Day 01 - Our first Dusk monitoring session

 Dusk session –

Period – 16.30 – 19.40 hrs

Monitor – Clinton

Conditions – dry, warm, cloudy

African Wild Dog count – 0

Lion count – 0

First stop for our very first telemetry training was up to the top of the water tower, not too far from our research camp. We climbed to the top-viewing platform where Clinton explained the concept of radio tracking whilst checking for signals for both the radio collared wild dogs and lions. Nothing, not one single bleep! However, the view was spectacular and as we scanned 360 degrees of vast sand forest hinter landscapes of the Tembe Elephant Park knowing that we were going out driving and tracking in most sections, on hidden tracks or tracks out of bounds to those other than those authorised to use and explore them.... that'll be us then!

 

So, our priorities were to track the African Wild Dog and the lions.

The 3 adult wild dogs Albi, Poefy (Alpha female) and Fenne (Alpha male) are taking care of Poefy and Fenne's fast growing pups so it is vital to know whereabouts, keep checks on pup numbers as these little guys are so vulnerable particularly to lions who are their greatest threat in Tembe. The dogs haven’t been sighted for quite a number of days, Clinton thinks they may have moved to the North of the Park as picking up a radio signal from Albi or Poefy’s collar has been negative. As for the lions, they too have been moving perhaps into the thicker bush or further a field. The rainy season came a month early in November (better for us of course!!) and contributed to forcing the lions deeper in to the dense but sheltered bush. This of course makes it a whole load harder to pick up a signal that will lead us to the lions.

Miles & miles of sand forest, bush and swamp