The MalaMala Wildlife CyberDiary

MalaMala Diary Entry: 25 November 1998

The flush of green growth on the trees has been a boom for the giraffe and numbers have been plentiful. Drinking is always a time when prey animals are most cautious - drinking prevents them from keeping a wary eye open for predators and hence it is a good time for such predators to strike. Last week a male giraffe was killed by some male lions close to Kirkman's Kamp on Mala Mala. Such a huge meal lasted several days and in the end was shared by at least 11 lions - the male lions which killed it and the nine members of the Charleston pride.
The rains, which have fallen over the last few weeks, have also been good for the zebra and high numbers are encountered on Mala Mala. These animals do of course wander a lot and what may be here today could be gone tomorrow. The closest relative to the zebra is the rhinoceros, both of these species having three "fingers" on each foot. Now that the rains have fallen conditions are nearly ideal for the rhinos as there are numerous mud holes. Mud-bathing is a favourite pastime of rhinos as it keeps biting insects at bay.

Apart from the mud holes, rhinos also prefer short grass as opposed to long grass. When the grass starts to grow rapidly the rhino start to concentrate on the short grass, keeping it that way whilst the surrounding grass continues to grow. One interesting sighting this past week involved a rhino and a hyaena. The former was rolling in a mud hole when the hyaena walked onto the scene and started trying to eat a tortoise. The rhino promptly started to chase the hyaena which wisely tried to keep out of the way. Although most hyaena belong to clans, on Mala Mala they tend to move as loners or in small groups, the clans gathering only for certain big events such as large kills, clan battles and marking of territory. Lone hyaenas often follow leopards in order to steal whatever kills they make. Leopards are loners and although they are very powerful cats they are most reluctant to fight a hyaena for fear of injuring themselves. An injured hyaena, of course, still has the rest of the clan to help.

Buffalo viewing has continued to be good, particularly now that the grass has grown very well and there is plenty of water on the Reserve. Calving season has not started yet and is only expected to start after Christmas. One good sighting of buffalo this week was of the large herd of 500 swimming across the Sand River which was in flood following the heavyrains over the last few days.

As with the buffaloes and rhinos, the elephants have also appreciated the good rains and are frequently seen playing in the water and rolling in mud holes which have developed. The good rains have also produced rapid growth of succulent green grass, allowing the elephants to concentrate on this and leave the trees alone. Although the development of waterholes away from the Sand River has caused the elephants to disperse, sightings of these large creatures have been very good.