Ranger Diaries

Tourists see a plethora of wildlife and water birds on the boat cruises offered by Pongola Game Reserve. The jetty is at the river mouth where we regularly clean and maintain the boats. It is also the hunting ground for the Nile Croc.

Even though the last recorded croc attack in the Pongola River was in 1964, we remain vigilant when wading in the murky water. Most of the Jozini crocs, even the big ones, are wary of humans since they were extensively hunted in the ‘20s. The crocs are not known to come too close to the jetty but in April it suddenly became a popular hang-out spot. We spotted giant 3 meter crocs and we saw evidence of frequent croc activity around the jetty and beach area.

In a land where predators garner their prey, we find that only the strongest, fittest and mightiest of creatures survive the battle of life. There is an ongoing war between the great beasts which is essential for retaining the natural order.

This is a vehicle- based activity in which we set out to locate Black Rhino, and under appropriate circumstances, approach these leviathans on foot, to truly appreciate their size, power and majesty. From the vehicle, we use signals received from radio collars worn by certain individuals, and the natural signs of spoor, dung and other evidence, to find the rhino.

Looking at the pictures it’s hard to believe that this has been happening for 100 million years! Plants and pollinators are entwined in a dance of co-dependency and it is such a fragile relationship that should one party be removed, life as we know it would be very different. So why did it all start? Why did a plant start making flowers and using complicated chemical reactions to make attractive scents and make nectar, all of which are very expensive in terms of energy?

A few months ago, in May, I was very fortunate to have witnessed, along with guests, a very special sighting. It wasn’t the typical leopard kill, or being the first to spot new-born cubs, but it was just as exciting and rare.