Author: 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!

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.

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

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!

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.

Sitting in the office one morning I kept hearing a buzzing noise – I turn to Rina to ask if she could hear it. We sit in silence for a couple of minutes – then the hunt begins. We overturn nearly the entire office looking for the origin of the noise. Eventually we are forced to give up.

As I reposition my chair at the desk my eye catches movement on the wall, and right there I spot a Wasp. With the utmost precision he is testing the depth of a small hole in the wall (where a shelf used to be) his wings creating the consistent buzzing. Nearly his entire body is buried in the cavity and only his hind legs are visible on the wall. These wasps are known as Spider Hunting Wasps.

Females of the species are uniformly black with a blue sheen.

All species of Spider Hunting Wasps are solitary and most species will paralyze their prey after capturing it. Being solitary these wasps do not colonize, they nest alone in burrows or crevices. Although they have the ability to fly rather well they spend most of their time on the ground searching for prey.

These wasps have powerful venom which is used to paralyze their prey (the prey consists mostly of spiders and in particular the Orb Web spider.  After stinging its prey, the wasp will drag the prey to a nesting site.  The prey is only paralyzed at this point and still very much alive. These wasps are incredibly agile and possess great mobility to maneuver the prey into small crevices and holes which have been pre prepared.

The wasp will then lay a single egg on the Spider’s abdomen; the wasp will exit and close the nest, concealing it completely. In about two days the wasp egg hatches in its underground cell. It will start feasting on the soft tissue of the spider, starting with the abdomen and eventually only leaving behind a hollow carcass and legs. After about seven days it spins a silken cocoon and pupates within, emerging as an adult wasp when the right temperature and humidity is reached.

It completely amazed us how quick and efficient this little insect worked to build its nest. The wasp tirelessly building the perfect little dome for its offspring, so they could emerge and continue the cycle of life, as nature intended. We kept a close eye and managed to snap only a few pictures. We have become rather fond of the wasp in the office and Rina and I keep a close eye on the nest everyday – I will keep you posted when our adoptive “child” is born 🙂

If you happen to come across a large black wasp with a blue sheen, walking on the ground, you will now at least know there is someone monitoring the spider population.

*Justine Ferreira – Photos by: Rina Erasmus 🙂

What an eventful year it has been at Vuyani Safari Lodge. When I look back and read through all the blogs I have written I get this reminiscing feeling about all the events, the excitement and laughter shared by both guest and staff member. The wonderful people we have met, the new additions to the lodge and the one’s that left us behind for a different route taken. The animals that we have seen (and the one’s that kept getting away), it really has been an action-packed and amusing year.

There have been so many high five’s dished out through the year. Every single time Jesse set out find a Leopard (and succeeded in couple of drives) it was an ant’s nest of excitement once he returned. High five’s all around and massive smiles on every single persons face. Jess I think deserves an award for being the most persistent at finding the elusive one. Also having the most luck in spotting the rare but magnificent Aardvark.

Pierre gets the award for being the most successful with his guides through the Kruger National Park, his very infectious laugh (which can make me laugh till I cry) and for most definitely doing the most maintenance around the lodge. Pierre has an incredibly outgoing personality and can get almost anyone chatting. He is also always making conversation and friends wherever he goes.

Rina is being singled out for her incredible organizational skills and for keeping all the administrative work in order and up to date. I am sure before your stay (or after) you have spoken to Rina at some point. If you visited the lodge she most definitely would have booked an excursion for you at some point during your stay at Vuyani.

Gerard is absolutely the life of the lodge; he has an answer to everything and is always up for a bit of banter and a little chat. His meals are top notch and he always cooks enough food to feed an army. He has created the famous saying that I am sure all who have visited and all who are to visit will hear at least once during your stay: “Great Success”

Shane is one of the most recent additions to the Vuyani Team but has settled in so quickly that it seems he has been here forever. His personality is incredibly diverse and he fits in with the rest of the team so well. His organizational skills and food knowledge are so much more than anyone of us could have ever expected. He has the Midas touch when it comes to presentation and his meals are not only delicious they also look incredible. He is always up for a laugh and willing to help out wherever and whenever he can.

Rose is known as the “Baker” her baked goods are out of this world! She makes the most delectable and inconceivable cakes, tarts and cookies. I am normally the first to do “quality control” whenever she has baked anything. She makes a mean omelette and I have never seen her without a smile on her face. She was so shy when she first arrived at the lodge, but now she has gained confidence and presents her Breakfast and High Tea menu’s with style.

Phillamone bakes the freshest and most delicious bread in the Lowveld. Every morning he dutifully comes in, washes the dishes, and cleans out the kitchen, and starts baking the bread for dinner. He ensures that the store room is stocked and neatly packed and that the trash is taken out. Every now and then he helps out wherever he can with general maintenance and cleanliness of the lodge. He also does most of the cooking when we have a Braai (Barbeque)

Swenkie is the newest addition to the team. He is most certainly the handiest person I have ever met. He is incredibly strong for such a little person, he builds, cleans, washes dishes, waiters, washes cars and now and then he will go on drive to help spot animals. Always friendly and does not recognize the word No. He is always keen and eager to help and is exceptionally proud of his job. He has transformed the lodge in more ways than one. And I am always very amused when he goes on his “monkey patrol”. He patrols the trash cans and thatched roofs to make sure the Monkey’s do not create havoc.

Patricia, Yvonne, Portia and Jacqui what will we do without these ladies? They are the ones that keep the lodge so clean, make the beds and do the laundry. They the most beautiful smiles and can sometimes crack the funniest jokes. A huge thank you goes out to them.

Christopher is also fairly new to Vuyani; he was almost as shy as Rose when he arrived, very reserved and quiet. But now he makes conversation with the guests and ensures that they never have an empty glass in the hand. He helps out with everything and carries the entire lodge’s luggage to and from the rooms. He is also incredibly proud of his job and is extremely punctual. The rest of the staff often giggles at his very sharp comments and he is probably the only one who can silence Gerard with his quirkiness.

Andre and Mike are the guys who do the most travelling by far. They are the first smiling faces that one sees before starting the journey to Vuyani Safari Lodge. They are always willing to share their knowledge. Andre has the sweetest demeanour and I am sure all of our guests and staff will agree. Mike is the organizer; he can organize anything and everything at the drop of a hat.

Craig: I have read that a team is only as good as its leader. Well in the case of Mr. Craig Carnaby we are extremely fortunate. We at Vuyani Safari Lodge could not have asked for a better leader. Always ready to give advice (even if it’s not about work) he can crack a hilarious joke and also be incredibly stern at the same time. He has extensive and incredible knowledge of the bush and animals and takes awe-inspiring photographs.

The lodge has really undergone a metamorphosis in 2012. We have had so many laughs and worked incredibly hard. To each and every staff member I would like to extend an enormous Thank you. Thank you for all your hard work and your smiles. The laughs and the moments where you just keep quiet and walk away, as it can be very challenging in this industry to live and work together, but we have ended up as one big family.

We have met guests and parted as friends. Thank you to all the guests that visited Vuyani Safari Lodge during the year of 2012 – I can only hope that your stay was amazing and that you sit back and look through your pictures reminiscing about your stay at Vuyani (and maybe your next trip)

To all a very prosperous 2013, may you have an incredible year filled with laughter.

We had a one of our summer storms about two days ago and I figured it was the perfect time to sit in the office and think about my next blog, as the rain stopped I looked out the window and saw what Author Donald Ahrens of Meteorology Today describes so beautifully: “one of the most spectacular light shows observed on earth” a Rainbow.

There are few things in life that gives me that inner childlike excitement as seeing a Rainbow in the sky. It is almost magical – immediately I think of the stories I was told as a child. The enchanted forest that lies at the end where fairies and unicorns roam free – the huge pot of gold that is guarded by an angry little leprechaun, and how if you find that pot of gold you will be incredibly rich. Many a times I remember that myself and my brother used to run our little legs off in search of this forest, but alas, always gave up as we eventually had no energy left. Now that I think about it, my mother probably made us run around so that we would leave her in peace for at least five minutes.

A Rainbow is actually an optical and meteorological phenomenon that is caused by the reflection of light in water droplets in the earth’s atmosphere, resulting in a spectrum of light performing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicolored curvature. Rainbows caused by sunlight always appear in a section of the sky that is directly opposite the sun.

In a “primary rainbow”, the arc shows red on the outer part and violet on the inner side. This rainbow is caused by light being diverted while entering a globule of water, then reflected inside on the back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it. The most spectacular rainbows appear when the sky is still half dark with raining clouds and one is at a spot with clear sky facing the direction of the sun. The result is an incandescent rainbow that contrasts with the dark background. For colors seen by the human eye the most commonly named and remembered sequence is Newton’s sevenfold red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Rainbows can be caused by many forms of airborne water. These include not only rain, but also mist, spray and airborne dew.

Rarely a Moonbow, Lunar Rainbow or nighttime rainbow can be seen on strongly moonlit nights. As human visual acuity for color is poor in low light, moonbows are often perceived to be white.

There are so many different types of Rainbows for example: Multiple Rainbows, Twinned Rainbow, Tertiary and Quaternary Rainbows, High – order Rainbow, Supernumerary Rainbows, Reflected Rainbow, Monochrome Rainbows, Fog Bows, Circumhorizontal arc and Rainbows on Titan. I briefly read through these different kinds and it is astonishing how they are formed, the one that perhaps most caught my attention was the Rainbows on Titan.

It has been suggested that Rainbow’s might exist on Saturn’s moon Titan, as it has a wet surface and humid clouds. The radius of a Titan Rainbow will be at angle of about 49 degrees instead of the normal 42 degrees since fluid in that cold environment is methane instead of water. One might need infrared goggles to be able to view this spectacle as Titan’s atmosphere is more transparent at those wavelengths.

There is an awful lot of factual information that can be given on Rainbows, I can write pages and pages on how they are formed what the differences are and so forth, but I have decided to keep it magical.

I want to still get excited about the enchanted forest and the prospect of finding the pot of gold. Maybe even the promise of one day meeting a fairy and spending some time in Narnia. So whenever you see a rainbow, think of this quote that I have always absolutely adored:

“Magic exists. Who can doubt it, when there are rainbows and wildflowers, the music of the wind and the silence of the stars? Anyone who has loved has been touched by magic. It is such a simple and such an extraordinary part of the lives we live.”

*Nora Roberts

And you might also be touched by the magic…

*Justine Ferreira

Photos: Justine Ferreira and Rina Erasmus 🙂

For my latest blog I have decided to write about something a little different. For decades African people have relied on what they could utilize from the earth, there were no Pharmacy’s, Supermarkets, Shopping Malls or GP’s. They had to make use of what they had – and what they had was nature. I would also think that the most used elements must have been and actually still are plants. There are so many uses for plants it is staggering. I have singled out four specific trees that you will most definitely see on your stay at Vuyani Safari Lodge.

Sycamore Fig – Ficus sycamorus

The Sycamore fig is a very large evergreen tree, mostly spotted on Kruger National Park trips. Sycamore figs are terrestrial and widespread along Lowveld Rivers also from Kwa Zulu Natal to East Africa and Egypt. They bare edible fruit that are yellowish or reddish in color when ripe, these fruits are highly valued as food by both human and creature alike. The Sycamore also has quite a few economic uses and one of the most interesting is most definitely that it was used to make sarcophagi in Egypt. The sycamore produces quite a bit of shade and is a popular relaxation spot for Leopard, also very often inhabited by Baboons, who will feast on the fruits.

Buffalo Thorn – Ziziphus mucronata

The Buffalo Thorn is a common resident around Vuyani Safari Lodge and on Moditlo Private Game Reserve and it is armed with hooked and straight spines at each node. The Afrikaans name for this tree is the: Blinkblaar Wag – ‘n – bietjie which directly translated to English means: Shiny Leaf Wait a Bit – this makes a lot of sense because if the spines manage to infiltrate your clothing or even worse skin, it will indeed make you “wait – a – bit” The fruits of this tree are edible during the months of March to August, the fruits are a glossy spherical drupe with a reddish brown tint when mature. In Botswana it is believed that this tree is immune to lightning. The wood is fine-grained and heavy, mostly used for woodworking. The bark contains tannins and has anti –fungal properties, also believed to be an indicator of underground water. In South Africa the Zulu tribe have a belief that if someone passes you should take a branch of the Buffalo Thorn and drag it over their grave, because the straight spine points to the future, whilst the hooked spine point to the past – thus letting the soul rest in peace.

Leadwood – Combretum imberbe.

The Leadwood is probably one of the most spectacular trees to see, it just seems like it should have featured in the Lord of the Rings. Widespread from tropical Africa, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, the dark heartwood is exceptionally hard and heavy, close grained and particularly hard to work. Wood from the Leadwood tree was much used in the past for fence posts, mine props and railway sleepers. Today still very popular to make furniture and can be seen in many lodges and households. Ash from burnt wood has high lime content and is used as toothpaste and whitewash by many tribes. The leaves are browsed by game rather often. Seeds are possibly poisonous, but not known facts, some of the larger Leadwood trees are reputed to be well over 1000 years old.

And lastly probably the most popular in the Lowveld area is the well-known Marula Tree.

Marula – Sclerocarya birrea

Sclerocarya – derived from the Greek word meaning Walnut, referring to the hard kernel inside the fleshy fruit. The fruits are edible, large and fleshy, plum like and a pale green colour which ripens to yellow. The Marula is classified as one of the great trees of Africa, usually very well preserved by the indigenous people for its valuable fruit and shade. The fruits are also high in Vitamin C and utilized by both humans and animals. A jelly preserve and an intoxicating drink known as Mampoer are made from the juice. Seeds are used raw, cooked or ground. Many insects use this tree to breed and feed on. The tree can be propagated by from seed by means of truncheons. The very popular South African liqueur namely Amarula is produced from the fruits of this tree, and I am most certain most guests that have visited Vuyani Safari Lodge have had a taste of this delicious drink. Also widely used in all types of foods by the chefs.

These are but a few trees that I have singled out – there are more than 22 000 different species of seed plants indigenous to Southern Africa. This is less than the tip of the iceberg – just a few to mention, I can only imagine how plants and trees have saved numerous lives. If trees could talk the stories they would tell – the things they must have witnessed – history in the making – the magic that surrounds them. If you go on your first safari I know that animals tend to be the number one priority – but as you are driving through the bush, just take a moment to take in the botanical wonder.

*Justine Ferreira

Every week I sit and ponder about a topic for the blog. I reminisce about happenings since my last entry and then suddenly like a bolt of lightning it hits me – an unsystematic thought triggers somewhere in my subconscious and I have my topic.

This week it is most definitely rare and unusual animals – with the recent event that an Aardvark was spotted on evening safari. As a guide there are a handful of animals that are a couple of species that almost always eludes you. I know guide who have been in the industry for more than 20 years and still have not laid eyes on some of the rarities. As a guest to South Africa and on Safari, seldom does one realize what a privilege it can be to spot one of these mysterious creatures. It is also going to be very hard to put photographs with my blog this week – as you can imagine.

Firstly for me it has to be the Pangolin, what an obscure little creature, it sort of resembles the Armadillo – but not quite. It has massive scales that cover its entire body, these scales make up almost 20% of its body mass. The scales are made of keratin, which is the same as our finger nails, animal horns and hair. Sadly these scales are used in traditional medicines – resulting in the trapping and poaching of Pangolin. The scales have a cutting action, worked by powerful muscles, and can inflict serious wounds on anything inserted between them.

It has the strangest set of legs/paws/claws that I have ever seen! They have very long claws on their front legs to help them open ant hills, thus making it almost impossible for the Pangolin to walk; he then uses his back legs. It looks incredibly out of the ordinary when they “waddle” down the road.

The Pangolin lives in a burrow and mostly moves about at night, making it a nocturnal animal. They like to eat ants, termites and other insects which they lap up with their long tongue (which can be up to 16 inches!)They do not have teeth, but possess a gizzard like stomach to aid in digesting their food. They have very bad eyesight but an incredible sense of smell, this is how they locate ant’s nests and Termite mounds. Due to the lack of scales on their snout, eyes, ears and underbelly all Pangolins can roll themselves into a ball, and it takes considerable effort and strength to unroll them. This is to protect themselves from predators – they young will creep underneath the mother’s stomach and she will roll herself into a ball – protecting her offspring.

Being very secretive and nocturnal – scientists know very little about their behaviour in the wild. So you can envision how special and rare a sighting of this astonishing little creature is.

Secondly it has to be the Aardvark. It is the only species in its order and is literally like no other animal on earth. The Aardvark’s name means “Earth Pig” but it is not related to pigs. There are some similarities like the sparseness of hair on their bodies are course, their back is arched and they seem to have a snout on the end of their narrow face. But they also have ears like a rabbit, webbed feet like a duck, claws like a bear and the tail of a kangaroo! The long tongue resembles that of an anteater, but they do not belong to that family either, they truly are one of a kind.

Aardvarks are nocturnal, solitary and somewhat nomadic. They can be found where there are plentiful ant’s nests and Termite mounds, as this is their preferred food. They use their bear-like claws to dig into the earth and scoop up the termites with their long sticky tongues. A Aardvark can lap up about 50, 000 termites in one sitting! They have incredibly thick and tough skin, to protect themselves from the bites and stings of their prey. The tough skin also helps them against predators and they will not hesitate to use their claws when defending themselves. The Aardvark is hunted by Wild Dog, Lion, Cheetah, Leopard and Python.

Very little is known about their mating and reproduction as they are solitary and nocturnal, much like the Pangolin.

These are only two of the weird and wonderful creatures that we find in Africa, fascinating to say the least, if you are fortunate enough to spot one whilst on safari you will be exceptionally lucky. And if you manage to snap a photograph – well then you will most certainly be the envy of many a ranger and guide.

*Justine Ferreira