MANAGERS REPORT

Dear Friends

November has been as expected very hot and very wet.

We have had a lot of activity around the lodge, despite the abundant availability of water all round the reserve.

The recently released new pack of eight wild dogs coming from Natal and Shamwari in the Eastern Cape has settled in very well. The rangers will elaborate on their activity below.

Pieter whom has been with us now for a year working in the restaurant and administration, has obtained his field guide qualification and is joining our rangers team as the fifth guide, replacing Mike. Pieter has great knowledge of the bush from it being a passion of his since childhood with enthusiasm to complete the package.

Madikwe Hills has always strived to have only top notch guides and Peter will be a great addition to our marvellous team of guides.

Hennie & Adrienne de Clerk

RANGERS REPORT

Well folks…with the hot summer weather come the cooling thunderstorms, and it is very much needed after our long dry winter.

We are treated to intricate lighting shows and beautiful sunsets. Those of you that visited us in our winter season would not believe the transformation of Madikwe game reserve……thick, green, beautiful bush, a wonderful sight.

As the rains have arrived, so does the births of our antelopes species…we have had our first sighting of springbok calfs. The national animal of South Africa and a highlight of Madikwe game reserve.

As the calfs are been born, so the concentration and attraction of predators increases, and Madikwe Hills is in a prime location to Madikwe plains, a vast open grazing area, that is now teeming with zebra’s, wildebeest and springboks.

The guests have been treated to some really special predator sightings of late…the new wild dog pack (collection pack, 8 members), was around the lodge for 3 days…they killed a female kudu, between rooms 2 and 3. They were swimming in our waterhole and chased around by elephants and buffalo…seeing all this from the main deck was an amazing experience for the guests, as well as for the rest of our staff members, who keep this wonderful lodge running smoothly.

Our leopard sightings are becoming more frequent…Pieter our newest addition to our rangers team, on his first 3 game drives, had 3 different leopard sightings…GO PIETER!!!!!!!

WELCOME TO THE TEAM!!!!!!!

Another real treat has been the black rhino sightings…not usually many sightings, but more quality sightings.

The black rhino, is the more endangered of the two species and also more difficult to spot, due to there feeding behavior and habitat.

Gary and Victor had an awesome sighting of 2 white rhino’s and a black rhino at the same midden…together!!!!!

Really wild!!!!!!!

Another highlight has been the reptile life on game drive as well as around the lodge…from leopard tortoises, coming out of hibernation, to rock monitor lizard basking in the sun…also the chameleon’s that look like lemons in the tree’s on our night drives.

Apart from the fantastic game viewing we are experiencing, we have also had some beautiful colorful wild flowers blooming…wild hibiscus, fireball lilies and wild squalls, blooming of the sweet thorn(acacia Karoo),black thorn(acacia mellifera),blue thorn(acacia erubescens)…to the sickle bush(dichrostachys cinerea)…with it’s male and female lantern blossoms.

So as we all can see it had been quite an eventful month…we would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a wonderful, merry Christmas and all the best for the new year, hope to see you all soon in the near future.

The Madikwe Hills Ranger’s Team