Weather and Landscape
We received a substantial amount of rainfall this month, totalling 121mm (4.8 inches), which transformed our access road into a pan system. Thus Pafuri became an emerald gem of greens and reflecting pools of water. The month was nice and warm with temperatures ranging between 16° and 35°C (61° - 95°F).

Wildlife
The Pafuri Pride was seen at Lanner Gorge, which is the farthest west we've ever seen this pride of lion. We saw them subsequently in areas near the gorge, which was interesting. It made for amazing viewing for our guests - who saw not only the muscle-rippled big cats, but also the breathtaking views of the gorge.

On the subject of predators, six spotted hyaena were observed hungrily devouring an impala carcass along the Limpopo floodplains. Hyaena are both predator and scavenger - and here at Pafuri we hear them more often than we see them, so it was a great experience to see six of them feeding.
An elusive African wildcat was seen on a game drive. It resembles a domestic cat, but has prominent chestnut-coloured ears and is a master when it comes to catching rodents. Unfortunately, the African wildcat is under threat through hybridisation with feral domestic cats.
The sound of hippo laughing and their snorting water antics are quintessentially African. It is always special to see pods of hippo congregating, and we had an extra special treat this month when, from a viewpoint on the Luvuvhu Bridge, we saw hippo mating. Our viewing was unexpectedly disrupted by the fearful screams of a troop of vervet monkeys. One of their members had fallen victim to a 2.5m South African rock python, and was eventually swallowed. This is something one reads about, but very rarely sees!

Birding
As always the bird list for what was seen at Pafuri this month is extensive. Almost every month the number seen is well over 200 different species - this even applies for the dry months when the migrants have flown the coup, so to speak.

Some birds we saw this month:
Grey-headed Parrot; Ground Hornbill; Groundscraper Thrush; Pel's Fishing-Owl; Scaly-throated Honeyguide; Temminck's Courser; Three-banded Courser; Verreaux's Eagle; Arnot's Chat; Crested Guineafowl; Kurrichane Buttonquail; Brown-backed Honeybird; Blue-cheeked Bee-eater; Great Spotted Cuckoo; Senegal Coucal; Mottled Spinetail; Bohm's Spinetail; Crowned Eagle; Retz's Helmet-Shrike and Mosque Swallow.

Conservation News
The Elephant Transboundary Project is a research study of the elephant within the Makuleke Contractual Park, which was started in 2008. A total of six bulls and six cows were collared for the study in 2009. The study aims to determine the transboundary movements of the elephant within the Makuleke Contractual Park, and to ascertain whether there is movement into Zimbabwe (to Gonarezhou National Park) and if so, which route is being used by the elephant.

The study has two components:
1. A telemetry study, whereby the movements of the elephant are plotted (using information gathered from GPS collars). This is headed by Drs Steve and Michelle Henley from the Save the Elephants organisation.
 
2. The second component is an identity study, whereby the individual elephants are photographed and identikits are compiled using their ear patterns and tusks as the main identi-tools. This is headed by Walter Jubber, guide here at Pafuri Camp, in conjunction with Save the Elephants.

So far 71 individual elephant bulls have been indentified and nine different herds. The GPS data is showing that there is good movement by the collared elephant into the Limpopo Reserve within Mozambique, which is part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. April saw several of the collared individuals coming in and out of the Makuleke Contractual Park.