The week commencing 21 September saw the whole county in a vice-like grip of icy cold weather. The wind chill factor added to the drop in temperatures. Snow in three of the major provinces were at record levels. Photos and videos on social media in and around KZN were scary to say the least. Trucks and cars littered the countryside like marula fruit after their host tree was repeatedly pounded by a hungry elephant bull. At Buffalo Thorn Lodge however, we welcomed the cooler weather. It has been so hot and dry that any relief was immediately embraced. We were unfortunate to not have gotten any actual rain or snow, but the cold weather and cloud cover brought in moisture which was sorely needed. With temperatures soaring into the mid 40’C and with an extremely parched veld, we are also on high alert for fire threats. Last year the Pilanesberg was ravaged by extreme fires and we lost more than 60% of the veld. Nature always prevails, and everything bounced back with the passing of time and a little faith. Nature finds a way!
As your lodge managers and hosts, we try to always alert you to appearances that our resident Bush Babies make. We have recently had the opportunity to photograph these beautiful creatures right here in our gardens. Enjoy a few pictures and a few fun facts about these elusive and shy nocturnal primates. Their loping movements are a sight to behold as they work their way down from the chalets tops to the adjacent trees. Once in the trees, their movements are precise and incredibly fast which makes them difficult to follow. In a solitary blink, they can be meters away.
Bush Babies have extremely strong legs and can make leaps and bounds that defy gravity. To put it into perspective – for a human to jump these distances they would have to be able to jump 50 – 60m. That’s half a rugby field!! Not even Eben Etzebeth can do that on a good day. We know Manie Libok certainly can’t. Bush Babies can also kick!
Bush Babies sense of hearing and eyesight are simply incredible, and they can catch inspects in pitch black darkness even in mid-flight. Their diet ranges from insects and fruits to a variety of tree gums.
Here are some highlights for the month of September:
The Eastern pride has been our main entertainment for this past month. They have been seen catching Wildebeest and a Zebra. We also had them drinking by the lodge a few times. We are happy to say that the elephants are back and have been coming past the lodge on a daily basis.
Come and join us at Buffalo Thorn Lodge and get to see the Bush Babies up close and personal. Book now for a fantastic and unforgettable family holiday. Life should be more about experiences versus the acquisition of material goods.
Kindest Bush (baby) regards
The Buffalo Thorn team