Sand River, and being one of the first lodges to be built in the area, there is a special synergy between the fauna and flora and the lodge itself. Inyati is unfenced,  allowing animals, large and small to roam freely through the lodge. As a result, the lodge has become part and parcel of many creatures’ territories and no longer a foreign man-made obstruction. This can also have its challenges as one can imagine. The odd naughty elephant may come destroy a section of the garden and the hippos that roam through the camp at night keep us on our toes.  Inyati’s philosophy of co-existing with the game and the environment and rolling with the punches that nature may throw at us creates a unique lodge with game viewing in camp that is par excellence.

This year our resident pair of Saddle Billed Storks have decided to make the lodge their playground.

Saddle Billed Storks are the world’s tallest storks, standing  1.5meters tall. They are probably also one of the world’s most striking storks with bright red and black bills and piercing white primary feathers contrasted by iridescent black coverts.

These storks form a  bond, often for life. Our couple has had fantastic success over the past few years with a minimum of two offspring being fledged. We often spend time with them on game drive, as guests are drawn to their size and impressive colouration. As we have spent time with them, these often-skittish birds have grown accustomed to humans, but this year they have outdone themselves.

At first, they spent time roosting on the rooftops of the lodge, then they started foraging on the lawns whilst we had guests in camp, then they decided to make themselves at home on the verandas of the rooms!

At first, guests reported seeing these lanky, colorful birds peering at them through the windows of the rooms. Then they started tapping on the windows, most probably confronting their own reflections.

One morning, one of the owners of Inyati decided to have a lie in and relax in camp instead of going on drive. We notified all the staff not to do the usual wakeup call and avoid the room to ensure a peaceful late morning.

Unfortunately, the Storks enthusiasm for attacking windows also grew, and we have had to replace three windows thus far. But it seems the bird has made peace with his reflection for now.

The pair then discovered the rubber floor mats and realized they could break pieces off by flinging them around much like they would do when killing more natural prey items. As destructive as it sounds, the entertainment value was immense and we have embraced life with these anky storks in camp by moving the rubber mats inside for now. The Storks continue to entertain our guests and staff alike.

The lion dynamics at Inyati have once again taken a positive turn since the last report making for fantastic viewing and a chorus of roars throughout the night.

Bush Beat

A new coalition has entered the west. The Birmingham male, the last of a coalition of 5 that dominated the north and east of the Sabi Sand has seemingly settled in the west now. He has met up with his son that is half his age and they have settled in an unusual coalition of father and son. The males came from the South and made their way to the river to settle in the land of plenty. Here they discovered the Ximhunge lioness who quite happily changed alliance from the Tumbela male to the new and more “experienced” Birmingham.

The Othawa pride has unfortunately lost one of their cubs. We presume it was killed by one of the new coalitions in the west. The five remaining cubs have passed the 12 month milestone and are doing well.

The Tumbela male is doing his bit in fending off the Birminghams and the Plains Camp males. Lets hope he is able to keep this up for a few more months to ensure the survival of his female offspring. Unfortunately, the young male cub will be tossed into the cauldron of adult males in the surrounding areas and will have a tough time surviving and settling  in with a pride.  As always, only time will tell.

The Plains Camp males have settled in with the Mungen pride and spend most of their time in the east. This is great news for the Othawa pride and the Tumbela males, as it eases the pressure on the eastern border of their territory.

The old buffalo bulls are still prominent along the Sand River. After the great rainy seasons and the resulting flush of graze and ample surface water, huge herds have congregated. One herd of about a thousand animals has visited the South and is truly a sight to see, as mothers and calves are safe in a sea of massive bovids. These herds attract swarms of birds, feeding on the insects stirred up by thousands of hooves and flies that are towed along by the herd.

Red and the occasional Yellow Billed Ox peckers add to the chatter as they pick off the smorgasbord of ticks that the buffaloes provide.

Basile has had cubs just west of Inyati. Two tiny little cubs were born late in May, close to Treetops and we have zoned off the area. This means that no vehicle or guide is allowed into the area where the cubs were found. This is a very important policy to ensure that the mother and cubs are left in peace and that nosy hyenas do not follow vehicles into the sacred den site. We allow mother leopards and cubs this space to ensure they can grow stronger and become more mobile before we view them.

In mid-June Basile did kill an Impala and hoist it quite far east of where the original den site was, and to our surprise she brought the little cubs past the area. This is generally not a great idea as the scent of the kill will attract scavengers and other leopards that may pose a threat to the cubs. We presume she moved the cubs in a reaction to a scavenger or other leopard getting too close to the den. This rare opportunity afforded us one window to see the cubs and we were able to get one image before we again zoned the area. At the time of writing this update Basile has moved her cubs into a thicket on the banks of the Sand River and we are leaving the little family in peace.

Tlangisa has been able to raise both of her cubs to the cusp of independence. Once again, our stalwart female leopard has proven her metal. But please spare a thought for the Euphorbia male who has bravely defended his territory north of the Sand River and kept Tlangisa and her cubs safe.

Euphorbia has grown ambitious and is now even putting pressure on Ravenscourt by venturing south of the Sand River and expanding his territory.

Ravenscourt remains the favorite of many a guest and guide alike, due to his size and  great looks. He has however not managed to oust his son, Hlambela who is now not much smaller than his father and is not standing down to Ravenscourt, arrogantly scent marking and patrolling his natal territory. He has grown into a beautiful specimen but will need to settle elsewhere to maintain genetic diversity in the area. Let’s see how Ravenscourt and maybe even Euphorbia deal with this.

Khokovela has also benefited from Euphorbia’ territorial defense. Her cub is still doing  well and growing into a competent sub adult.

The fauna and flora at Inyati is flourishing and the Inyati team is happy once again to be hosting many international and local guests. We have welcomed back returning guests and have been delighted to make new friends. We are thrilled to see many of our foreign visitors returning. 

We cannot wait to welcome you to Inyati Game Lodge.

Keith and the Inyati team.