White Elephant Newsletter December 2012

Hello White Elephant Friends

We have once again been blessed with a wonderful year especially when it comes to rainfall. The bush is lush green and millions of Red-billed Quelea’s are flocking to White Elephant to feed on grass seeds and nest in our Acacia’s in huge colonies. This ensures much action for the raptors, monitor lizards and snakes.

Many of our Quelea have been ringed over the years at White Elephant and very interestingly one of these ringed bird was reported found in Malawi after it was shot for the pot. This just shows once again how important are our conservation areas, not only for the endangered charismatic species like rhino, leopard and elephant, but also for our birds, insects and wild bees that form the bulk of the 20 000 animal species that are known to play a key role in pollination.

Polinators are the most vital link that maintains this wonder world of grasses, flowers, shrubs and trees around us, as well as the creatures that dwell in them. Without pollinators, not only will flowering plants largely disappear, but almost no large land animals will survive. Food will only be available in the ocean. Life on land, as we know it, would cease to exist.

White Elephant will be a Birdwatchers’ dream this season. Our ringing specialist Berry Taylor, who keeps our birding list up to date, is currently back ringing at White Elephant. Anyone who is interested to join Barry in the future, please contact Stephanie for dates. Our annual vulture count held in September one again produced a very positive count despite the reports that malicious poisoning is escalating. Many vulture nests can be spotted in our river line trees and the numbers of nests have increased substiantially over the last couple of years.

News from the Bush

Great excitement – the main river line, usually dray, that runs through the property has started flowing after the good rains. Since 1954, this has only happened twice; after the Demonia cyclone in 1984 and again in 2000. The couple of dams in the river line are full of crystal clear water and have been stocked with Tilapia for our fisherman.

Lake Jozini is filling up nicely again after a lot of water was released (to below 50 % capacity) towards the end of September for the conrolled annual flood release. This release benefits the Pongola flood plain below the dam wall Tigerfish catches have been good and will only improve as we get into the heat of the summer.

News from the Lodge

Writing a newsletter I always ponder in my mind, why travellers coming to South Africe should visit White Elephant, instead of going to some game lodge where they offer the “Big Five”.

The White Elephant Safari Lodge is an old restored homestead that dates back in the 1920’s and is an ‘real old classig steeped in history’ (word of Michael Moll, Top Billing). Each luxury 5 star safari “tent” stands alone in the bush providin absolute privacy and exclusivity. Apart from being surrounded by wilderness teeming wiht wildlife (including four of the ‘Big Five’), that view of lake Jozini and the backdrop of the Lebombo mountains is simply inspirational.

White Elephant ist privately owned and operated and the property has been in the hands of the Kohrs family since 1954, who have conserved and managed the land for the benefit of wildlife an conservation. Wilderness areas offer people food for the soul, and White Elephant Safari Lodge is the perfect place to relax, unwind, to rediscover yourself and the purpose of life.

Activities

For the more adventurous we offer several eco activities that are unique. Game viewing while cruising along the shoreline of Lake Jozini is something special and different, viewing crocodile, hippo, rhino and elephant to name a few from the comfort of a cruise boat, than the conventional early morning and afternoon game drives. Where else can you do this in South Africa?

If you are a fisherman, fishing on Lake Jozini’s large expanse of water for the ferocious fighting tigerfish is unique and White Elephant offers boat hire or tigerfishing trips with experienced local guides.
Black rhino tracking on foot with our experienced guides from the lodge is anonther speciality at White Elephant, or spending a couple of hours at the private waterhole hide to watch birds and animals close up undisturbed in their natural environment is unique and relaxing.
The Elephant Research Programme on the reserves elephant population is unique and guest can join the elephant monitor and field researcher on an enlighting experience of “Elephanting” – learning all about ther eintroduction, events and vasectomy project to control the population.

Exciting Announcement News Communicable Diseases and The African Cup of Nations 2013: Travel Advisory

The 29th Africa Cup of Nations will be hosted in South Africe from 19th January to 10th February 2013. Five cities will host the games – Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elisabeth, Nelspurit and Rustenburg. Sixteen African nations will participate in the games.

At White Elephant life is a celebration; a celebration of the moments, of the music and harmonies of nature, of simplicity and beauty, of passion from the soul.

“A Celebration from the Soul”
Warm Regards From the White Elephant Team
Owned by the Kohrs family, White Elephant is pioneering the space for elephants initiative in the Pongola Game Reserve and offers an intimate glimpse of Africa and the challenges facing wildlife conservation today.

For further information on our services, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us – Dave @ dave@africantravelsolutions.com / Tele: + 44 (0) 1476 530927 / Mobile: + 44 (0) 7780 579306 for further details and bookings