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Welcome to Cornel van Wyk
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May 2010
Around 300 impala and 300 wildebeest are to be introduced across the reserve over the next few months. This is part of the management program on Welgevonden where the goal is to build up the numbers of prey species to a level that they are self-sustainable.
Winter birding
at Welgevonden:
May 2010
by Gerhardt Lorist
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All of the Southern-African, non-migratory eagles breed in the winter as there is just too much competition while the summer migrants are here. During the winter period an increase in the activity of resident raptors will be observed with these birds courting, mating and nest building, if they don't have a nest they already used during previous seasons. If eagles are seen flying around with sticks in their talons attempt, to follow them and you may be rewarded with some nest building behaviour. Due to the cooler winter temperatures the large birds that need the hot air thermals to gain altitude will be grounded until midmorning which increases the chance of seeing there beautiful birds up close.
Most large raptors are monogamous (mate for life) and both parents help with the incubation and feeding of the chicks. Males will often bring food to its mate while she incubates the eggs.
There are lots of raptor nests on Welgevonden, a number of which are close to the roads. Please report the location and species of raptors seen on these nests to gerhardt@welgevonden.org
Our most common large raptors are Black-breasted- and Brown Snake Eagles, African Hawk-Eagles and African Harrier Hawks (Gymnogene). There have also been sightings of Tawny, Martial, Fish and Verreaux's (Black) Eagles.
Warthog Collaring
May 2010
By Tim Hoffmeester and Merlijn de Graaf
During the last couple of weeks, the Welgevonden LOA
management and two students from Wageningen University in
the Netherlands have been busy with the collaring of three warthogs. These
GPS collars record the exact location of
the individual warthogs every two hours. This information
will be used to learn more about the habitat use of the
warthogs in Welgevonden. In theory, the warthogs will forage
on short, nutrient rich grass, which provides the best food
and a good chance of spotting predators from a distance,
thereby reducing predation risk. The GPS-data, together with
landscape and vegetation data collected by the two students,
will be used to analyse the habitat use of the warthogs and
establish if this theory is true.
It turned out to be
more difficult than expected to fit a warthog with a collar.
In the beginning of the year cage-traps were used to try and
catch the warthogs, but they appeared to be wise to the
intentions of the sun-baked students. During the last
couple of weeks a new method was applied. The warthogs were
darted from a vehicle, after which the trail of the warthog
was followed using a tracking dog. It was feared that the
warthogs would disappear in their burrows, but luckily this
was not the case. It proved easier than expected to find the
warthogs and fit them with their collars.
As part of the
larger research project, 10 wildebeest and 10 zebra have been
collared as well as most of the lion groupings. This will
allow the research programme to study the interaction of all
the species involved and
their habitat use.
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Bat-eared-Foxes
May 2010
Dave Powrie
The past two months there has been great excitement on the reserve with the occasional sighting of a family of five Bat-eared foxes (Otocyon megalotis) on the plateau between Wooded Peaks and Tshimondi.
Recently there have been a number of sightings of the
breeding pair feeding in the broad daylight near Tshimondi.
This is unusual as Bat-eared foxes are normally nocturnal
looking for their main diet of insects and harvester
termites. They will occasionally eat rodents, dung beetles
and birds eggs, but insects make out 80 % of their diet.
Their unusually large ears are perfectly adapted to even
hear ants working under ground. On Welgevonden, Bat-eared
Foxes appear to have adapted their feeding habits to counter
the lack of insects in the cold winter. They do this by
following the herds of wildebeest and other herbivores that
disturb insects while busy grazing and moving through the
veld. The bat-eared foxes then take the opportunity to
pounce on these exposed insects. They also feed on the
insects attracted to the dung. Interestingly they reside in
their own genus, one of the reasons being that they have 6
more teeth than other Canids.
It has been
noted that they sire between 2 and 6 pups. With only the 2
adults being sighted of late we can assume that the parents
have evicted the pups to find a mate and to carry on with a
life of their own. Larger predators and scavengers have been
known to kill these diminutive foxes, but with their short
legs, they can run very fast and evade attackers with short
sharp turns. The little foxes are a huge attraction with the
game drives and rightly so, who can not look at that face
and not say: "Aah cute!"
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Star Gazing
May 2010
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The rates for the Stargazing activity are a flat rate of R500.00 plus R100.00 per guest attending (R50 for children under 12; no charge for children under 6; no charge for lodge staff in attendance).
To book a stargazing activity, please contact:
Jarine: 082 7799486 / jarinelorist@live.co.za
or alternatively, contact the Welgevonden office +27 (0)14 755 4392 and please indicate if you would prefer the activity to be conducted at your lodge or at Bushpig Lapa.
Cheetah Update
May 2010
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Hannah, assistant with the WEI program, has a passion for cheetahs and together with Gerhardt has identified three female cheetahs that could provide the male with company. One of the females has been observed in the same area as the male for a few days so the possibility exists that we may have a few more long-legged spotted cats around in the future!
Rainfall
February 2010
Over the last two years, January has witnessed the arrival of heavy rains. In 2008 it was necessary for management to close the reserve for a few days due to the rivers flooding and in 2009 parts of the reserve received in excess of 500mm of rain in just a few days, resulting in heavy flooding in certain areas. This year, January again heralded the arrival of good rains but the showers were intermittent. Consequently, the bush is looking lush and green and the rivers are flowing nicely but, to date, there has been no flooding and as a result the roads are holding up well.
New arrival
February 2010
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Following fruitless efforts by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) to identify the animal, it was agreed that the animal would be released onto Welgevonden. Consequently, the EWT arranged for the capture of the animal and for its relocation to Welgevonden.
On the 30th January, Welgevonden welcomed the arrival of a magnificent new addition. The cheetah will be kept in the holding boma for several days prior to being released in an effort to encourage it to stay on the reserve. Given the habituated nature of the animal, we hope that it will contribute substantially to cheetah viewing on the reserve.
Lions vs. buffaloes or is it buffaloes vs. lions?
February 2010
By Pierre Van der
Merwe
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Two days later, when departing for the morning we found they tracks of the two young males heading down the Clifftop access road towards Site 33 (Nalana lodge), but could unfortunately not find them. Leon from Mohondoro reported hearing a lion roaring in the direction of Site 39 before he left for drive and Rudi from Site 20 reported lions vocalizing close to their lodge at about 03H30 am.
The lions that Leon heard could only be one the two big males from the Western pride and the ones Rudi heard either the other one or the two young males. Either way, nobody had any luck that morning in locating any lions.
The following morning as we started off on game drive, we found the two big Western Pride males at the first low water bridge at Site 33; they were walking from the direction of Mini Ha-ha se pad into the Sterkstroom valley. It was strange finding theses two male in this area as they very seldom venture into the Sterkstroom Valley and further south. I can only presume they chased the two young males from site 20 area further south. This is the second time in the last 2 months that the the two big guys were found in our area as well as the two young males in the same vicinity.
The two walked westwards down the valley, roaring and scent marking all the way as they went. Strangely enough they kept stopping, looking and listening towards the direction of East Gate. Several times they lay down side by side and the one showed and interesting behavior what I can only think to be part of a dominance display, he kept mounting the other male as if he was a female and they were trying to mate. We followed the two for about an hour at a snails pace, observing their territorial behavior and relishing in the fact that we were the only vehicle in the sighting.
What happened next was probably the high-light of any already special morning. At the low water bridge on the eastern side of Site 32, we found 5 buffalo bulls. As the lions came into the buffalo’s sight, the one bull grunted and started trotting over the bridge in the direction of the two lions with the other four buffalos short on his heals. At seeing this, lions as one did an about turn and started running away from the approaching buffalos and fled into the hills. Undaunted the buffalos followed and chased the lions back into the open.
We followed this interaction for another hour! Each time the buffalo came looking for the lions, and the lions would run away. Also interesting was that the buffalo would track the lions by scent each time they lost sight of them.
Finally we decided to call it a morning after spending close on two and a half hours with the lions, including the amazing interaction with the buffalos. In the afternoon we again found the buffalos at the water point in front of Site 32 barely a 100 meters away from the lions. As the lions became active and started moving west, the buffalo caught sight of them and the mornings procedures repeated themselves.
We finally left the lions as they managed the get rid of the constant pursuit of the buffalos and carried on their way down the valley. The next morning their track were followed all the way down the Sterkstroom valley, up Jackal Buzzard road and were finally lost heading in the direction of Matriek Straat.
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Spotted Hyenas
February 2010
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The elusive pair of spotted hyenas that have taken up
residence on Welgevonden were sighted in the beginning of
January in the eastern corner of the reserve near site 35.
However, they continue to be very mobile across the
reserve and their distinctive whooping call was heard near
the main gate the other night.
Please report any
sightings or signs of these animals to management as we are
very interested in keeping a record of their movements and
activity on the reserve.
Fight against Pom Pom weed
February 2010
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January on Welgevonden is a time of war!
This is the
period during which the dreaded Pom Pom weed flowers and
during which management mobilises to combat the threat of
this alien invasive species.
Management has been
fighting this threat for the last 5 years but this hardy and
resilient plant continues to persist and emerge in new
places. To assist our efforts, we signed an agreement with
Working for Water last year whereby they would send teams to
help eradicate the Pom Pom weed on Welgevonden over a period
of three years. Their contribution last year was of enormous
value and they are again at the forefront of the battle this
year.
Pom Pom weed has been identified by
conservation authorities as the single biggest threat to
natural grasslands in the country and Welgevonden is
committed to eradicating this threat on the reserve. To
paraphrase the immortal words of a far more illustrious
commander in chief, we will fight it in the rivers, we will
fight it in the grasslands...we will never surrender.
New plant identified on Welgevonden
February 2010
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The Sterkstroom River Valley continues to deliver surprises.
Two years ago a previously unidentified plant on Welgevonden
was observed to be flourishing in the Sterkstroom Valley.
This plant was identified as Freylinia tropica, an
indigenous species endemic to the Waterberg in South Africa.
This year, a new species has emerged and is
flourishing in the valley, particularly in the area close to
Broken Bridge. This species has been identified as Artemisia
afra. It is a common plant across South Africa and it is
used widely for medicinal purposes. Keep a look out for this
new addition when you next drive along the Sterkstroom
River.
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