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News from Zululand
March has been a collage of the most unpredictable and unexpected weather. It started out with warm Summer heat…followed by a week of cold weather which had even the bravest rangers in big jackets… a number of days of drizzle and fine rain, and then the most incredible thunderstorms and driving rain. The sound of booming thunder rolls through the valleys and corridors, whilst lightening flashes across expanse of the Lebombo Mountain Range in the background.
We received 55 mm of rain in one evening and only weeks before heading into our dry winter…what a pleasant surprise and relief! The Zululand Rhino Reserve has had some interesting sightings and exciting events over the past month, the most thrilling being the birth of a new White Rhino Calf, a sighting of an Antbear, as well a young Leopard at one of the watering holes. The two Serval are awaiting release in the boma and seem to be adapting well, we will keep you up to date on their progress. Last night we received another 45mm of rain from another deafening thunderstorm. During the course of breakfast this morning the water in the river could be seen slowly taking the bend and now has filled up with a steady stream. It is so wonderful to see everything green once again and water in the Umsunduze river.
Bush Cuisine
Bean Soup
(Two servings)
½ Cup Dried Gram (Chick Peas)
10 Cup Water
½ Cup mung Beans
½ Tsp Coriander Seeds
1 Tsp Pure Ghee
¼ Tsp Powdered Rock Salt
½ Tsp Black Peppercorns
1 Tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
Method
Wash the gram and mung beans and soak them for 5 hours in sufficient water to cover them.
Bring 10 cups of fresh water to boil in a large heavy soup pot. Strain the soaked chick peas and mung beans and add to the boiling water, along with the salt. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 40 minutes.
Use a small mortar and pestle and crush the seeds and peppercorns. In a small cast-iron skillet, heat the ghee and add the crushed seeds. Allow the seeds to fry for a few minutes, then add to the soup mixture.
Continue cooking the soup for an additional 20 minutes until the chick peas and the beans are soft and crumbly. Remove from heat and let it sit undisturbed for 10 minutes, then stir in the lemon juice.
Serve immediately.
Keep it Green!
Keep It Green
"It takes a noble man to plant a seed for a tree that will some day give shade to people he may never meet."
- David Trueblood
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle….Simple Steps!
Part 1: Reduce
This doesn’t need to be as primitive as it sounds so don’t panic! It really only boils down to a bit of organization which we could all use a little of and never really find the time for… or know when to start! Old magazines, paper work, clothes, etc, begin to pile up cluttering up the office, your cupboards, the garage and other areas of your home where there used to be a bit of breathing room and order!
Every now and then it is a good practice to go through your belongings and remove items which you do not use or enjoy on a regular basis, these things can be donated to various organizations and people who need them…and you will benefit by finally being able to find those lost socks and items which have deluded you for months and enjoy knowing exactly where everything is! This soon becomes a way of life and you tend to find yourself purchasing only what you know you will need or enjoy and putting a little extra thought into what you bring home, creating less wastage in future.
Switch to reusable products as apposed to disposable containers, napkins, shopping bags, etc. Become a ‘Tree-Free’ home as much as possible. Print on both sides of paper, leave messages on boards, file documents on computers (make back-up copies on CD in case)…be creative!
Think about whether you need something before adding it to your trolley… consider the impact that the production of this item made on the environment or consider the packaging. If you aren’t sure if you need something, wait a little while. Avoiding making rash purchases avoids clutter and saves money which is always great.
Buy in bulk where possible…and only if you sure you will use the item!
Avoid creating trash from paper serviettes, plastic utensils, straws, promotional material… order ice cream in cones….lots of simple things.
Take your own shopping bag
News from our Tracker
In the still of the night we have often heard the sounds of Leopard coming from the hills close to the staff housing but it wasn’t until recently, that we realized just how accurate we were or how close this particular male ventured. The quiet the other evening was broken by the sounds of a Bushpig in distress, the squeals were so loud and close that it brought both the owner of the reserve, as well as a very brave Estelle and Liana out from their beds to inspect. It was thought that the poor animal has managed to get itself stuck in the fence surrounding the houses but upon closer inspection it was discovered that the Bushpig had in fact been the dinner plans of a Leopard. It is thought that the Leopard was interrupted and scared off from the sounds of the dogs barking just ten minutes away once they had heard the racket… I assume that the three investigators could not have appeared to pose too much of a threat in their pajamas and slippers! The Bushpig had to be put down due to its severe wounds.
Rudolph spotted a porcupine on the drive the other evening, which is quite a rare and pleasant sighting, as well as another large Python spanning the road.
Wild Dog
Those of you who have been lucky enough to spot this endangered species on a game drive can relate to how unusual these predators appear. They seem to be a combination of Hyena, wolf and domestic dog and are not by any means beautiful. There coats are short and coarse and a combination of black, brown and white blotches with the only similar markings being the tuft of white on the edge of their tails. This is thought to act as a signal of recognition or as a means to help rally the pack together after a hunt. They are not large in stature but have large skulls, erect rounded ears and powerful jaws…similar to that of a Hyena. They live and hunt in packs and are able to bring down large antelope, not due to their speed,
which only reaches 30miles per hour, but as a result of their stamina and incredible team work. Pups are left behind in burrows, often old warthog or Aardvark holes, the entrance guarded by a female dog whilst the hunters head out during the coolness of the day to bring home food for the entire pack. The hunters return with full bellies, the safest way to transport food without running the risk of it being stolen, and then regurgitate it for those left behind to ensure that all go fed.
The Secretarybird
It is often thought the name for these birds was derived from their long legs and quill like feathers protruding on their heads, but in actual fact the name comes from the Arabic name saqr-et-tair – meaning ‘hunter bird’. These raptors are essentially ‘ground-eagles’ and kill their prey with powerful kicks of their short, stubby toes. Breeding secretary birds emit a croaking call similar to a bullfrog. They need to nest on the tops of flat topped trees as their long legs and huge wingspan make it difficult to next in the canopies of trees. Their diet consists of smaller prey, like rodents and snakes, etc.
Funny Bones
A man walks past a high wooden fence and hears the unusual sound of chanting coming from over the wall. ’13, 13, 13, 13, 13…,’ over and over again. Intrigued he walks over to the wall. The chanting continues, dying to know what they are on about. Just the he notices a hole in the fence and sneaks up to it. The hole is just big enough for him to peek through, so he goes right up to the wall and peers through the hole. Suddenly someone pokes him in the eye! Next thing he hears is the chanting continuing. ’14, 14, 14, 14….’
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Feel free to drop us an email with your favorite jokes to add into future newsletters. You can send them to
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Brain Teaser
Thank you to everyone who responded to our December competition! The winner of our Leopard Mountain competition for February is Mike Johnston! Congratulations - you have won yourself and a partner a free night at the lodge including dinner, bed & breakfast as well as game drives!
Last Month’s competition was:
A slithering special, I make you jump with ease
Although, all I want to do is give you a squeeze.
Lying down, I’m almost twice your size
Largest of my kind in South Africa, it’s no surprise
Fairly laid back, I can swim and catch rays
Whilst at night I’m up and about coz rodents are my craze
Like sticks and stones, I don’t break any bones
But breathing could get tougher if I invite you for supper.
Named after the terrain in which I live, what am I?
The Rock Python/ South African Python.
.........You could be the lucky person to win yourself and a partner a free night including dinner, bed & breakfast and game drives at the lodge. Simply answer the riddle below to be entered in our lucky draw and email us the answer to
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(competition closes 20th April 2008 & conditions apply):
This week’s competition:
My long legs and neck, keep me high above the rest
I nibble on rocks, lots of nutrients to digest
An egg over easy, could feed you many days
My beautiful feathers give a great display
I can dust off your shelves and give a good kick
I don’t live in trees, the ground I pick
What am I?
News from the Lodge
It is no secret that the staff of Leopard Mountain Game Lodge are so incredibly proud to be a part of the Zululand Rhino Reserve and all major conservation efforts, which include the Ox peckers, Serval and Wild dog projects, Leopard Tortoise release and most importantly the Black Rhino project. We are however, even more proud to be associated and working for the owners of Leopard Mountain and in particular, Mr Clive Vivier, without whom very little of the above would have been possible.
So this month we pay special tribute to this truly extraordinary and envisioned man who, just this month, was awarded the WWF African Rhino Champions award for his dedication to the establishment of the Leopard Mountain Game Reserve as part of the Zululand Rhino Reserve ‘…to make a safe place for the endangered black rhino.’ We, on a personal level, know that there are mainly two things that can make this strong man emotional and passionate and those would be his family, including his two, young grandsons and when something great is done for conservation. Mr V, we don’t tell you often enough how proud we are of the heart and soul which you unselfishly offer to everything you do or how grateful we are that no matter how busy you are you always have time to ask us how we are and where you can help. Congratulations on making a difference and your continuing efforts to save endangered spaces for endangered species.
We have a new gallery up on our website - have a look at it here!
Best guest comments of the month:
Thank you for letting us experience this lovely place. We had 3 wonderful days here with lovely game drives and lazy hours by the pool. I would love to come back here again.
Although we had bad weather everything here makes you warm inside. The views are amazing and the staff the best there is!
Had an absolutely amazing time. The personal attention and outstanding hospitality was very much worth it. Thank you so much, will definitely try to come back soon!
Thanks for a fabulous time! Truly hospitable and truly wonderful! You all go the extra mile…which makes a mile..and you have given us many miles! Thank you
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