Elephants caught on camera

The waterhole camera trap is proving to be a marvellous tool for helping us to keep track of the animals that come to visit the waterhole.  Since we have had it up and running from just before Christmas we have recorded some fantastic sights, many of which we would have missed because they happen very early in the morning, in the middle of the night or because we just do not happen to be watching at that time. 

 

 

 

 

These elephants visited the waterhole before the rains. 
Notice the size of the waterhole.

January's record of sightings proved to be very interesting when we analysed them.  Before the heavy rains came in the middle of the month we were recording, on average, 9 mammal sightings a day.  These could of course be a herd of impala that stayed around for several hours, or a skittish zebra that came, drank and then moved off after only a minute or so.  Then the rain came and for ten days, when we measured 310mm of rain, the mammal count at the waterhole dropped to 1.3 sightings a day.  Not surprising really when there was water everywhere in the bush.  Every stream and river flowed and every little depression in the soil was full of water.  Even now, a month later some of the roads are still too soft to drive on.  Sightings picked up again at the end of the month to 5 a day as the puddles in the bush began to dry out. 

 

 

January has also been an excellent month for elephant sightings at the waterhole, with 9 separate visits.   There has been a selection of different groups and individuals, including a breeding herd with some very small ones.   During the evening on January 11th the camera caught a herd of elephants drinking.  The results were marvellous - one shot trunks up, next shot trunks down, in perfect synchronisation!

 

The rains have started and the waterhole is growing by the minute.
This elephant seems to be enjoying the downpour.