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News > Report from Mvuu Camp and Wilderness Lodge
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Report from Mvuu Camp and Wilderness Lodge
July 2006 report taken from the Mvuu Camp and Wilderness Lodge newsletter
There have been a few recent interesting incidents and sightings in Liwonde National Park. With May officially marking the beginning of the dry season encounters with elephants have increased, different bird species sighted and changes in animal behavior noticed. As the river recedes and without rainfall the animals are concentrating closer to the water and its lush green vegetation. Much to the delight of guests, there have been six recent sightings of black rhino. In addition, it appears that two of the females in the sanctuary are pregnant according to Mr. Zimba, the rhino tracker, which would bring the total number to ten.
With the exposed riverbanks, crocs and hippo, including some very large animals are enjoying extensive sunbathing. Two crocodiles mating in front of the lodge dining area created quite a spectacle with a series of grunts, roars and bubble blowing ending after a few minutes when the male swam off as though nothing had happened. We also witnessed a herd of about 70 elephants swimming across the river and in a separate sighting, a waterbuck swimming with its back-bent horns.
Small mammal sightings have been wonderful,l with a recent sighting of a few civet, porcupine, striped polecat and lots of side striped jackal. But the sighting of the year thus far, was a pangolin. The first sighting in 6 years! It was not only memorable but repeated on another exciting game drive a few weeks later which featured a pangolin as well as sable, Lichtensteins hartebeest, buffalo and lots of birds! Guests witnessed the hierarchy of the bush when a baboon took a bushbuck lamb and had to run for its life to escape the other predators who all were relishing a feast. Our resident warthogs often behave like vacuum cleaners, picking up jackalberry fruits that the monkeys drop down and keep the grass nicely trimmed.
Some of the guides have reported rare sightings of the Southern-banded snake eagle, Brown breasted barbet, Allens gallinule, Green malkoha and Narina trogon. This excludes the usual special sightings such as Pels fishing-owl, Bohms bee-eater, Lillians lovebird, Grey-headed parrot and Black egret. One evening guests dined with a Pels perched close to the lodge boma with a fish in its talons. It was enough to make a birder out of everyone.
So thats life at Mvuu, interesting, fascinating, intriguing and wonderful.
