September, this marks the beginning of Spring for us. Our sunrise is around 6:26 and sunsets around 18:00. Our low temperatures averaging around 10’C (50’F) and high temperatures averaging around 29’C (84’F). We have been teased with some warmer weather followed by a couple of very cool cold fronts. There was definitely still a need for those extra layers on the morning safaris, and late evenings. But the midday suns warmth made the pool water seem very inviting.

With the start of Spring and the anticipated warmer weather, the season change brings signs of new life. However small the signs, they are still there. There are hints of sweet smells in the air as some of the smaller shrubs attempt to flower and the Shepherd’s Trees sending out a mixture of scents as they begin to flower. We have two types of Shepherd’s Trees in Madikwe, the kind that smells sweet as its star-shaped flowers begin to bloom, this being the Boscia albitrunca. Along with the cousin of the sweet -scented Shepherds Tree, Boscia foetida, more commonly known as “The Smelly Shepherds Tree”, and for good reason. The Smelly Shepherds Tree gives off a rather unpleasant scent.

Moving on from the smells of Spring, September has been a good month in terms of wildlife sightings. With the expected popularity of the waterholes, there have been great opportunity for abundance of elephant and general game viewing at some of the more permanent water bodies.

The brown Hyena den site at the Tufa Caves has been a great spot to explore as a few of the Brown Hyena sub-adults have been very playful during the late afternoons. These caves have become a regular den site, providing wonderful opportunity to view these supposedly more elusive hyena species.

The Ashia Cheetah and her five cubs have moved further east from the plains that she usually prefers. The cubs are growing fast and their appetites are growing too. This is very likely the reason for their travels to new areas, new hunting grounds where there are higher populations of prey species.

We are still eagerly waiting for the Wild Dogs to make an appearance, but it seems that they are not moving too far from their den sites just yet. We are hoping to start seeing more of them soon, as last time this year we were getting more regular sightings of them. Let’s wait and see.

Until next time.

The Mateya Team