And then Came the Rains: February - April 2018
Just three weeks after my previous drought-themed blog, the rains finally came to the Hoedspruit area! It just so happened that I was away on leave during this time and what a difference the rains have made to the lowveld. Grasses were once again green; flowers were visible all over; and the entire bush-atmosphere just felt more alive. Going back to the beehive loop in Jejane Private Nature Reserve was slightly daunting as the bare ground had been transformed into little grass shoots, and every shrub felt as if it had doubled in size! The thick green veld certainly keeps you wondering what could be lurking behind the next bush and you (almost) miss the days when you could see open grassless ground around you. I’m extremely thankful that my study sites do not look like the veld at Wits Rural Facility when I visited there, as the grass towers over your head and the snakes must be lurking all over! In fact, I’ve even heard of researchers bumping into black mambas there! The rainfall has certainly done wonders to the veld, but also brings with it new complications…not to mention my pollen allergies and reliance on antihistamines!! We do, however, have an abundance of birdlife around the lodge now, with Burchell’s starlings, Green wood hoopoes, and both the Yellow-billed and Red-billed hornbills all over. The ever-croaking frogs have left our swimming pool as well and I’d like to think it’s because they’ve found better water sources elsewhere! Night time sleeping is a bit quieter now.
The rains also coincided with the 2018 Savanna Science Network meeting at Skukuza Rest Camp, Kruger National Park. Whilst I wasn’t presenting anything at this year’s conference, Elephants Alive kindly paid for me to attend 2 of the 4 days as a visitor. Whilst this is the only scientific conference I have ever attended (4 times now), I still thoroughly enjoy it because how can you complain about networking in the middle of the Kruger National Park?! Added to that, I spotted my first leopard since returning to South Africa. My previous leopard sighting had been the 3 cats in Wasgamuwa National Park, Sri Lanka. Whilst I never go out of my way to find leopards (and often feel like I have no leopard luck!), it’s always a treat to see these elusive cats, even if only for a brief moment!
I’ve been fortunate to visit the Kruger National Park another 2 times as a tourist between all of my research here. I spent one day exploring the northern region with Caitlin Black of the University of Cambridge, where we saw some beautiful tuskers, of which one has now been confirmed as a new female-tusker by Kruger’s management after we submitted the cow’s photo! We also saw eland (my 2nd ever sighting of these rare antelope) and a tsessebe to add to the northern Kruger experience. I was then lucky enough to visit the Kruger central region with Alice Walker of the University of Liverpool, where we saw a very rare white lion along the Mozambican border, before enjoying the magnificent view by N’wanetsi picnic site. My last trip to the Kruger central region was November 2017 and everything had been so dry at the time. It’s incredible to see the change in greenery after these rains! The herbivore abundance in the region also appears to have increased dramatically following the new grass growth.
I also joined Alice for a day’s trip to the Blyde Canyon and its various views and waterfalls. Whilst the canyon and its rivers may be rich in history from its geological formation right up to its naming during the Hendrik Potgieter (Voortrekker) days - for me, it was the first time I had been there since the year 2000 when I was 8 years old. And although the roads could do with some heavy maintenance (potholes all over!), the views are still as magnificent as I last remembered. From the Three Rondavels, to Bourke’s Luck Potholes, to Berlin Falls, to God’s Window and the Rainforest, it was a beautiful day along the escarpment and a chance to appreciate the immense biodiversity that this Kruger to Canyon region has to offer.
Finally, I feel that my invincibility to bee stings is beginning to wear off. Whilst I made it through the entire 3-month Sri Lankan trip without a bee sting, and then 4 months at Elephants Alive with only 1 sting to my name, my final 2 days before leave have now brought with them 3 bee stings! Considering that I work and live with African honeybees on a weekly basis, this isn’t bad at all. But there is still nothing fun about being stung by the creatures that you study!
We now head into the autumn/winter period in South Africa and I’m intrigued to see how the vegetation will change after these late summer rains come to a conclusion. Is this the same sort of ‘green’ drought which we saw in 2016 when July/August was completely barren once more? I’m looking forward to seeing how everything changes once again as the year progresses.
Until next time, from the Greater Kruger National Park system, cheers!