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Spotlight on…Christopher Mashile

Posted by Justine

If you have visited Vuyani Safari Lodge you will most probably be familiar with Christopher. He is responsible for the beautiful table settings at breakfast and dinner. Christopher is also one of the first staff members that you see when you arrive – always with a dazzling smile on his face he stands ready with a refresher towel when our guests return from Safari. Christopher has crept out of his shell quite a lot since he started working at the Lodge. When we first got to know him he was very shy and seldom joined in the conversations, now that he is in his comfort zone he is by far one of the wittiest people I have ever met. I stole a couple of minutes of Chris’s time this morning to ask him some questions about himself.

What are your Full Names?

Christopher Mashile

When and where were you born?

I was born locally in Tintswalo Hospital in Acornhoek on the 1^st of January 1990 to Jane and Joseph Mashile. My mother is a homemaker and my father works on one of the local citrus farms. At the moment they are quite busy as winter in South Africa is the season for Citrus fruits. I have two sisters the eldest works on the same Citrus farm as my father and the younger is in High School.

Where did you go to school?

I matriculated from German S Chiloane High School in 2009. I learnt English at school; my home language is Sotho. I can also speak English, Zulu, Tsonga and Swati. I am learning Afrikaans at the moment – but it is much harder that I thought.

When did you start working in the lodge industry?

I got my first job in the local town of Acornhoek where I worked as a general assistant. I think everybody’s first job is not the most glamorous. I was tasked with pretty much everything and anything and have to admit that although it was strenuous work I learnt a lot. Although I always wanted to work in the Lodge Industry, my neighbour works at Vuyani Safari Lodge and when she told me they had a vacancy I did not waste time. I immediately sent my CV to Mr. Carnaby and went for the interview. I now have my first job in the Lodge industry.

Why did you choose to work in the lodge industry?

Like I said before I always wanted to work in the lodge industry. I think meeting people from different parts of the world and different cultures is very interesting. I also want to contribute as much as I can to the conservation of Africa’s wildlife. I love the fact that I can live and work on a Private Game Reserve. This has always been a dream, and now I am living it.

What do you love most about working in the bush and why?

Christopher told me that he cannot imagine living in the city. Not only is the living cost ridiculously expensive, but everyone seems so busy and is constantly running around. I love my life out here, we all live together, work together – it is like we are one big family. I also get to see the beauty of Africa every day.

Are you married (when did you marry and where did you meet) do you have children?

I am not married, at the moment I am focusing on my career – and I am thinking about moving more towards conservation and guiding.

What do you like to do in your free time?

When I am off from work I like to relax as much as possible and love listening to Gospel Music. I enjoy taking part in helping at my local church and getting involved in community projects.

What is your favourite animal?

I will have to say a Leopard.

If you could do anything in the world what would it be?

That is a very hard question to answer because there are so many things I still want to accomplish in my life. Where I am now I think I will start focusing more on conservation and use my free time to start learning more about the bush. I will see where this takes me; maybe I will complete my Field Guide Levels and get more actively involved in conserving Africa’s wildlife. I am extremely saddened and shocked by the state of Rhino Poaching currently terrorizing our beautiful country and would like to take a stand also. Only by working together can we combat the problem.

Christopher is extremely passionate about conservation. He is a gentle soul and is always willing to help wherever he can. He has a positive attitude and a great smile! He also ensures our guests wine glasses are topped up and that meal times run smoothly. He truly is a great person to work with and I can most definitely relate to his statement: “I love my life out here, we all live together, work together – it is like we are one big family” It is rare that you meet a group of people that you live and work with on a daily basis. We are all truly blessed.

*Justine Ferreira

Vuyani Safari Lodge

Posted by Justine

For the next couple of weeks I will gradually introduce you to all the staff members at Vuyani Safari Lodge. Give you an introduction and a bit of background on each and every staff member – so when you visit the lodge you will know what to expect and who is responsible for the smooth sailing and operations at Vuyani Safari Lodge.

Staff members play a big role in the success of one’s business. Every staff member affects largely what guests experience on holiday. And the staff members at Vuyani Safari Lodge are so incredibly diverse that it makes all the difference.

I am rather excited about this new challenge that I have been given and I am sure this journey will be thrilling indeed.

I am also going to write about happenings at the lodge – any changes that we might bring to Vuyani. Also I will gradually introduce you to the lodge itself. What you can expect on arrival, the rooms, the pool, the deck and so on. We have a couple of frequently asked questions and hopefully this will help when you are planning your dream vacation to Vuyani Safari Lodge and South Africa.

So please keep an eye out for my new and revised blog.

Warmest Regards,

Justine Ferreira

Ranger For a Day…

Posted by Justine

Due to some unforeseen circumstances I was allocated to do Safari not too long ago. And I was nervous and excited at the same time. It had been almost 6 years since I have last done a proper “game drive” Needless to say Craig found this very amusing – as I was cleaning the vehicle, charging my radios and digging in my closet for some Khaki clothes.

The morning of the safari I must have been at the lodge about 30 mins before the guests were even scheduled to wake up! I made myself a cup of coffee and planned my route. I got my camera ready, packed my coffee box and folded the blankets. I was as ready as ever…

When the guests arrived in the lounge for their morning cup of coffee I was ready to go. As soon as everyone bundled onto the Land Cruizer I asked what they were most interested in seeing on drive. David Penny said “We want to see Cheetah” with utmost earnest on his face. I was a bit thrown by this request as Cheetah and Leopard are most probably the most difficult to spot on Safari. Nonetheless I smiled and said “No problem, Cheetah it is!” The previous couple of days we had managed to spot two different coalitions of Cheetah not too far away. Craig spotted the Female with two cubs and Mike had seen two males on an afternoon Safari. So I knew they were in the area – but finding them was going to be rather difficult as I was also aware of the pride of Lions that were hanging around.

So we set off and I was determined to track the Cheetah. Around the first corner we spotted fresh Lion tracks heading in a westerly direction and we must have missed them by about an hour. Around the next corner I saw something far off in the distance – the silhouette of the animal immediately struck me as Cheetah! I was beyond excited – could it be my lucky day? As we drew near I identified and indeed it was a female Cheetah with two cubs! I was ecstatic! And as you can imagine the guests were over the moon! Cameras flashed and we all managed to get some great photos – the cubs were playfully chasing each other in the grass as Mom lied not too far off. We spend a good 15 minutes with the cats, until they seemed to get bored of us and run into the thicket.

So an excellent start to the morning, as we progressed we saw Wildebeest, Impala, Woolly Necked Storks, a lone Marabou Stork and some inquisitive Vervet monkeys. On Coffee stop as we were all discussing the success of the morning a curious group of Zebra started walking towards us – but got spooked when there was sudden movement, we moved on to a watering hole where we spotted two Hippos. We also saw Kudu Antelope and Giraffe J I was very pleased with our morning’s game viewing and as the sun started warming the earth we returned to the lodge for breakfast.

In the afternoon I was at the lodge an hour before drive – again doing all my pre – drive checks. Packing the cooler box, folding blankets and making sure my camera is ready. We set off with the prospects of finding Leopard (a long shot I know) as we drove leisurely through the reserve we had already spotted a couple of animals. Impala, Wildebeest, Kudu, Vervet Monkeys, a White Backed Vulture and a couple of other bird species the drive was going pleasantly well. I was planning to stop at one of the lakes for our Sundowner drinks and we were slowly making our way in that direction. As we drove onto the wall of the dam we saw some large animals on the other side – Rhino! A mother and calf had just finished their afternoon “mud wallowing” session and were starting to make their way back into the thicket. I snapped a couple of pictures and they were gone. I parked the vehicle and set out the drinks and snacks, all gathered round and started discussing the animals we had seen thus far. As we were having an intense conversation about the Loch Ness monster (funny topics arise on drive) I saw some movement in the water. Rick lent me his binoculars and I identified the object as being a VERY large crocodile swimming straight towards us. One could only see his snout and eyes sticking out of the lake – so not ideal for taking pictures. After a heated debate about “water creatures” we decided to press on and start the Evening part of our drive.

This is the time where we take out the “Spotlight” or “Lamp” and shine around the thickets for Nocturnal animals. We managed to spot quite a few antelope – but we do not view them in the night – as their eyes are accustomed to daylight. We picked up a Leopard track not too far from the lake and started tracking – by the looks of the track it must have been only a couple of minutes old! I was starting to get very excited once again! How lucky could one person be on one safari?? We tracked the Leopard for quite some time – not seeing much else, apart from a very brief glance of a Civet. Sadly at some point I had to admit defeat and we started heading back to the lodge.

Once we arrived Christopher was waiting outside with his signature “Hot Towels” and Shane had prepared a mouthwatering supper as always. The Leopard might have eluded us (as pretty much always) but we had a wonderful day of Safari! I was well pleased with myself and had forgotten how much I missed being out in the bush!

On my way to work…

Posted by Justine

Often we take for granted what we have. We become so blasé about living in the most beautiful country in the world. And VERY often we do not see what is right in front of us.

This morning on my way to work I spotted a large bird of prey in my favourite Leadwood tree. I pass this tree about three or four times a day and it never ceases to amaze me. Just the sheer thought of what this tree must have experienced in its lifetime. Sadly as you have probably read on Bernard’s blog, this tree got broken quite badly in a recent thunderstorm.

But I am getting ahead of myself now. I approached the large bird with caution as I did not want it to fly off before I had identified it. I somehow managed to position the vehicle almost right underneath the Raptor and to my delight saw that it was a magnificent Martial Eagle! He was completely relaxed and keeping a curious eye on me. I excitedly explained to Gerard what it was and he immediately grabbed my camera out of my bag so that I could snap a couple of pictures. It was a beautiful sighting as the sun was only just starting to rise in the east. There were a couple of clouds on the horizon and this added to the splendour of the shot. I have seen a couple of Martial Eagles on Moditlo Private Game Reserve but seldom this close.

Martial Eagles are the largest of the African Eagles and have enough power to knock a grown man off his feet; they also reputedly have enough strength in one foot to break a man’s arm. The Martial Eagle weighs in about 14 pounds (6.5kg) and has a wingspan of around 6 feet 4 inches and it is about 32 inches long.

The prey of a Martial Eagle varies from area to area but largely consists of birds like Spurfowl, Guinea Fowl, bustards and poultry – the latter often making them a rather unpopular with farmers. They will also opt for mammalian which include Hyraxes and small antelope. Livestock also fall in this category and domestic goats and lambs often fall prey to the Martial Eagle.

Nests are built between 60 and 80 feet above the ground in trees normally growing on a steep hillside or in a gorge. This gives the Eagle a clear sweep of the nest. Nests are huge structures of about four to six feet across and up to four feet thick and often basin shaped. Incubation period is around 45 days and the young will take their first flight around 100 days after hatching.

I have to admit that this sighting was a treat indeed, and it just made me realize how quickly we have become unappreciative of our living environment. We are truly blessed to be able to see animals of all shapes and sized on our way to and from work every day.

I am incredibly fortunate to be living in Africa.

Walking Tall…

Posted by Justine

Every morning when we drive to work we come across the same couple of Giraffe. The collective noun for Giraffe is a Journey or a Tower of Giraffe. They are probably the most photographed and interesting mammals that you will come across on Safari at Vuyani Safari Lodge.

Giraffe are the tallest mammals and male Giraffe can measure between 5 and 6 meters (16-20 ft.) and has an average weight of 1,600 kg for males and around 830 kg for females. Giraffe usually inhabit woodland, savannah and open grassland. Their primary food source is Acacia leaves which they browse at heights most other herbivores cannot reach.

Giraffe are preyed on by Lions and young calves are targeted by Leopard, Spotted Hyena and Wild Dog. Male Giraffe establish hierarchy through “necking” which is combats where the neck is used as a weapon, these encounters can last for quite some time and is amazing to observe. On occasion one of the Giraffe will be knocked to the ground in this battle.

The giraffe has an extensive tongue which measures about 20 cm in length and is a bluish – purple color. The tongue is extremely rough in texture, covered with bristly hairs and this is to protect it against the sharp Acacia thorns. Although the Giraffe boasts such a long neck, it possesses the same amount of vertebrae as a human.

Female Giraffe give birth whilst standing up and the calf can drop for about 6 ft. after a gestation period of 400 to 460 days. The calf is not hurt when it drops to the ground and the umbilical cord it also immediately severed but the fall. Giraffe calves can stand and run within hours of being born, they are around 1.8 meters tall.

Giraffe sleep standing up, but will lie down on occasion keeping their heads erect, as when they are lying down they are extremely vulnerable to predation, also when drinking water. They have to stand with legs apart and lower their necks and head to take a drink. This is an utmost opportunistic time for predators to attack.

It is possible to determine the sex of a giraffe by looking at its horns, both male and female have horns, but the female will have smaller horns covered with hair, whilst the male’s horns will be bare, the hair tends to rub off during the ‘necking’ process.

Giraffe can live for up to 25 years, and I reckon they are one of the most unique and interesting mammals on the African Continent

Photos by Rina Erasmus

Spotted on Safari…

Posted by Justine

About a week ago Jesse was on a mission to track and find the Cheetah! This is no easy task as they are extremely well camouflaged and tend to stay away from the Lions. Cheetahs are much smaller than their Feline counterparts, Lions and Leopard.

Cheetahs tend to spend most of the day resting in the shade (like all cats) and will hunt mainly early morning and late afternoon, as the temperatures are much lower. Male Cheetah will form what we call a coalition – where two or more males will stick together, this will make hunting a little easier. Females are loners but the cubs will stay with their mother until they are about two years of age.

Cheetahs look very different to Leopard – (if you know what to look for). Cheetahs are much more slender in build and I like to compare them to a ballerina where as the Leopard reminds me of a Rugby Player. The Cheetah is tall and slender and has a certain grace to its stance, where as the Leopard is short and stocky and looks like it should not be messed with.

Cheetahs have small solid black spots all over the body. On the face they have the distinctive “Tear Mark” the black lines running down the side of the eye. Cheetahs also do not have retractable claws and their feet resemble that of a dog, however they are classified as feline. The cheetah has one retractable claw – this is called the dew claw which it will use to hit the prey in full flight. They are the fastest land mammals and can reach speeds of up to 120 km/ph. astoundingly they can accelerate from 0 – 100km/ph in just 3 seconds! The Leopard is much bigger in build and its body is covered with “Rosettes” black spots with a touch of brown in the middle.

Cheetah will use their speed to hunt prey; they are not ambush animals like the leopard. And do not possess brute strength or have the help of a pride like the Lion. This is often why other predators will “steal” food away from the Cheetah, due to its lack of physical strength. They are by far my favourite animal.

Jesse found these two males just having a relaxing afternoon in the sun, most probably discussing their tactics for the afternoon hunt

Luis was ready with his camera and took some great photos! What an honour to see these beautiful cats. And I shall give credit where credit is due – Well done Jesse for tracking them!

On Safari At Vuyani…

Posted by Justine

A couple of days ago the pride of Lions was tracked and spotted in a dry river bed. We have had quite a bit of rain, and most of it has now disappeared with the warm weather. This is perfect for Lions and other cats to have a nap in. The sand is cool and the shade plentiful.  As you can see in the photographs these cats were doing what they do best, which is sleeping. Lions will sleep for around 18 hours of the day (shocking!)

The pride was completely relaxed and just taking in the afternoon sun, most probably secretly planning their strategy for the evenings hunt. Within a pride of Lion the females will do most of the hunting. The male will then feed first, with the cubs closely following behind – lastly the females will have a turn at the feast, despite doing most of the work.

The Male lion is mainly there to protect his pride of females and young, also to fend off rival males. A male lion can weigh between 325 and 470 lbs and the biggest ever recorded lion weighed nearly a whopping 700 pounds! The average lifespan of a Lion in the wild is roughly about 13 years. A lion’s eyesight is five times better than that of a human being. Lions in Africa have a very distinctive roar which can be heard from up to five miles away. The roar is to make itself known in the area and to communicate with the rest of the pride. The roar can also warn rival males that this is my territory.

It is always a special moment when you come face to face with these magnificent creatures! And it makes one feel rather small and helpless if you experience the sheer size of these beasts from an open safari vehicle.