Nocturnal

1.

of or pertaining to the night ( opposed to diurnal).

2.

done, occurring, or coming at night: nocturnal visit.

3.

active at night ( opposed to diurnal): nocturnal animals.

Let’s look at the last one on the list, night animals. These of course include the nocturnal predators such as lion, leopard and hyena. I have seen these many times in the day, I have even seen them hunt during day light hours, early morning or later afternoon, but they are classified as nocturnal, being more active at night. And more often than not they are active at night.

Currently our resident male lion has been ousted (see earlier telegraphs) this has left a vacuum for other male lions to stake there claim.

One such stake claiming is being done by 6 male lions that have moved into the area, they have snuck in under the cover of darkness and for a few weeks now, have been living-in and tasting the “what was” forbidden pleasures this area has to offer.

A while ago, they were loudly proclaiming this area, calling there trademark roars from the waterhole in the front of my camp. That very next morning I found them 10km away, on a buffalo kill, that 10km is still within our area of operation. Still within a prime territory for them to hold.

Lions often travel vast distances at night. That 10km at night and then have time to kill a buffalo was easy for them.

Less than a week ago and a week after there first buffalo kill here, they killed another big buffalo male, this time at my camp! Less than 100 meters from my front door! A racket and a big fight in the early hours of the morning, told us of there presence.

At 3.30am it started next to my house, and the fight took them thru the staff quarters to a site in the open where they performed the coup de grâce.  A site where we could view the remains the next morning, And the sleeping cats surrounding there prize carcass.

Only had a little sleep that night and the next, as lions and foreign guests sharing the same camp can be tricky.

Lion on buf

Last night whilst hosting guests for dinner, a hyena strolled through camp, unfortunately only the waiter and I saw this lonely male make his way through camp.

Lion on buf2

Every morning I read the signs (those that my limited tracking can decipher) to see who or what has been visiting us late at night and early in the morning while we people are still counting impala in our sleep.The lions have left the camp, and headed south again.

Other tracks also tell a story of noctunral vistors.

Civet is a regular to us at night. and on occasion hyena and leopard tracks.

Line up for lunch

The killed buffalo bull soon attracted a host of vultures; these fantastic birds (I like vultures) were adorning the surrounding trees at the entrance to our camp, waiting for the large cats to leave.

Viewing our camp from a little distance had a foreboding look about it, could make one feel uneasy.

On carcass

When the lions did leave,(there was plenty meat still on the bone) at this point a new spectacle was seen, the remains of the carcass covered and smothered by loud hungry vultures. They had waited patiently all night and a day for there chance, as did I. if you can stand the rotten smell, watching vultures squabble and fight over remains is a fantastic sight.

fighting for space

my share of the carcass

I am constantly amazed at what happens in the bush at night. We miss so much and can only deduce and hypothesis on what happened the following day.

Bushfire’s due to lighting strike, we are in the fire season at present, show a horizon glow from afar, three nights ago we saw a impressive fire in the reserve next to us. The horizon was orange and yellow from kilometers out, closer inspection saw a line of fire stretch as far as the eye can see. We hope that not too many creatures were caught up in this display of mother nature cleansing the bush.

End of the feast/day

Waiting for more

One Response to “”