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Chishakwe in Save Valley Conservancy, 4.5 hrs from Harare. WILD DOGS!


Atravelynn

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Big Dam in Chishakwe

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2 adults Pungwe Pack

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Pungwe Pack

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Some of the 15 Pungwe pups

 

This thread is about Chishakwe Ranch, but my entire Aug-Sept 2015 itinerary was:

 

23 Aug, arrive Harare.

(Depart Chicago 0600 on 22 Aug, Jet Blue to JFK, then SAA thru Joburg to Harare, arriving 1220 on 23 Aug) Overnight Guinea Fowl B&B, 35 minutes from the airport. Road transfer by Prosper Transport, arranged through Doug MacDonald’s Safaris to Africa

 

24 Aug 07:15 – 12:05 Road transfer with Prosper Transport to Devuli Gate at Chishakwe, then camp transfer (40 minutes) to the lodge. It was about 400 kms from Harare to the gate.

 

25 - 27 Aug Chishakwe Ranch

 

28 Aug 11:20 - 16:45 Transfer with camp vehicle to Devuli Gate (40 minutes), then Prosper Transport back to Guinea Fowl B&B in Harare for o/nt.

 

29 Aug 06:15 Departure from Guinea Fowl B&B to Charles Prince Airport in Harare. Fly Altair to Mana Pools Main Airstrip 07:15 – 08:40 with Guide Doug MacDonald and our group of 3.

09:15 – 11:15 Drive to Chitake. Campsite 2

 

30 Aug Chitake Campsite 2

 

31 Aug 10:15 - 16:30 Drive to Mana Pools Floodplain with 1.5 hour stop at Bezhjan Pan near Kanga, arrive Mucheni Campsite 4

 

1- 3 Sept Mucheni Campsite 4 in Mana Pools Floodplain.

 

4 Sept Morning game drive to/from airstrip where Doug and other 2 guests flew out. Noon, I met with Natureways guide and staff for the Tamarind Canoe Safari and was driven to Nyamepi Camp. Departed on canoe safairi 15:00 (later than usual, waiting for high winds and whitecaps to die down. O/nt island camping.

 

5 - 6 Sept Natureways Tamarind Canoe Safari through Mana Pools, Sapi Safari Area including Chikwenya and Chewore Safari area. O/nt island camping

 

7 Sept 11:15 Depart Chewore Airstrip on Altair for Harare in time for 19:00 SAA flight to Joburg, onward to Chicago.

 

8 Sept Arrive Chicago 10:25

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photographic composite of the whole trip - pup is Chishakwe

 

The 6-night Mana Pools section of the trip was led by Doug MacDonald for a party of 3 (Wilddog Dog, Blue Bird & me). Canoeing for 3 nights was with Natureways (arranged through Doug) for the Tamarind camping trip that I joined as a solo. Each segment of the trip will have its own trip report.

 

 

Thank you @@Sangeeta, for alerting me to Chishakwe by sharing your experience on Safaritalk, found here!

http://safaritalk.net/topic/13039-a-meander-through-the-zimbabwean-lowveld/

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Didn't Cher so something ike that with her tongue? I think some comedians even imitated that maneuver of hers.

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Since Sangeeta summed it up so well, here are her words about Chishakwe in Save (pronounced SAH vay) Valley from her report, A Meander through the Zimbabwean Lowveld

 

The Save Valley Conservancy: This enormous tract of land was originally a cattle farming area, but as a result of multiple droughts and soil depletion from over-grazing, a consensus

was reached some 22 years ago to return the land to wildlife ranching. The conservancy's revenues are/were derived mainly from hunting but as I learned during this visit that they

have always had a broader mandate to also protect endangered species like rhino. Subsequently, the conservancy has an excellent anti-poaching program, including well trained

scouts and rangers etc.

Much as I am no fan of trophy hunting, I [meaning Sangeeta, but atravelynn concurs] must concede (and the numbers show this) that the SVC's game management plan over

the years has been sound. The conservancy is now home to over 3000 eles from an original 300 that were translocated here from Gonarezhou when the conservancy was started.

[i observed a shy herd of 30 crossing the road to the dam ]. Rhino numbers are healthy, as are populations of lion and leopard. Cheetah have not done very well here - possibly

because the lion population is quite high. [i saw no predators or rhino but spent 3 drives at the dog den, 2 drives walking, 1 drive at the dam, which left 2 regular game drives.]

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One of the braver elephants of the herd, willing to show himself to the camera.

The Save Valley was once Africa's largest privately owned and operated wildlife area, but with the recent political problems and re-settlements, the size of the conservancy has

shrunk quite a lot. It was distressing to see small agricultural plots within the conservancy - and to hear about the large scale clearing of magnificent old mopane forests for subsistence

farming. Anyhow, as a result of the ongoing political fracas, no hunting quotas have been issued for the past 2-3 years [this same situation persisted during my visit a year later].

This has left the properties scrambling for income and many of the ranches now offer basic photo safaris.

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From Moon Rock

Chishakwe Camp is a small and comfortable camp located on the bank of the Msaize river. With its 5 simply furnished thatched chalets, it blends in beautifully into the countryside. The camp was hosted by Courtney, a learner guide [who was quite learned by the time of my visit] who had spent his initial years on the hunting side of SVC. Courtney was ably supported in his role as host by a very capable staff of 4 and the adorable Boris, his Rhodesian Ridgeback mix puppy [adolescent dog by the time I visited], who won all our hearts the minute we arrived in camp. Between Boris and the wild dogs pups, it was puppy paradise at Chishakwe!

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Boris and me

[in addition to Courtney, camp owner L J was present during my stay and she was a delightful host, making sure I always felt at home. Her 11 or 12 year old daughter did the same. L J is the founder of World Rhino Day!]

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Tallest baobab in the world at 27 meters - the people give it perspective

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There was a strong smelling carcass in this cavity, an omen of strong smelling things to come. I am wearing gaiters and Guide Courtney always wore them.

One of Sangeeta’s missions was to see firsthand how photography and hunting safaris can operate in close proximity and if conversion from a hunting to an all photo concession would work. My visit offered glimpses of opportunities tempered by economic reality.

 

First the economic reality. I was told it takes 10 photographic safari nights to equal the income of one buffalo hunt. However, hunting is a shrinking rather than a growing sport due to the high expense of hunting and the general decline in its social acceptability. Long term, some of the hunting concessions see the need to shift their focus.

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I saw the results of cooperation between hunting and non-hunting interests. If the dogs den on the Chishakwe property, which is often the case, then you can visit the den or the roaming pack with the Chishakwe guide for free. The pack from Chishakwe had recently left the den and moved out of the area, per the trackers who closely monitor the dogs. This could have spelled disappointment, but there is an agreement with some of the neighboring concessions to allow visits to dogs on their property.

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Pungwe pack denned in Sango, a concession neighboring Chishakwe, in an amazingly open area, about 25 meters from the road

Neighboring concession Sango’s policy was especially amenable, and Pungwe pack’s den with late-in-the-season pups (5 weeks old at the end of Aug) was active. Guests in Chishakwe could visit dogs in Sango even if hunters were in Sango. Through communications we just had to keep out of their way. Not only could guests visit the dogs, but Sango always allowed the dog researchers to follow the pack and the hunters were made aware that they might encounter the researchers.

 

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Note the wound on the adult female’s head. Another adult was missing and never appeared during my 4 days, raising speculations about an altercation with other predators.

There was an “economic reality” component to viewing dogs off the Chishakwe property, though, because a dog researcher had to accompany guests visiting other properties’ dog dens. And there was a required donation to the African Wildlife Conservation Fund of $250 per vehicle per visit. Best $250 you’ll ever spend!

 

The fee listing, which was provided to me in written detail when I was contemplating a visit to Chishakwe, is:

  • Viewing dogs in Chishakwe = no charge
  • To have an AWC researcher accompany you within Chishakwe to offer their expertise = $75 per vehicle
  • Viewing dogs, not at a den, on another property, which requires an AWC researcher = $200 per vehicle
  • Viewing a den site on another property, which requires an AWC researcher = $250 per vehicle
  • Having an AWC researcher join you for a meal to discuss their work = $50

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The researchers referred to (at the time of this writing) are Jess and Rosemary. Here is a link to Rosemary’s interview on safaritalk.

 

http://safaritalk.net/topic/12589-interactive-interview-rosemary-groom-field-projects-coordinator-the-african-wildlife-conservation-fund/

 

Unfortunately I was not able to meet Rosemary personally because she was gone. Jess was highly knowledgeable and did an outstanding job of answering my questions and patiently spending hours with me at the den.

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Sundown at Big Dam

1) Name of property: Chishakwe Ranch

 

2) Website address:

http://www.mydestination.com/zimbabwe/accommodation/129128/chishakwe-ranch-river-camp

 

3) Date of stay: 24-28 Aug 2015

 

4) Length of stay: 4 nights

 

5) Why did you choose this camp or lodge to stay in? Based upon what? Sangeeta’s experience in here report.

http://safaritalk.net/topic/13039-a-meander-through-the-zimbabwean-lowveld/

 

6) How did you book the property, direct or agent? Were your enquiries dealt with quickly and efficiently? Doug MacDonald’s Safaris to Africa booked the accommodation and arranged the road transfer through Prosper Transfer. I had already locked in Mana Pools with Doug and then added this. Doug was quick and efficient.

 

7) How many times have you been on Safari? 21 in Africa

 

8) To which countries? South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Namibia, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe for African Safaris

 

9) Which properties have you been to previously that you are comparing this one to? Not comparing it to any in particular. It is very nice and very comfortable and compares very well with quality African properties. The personal touch of owner, LJ Campbell and the surprisingly mature customer relations skills of her 12 (I think)-year old daughter made for an exceptionally hospitable stay.

 

10) Was the property fenced? I believe there is a 300+ km fence around the conservancy but the individual properties within the conservancy are unfenced. Other than enter the gate at the road, I did not encounter any fences.

 

11) What tent or room did you stay in? Did it have a good view? Was it overlooked or private? I think #1, farthest from the dining lounge on the right when facing the dining lounge. I’m not sure they even have #s here with only 5 chalets. All chalets overlook the Msaize River.

 

12) How comfortable was the bed - were suitable amounts of blankets/duvets/pillows provided? Lovely! Very comfortable.

 

13) Did you like the food? Wonderful. Such a talented chef.

 

14) Was there a varied menu offering multiple choice? If vegetarian was a suitable alternative offered? Lots of food and variety. I had to ask that breakfast be curtailed because I could not eat it all. I also skipped one lunch prior to the breakfast curtailment request.

 

15) Can you choose where you eat, ie privately or with other guests, guides? Single tables or communal dining? Communal table. I did not inquire about other arrangements.

 

16) How good were the packed breakfasts/lunches if staying out on game drives? n/a

 

17) What are the game drive vehicles? They used a truck where guests sit in the back. Here is a photo, with Boris the dog, that shows one row of seats. When we were 5 guests, there were 2 rows of seats installed.

 

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Boris in front of the vehicle—Boris only went along if guests wanted canine company. He never went to the dog den. He did not bark and was marvelous company.

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The front row of seats had an extra hurdle to climb over on both sides, as shown here.

I will mention that we had lots of punctures—at least 8. These occurred during drives, at the dog den, enroute to pick me up, and on a transfer drive to the gate. My stay was near the end of the rotation for new tires so I was driving with tires on their “last legs” before it was time to put on the new ones.

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Guide Courtney, in his gaiters, making a puncture repair with faithful Boris looking on, all in very nice light.

For 2 visits when I was alone with Jess, the wild dog researcher, the vehicle looked like this.

 

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This is Jess’s vehicle. I am re-enacting a sighting which Jess found humorous. If there were more guests, the back bench is used..

When Courtney accompanied us to the dogs, he sat on the bench and gave me the lower, inside seat--better for photos.

See 29) below for one more vehicle comment.

 

18) How many guests per row? Probably 3. I only sat with maximum of one other guest.

 

19) How long were the game drives and were they varied in the routes taken? In general about 3.5 hours. Options were the wild dogs, the dams especially for sundowners, a scenic overlook known as “Moon Rock” also for sundowners, traditional game drives, plus we did two mornings of aardvark tracking/walking, and one mid-morning unofficial visit to Courtney’s home, which is one of the settings for Alexendra Fuller's biographical Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight. Recommended reading for a Chishakwe visit!

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Courtney in front of his home, from Alexandra Fuller’s Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight. Also the kitchen, which was mentioned often in the book.

 

 

20) Are game drive times flexible? Dogs at the den are best visited early morning until about 9:30 am and then again about 3:30 pm until dusk. No definite time we had to be back.

 

21) What wildlife is this property known for? Did you get good sightings? Presently it is known for wild dog sightings and partnering with The African Wildlife Conservation Fund. The Save Valley had 12-14 packs at the time of my visit in late Aug 2015. If dogs are not present on the Chishakwe property, it is possible to try to find them on neighboring properties, accompanied by an African Wildlife Conservation researcher for a fee. That's what I did. I got not good, but phenomenal sightings. I can imagine that viewing the Big 5 and other favorite species and having them all to yourselves will also become more popular for photographic safaris as Chishakwe becomes better known.

 

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22) How was the standard of guiding?

Very good. I put Courtney to the test with two fascinating mornings of aardvark tracking. Courtney was fun to be on safari with and often joined me at meals. His eagle eye confirmed that there were 15 wild dog pups when it was previously thought there were 14. He was knowledgeable on conservation and hunting issues and very swift and efficient at changing tires after a puncture.

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Aardvark tracks and tail markings

 

See 29) below for comments on standard of “guesting.”

 

23) If you had a bad experience with a guide, why? Did you report the issue to management, and if so, how did they deal with the issue? Definitely n/a

 

24) If you had a very good experience with your guide, please give reasons why:

He loved guiding and was personable. We did both driving and walking.

 

 

25) Were staff attentive to your requests/needs? Highly hospitable. I don’t recall any special requests.

 

26) Safaritalk trip report link n/a - this is it

 

27) Any other pertinent details you wish to add:

In sum, here is what I sent LJ, the owner to use in any guest comments:

Chishakwe Ranch hospitality was outstanding. It was like visiting old friends. Great food and a beautiful setting. This is a fantastic place for game viewing from a vehicle and for escorted walking in the bush to appreciate the smaller things. The wild dog experience is second to none. I can only imagine Chishakwe will become more and more attractive for photographic safaris and for nature lovers as it becomes better known.

 

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One of the small things from our walk – spider and ant.

 

 

28) Please add your photographs of the property.

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View of chalet from the Msaize Riverbed Dining room. If you detect a figure hiding under the table to the left, it is Courtney.

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Frequent residents inside decorative vases and on picture frames

 

----------------------

 

Addendum 29) Combining vehicle qualities and the standard of guest behavior… Don’t do what I did.

 

For much of our outings either I was with Jess the researcher sitting next to her in her vehicle, or one of the Zimbabwean guests sat in back behind Courtney and signaled to stop with a knock, or we were walking and not in the vehicle, or we were stopped in a scenic area not moving, or Courtney spotted the sightings first and stopped.

 

Near the end of my stay, for the first time, I found myself alone in the back of the truck with Courtney at the wheel and needing to signal a stop when I saw a lovely baobab as we were bouncing down the road. So I gave a hearty knock knock on the cab, not an insipid, half-hearted, weak-wristed little tap. I wanted to save Courtney from the uncertainty of wondering whether he had heard me or not. Well, there was no uncertainty in his screeching halt. “What is it?” he shouted in alarm.

 

“I’d like a baobab photo please.” I responded sheepishly.

 

After the photo op, I underwent some remedial training on tapping skills. A light touch is best.

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Some of the many photogenic baobabs in Chishakwe

to be continued

Edited by twaffle
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Those puppies are very photogenic. A really good idea to blend the report in with the camp review. You attention grabbing roof tapping was obviously very successful. :)

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madaboutcheetah

Brilliant, Lynn!!! Dogs, landscapes etc etc.,

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Oh my, love the pups. 15 of them - what a treat! Looks like an outstanding place. Interesting about the "economic realities". So, are they preparing for afull shift to photo safaris now, or are they working on getting their hunting quotas back? You mentioned Aardvark trackings, what are the chances of finding one?

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great to see this TR @atravelynn

I have been looking at visiting Save Valley myself and this is a wonderful insight.

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@@Atravelynn

Wow -what outstanding wild dog sightings. This pups are adorable.

This looks like a really good option to see wild dogs.

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. So, are they preparing for afull shift to photo safaris now, or are they working on getting their hunting quotas back? You mentioned Aardvark trackings, what are the chances of finding one?

The shift to photo safaris is on, along with trying to get their hunting quotas. I know there were hunters in the neighboring concession that left during my stay, so there is still some hunting going on. I never heard a shot. It seems that a full switch from hunting to photos would be hard to do in the short-term so they are taking a gradual approach of boosting the photographic niche as the hunting niche declines.

 

I don't think Chishakwe is aardvark central at this point. But in time I could see they might focus more on that species to attract wildlife watchers. You could indicate your interest in aardvark in advance of a stay and maybe something could be worked out to increase the odds of finding it. There also was a den, off the road of brown hyena. The other guests had taken a walk (not accessible by vehicle) to it before I arrived but did not see any hyena. They did not linger on foot so as not to disturb the animals. We had discussed that a distant hide might be set up eventually.

 

Another interesting option that is in its infancy is trying to arrange for guests to accompany scouts for rhino darting and tagging. L J was hoping that at some point the rhino scouts could arrange a specific date well in advance that they would be darting and tagging in Chishakwe so bookings to join them could be made. I expressed enthusiastic interest in that possibility.

 

So there are some enticing opportunities for this area that definitely has variety and lack of crowds.

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This is the map to Chishakwe. We took the Chivu route, which was a little shorter of the 2 routes. Roads were not marked so stopping to ask for directions set us straight.

 

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Prosper of Prosper Transport made it a point to meet with me early in the morning before I left for Chishakwe with his nephew Arnold as the driver and nice Mercedes-Benz. Both on the way to Chishakwe and on the way back we were stopped by a police officer at a road block and Arnold exited the car for questioning. Apparently there was a bad guy on the loose that the police were searching for who was driving the same kind of Mercedes-Benz.

 

 

Shortly after settling into camp, a herd of about 5 kudu appeared in front of camp across the Msaize River. Kudu numbers had rebounded from an anthrax outbreak in 2004 that hit kudu especially hard. The insects that carried the anthrax lived branches at the level where kudu browse.

 

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kudu on game drive

 

Then I met my safari-mates--two couples who were traveling together, both originally from Zim, but one couple had moved to Australia. I noticed one of the ladies had a large bandage over her eye and when I inquired I found out that only 48 hours earlier she had sustained an injury requiring 20 stitches, delaying her arrival by just one day. When I expressed my surprise her husband summed it up, “That’s a farmer’s wife!”

 

Weather: Highs about 33 C, Lows about 12 C.

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Big Dam

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Little Bug that joined our vehicle for sundowners at Big Dam

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This photo looks like I super-imposed the dog on the left over the dusty dogs. No copy and paste. This is the actual scene of all the pups.

Edited by Atravelynn
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The head wound looks really bad here. Word from researcher Jess on Oct 10 is that it is all healed up now.




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The wound and the visible teeth underscore the tough, brutal existence of a wild dog’s life.



The average age of the dogs studied was about 1.5 years. The Pungwe pack had an average age of 2-2.5 years. Reaching 4-5 years was a good, long dog life. The record age was 8-9.



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As of Oct 10, 13 to 14 of these pups are still alive. One was known to have been killed by a lion.



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to be continued


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Those pups are wonderful!

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Such an open densite, while a dream come true for me, almost seemed irresponsible. But the dogs must know what they are doing.





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Third pup hiding behind




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Three pups visible



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The pup in the background has ears like the Underdog cartoon



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My vehicle mate described the scene as "They're hanging down like bunches of grapes." To me that sounded like the Quote of the Trip--the Chishakwe part of the trip.



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Sabi Stars or Palm Lilies & bee



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To be continued


Edited by Atravelynn
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Pups galore! what a special treat. that picture of the open den surrounded by the tall trees and a single dog lying in that special light is beautiful.

 

Boris is a great attraction. :)

 

You and sangeeta make SVC a very convincing case to visit Chishakwe.

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Some of the best dog photos I've seen! There is an almost absurd number of pups.

I would love to go on a drive with Boris.

 

Your explanation of the balance being struck between hunting and photography tourism is thought-provoking. From your comments it seems like elephants have met with success there, even if they are shy - and your game experiences seem to speak for themselves so far!

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Spectacular dog sightings! And those pups :)

Great TR. Great photos. Apart from the dogs (difficult to beat I know) I particularly like the giraffe walking down the road.

May I also compliment you on your baobab trees. Very beautiful. (I too would have gone for the good wack on the roof not some timid half hearted knock :))

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Just in love with these pups, and what a Mom with them all hanging off of her! Looks like a wonderful experience visiting there. Love that first photo in post 14 of the densite - it almost looks like it could be New England in the fall! The flower shots are beautiful too.

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Another perfect report. Not a question left to ask and many questions I could not have possibly thought of. Love Jess's vehicle. That, Jess herself and the wild dogs for $250 was a total bargain.That fifth shot in post #10 of all the pups trying to get some milk is incredible - and I use the word conservatively.

 

Regretably I have to point out that in the renactment you are not pointing where you are looking... or is your finger the sighting?

 

And although I said I ahd no questions I have to wonder why Courtney is hiding under a table. Was he reenacting a previous scene featuring Boris?

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Regretably I have to point out that in the renactment you are not pointing where you are looking... or is your finger the sighting?

My re-enactment skills need some help.

 

And although I said I ahd no questions I have to wonder why Courtney is hiding under a table. Was he reenacting a previous scene featuring Boris? Good guess! I think he became camera shy. I'm sure no one would have noticed him under the table but I thought it added intrigue to the caption.

 

As of late Aug 2015 there were 12-14 packs in Save Valley. The individual dog count was 120-130 dogs, but that did not include pups of this season. A high for the area was 150 dogs.

 

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The challenges of pup photography. At 5 weeks, they're all over the place and active.

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I've got a tiger wild dog pup by the tail

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I've got a tiger wild dog pup by the tail

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Wild dogs in an area are good for the species they prey upon because those species scatter when dogs move into an area, which helps to mix up the gene pool.

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Hooded Vultures with Wild Dog Excrement

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I spent about 6.5 hours over 3 visits to view the wild dogs. Two visits were in the morning and one in the afternoon. I thought the morning visits, where the amount of light increased with time, offered a visibility advantage.

 

The rules are: the den receives one visit per day by guests accompanying the researchers. The guests staying on the property where the dogs are located get the first option at seeing the dogs. Even though the Pungwe pack was in the Sango concession and I was in Chishakwe, I fortunately did not run into any conflicts during my 3 visits. But spending 3+ nights is a good idea if trying to see wild dogs is a hope in case you can’t visit a den one day or in case it takes a couple of days to find the dogs. I stayed 4 nights.

Edited by Atravelynn
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Conclusion:

 

The phrase "hidden treasure" and "undiscovered gem" are entirely appropriate terms for Chishakwe. As it receives more visitors interested in viewing the diverse wildlife of the conservancy, I think its attractiveness will be enhanced because the animals will be more accustomed to vehicles and activities to view sought-after species can increase. For example it may be possible some day for guests to accompany the scouts when they dart rhinos; the territories of the elusive, nocturnal aardvark can become more well known through attempts to track them; perhaps a hide or area for viewing a brown hyena den can be established; bushwalks can increase. In addition to the outstanding opportunities to see wild dogs and interact with the researchers from African Wildlife Conservation Fund, Chishakwe has the potential to become a multi-dimensional destination.

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The End

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This is a huge number of dogs for the 3400 km2 conservancy!!!!

Do you know why there such high densities for this landscapes compared to other areas?

How many lions are there in the conservancy?

 

This is a really niche trip report, I really enjoyed it!!! Thank you very much :)

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@@Atravelynn really enjoyed the wild dogfest!

 

I do hope that the opportunities to diversify and make hard to see species like aardvark and even brown hyena are taken up to attract more visitors to this 'hidden treasure'.

Edited by Treepol
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@@Atravelynn really enjoyed the wild dogfest!

 

I do hope that the opportunities to diversify and make hard to see species like aardvark and even brown hyena are taken up to attract more visitors to this 'hidden treasure'. Those species are never easy. But there was a brown hyena den that other guests walked to in the daylight. No activity when they were there. We had two interesting mornings of aardvark tracking and saw where they liked to hang out at night.

 

 

This is a huge number of dogs for the 3400 km2 conservancy!!!! It has the highest density anywhere I was told.

Do you know why there such high densities for this landscapes compared to other areas? It is reaching the max. If dogs move out seeking new territory, they face dangers.

How many lions are there in the conservancy? I believe around 100

 

This is a really niche trip report, I really enjoyed it!!! clever

Edited by Atravelynn
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