Desert & Delta Safaris

Chobe Game Lodge environmental news

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:58:00 +0000

During the beginning of the month we’ve had some really stormy weather with high winds and heavy showers of rain - most unusual for this time of year. We recorded 37mm of rain in total which really only helped to settle the dust a bit as it had no real effect on the vegetation. The main benefit though is that it helped fill up many of the big standing pans of rainwater out in the bush again. This means the wildlife would have a bigger range where they can graze for weeks to come, since they have water available to them in areas where they would normally not be able roam this deep into the dry season.

The Chobe’s levels receded rather fast after the exceptional flooding season we’ve had during our late summer months. Most of the floodplains that were inundated during the last 3 months dried out again, and we once again had access to the roads that were also inaccessible for months due to the high flood levels. There is still a surprising amount of grazing available on these floodplains - we expected most of the grass would have died off after being under water for such an extended period of time.

The large buffalo herds have returned to the Chobe floodplains after the floodwaters receded again

The rain we had also did not affect the movement of game as much as we expected, and the sightings we had during the last month far exceeded our expectations.
Our local pride of lions seems to have settled down after a long period of turmoil over the last year in the pride structure. Over recent months we’ve had two new males moving into the area as we have reported in earlier newsletters. Only about four of the females of the original pride roaming our area of the Chobe riverfront seem to have accepted the new males. The newly structured pride is now often seen together with the four new cubs – in fact lion sightings were basically a daily occurrence over last few weeks. The cubs are growing bigger by the day and this means we see them a lot more since they are now integrated into the pride and moving around everywhere with them.

Lioness with the remains of her breakfast – a young warthog.

A very photogenic young male, the pride of our Chobe pride!

As expected for this time of year we’ve had a very high success rate when it came to finding not only lions but other large predators too. What is remarkable though was the amount of kills our guides managed to encounter. The lions were seen killing warthog, impala and a buffalo calf at Puku flats.

A pack of 7 wild dogs roamed the area between the Serondella picnic spot and the Kasane Airport for a period of about a week. We were lucky enough to see these highly nomadic predators kill on at least three occasions. They first brought down a waterbuck near the HATAB 1 & 2 campsites and on the second occasion they managed to kill a kudu very near to the Lodge. The third sighting was at the Sedudu Pans where the dogs killed a fully grown male impala. We actually had the opportunity to time the dogs on how long it would take to finish their kill: within 7 minutes all that was left of the impala were its horns, ribcage and a piece of skin!

The pack of wild dogs after they brought down a kudu near Chobe Game Lodge.

Leopard sightings were perhaps not as common as we would have liked but at least they were not non-existent. The large amount of lion activity in the vicinity of Chobe Game Lodge may have caused them to be just a bit more secretive than normal. With undergrowth opening up as it is right now, the frequency of sightings of these large cats should increase during June.

Leopards were rather elusive over the last few weeks

As we progress deeper into July, winter will strengthen its grip on us here in southern Africa. In Chobe this fortunately means nippy mornings and pleasant daytime temperatures. The bit of chill experienced on the early morning game drives and late in the evening should be well worth enduring as winter is always the most exciting time for game viewing and we are always rewarded with awesome sightings and experiences.

We will keep you up to date with the latest in our next newsletter.

Regards,

The Chobe Game Lodge Guides

Compiled by:
Wouter Theron
Environmentalist
Chobe Game Lodge

Stunning sunsets are typical of Botswana’s winter months.

Xugana Island Lodge

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:12:00 +0000

With the water exceptionally high in the Okavango Delta this year, animals are on the move.

They cross from island to island with ease to find a plentiful supply of food. The situation makes a walking safari all the more intriguing, for participants never know what they might find, and those who are open to all of nature’s bounty, from the tiniest insects to the soaring African fish eagle, never come away disappointed.

On this day, led by Desert and Delta Safaris guide, Lets Ngoma, Jenny and Geoff Lee of Australia seemed the happiest of guests, paying close attention to Lets’ description of the dung beetle and its manner of rolling dung into a hole in the sand, a deposit that will one day feed its young. Lets was pointing to buffalo dung to describe the preferred food over that of the droppings of an elephant. As all of us inspected the ground, Lets soon noticed something else: lion tracks. He concluded that buffalo the previous evening had headed in the direction from whence we came, and a lioness had tracked them.

What happened next was a treasure hunt, a classic tale of tracking. With Lets in front and tracker Lasty in the back, the group walked on. Lets had us inspecting even more lion tracks, including those of a big male. “Open your ears,” Lets advised us. “Open your ears.”

We examined more tracks. We watched Lets stand on top of termite mounds to scope the landscape of Palm Island with his binoculars. At one stage we heard a growl. It was low. We had to crosscheck with each other to be sure we had heard it. Lets moved away to test his theory. Quiet. Then more growls. Then in another direction, we heard scuffling and saw dust rising. It seemed animal action was all around us. And then Lets saw it: In the distance near a group of red lechwe was a lioness. He made sure we could all see her. “Well done!” whispered Geoff. It was 8:57 a.m., less than an hour after we had left the boat to begin our walk. Lets and Lasty decided we would move toward the dust cloud.

We were excited, and certainly our ears were open. Before long we had come upon a herd of Cape buffalo, somewhere between 200 and 300 of them, the tracker estimated. And in no time Lets had spotted more lions, two resting in the shade of a termite mound, their eyes on the buffalo. And then there was a lioness moving in front of us, not 50 yards away. And soon there was the male Lets had been hoping to see. The Lees were thrilled by the magnificence of the sight, although Geoff, a physician who maintained his sense of practicality, for which I was grateful, made sure we received instructions about where to flee should the buffalo charge us.

They eyed us curiously as they grazed, but kept their distance. In all there were 8 lions visible that morning. Lets and Lasty determined there were more, at least one more male, by the sound of the roars calling out to each other.

To be that close to wildlife in Botswana, on foot no less, is an encounter that can never be forgotten. All the senses come alive. Awe is the undercurrent. Those on a walking safari have been guests in the home of the wild animals of the bush. As Jenny exclaimed to the camp managers upon our return to Xugana Island Lodge, “We’ve been on an adventure!” Never to be forgotten.

Maria Henson, Desert & Delta Safaris volunteer

Bats

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:36:00 +0000

Bats may not be at the top of our guests' "must see" lists, but they are actually fascinating, overlooked (and misunderstood) creatures.

A Mauritian Tomb Bat (endearing name, n'est ce pas?), a species of sheathtailed bat which I saw hanging head down on a tree outside the Xugana dining room. She had a furry pup clinging to her underside which you can see if you look carefully at the photograph.

The second is the rare Ruppell's Pipistrelle Pipistrellus rueppellii, a species of vesper bat weighing a mere 7.1 g (142 to the kilogram) which I found at Camp Okavango. Little is known about this species, and according to my large Skinner & Chimimba mammal reference book, its roosting habits are unknown.

The third bat is the formidible-looking Commerson's Roundleaf Bat Hipposideros commersoni. I found it hanging from the thatched roof of the Camp Moremi dining room. Quite a beast, this, and the largest bat in Botswana, with formidible clawed forearms. Males have a wingspan of just under 600 mm and may weigh over 200 g (28 times heavier than the pipistrelle). Compare this with the 508 mm wingspan and 140 g weight of the only other large bat in the region, the Gambian - formerly Peter's - Epauletted Fruit Bat, Epophomorus gambianus. Commerson's Roundleaf Bat is insectivorous, as are the Mauritian Tomb Bat and Ruppell's Pipistrelle.

Richard Randall

A morning Game Drive in the Moremi Game Reserve

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:34:00 +0000

Mc and I moved to Camp Moremi nearly 3 months ago. Time flies and one always has good intentions of doing so many things and sometimes those good intentions fall short. One of those intentions was to write more blog stories about the most amazing place we are very fortunate to be able to call home – Camp Moremi, situated in the heart of Moremi Game Reserve.

Before managing Camp Moremi we where managing Camp Okavango. Camp Okavango is another beautiful piece of paradise. Each camp is so diverse and each offers something quite unique. Camp Moremi has its own charm. The last 3 months have been full of interesting sightings. As a manger we don’t always get a chance to see all the activity for ourselves but instead get to live it through the guest’s eyes and their wonderful photos and their rendition of their game drive.

Today was a very exciting day for all our guests on the morning safari. The game reserve is looking stunning. We have had a lot of rain. That creates for an interesting safari just in itself. The water is endless and there are many deep puddles to cross. The well known Jessie’s pool is full to the brim.

The hippos are just loving all this water. The birdlife is also something to watch out for with plenty of different species of ducks enjoying the water as well as the ever watching Fish Eagle waiting for the perfect catch. Not to mention the crocodiles quietly cruising the water, looking for some unexpectant prey.

After enjoying all the wildlife at Jessie’s pool the guide continued with the safari, unsure of what he may come across next. Looking carefully at the road for any tracks and listening to the sounds for any warning calls. The tracks where clear, there had been a chase and possible a kill. Who was chasing who? By the looks of things it looked like the buffaloes got to close to the lions. It was an unlucky day for the buffalo but in this world, it is always survival of the fittest.

This made fantastic viewing for all our guests. They missed the actual kill but they where able to enjoy the lions relishing their meal. At this particular sighting there where at least 10 lions consisting of 3 or 4 adult lioness and a number of cubs. In the distances not to far from the kill where the hungry hyenas waiting to get their share of the meal. They where constantly checking to see if the lions where done with their feast and waiting to see if any scraps had been left behind for them to enjoy. One might think that hyenas are dirty good for nothing animals but in fact they play an essential role in keeping the environment clean. Hyenas clean up a kill. They are able to eat parts of a kill that other animals see as insignificant. Hyenas will eat everything left behind except for the hair and the teeth. In this way they are able to get calcium from the bones. That is why hyena’s faeces are white in colour and one may see a tortoise eating from them. The tortoise will do this to get calcium to help their shell develop.

After all this exciting viewing it was back into camp to enjoy a well deserved brunch and to share sighting stories and photos with each other and the envious camp managers. As camp managers it always gives us great satisfaction to hear these stories and to know our guests have had an unforgettable experience in the African bush that they will be able to cherish for many years to come.

Written by: Michelle Fowler, Manageress, Camp Moremi

Desert & Delta Safaris Annual Service Excellence Award

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:24:00 +0000

Desert & Delta Safaris introduced the Annual Service Excellence Award, The Elephant Trophy, eight years ago to identify the lodge that best personifies our guest centric service ethos. Since then the trophy has always been keenly contested, testament to our staff’s proud commitment to that ethos.

Lodges are evaluated throughout the year. Every detail is considered, often with guest feedback. Departmental evaluation then takes place with the human resources, operations, finance, maintenance and the food and beverage departments being assessed.

Over the past eight years The Elephant Trophy has been awarded to Savute Safari Lodge five times, Camp Moremi twice and Xugana Island Lodge once.

After an exceptionally busy year the 2008 Desert & Delta Safaris Service Excellence Award went to Camp Okavango for a consistently excellent performance in all areas of operations.

Leroo La Tau, Khumaga Primary school outing

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:02:00 +0000

14th Feb, Leroo La Tau

As part of the ongoing and close association between Leroo La Tau and the local Khumaga community, the twelve top performing pupils, and two teachers, from Khumaga Primary School, were rewarded for their hard work with a morning game drive at Leroo La Tau.

Under the experienced tutorage of Fred and Lance, the students set out to experience at close quarters the wildlife and ecology of this unique area and were not disappointed with sightings of lion, a first for some, elephants, giraffe, hippo, impala, kudu and many other species of mammals and birds.

Following the drive they were taken to the lodge where they enjoyed sandwiches, cake and soft drinks.

A great deal of fun was had all round, the day ending with a choir competition between the Khumaga children and the Leroo La Tau staff culminating with all combining to form a single magnificent choir.

After a photo session a tired but elated group of pupils were returned to school. Such outings are vital for children, not only to learn about the wildlife that exists in their backyard but also for them to gain an understanding of how important the protection of the environment is for future generations.

Guest feedback, Savute Safari Lodge

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:45:00 +0000

Feedback from Flavio Poggi & Cristina Bordoli Poggi
Savute Safari Lodge

We are back home to a freezing Switzerland and just wanted to send you our greetings – please say hello also to Energy, Ben and all the staff. We hope in the meanwhile you are all doing well.

We are fascinated by your country and we hope to be able to visit it again soon.

You simply made it perfect for us, so thank you again for everything!
I would like to say “Wowwww!!” to your staff at the Savute Safari Lodge. Everything was done in a professional way, great!!

As a Microsoft Teacher and a freelance photographer I know that the customer satisfaction comes first and I know as well that it brings a lot of efforts to achieve that.

Anyway thanks in advance and take care of you.

PS: I attached some pictures about our stay in Savute Images here (two or three)

You’ll find some more (if you need some just let me know which you like most) on my “holyday web site”, please follow this link: http://www.metrosauro.com/Photo%20Gallery/GALLERIE%20WEB/LEMIEGALLERIE.htm and click the “Vacanze” link.

Guests : Flavio + Cristina

Profile on Kangura Dikoma, Guide at Xugana Island Lodge

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 06:51:00 +0000

Guide: Kangura Dikoma
(Dikoma means papyrus in the Setswana language)
Goes by: Coca

Date of Birth: Feb. 12, 1979
Home village: Etsha 6

Desert & Delta Safaris guide since: 2007

Favorite animal or bird: Leopard because of “the beautiful colors, and he’s not easy to find. You have to struggle.”

Favorite reference book or tool: “Beat about the Bush: Mammals” by Trevor Carnaby and his Canon 8 X 40 binoculars

Favorite food: chicken
Special talent: reading

A hope for his lifetime: “To study more about guiding so that I know more about the bush, the environment and what’s around us.”

Most memorable experience at Xugana: He was mock charged by elephants and lions. “I won’t forget. I have seen miracles on that day.”

Best thing about Xugana: “Walking safari. To me it’s better than a game drive because you can study small things that you cannot manage from a car.”

What makes Botswana special: “The environment, together with the wilderness. (In Botswana) you feel like you’re safe, and you feel like you’re at home.”

December Environmental news Chobe Game Lodge

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 09:16:00 +0000

Environmental News, Chobe Game Lodge
December 2008

Wild Dog taking a break during the heat of the day

Chobe has received more than 260mm of rain during December – almost half of our annual average. The heaviest showers fell on the 22nd when we had a total of 97mm for the day. The Chobe River has also started pushing up its levels and we are anticipating another year of exceptional flood waters as it seems to be raining quite heavily in the Chobe’s catchment areas.

This is now truly a time of plenty for just about all life forms out here in the bush, albeit not always the life forms our visitors are all equally keen to see. It is especially the six legged inhabitants of Chobe that are very conspicuous in the rainy season, and dinner time is always punctuated by random shrieks of horror when our guests make the acquaintance of some of the larger insects attracted to the lights. They are all quite harmless and all have an important role to play in our ecosystem out here. Their sheer abundance is a good indication that we live in a healthy ecosystem. It is not only the insect species that are now trying to complete their life cycles before the dry season starts again, but just about everything else out there from plants to mammals, birds and amphibians all seem to be either hard at work making new babies, or hard at work raising the new babies! We have seen an incredible amount of newcomers to the Chobe district, from the thousands of baby impala around to the local hyena clans’ pups. The hyena pups we reported on last month are now very accustomed to getting attention when vehicles pass by the den, and will quite often come over for a closer inspection of the vehicles and their passengers. The next new arrivals at Chobe will most probably be the baby kudu, as there are many heavily pregnant females around.

Some of Chobe’s new residents:

Spotted hyena cub Photo: Kai van Dongen

Leopard sightings were a bit hard to come by due to the lush vegetation. Unless they did us a favour by posing up in a dead tree!

The lush vegetation as well as the constant rain made the game activities a bit more challenging than normal but we were well rewarded with some excellent sightings of leopard, lion and wild dogs. The dogs have yet again been absent for a month or two but graced us again with their presence over the last week as they quite curiously always seem to visit us over Christmas and New Year.

A pair of male giraffe.

Two of our local lionesses. The were quite active hunting on the floodplains along Watercart Loop.

For those interested in birding, Chobe is the place to be right now! The Chobe Game Lodge team of guides participating in the Birding Big Day of November 29th is now the current holder of the new record for the Chobe region with 192 species counted in one day! Our team started counting early on the morning of the 29th going out in a Game Drive vehicle and switched to a boat for the afternoon leg of the count. 192 species was not a bad total at all, but can still be improved upon next year as the Chobe National Park is home to more than 460 species of birds.

Male and female ostriches with their new family. Photo: Kai van Dongen

Ostrich chick up close Photo: Kai van Dongen

We anticipate receiving even more rain for the next month and may be heading to a record year if it keeps raining like it does now. The rain and subsequent lush vegetation may make game viewing a little harder than normal, but it certainly is the time of year when the bush is at its most beautiful. We do also have a lot of smaller creatures that inhabits Chobe, most of them perhaps not as charismatic or majestic as the big cats, but in many respects just as interesting and rewarding to watch.

From the Chobe Game Lodge Guides Team we wish everyone all the best for 2009 and will report back on all the news in our area early in the New Year.

Compiled By: Wouter Theron, Environmentalist, Chobe Game Lodge

Profile on Guide, Kagiso Gabanne

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:23:00 +0000

Guide: Kagiso Gabanne

Camp Moremi

Goes by: Kagiso (which means “peace” in Setswana)
Date of Birth: March 10, 1962
Home village: Etsha 6
Desert & Delta guide since: 2003

Favorite animal or bird: Leopard because “he’s more difficult than other animals to see him.”

Favorite reference book or tool: “Newman’s Birds of Southern African Birds” by Kenneth Newman

Favorite food: maize meal

Special talent: carving wooden animals

A hope for his lifetime: “To do good things in my life.”

Most memorable experience at Camp Moremi: One night he heard something moving outside his room. He opened his door and found a hippo standing face-to-face with him, “just standing watching me. I go back and close (the door) very quick. I wonder when I can get out. I go back and dream of hippo coming in my room.”

Best thing about Camp Moremi: “Most of the animals are here.”

What makes Botswana special: “I think the people living in Botswana are most friendly. It’s a peaceful country and has good game that people like to come and see.”

Interviewed by Maria Henson, volunteer, Desert & Delta Safaris

Management Training Xugana Island Lodge

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:19:00 +0000

Management training at Xugana in January 2009

Adrienne and Limbo conducted three days of management development training recently at Xugana. Angera, Lodge Manageress of Xugana gave a very informative tour of the lodge explaining all her boards and systems to ensure smooth "back of house" operations and service excellence for all guests. Subjects were very varied and included company structure and lodges, staff wellness, safety, guest relations, accounts, procedures, leadership, culture and localisation. Our management trainees come from all regions of Botswana with a wide variety of qualifications and experience. Some have degrees obtained in South Africa, many have obtained their Certificate in Hospitality Operations at our local College, Maun Technical College and 90% have been promoted through the ranks into these positions. We wish them all the very best as they practice these skills back in the lodges with the passion and professionalism our guests are always talking about.

Desert & Delta Safaris

Maria Henson

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 07:36:00 +0000

Thank you to Maria Henson

Desert & Delta Safaris would like to thank Maria for all the wonderful stories and contribution to our blog which include the profiles she did of our guides and managers before returning to the US after a year’s sabbatical in Botswana. Maria added a wonderful dimension to our management teams in the lodges during her visits which started as a mystery guest on assignment to check on the consistency of standards and levels of service between all the lodges.

Her Pulitzer prize-winning journalistic skills were put to very good use for the blog and we will miss her enthusiasm about everything and anything – even helping with a curio shop stocktake! Maria’s interest in the culture of the Batswana and her passion for children were a brilliant combination at Leroo La Tau where she organized a painting competition at the local school with the best paintings now on sale in the curio shops. The idea is to raise money to buy traditional outfits for the school to offer cultural performances to our guests. Her hat burning ceremony in the company of guest who is a world famous milliner at Camp Moremi on the night Obama won will also never be forgotten. We will miss Maria and we wish her every success as she tries to find a reason to get back to our beautiful country!

Thank you Maria – from Adrienne and all at Desert & Delta Safaris

Maria in Moremi

Below is an extract from her blog "mariainbotswana"

Maria in Africa
The beauty of the Okavango Delta and the utter stillness of the wilderness in Botswana stoked a fire in me to give up my professional life for a year and leap into the unknown. This is my pilgrimage to the continent that opened my heart. As I prepare to fly away from Botswana today, I find that the words I wrote then hold true:

I know that stillness speaks. I know that the sky can sing. I know that unity with the other is possible beyond words and recognizable by only the slightest thread in ordinary space and time. I know that culture is learned, customized like a suit of clothes, but the day may come when the suit is threadbare and no longer of use. I know that fire and water hold magnificent power and that rocks have stories to tell. And I know that the trees stand as witness and healers to the world. I know that tracks in the sand point to the animal but are not the animal, just as spiritual paths point to the truth but are not the truth. I know that dominion over nature can be only a temporary exercise. The cycle will turn, round and inside out. What is nature if not ourselves?
Often in my time in Botswana I have met tourists intent on checking off the animals on their lists. They have watched the National Geographic documentaries, so they arrive tuned and ready: "Lion…Order up!" They simply MUST see a lion or a leopard or a wild dog or a cheetah. They don’t want to hear how filmmakers spent a year in the bush to capture the images seen on TV. They look to the guide to deliver on demand.
Is it any surprise that the vibe of "power and control" is in the air when they take their first steps on the Maun tarmac wearing their starched khaki ensembles, with a host of techno-camper gadgets at the ready? I wonder if the animals sense it, because they sometimes prefer to hide away on their own holiday rather than meet the guests. I like to imagine the elephants down by the water hole stamping their feet and sharing a few chuckling snorts about the Air Botswana parade. They tell their jokes and before the guests return from an afternoon game drive, the ellies amble off silently in all directions, lickety-split into the bush, just for the fun of leaving lodge managers to say, "You just missed them! I promise. There must have been 10 bull elephants at the water hole, not 5 minutes ago."
What I wish for anyone who visits Botswana is to arrive with senses wide open for all that can be perceived. An opening of the heart will surely follow, by virtue of approaching the land’s treasures with the reverence of a novitiate, from the Fireball lily ablaze in scarlet to the dung beetle rolling a ball of wet buffalo poo with Herculean purpose. Where is that armored fellow going with that boulder of dung and at such speed? Sit and watch. The landscape and its occupants are grand, the whole of it, not just The Big Five.

Across the planet we are all sojourners among landscapes in constant change. It’s easy to miss the unfolding of the miracles where most of us live, stuck in traffic jams, a Bluetooth in our ear, a Blackberry on our dash. Underneath it all and through it all is a tapestry of nature woven from morning to night and all night through, indeed woven right through us. We forget to look for the gossamer threads. We’re walking amnesiacs huddled on street corners waiting for the light to say proceed. Here, in Africa, the recognition slaps us in the face, wakes us up. This is the light you’ve been waiting for. This is where you came from, this is what you’re connected to, this is the new news, same as the old news. Forget Times Square, for a digital moment anyway.

Desert and Delta Safaris HD Advert

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:56:00 +0000

Desert and Delta Safaris will shortly be featuring the following short HD TV advert on various channels across the Globe - thanks to Earth-Touch for your kind assistance and support:

Profile on Guide, Kitsoyaone Montsheki

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:26:00 +0000

Guide: Kitsoyaone Montsheki

Goes by: Kitso (which means “knowledge” in Setswana)
Date of Birth: Dec. 7, 1979
Home village: Etsha 6

Desert & Delta guide since: 2006

Favorite animal or bird: Leopard “because it’s beautiful. African jacana because I like its social structure.”

Favorite reference book or tool: “Beat about the Bush: Mammals” by Trevor Carnaby

Favorite food: “I like traditional food: beef seswaa (pounded meat) and phaletshe.”

Special talent: guiding

A hope for his lifetime: “I want to be a businessman.”

Most memorable experience as a guide: He was mock charged by a male lion when he was guiding at Xugana Island Lodge.

Best thing about Camp Moremi: Game viewing

What makes Botswana special: “Political stability – that’s the main thing.”

Charity, Assistant manager/relief

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 11:56:00 +0000

Assistant Manager/Relief, Charity Mpotokwane, 25, grew up in Francistown, which means she was a city girl when she moved to Maun after high school to earn her hospitality operations certificate from Maun Technical College. Her practical training for her degree led her to the bush, to an educational attachment with Desert & Delta Safaris. She joined the company as an assistant manager trainee in February 2008, and today she works as an assistant manager/relief, alternating camps as needed when assigned managers are away.

The city girl is sold on bush life. “The first time I saw elephants swim, I said, ‘Wow. This is what brings the tourists to the country.’”

Her dream is to run her own camp in the delta. “It’s lovely to be close to nature…quiet and peaceful,” she says, adding that she’s proud to be a Motswana living in a stable country. “I don’t want to travel, because the world comes to me.”

Chobe Game Lodge Environmental News

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:51:00 +0000

Environmental News from Chobe Game Lodge

The arrival of the first rain showers northern Botswana

November was as always a month of change since it normally heralds the arrival of the first rains, and the saying “water is life” was quite graphically portrayed here in Chobe. We’ve had a very good raining month with more than a 150mm of rain already recorded. This brought about a drastic change in the bush as the dry vegetation sprung back to life again and to the great delight of all the herbivores new green shoots of grass and leaves can now be seen everywhere. Not only has there been a drastic rejuvenation in the vegetation, but we have also witnessed the arrival of many new babies in the bush. Most notable of these is the impala with every herd having a little crèche of babies. We’ve also seen many baby warthogs, baboons and even the banded mongoose pack around the Lodge have increased their number by about 7 or 8.

Warthog mother with her new babies.

The rains always mean that the sightings tend to slow down a bit and it is especially the elephants that are conspicuous in their absence. At the beginning of the month we still had large herds of zebra and sable which have all disappeared inland trying to find new grazing grounds.

Large herds of zebra were a common sight around Kabulabula before it started to rain

A very unique picture of a leopard feeding off baby elephant. Picture courtesy of Mr Peter Hodes.

The above picture was sent to us by one of our guests, Mr Peter Hodes who was a guest at the Lodge on the evening of the 22nd of October. Mr Hodes and fellow guests went out on a boat excursion with guide Onkabetse Abel and managed to capture this very unique picture of a leopard feeding off the carcass of a dead baby elephant. The little one possibly died due to the dry harsh conditions we experience here in Chobe during late October and leopards are not averse to scavenging.

On the way into Sedudu valley en route from the Sedudu Gate we now have a clan of spotted hyenas that has made the culverts under the road their central den over the last
month, as they have done in previous years. We have so far counted four pups – two sets of two of different ages. The pups are however rather skittish and we haven’t been able to get any good pictures of them so far.

Young spotted hyena outside the den

The change of season have improved birding conditions however as most of our migratory birds have by now returned to the area. Among these count the woodlands kingfisher, Klaas’s cuckoo, Diederick cuckoo and Steppe buzzards.

On the 29th of November Chobe Game Lodge will be entering at least one team in the Birding Big Day event organised by Birdlife Botswana. For this event teams with a minimum of 4 members enter into a competition where they try to count as many as possible bird species over a 24 hour period in an area with a radius of no more than 50km. The South African record is 313 species, but Chobe has a record of only 115 – a number we are sure we can easily beat! We will report back on this event as soon as possible.

That was a glimpse of all the environmental happening of Chobe over the last month – we will keep you posted on all new bush news in the coming month.

Regards
The Chobe Game Lodge Guides.

Compiled by
Wouter Theron, Environmentalist, Chobe Game Lodge

Solomon, Guide at Leroo La Tau

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:23:00 +0000

Guide: Solomon Gakenathata

Goes by: Solomon

Date of Birth: April 14, 1983

Home village: Etsha 13

Desert & Delta guide since: September 2007

Favorite animal or bird: Leopard because “normally when it kills its prey, it takes it up the tree and doesn’t want to be disturbed by any animal. I like the Woodland Kingfisher, a summer visitor. Once you hear the Woodland Kingfisher calling, it indicates that in 2-3 days it will be raining. That’s why I go for it.”

Favorite reference book or tool: “Sasol Birds of Southern Africa” by Ian Sinclair, Phil Hockey and Warwick Tarboton

Favorite food: papa and beef seswaa

Special talent: singing and traditional dancing

A hope for his lifetime: ”I prefer to get married, then I can settle down with my wife.”

Most memorable experience at Leroo La Tau: “I saw two females and the male rhinos. I stopped in the car. They were maybe 10 metres away, and they started coming to the vehicle. They were just sniffing. I was having two guests, and I told them, ‘Don’t speak.’ They (the three rhinos) came four metres to the vehicle.”

Best thing about Leroo La Tau: The migration of animals, like blue wildebeest and zebras, through LLT.

What makes Botswana special: “The delta. The wild animals that we’ve got. Same applies to the people in Botswana: We’re very peaceful. Even if you meet somebody on the way, they will stop and tell you which way you want to go.”

Interviewed by Maria Henson, volunteer, Desert & Delta Safaris

Changing Seasons Savute Safari Lodge

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:48:00 +0000

Savute has definitely seen some changes during the last couple of weeks. The long, dry spell has at last been broken with good rainfalls being recorded throughout the region. One particular storm has provided 130mm of rain in three hours! This has turned the previously dry region into an emerald paradise.

Then

Now

Suddenly the skies are filled with migratory bird species, making Savute a Bird Watchers heaven. During one short drive I was able to spot six different species of Stork alone (Marabou, Yellow-billed, White, Abdim’s, Woolly Necked and Saddle Billed Stork) The Carmine and European Bee-eaters are adding bright splashes of colour to the green grass lands, and Swallows and Swifts are seen in thousands hawking insects from the skies.

Birds are not the only ones that has arrived in force. The Impalas has started dropping lambs, and every herd is accompanied by some small lambs, most less than a month old. This provides a great training opportunity to the Wilddog pups. On three occasions we were lucky enough to observe the adults training the pups in hunting Impala. The smaller lambs are an easy target for the pups, giving them the ideal opportunity to train for the day when they will have to start joining the hunt for larger prey.

The Buffalo has also returned to the area. With the sprouting of new grass, the boys are coming back to Savute, looking for the succulent new growth. Currently the Buffaloes are restricted to groups of old bulls, but soon this will change as the cows also come through to share in the abundance of food. All the other grazers are also making a return to the area, with regular sightings of Zebra and Wildebeest dotting the area around the marsh.

With the abundance of game in the area, the predators are also making use of every opportunity. Two “new” adult male Lions has came into the area during the last couple of days. They both appear relatively young and in a very good condition. They were also able to link up with a local female that is seen with them on a regular basis. This leads to some major conflict between them and our regular males – the Mababe Boys. Every evening the sound of males roaring reverberates through the camp. At this stage the competition seems to be restricted to a roaring contest, a means of advertising their presence in the area. This will however soon escalate to full on warfare, where battle lines will be drawn as to whom will be the top dog (or is it cat?) in the Savute region. The Mababe Boys are substantially older than the two youngsters and are past their prime, whereas the two new guys are just reaching their peak. In the advantage of the Mababe boys is that they are three (one older and two younger brothers) compared to the two new males. The question is therefore a lot easier than the answer: Would numbers and experience prevail over age, or would strong, vibrant muscles overcome old weary ones? Only time will tell, and we will keep a beady eye on all the happenings.

Kobus Lubbe, Manager at Savute safari Lodge

World Aids Day Commemorated at Chobe Game Lodge

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 08:33:00 +0000

World Aids Day on the 1 December 2008 was commemorated by management and staff alike.

The morning commenced with a gathering at the lake with a prayer delivered by our Senior Guide Moses and an Inspirational message centring on the Botswana World Aids Day theme, Leadership: Behaviour Change Is My Key Responsibility to STOP HIV and Aids, given by one of our Staff Wellness Committee members Shozi. Obviously this is an issue not to be taken lightly and the severity of the plight in Africa as well as World Wide was in everybody’s minds.

A vital concern in any organisation is the Staff and their Well Being. A staff wellness committee was formed in October to focus on these issues. In view of our remote location, we had to think of a physical activity that would suit all. After consultation with management and a substantial financial commitment, the decision to build and equip a volley ball court was made.
During the past two months management and staff have actively been practising and participating in games and learning all the rules associated with this highly entertaining and energetic sport.

One may ask what on earth does this have to do with World Aids Day and the answer is simple. Health and fitness is imperative in this environment and a Volley Ball Tournament would be a fitting event to hold.
The event included a fund raiser whereby various goods were sold to supplement our steadily growing staff wellness fund ,which is utilised for purchasing items for those that are either unwell or have been hospitalised.
The format of the competition was round Robin with 4 teams of 6 competing with innovative , fun and inspirational names such as the Overlanders, the Babatona, the Dikakapa and last but not least the Red Devils. Shouts of encouragement and whoops of excitement emanated from the staff and an impromptu Cheerleading squad was even created. The event lasted long into the early evening with war injuries being sustained during the quest to outplay and outwit their opponents.

The final was hotly contested between Team Overland and Team Dikakapa and our lady umpire was put under extreme pressure to award points to various spectators favourite teams. The event after three arduous and demanding rounds was won by Team Dikakapa and a floating trophy sponsored by the lodge was presented by the Human Resources Manager.

The day was hailed as a great success but the seriousness of the occasion remained in everybody’s minds. We all know how important it is to emphasise and reiterate to staff how deadly this disease is and the importance of education regarding the illness is. It is wonderful that we could do this in a more pleasant way and yet still make people aware of how big a role health and fitness plays in combating the virus.

Management, Chobe Game Lodge

Boteti Lions and Brown Hyena movements

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:14:00 +0000

Leroo La Tau is not only about lion, zebra and wildebeest. Leroo La Tau also boasts Chobe bushbuck, leopard, brown and spotted hyena, impala, kudu, jackal, porcupine, genet and caracal, to name but a few. In addition, there is also the possibility of seeing the rare white rhinoceros. Most unique however, are the crocodiles and an amazing pod of hippo which have survived in extremely adverse conditions for over 12 years. The hugely contrasting seasons and terrain make this area of the Makgadikgadi a unique haven for large herds and predators alike.

Researcher Glyn Maud based themselves at Leroo La Tau, tracking collars on brown hyaena and lion. The immediate information from these transmitters would show us their movements, especially now the migration has moved away to the saltpans. They achieved the aim with a couple of collars onto brown hyaena (one a cell phone collar and the second a normal GPS remote download collars. They also put a cell phone GPS collar onto a lioness.

While we were doing the darting we saw males on the other side of the fence. The next aim will be to get funds together to get a cell collar onto a male lion to observe fence crossing, as it is mainly the male lions that cross the fence, but the data captured will give clearer picture over a longer period.

Glyn Maude, Researcher at Leroo La Tau

Lions on Palm Island - Xugana Island Lodge

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:32:00 +0000

Lets Ngoma & Joel Body took their guests walking on Palm Island this morning. A few of them already saw lions on yesterday’s walk, but from a distance. The guests joining on the walk were Mr & Mrs Grehl travelling with Mr & Mrs Mess from Germany, Claude & Susanne Chatelain from Switzerland and John & Kate English from the UK.

They saw 2 lions from a distance and started circling them to get closer. Nearing them, only 1 was visible, so they decided to wait a little. While Lets was standing with the guests, Body walked to a nearby termite mound to get some height and saw another 2 lionesses. This young male (as in the photograph) was watching him and stood up. Lets said it took about 2 seconds before the male turned around and started approaching them, walking slowly, grunting. Lets started shouting at him after which he turned around and went back.

Lets was concentrating to keep his guests calm, but as he says – “Everyone stood their ground!”

Photographs taken by Lets Ngoma.

Sekoma Profile on Kelvin Pising Sikanda

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:35:00 +0000

Guests always want to know more about our staff, who they are, where they come from and the role they perform in the operation and as such we decided to do a monthly profile. This month the Sekoma focus is on our Camp Manager Kelvin.
Kelvin is of Zambian descent and was born in Livingston in the Southern Province. His home language is Lozi but he is completely fluent in English and is even learning a little bit of Afrikaans. In 1992 he became a Wild Life Conservation Member and this is where his interests began.

Kelvin was employed on Sekoma Island during 1998 as a Game Guard prior to the lodge being built, so it was a natural progression for him to become a Guide and his experience grew from there. He is an avid fisherman and his exploits of the Tiger Fish he has caught will be of interest to all. He adores Bird Watching and is extremely knowledgeable regarding local folklore and places of interest.

Kelvin was promoted to Camp Manager in 2001 and has excelled in this position, learning new things every day. He is well liked and respected by guests and staff alike. His current passion is creating new and diverse Fly fishing activities throughout the lower Zambezi , some of the best spots being found amongst the white water rapids below Sekoma Island , getting there is quite an experience, utilizing the lodges new rubber ducks which have been purchased for these and other activities.

Look out for the “Big Man” on your next visit to Sekoma!

Chobe Game Lodge Star of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:20:00 +0000

Excitement and Anticipation are the only two words that I can think of that aptly describe this award. On a monthly basis each Department Head nominates a member of staff in his or her operation that they feel have excelled in their normal duties and have exceeded expectations and shown initiative. The Star of the month is then selected by the General Manager .A monetary award is presented to the winning staff member at the monthly meeting. The Winners names are then put forward for the Employee of the Year Award which has a great amount of prestige and accolade attached to it. Four of the twelve candidates selected during the year are then chosen and receive a further incentive.

The Star of the Month for October is Mr. Masheleng Gombalume. This very wise, articulate and very soft spoken gentleman is a Sous Chef in the Chobe Game Lodge Kitchen as well as one of the shift Supervisors. He was born in the small village of Senyawe in North Eastern Botswana and speaks a variety of dialects from Kalanga and Setwswana to Ndebele. His absolutely amazing culinary passion stemmed from a chance encounter with a French Restaurateur at the age of 21 and his love of food grew from there.

He has worked in a variety of Lodges and Hotels, widening his knowledge and experience. He joined the Chobe Game Lodge Family on the 18 March 2004. His ability to excel in whatever task he has been assigned and his eagerness to train and pass his encyclopedia of culinary knowledge onto the trainees is the reason why he received this award. His comments on receiving his cheque were as gracious as ever: “My wife and family would like to thank you for giving them a good Christmas.” His aspirations for the future ,of course Food, Food and more Food!

Chobe Game Lodge through the years

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 06:17:00 +0000

Chobe Game Lodge Through The Years

On the event of our 25 Anniversary since reopening, we decided it might be quite an enlightening and fun exercise to take a look back through the years. How the lodge looked in the good old Eighties and how it has changed and grown, keeping up with new trends and guest expectations into the first decade of the millennium. Every month we will be doing a feature on an aspect of the lodge ranging from the lodge façade and entrance through to the rooms, public areas and swimming pool as well as all the extra touches that have been added since 1983

This month’s focus is on one of the Jewels of the lodge, our sparkling new Rock Pool and stunning surrounding Landscaping that came into being in April this year. This replaced the really old fashioned and weather worn pool that had served our guests so well in the past. We managed to obtain a few historical photographs depicting what the pool looked like originally and then more as we progressed through the ages. The original lodge was in a very sad state and the pool took a lot of tender loving care and hard work to once again make it usable. However as anybody who knows Chobe Game Lodge and our Managing Director Mr. Jonathan Gibson this would be a task that would not defeat him.

The pictures above depict what the pool and environment looked like after the Bush War prior to refurbishment.

The above state of affairs did not last long and soon there was a bright, sparkling refurbished pool which served both local and international guests well for many years. Of course the furnishings and landscape were updated on a regular basis, however glancing through pictures from previous years it is still outstanding to see plastic chairs and loungers which at that stage were really considered quite modern.

The decision was eventually made that as much as everybody was attached to this grand old lady the time for a new an updated model had arrived. Much planning and attention to detail went into this and the process from start to finish took approximately two years. Initially sourcing the correct contractor, the land surveying that had to be done as well as the logistics of importing the relevant building material and last but not least obtaining work permits for the contractor and staff-No easy task at the best of times. Eventually everything was in place and the building began, the process lasted approximately 6 weeks and cost P675000. Despite all the obstacles such as the long hours and extreme conditions, all the efforts eventually bore fruit and the phenomenal project had come to an end. The new rock pool is a spectacle to behold, not only is it a stunning and gorgeous sight but the landscaping that has been done is aesthetically pleasing and pleasantly charming. The furnishings that have been purchased definitely complement this new feature and the environment.

Make sure that you indulge in a cool and refreshing splash on your next visit to our beautiful lodge.

Birders Paradise at Xugana Island Lodge

noreply@blogger.com (Desert & Delta Safaris) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:29:00 +0000

Being a ‘Birder’s Paradise’, here are just a few of the birds currently flying around at Xugana Island Lodge:

Brown Firefinch – Tiny bird, usually seen in small flocks.

Paradise Flycatcher – The breeding male has an extravagant ribbon-like tail as seen on the photograph. He takes turns with the female to hatch the eggs.

Blackeyed Bulbul – A lively bulbul seen in pairs or small groups. The call is a series of liquid whistles although the alarm call is better known.

Chinspot Batis – The female has a chestnut breast bar and the male has a broad black bar on the breast.

Kurrichane Thrush – This bird is mostly seen on the ground, searching through leaves for worms & insects.

Greenbacked Heron – Meet Harry, he comes every night to feed in the area in front of the bar at Xugana. Waiting patiently for his dinner, he is a very successful ‘fisherman’.

African Darter – A silhouette of the African Darter, usually seen with the wings outstretched to dry.

Greater Blue-eared Starling – Seen in abundance around the lodge, especially around brunch time!

Malachite Kingfisher – This photograph was taken on the way to the hippo pools, driving past. They are usually seen perched low among the reeds.

Redbilled Francolin – Feeding primarily on insects and seeds, they are seen running around the gardens in the lodge.

Mourning Dove – The similar Redeyed Dove is larger, with a pale-pink head and red eyes. The soft call, gives this bird its name.

Whitefronted Bee-eater – The throat is red, the forehead white, the vent a bright blue and a white band runs below the black mask.

Giant Kingfisher – A massive, charcoal-grey kingfisher with white-spotted back. This photograph was taken near Palm Island in the Main Channel.

Pied Kingfisher – Our resident kingfisher, Spike, is seen every night fishing in front at the bar area. He now has a family, joining in the daily activities. The white underpants are divided by a double chest bar in the male, and a single broken bar in the female.

Photographs taken by Mark & Lizl Carlsen, Managers at Xugana Island Lodge