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August Newsletter

07 September 2010

Dagga Boys
Dagga Boys
Photo: Louis Marais
August started with a bang (slowly starting to warm up) after the awesome World Cup! Just as the World Cup, August was a great month both on the wildside and on the accommodation side, with increased occupancies as the overseas holiday season opened. Guests from all over the globe enjoyed the luxuries that staying at Lukimbi entail.

Just as the guests from all over joined us in this beautiful setting, so did fourteen of our newest arrivals! On a drive through the Concession, fourteen lion cubs were seen in one sighting, appearing from every angle of the bush and every soul was on a mission for a teat with all the five mothers keeping a close eye on their activities. We are really glad that our Concession is filled with a new generation of little ones! Who knows, if the cubs manage to survive, could we have the next mega pride? Our five males have repeatedly tried to make a meal of buffaloes moving through the Concession but these attempts mainly end up with some of the male lions limping.

As for our resident leopard, we had the opportunity of watching him dine on an impala for 3 days in the heights of a Jackalberry! On the second day some lion cubs came to investigate what the all fuss was about while mom went off hunting! There have also been some great sightings of some of the females in his territory accompanied either by scent marking or trying their luck with an impala.

A great number of elephant bulls have been coming through the concession, one bull with decent long tusks (+/- 1.5m).

As usual our white rhino sightings have been outstanding but don’t forget about their hooked lipped relatives. There have been six different sightings, some while on foot but mainly from the vehicle!

Lukimbi has hosted two separate full day walks this month during which our visitors encountered lion, white rhino, elephant, hyaena and honey badger. The walks have taken place both in the rain and in sunshine but the sheer team work of all staff involved make this aspect of safari unbeatable!

August has slowly started to warm up and with spring in sight, flowers actually started emerging on 20th August. Species in follow were the Knobthorns,( Acacia Nigrescens,) the Natal Guarris ( Euclea Natalensis) and the Sausage Trees (Kigelia Africana.)

With September in sight once again, it is going to be a howling success for our guests as well as for the Lukimbi Team. Until next time, keep it wild!

Danie Vermeulen
Field Guide

Click to enlarge
Black Rhino
Photo: Louis Marais

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