Tag Archive for south african accommodation

Big Cat and Fish

Leopard! On the night drive last night Stephanie and Adrian saw a Leopard! They saw lots of animals, but I can’t tell you what they were as all they kept saying was “Leopard!!”.

Breakfast this morning brought us a handful of guests to the table, namely the Warthog family.

baby warthogs at jozini south africa

The baby warthogs are cheeky as their mum tries to steal our food

warthog bushpig south africa nature tour

Mmmmmmm foooooood....

Pongola pig warthog south africa

Mummy warthog eyes our lunch hungrily

Out on the boat again today, but disaster stuck. No sooner had we pulled away from the dock than one of the valves snapped on the steering system causing a fountain of pink fluid.

We were covered in hydraulic fluid, but Adrian and Anton were in
heaven as they tried to fix the boat!

pongola boat

After borrowing some tools from a nearby work crew the boys battled with the boat.

Stephanie and I decided that it would be unfair if we let the boys do all the hard work, so we hooked the bait on the lines and opened a couple of beers to keep us hydrated as we fished.

We were going for big catches, namely Hippo and Crocodile (or at least that is what Stephanie and I told anyone that asked)!
After a while the boys decided that the boat could wait as they could see Tigerfish from the boat where it was moored.

adrians tigerfish

Adrian Catches a Tigerfish on his second Cast!

catfish at jozini lake

Steph plays with Antons little Catfish

Crocodile at Jozini Lake

No Hippos, but we did catch our Crocodile!

jozini lake fishing

Another s*#t day in Africa....

dragonfly south africa nature tour

Dragon fly radio :)

Did You Know – Flat Lizard

Lebombo Flat lizard Platysaurus Lebomboensis Description: Small to medium sized African Lizards, there name is derived from their 'flattened' shape. Habitat: Occur in South Africa (in the Northern KwaZulu Natal province), Swaziland and Transvaal. They are rock specialists and their flattened body shape means that they are able to enter even the smallest crevices. Behaviour: Flat lizards are diurnal and become active when the direct sun touches the burrow entrance. They bask in the sun next to their burrow entrances to regulate body temperature. When theyare not basking they are actively foraging (including jumping into the air to catch flies) or socialising with other lizards. Diet: Flat lizards mostly eat invertebraes such as; wasps, bees, flies, caterpillars, ants, beetles and butterflies. Male/female: Female and juvenile, dark with 3 pale longitudinal psrralel lines down their backs. Males are brightly coloured with orange tails and flanks and green/blue chins. Did You Know: Common flat lizards have even been known to eat figs! | There are 13 different species of lizard. | In some species of flat lizard the females are just as brightly coloured as the males.

Vervet Monkey

The Vervet Monkeys are running wild today at Umkhumbi Lodge!!

There is always one shy little monkey

Playful as always they are running up and down the branches, munching on monkey apples and mangos and anything else they can find to sink their little teeth into.

*yoink* my fruit

Fruit please!!!?

But then one lazy monkey, stole a baby monkey!!! He wanted the fruit that the mother was eating, so he stole the baby and held it hostage until she gave the fruit to him. Nasty monkey!

Vervet monkey with baby

She checks that the kidnapper has gone....

Vervet monkey cuddles baby

... before she cuddles her baby and makes sure it is alright

Did You Know – Narina Trogon

Narina Trogon factsheet is this weeks factsheet, see belowlearn about Narina Trogon

Did You Know? – Puff Adder

This weeks factsheet – Puff Adder!

Puff adder Scientific name:  Bitis Arietans  Description: South African snake with distinct scales and pattern.  Habitat: Widespread throughout most of Sub-saharan Africa. Variable habitat from sand forest to coast they occur anywhere there is food.  Venom: Very potent cytotoxic venom. Responsible for cell damage and tissue necrosis which in severe cases can lead to death. Fang: Long, hinged front fang.  Size: Average 60-80cm (females larger). Have been found over one metre in length.  Hunting Technique: Ambush predators - Puff Adders rely heavily on their camoflague for both hunting and protection. This does however lead to them being trodden on as they do not move out of the way. With a fast strike they immobilise their prey with venom before it has even acknowledged them. Deadly to Humans.   Breeding: Ovoviviparous. Eggs are not laid, instead the female incubates the leather-like eggs within her body where they hatch before exiting. Around 20-40 juveniles are born with both fangs and venom and are considered to be more dangerous than adults as they have no control over the amount of venom they inject into their prey.  Diet:  Predominantly rodents, however will also eat amphibians and birds when available.  Did you know: - Puff Adders is from the way they puff/hiss when disturbed. - Despite their short, chubby appearance Puff adders are very good swimmers.

Sunbird Building Nest

Spring is in the air at Umkhumbi Lodge. The birds are singing and soar through the air as they fly in search of nest building materials. One such bird is the Sunbird. Using spiderwebs to secure their nest materials the Sunbirds ensure that their eggs have the very best chance of survival.

In the video below you can observe the female sunbird adding grasses to her nest.