Show us your Claspers! Your Pangolins & Aardvarks, SOUTH AFRICA!

September 28, 2019

Wonderful Aardvark and pangolin photos @Atravelynn

September 28, 2019

Peerless trip reporting as usual. Replete with information relevant to any who might wish to follow in your footsteps, combined with excellent photographs.

September 28, 2019

fabulous shots of the pangolin - it came out into the open so much for you. Oh wendy panaino - I should say Dr Wendy - is still at Tswalu? She can't bear to leave her babies!

loving this TR, Lynn.

September 29, 2019

July 21 – Day 3 in Tswalu

Outing 4, Day 3 - July 21, 7:00-11:50 pm, Lion Highlight

About 4:00 am the wind started howling and at our 7:00 am departure it was 3º C / 37 º F with 28 km/hr (17 m/hr) winds. At -5º C / 23 º F, the game drives are often cancelled or delayed because the vehicles do not start.

The morning quest was lions and they proved elusive in the cold and wind. Piet’s tracking skills and Moses’s driving (and tracking) skills were put to the test. After 4 hours of freezing weather and tracks that disappeared in the wind, they found “The South Pride.” Three lionesses with six 4-month old cubs sheltered under brush. I photographed a subset of this group.

10:42 am. Are there lions at the end of the road?

11:12 am

The biggest journey of giraffes I saw was 22. The biggest journey Moses had ever seen in Tswalu was 28. So 22 is big.

This photo is subset of the journey.

9:56 am

The wind caused me to take shelter and move from my perch in the elevated seats to the passenger seat next to Moses; and it had a similar effect on many of the hoofed species that also laid low.

Springbok sitting down in the wind, which is actually ruffling its fur, 9:50 am

From Motse’s Rhino Cottage #5 patio, 11:00 am

From Motse’s Rhino Cottage #5. This oryx is ducking way down. 1:44 pm.

A special thank you to the Tswalu cleaning staff who left my sliding patio door crystal clear and streak free.

This photo was taken through the door because I did not want the sound of opening the door to disturb the oryx and make it rise.

From Motse’s Rhino Cottage #5 patio, 1:37 pm

Even the ostrich is lowering his profile, 5:42 pm

Outing 5, Day 3 - July 21, 3:00-6:40 pm, Pangolin & Aardvark Highlights

Pangolin and aardvark in the same outing in the same afternoon! Where else but Tswalu? Moses, plus another guide that I told about my fortunate double whammy, both stated while it was not common to see both species in one afternoon, it was also not shocking.

I was thinking I should get a plaque, be entered in the Tswalu Hall of Fame and have my picture taken for the website. It’s good news for other visitors that a pangolin-aardvark afternoon is not such a rarity that it merits these honors.

What is not at all surprising is that the pangolin and aardvark were sighted in the afternoon, not in morning. In the Kalahari winter months, pangolins and aardvarks start their insect hunting later in the day when it is warmer, I was told. I had thought I’d have two shots each day (am and pm) at seeing these elusive species in the winter, but Moses told me mornings are out. He said, “It is very unusual that we would ever see a pangolin still out in the morning and the aardvark never makes that mistake.” I suppose anything can happen in nature, but Moses would know usually occurs.

2nd of 2 pangolin sightings, 3:30 pm

Starting with the Pangolin. Fortunately, the wind had died down by afternoon, which is more to the liking of pangolins. Dr. Wendy, the pangolin researcher and her assistant, were extremely welcoming and eager to share their knowledge as we stood a few meters away and watched one of the 7 radio-tagged pangolins that roamed Tswalu. To attach the tag, a little hole had been drilled in one of the scales, a painless procedure, no anesthesia needed. No other mammal would ever be tagged in this manner because no other mammal has scales.

2nd of 2 pangolin sightings, 4:25 pm. It might seem as though the location of this tag would mean it is prevalent in every photo you try to take. Not so, as evidenced by my pictures. And I never “photoshopped” the tag away.

I did often maneuver myself to avoid including the tag in photos, though.

Sometimes vegetation can also conveniently obscure any tags, 2nd of 2 pangolin sightings, 3:29 pm

2nd of 2 pangolin sightings, 4:26 pm, Cropped to avoid the yellow tag and show just the pangolin bust.

2nd of 2 pangolin sightings, 4:26 pm. Judicious cropping, once again.

I asked if the pangolins ever showed any interest or emotion toward researchers they saw so frequently. No. That’s actually good. One of the next research goals is to learn more about mother pangolins and their offspring. The male pangolins will fight for territory, but not usually to the death. Thank goodness, because we don’t need pangolins taking each other out with all the external threats they face.

2nd of 2 pangolin sightings, 4:33 pm

In Tswalu, the Temminck’s Pangolin is doing well. The researchers did not know the total Tswalu pangolin population. Drought years can reduce the numbers (as for many species). But wet years, while good for the pangolins, can actually make it harder for guests to find them because the pangolins don’t have to be out foraging as long or as far when there is a plentiful supply of ants right under the bush where they are napping.

There is a pangolin obscured under the bush, left side.

The researchers stayed with us for about 30 minutes then departed and we remained with the pangolin.

2nd of 2 pangolin sightings, 3:23 pm

2nd of 2 pangolin sightings, 4:28 pm

2nd of 2 pangolin sightings, 4:23 pm

The pangolin we had been watching was resting under a bush for several minutes when Moses asked if I’d like to try to see another aardvark. Never would I have thought I’d agree to leave a pangolin sighting voluntarily, but I did. Where else but Tswalu?

We walked around the pangolin bush so our footprints would direct anyone else who might want to see the pangolin this evening to the correct bush. Our footprints back to the road, where we had exited the vehicle to join the researchers, served as a trail to the pangolin. None of the tracking we had done at Tswalu ever had these helpful visual aids.

Then on to the aardvark. Another vehicle had left the aardvark very near the lodge. We zipped to the lodge entrance road and dropped off Piet so that he could begin to track. I found the next series of events rather funny because they were in stark contrast to the quiet, genteel atmosphere that prevailed at Motse. We screeched to a halt in the vehicle parking area, grabbed our stuff, quickly exited the vehicle, and ran through the lounge area, onto the viewing deck, and hopped off the deck next to the pool. Normally I emptied all the dust from my footwear before entering the Motse lounge, but we just stomped through, tracking swirling dust. The staff was a bit startled as we whizzed by, but Moses shouted, “There’s an aardvark out there!” Then to me, “Come on, let’s go!”

We jogged past the waterhole and met up with Piet who was on the trail. Not far in the distance we could see the aardvark, a much older animal than the first one.

Well, that was exciting.

2nd of 2 photographable aardvarks 5:25 pm

2nd of 2 photographable aardvarks 5:27 pm

2nd of 2 photographable aardvarks 5:28 pm

2nd of 2 photographable aardvarks 5:43 pm

2nd of 2 photographable aardvarks 5:42 pm

2nd of 2 photographable aardvarks 5:36 pm

I used my Canon EOS 7D Mark II, 18-400 lens for the afternoon with the pangolin and aardvark double feature.

Edited September 29, 2019 by Atravelynn

September 29, 2019

On 9/28/2019 at 2:06 AM, Towlersonsafari said:

Wonderful Aardvark and pangolin photos @Atravelynn

When they "parade," as Kit safari described, it is not hard to get the photos.

On 9/28/2019 at 3:24 AM, douglaswise said:

Peerless trip reporting as usual. Replete with information relevant to any who might wish to follow in your footsteps, combined with excellent photographs.

Thank you Douglaswise. I know the gladiator outfit in post #16 is definitely peerless and perhaps we should be thankful.

On 9/28/2019 at 5:47 AM, Kitsafari said:

fabulous shots of the pangolin - it came out into the open so much for you. Oh wendy panaino - I should say Dr Wendy - is still at Tswalu? She can't bear to leave her babies!

loving this TR, Lynn.

Dr. Wendy is still there and very enthusiastic about her work. Her assistant, who had only been on the job about a week, was equally enthusiastic.

Edited September 29, 2019 by Atravelynn

September 29, 2019

What wonderful sightings of Aardvark and Pangolin- extraordinary indeed. I have never seen such photos.

Your photos are beautiful (and you seem to do really well with all 3 cameras.)

The landscape also look beautiful, though clearly it can be very cold.

We are taking notes, and will ask some practical questions at the end (if there is anything you haven’t covered in your incredibly helpful details)

We will be visiting for 5 nights, also flying from Cape Town.

Your guide and tracker sound very good. Did you ask for them by name, or was it just the luck of the draw?

Looking forward to more posts...

Edited September 29, 2019 by TonyQ

September 29, 2019

July 22 – Day 4 in Tswalu

Outing 6, Day 4 - July 22, 7:00-10:40 am, Rock Etchings Highlight

The wind was at least as strong today as yesterday, so tracking most anything would be tough and meerkats don’t like strong wind either, therefore I made the request to look at the rock etchings I had read about.

The etchings we were going to visit were about 6 km away. There was another rock etching site that Moses had once taken some guests to who were very keen on etchings. But that site involved mountain climbing. If @AndMic and @michael-ibkever go to Tswalu, I’m sure they’ll be up that mountain in no time.

Rock etchings, estimated 2,000 years old, if I recall correctly

Within the last couple hundred years local farmers added their own art, but they left undisturbed the original etchings. That’s heartening.

Very near the etchings is a picturesque viewpoint at the top of a hill. This would make a nice afternoon outing with sundowners at the viewpoint.

Outing 7, Day 4 - July 22, 3:00-6:30 pm, Wild Dogs Highlight

A splinter group of 7 juvenile male wild dogs had broken off from the larger pack that had numbered 16. They were resting in thick brush making them hard to photograph. I thought I’d zero in on specific body parts and make a collage of those photos. The results were unattractively strange, with two exceptions, that are short of a collage.

1st of 4 wild dog sightings 3:40 pm

1st of 4 wild dog sightings 3:43 pm. Photo shows that wild dogs have only 4 claws, not 5 like most dogs,

with the 5^th being a dew claw up the leg.

We were hanging out with these dogs in wait of a radio call to alert us that 3 new male wild dogs (father and 2 sons) had arrived and would be released into a boma adjacent two female wild dogs. The two females ended up in the boma because their mother was wooed by the alpha male of the full pack that now numbers 16. The mother became his alpha female, but he was not keen on her daughters. He ostracized these two sisters. They ended up as girls without a pack and that might have proven fatal.

So, they were captured and put in a boma to await some males who would hopefully enjoy their company and they could form a new pack of their own. That night the males were to arrive.

But where were they? It was getting late and the males had been anesthetized for their flight to Tswalu (I forget from where) so a timely arrival was a medical necessity. At last, we got the call that the males were here and we could observe.

We arrived at the bomas to see the 3 males, still out of it, blindfolded on the ground. And we learned why they were late. The plane on which the 3 dogs, pilot and vet were flying had crashed! The plane was totaled but no injuries to man or dog. I’m not sure if another plane was summoned or if the last bit of journey was by road, but everyone arrived unscathed, just late.

3 new males arrive and will start out in a boma adjacent to 2 females, hoping for bonding.

July 23 – Day 5 in Tswalu, my final full day & night

Outing 8, Day 5 - July 23, 7:00-10:45 am, Wild Dogs & Meerkat Highlights

First stop was the wild dog boma to see how the 3 males were doing. They were alert, trotting around and interested in the two females in the adjacent boma—all very positive signs.

The new males and the 2 females showed interest in each other, a good sign

All the dog commotion, and maybe the new dog scents, attracted the 9 members of the larger pack (7 juvenile males who had struck out on their own were still on their own). The dogs were interested in the 3 new males and the 2 sisters who had previously been part of their pack.

Some of the 9 members of the wild dog pack. 2nd of 4 wild dog sightings, around 8:00 am

2nd of 4 wild dog sightings 7:55 am

2nd of 4 wild dog sightings 8:03 am

It is amazing what a difference some nice light makes for wild dog shots. The alpha male and female of this pack of 16 (7 juvenile males on an adventure plus 9 other members) had been vaccinated so they will not produce pups for one year.

2nd of 4 wild dog sightings, all at 8:37 am

After checking in with the dogs, it was off to the meerkats. They remained a colony of 9, having lost the alpha female in a fight with another colony the day before I arrived. Although we missed the first heads popping out of the burrow because we arrived at 8:50 am (instead of around 7:30 am as we had done before) there was still plenty of “standing at attention and greeting the sun” posing.

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits 8:58 am

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits 9:08 am

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits 9:05 am

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits 9:09 am

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits 9:13 am

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits 9:19 am

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits 9:25 am

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits 9:28 am. The meerkats take turns being an elevated sentry.

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits 9:30 am

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits 9:32 am

We saw three kinds of meerkat locomotion:

1. Normal running

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits, 10:15 am. Normal running.

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits,10:17. Normal running.

2. Low-to-the-ground running

This slinking stance is used when a predator is spotted such as a jackal or bird of prey.

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits 10:13 am

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits 10:12 am

3. The War Dance

When the meerkat colony detects the threat of a rival colony, the members fling their forequarters and hindquarters in the air as they run, in a bucking-bronco manner that is almost comical.

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits, 10:06 am. Full war dance maneuvers.

We believe this colony began the war dance when it mistook a ground squirrel for an intruder meerkat--an understandable mistake we have likely all made at some point.

Ground squirrels usually are the excavators of the burrows that meerkats move into and I have seen these two species foraging peacefully side-by-side in the past.

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits 10:03 am. Exhibiting the war dance run.

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits 10:20 am. Back legs kicked up for the war dance.

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits, 10:06 am. Second meerkat is showing its war dance move.

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits, 10:06 am. Left-most meerkat doing the war dance.

10:20 am, all calm again, normal duties resume

10:11 am, all at the meerkat burrow in the Kalahari

The fast moving meerkats and the mottled dogs in the shade or in action called for the Canon EOS 7D Mark II, 18-400 lens for almost every photo this morning.

Edited September 29, 2019 by Atravelynn

September 29, 2019

1 hour ago, TonyQ said:

What wonderful sightings of Aardvark and Pangolin- extraordinary indeed. I have never seen such photos.

Your photos are beautiful (and you seem to do really well with all 3 cameras.) It was all about the easily accessible subjects, in good light to boot!

The landscape also look beautiful, though clearly it can be very cold.

We are taking notes, and will ask some practical questions at the end (if there is anything you haven’t covered in your incredibly helpful details) Please do!

We will be visiting for 5 nights, also flying from Cape Town. Great plan!

Your guide and tracker sound very good. Did you ask for them by name, or was it just the luck of the draw? I had made 2 requests based on Kit's advice but those guides were not available, so I got luck of the draw. Moses and Piet worked hard under trying conditions of a cold snap and windstorms. They were very enjoyable company out in the field and at the outdoor traditional African dinner one evening.

Looking forward to more posts...

September 30, 2019

I'm so happy to see the wild dogs doing so well! The previous pack (except for 2 males if I recall correctly) was wiped out by canine distemper just before I arrived for my first trip to Tswalu but a pack was introduced so I got to see them on the second trip a year later, but it was not easy to find them and when we did, they were hiding in the grass. And so pleased for you to be able to see new dogs released into a boma.

But OMW! the plane crashed? it's a miracle all the humans and dogs survived!

wonderful to see the meerkats again! sad to hear the alpha female was killed. Did they find a successor by the time you left?

September 30, 2019

On ‎9‎/‎27‎/‎2019 at 11:24 PM, Atravelynn said:

I hope it is not a case of discrimination against Australians!

No we just have weird plugs - well us and Argentina, I think we are the only two countries that have that sort.

September 30, 2019

Outing 9, Day 5 - July 23, 3:00-6:15 pm, Wild Dogs Highlight

Tswalu’s vehicle rules, which are in place to enhance all guests’ experiences, played a role for me for the first time this afternoon. Up to this point I had never seen another vehicle at any sighting. But at a wild dog kill there were a couple of vehicles. I think Tswalu’s policy is a max of 2 vehicles at a sighting (but it could be 3.) The other rule is off-roading is allowed only to track or follow an animal, otherwise the vehicle must stay on the dirt road. That worked well for us.

The next photo (admittedly poor quality in part due to a sandstorm) of the typical Tswalu vehicle, was taken the evening of July 23. It should be entitled “Bad Dogs. Bad, Bad Dogs.” The reason for this tongue-in-cheek title will become apparent at the end of this post.

This is the type of open vehicle we used at Tswalu. Some vehicles had a third row of seats.

It’s the only vehicle photo I took, and a poor, one.

Each group got their own vehicle, meaning no shared vehicles, a fact that helps justify the Tswalu cost.

Anyway, we had to wait our turn to see the dogs, and did so by watching some water birds and several oryx in the sandstorm that enveloped us all. Very nice sightings with photos posted elsewhere in this report. It was a pleasant and interesting wait.

The other vehicles both left and were able to approach the dogs. It seemed that between the sandstorm and the lethargic behavior of the full-bellied dogs, the result would be a quiet, uneventful afternoon.

The black-backed jackals were not lethargic, though.

Black-backed jackals at wild dog kill in sandstorm, 4:09 pm

Black-backed jackals at wild dog kill in sandstorm, 4:54 pm

Never underestimate the energy level of a group of 7 juvenile males, regardless the species. The dogs suddenly sprang up from their naps and put on a show in the sandstorm. And the show had an encore.

3rd of 4 wild dog sightings, 4:27 pm. Some of the 7 juvenile males in a sandstorm, having fun.

3rd of 4 wild dog sightings, 4:31 pm. Some of the 7 juvenile males in a sandstorm.

3rd of 4 wild dog sightings, 4:28 pm. Some of the 7 juvenile males in a sandstorm.

3rd of 4 wild dog sightings, 4:47 pm. Some of the 7 juvenile males in a sandstorm playing chase.

3rd of 4 wild dog sightings, 4:47 pm. Some of the 7 juvenile males in a sandstorm.

When the dogs were very close to the vehicle, as they were here, the flying red veil of dust was not as noticeable.

3rd of 4 wild dog sightings, 4:42 pm. One of the 7 juvenile males in a sandstorm, pausing to gaze at us.

The 7 male juvenile wild dogs ended their tussling and games and took off down the road.

3rd of 4 wild dog sightings, 5:04 pm. The 7 juvenile males hit the road during a sandstorm.

The obscured hills show the magnitude of the sandstorm.

Moses said the dogs might be headed toward the waterhole at Motswe. I jokingly added that they might be on their way to my room on the end, Rhino #5. In the end, the joke was on us. We took off in pursuit of the 7 dogs, trying to keep pace in the vehicle.

3rd of 4 wild dog sightings, 5:08 pm. The 7 juvenile males encounter a distant wildebeest in a sandstorm.

I found the next series of events truly hilarious because they were in stark contrast to the quiet, genteel atmosphere that prevailed at Motse AND because we had just done this drill two days earlier. We drove at the fastest clip of the trip so far to the lodge. We screeched to a halt in the vehicle parking area, grabbed our stuff, quickly exited the vehicle, and ran through the lounge area, onto the viewing deck, and hopped off the deck next to the pool. Because wild dogs are faster than an aardvark (from two days ago) our pace was even faster and more frantic. Normally I emptied all the dust from my footwear before entering the Motse lounge, but we just stomped through, tracking swirling dust. The staff was a bit startled as we whizzed by, but Moses shouted, “The wild dogs are coming!” Then to me, “Come on, let’s go!”

3rd of 4 wild dog sightings, 5:17 pm. One of the 7 juvenile males encountering an oryx at Motse during a sandstorm. We are on foot.

3rd of 4 wild dog sightings, 5:20 pm. One of the 7 juvenile males taking a rest at Motse during a sandstorm. We are on foot.

3rd of 4 wild dog sightings, 5:25 pm. Some of the 7 juvenile males in the Motse waterhole during a sandstorm. We are on foot.

3rd of 4 wild dog sightings, 5:25 pm. One of the 7 juvenile males, just out of the Motse waterhole, during a sandstorm. We are on foot.

The 7 juvenile wild dogs passed up my Rhino #5 on the end for Meerkat #10 on the other end. But they DID decide to visit Motse, which I had joked about.

3rd of 4 wild dog sightings, 5:29 pm. I observed on foot while Moses and the staff discouraged the cushion stealing.

Bad dogs! Bad, bad dogs! At least all of the cushions survived.

7 male juvenile wild dogs at Meerkat #10 stealing cushions.

I observed on foot while Moses and the staff discouraged the cushion stealing.

The challenging conditions of the sandstorm and the active (and bad, bad) dogs meant I used my Canon EOS 7D Mark II, 18-400 lens for almost every photo this afternoon.

After this incident the 7 male juvenile wild dogs relaxed on the entrance road to Motse. Their Good Dog status had been re-instated.

July 24 – Day 6 in Tswalu, my final morning/final outing

Outing 10, Day 6 - July 24, 7:00-10:40 am, Lions Highlight

Temps were the coldest yet, -1º C / 30º F and the 7 dogs were huddled together for warmth, right where we had left them the night before on the entrance road to Motse. This was 4th wild dog sighting. No photos because light was poor, but if I had not gotten so many great photos previously, I would have been clicking away.

I asked if we could try to find one of those legendary black maned Kalahari lions. About 90 minutes of driving and tracking and my request was granted.

“The North Pride” consisted of 2 adult males, 3 adult females, 1 subadult male, 1 subadult female, 7 cubs, of which 5 were 7 months and 2 were still being hidden and rarely seen.

First, we saw one of the males dining on zebra.

2nd of 2 lion sightings, 8:24 am

2nd of 2 lion sightings, 8:26 am

Then we located the rest of the pride.

2nd of 2 lion sightings, 9:29 am, part of the North Pride, 14 members

The two adult males went back and forth between this North Pride and The South Pride and were members in good standing of both prides. Moses said that when there was no competition from other males that bouncing between prides for the males was common.

2nd of 2 lion sightings, 9:28 pm

2nd of 2 lion sightings, 9:23 pm

2nd of 2 lion sightings, 9:22 pm

The subadult male of The North Pride will likely be sold before too long to a reserve interested in the sought-after Kalahari lion genes. Moses said that Tswalu was meticulous in their investigation of who they deal with when managing their wildlife to be sure the animals are going to a legit new home. He also said that Tswalu was in a maintenance mode now, not a growth mode for animals. The harsh desert conditions mean the vegetation cannot support large herds or many predators.

While the wildlife numbers are in equilibrium with the current habitat capacity, Moses said Tswalu is always looking to increase their area by buying neighboring farms. He added that the staff on those farms are always offered employment at Tswalu as part of the sale.

Another plan for the future is to remove the fence that separates the larger section (98,000 hectares) from the smaller section where the lion prides live (20,000 hectares) and contains a road through the middle. If that fence is removed, the road will remain and I believe cars that must travel though the reserve on the public road will be monitored as they enter and leave the reserve.

2nd of 2 lion sightings, 9:13 am, Black maned Kalahari Lion

Though I had not planned it this way, all three camera were used for this last sighting, Sony RX10, for the kill Canon EOS 7D Mark II, 18-400 lens for the pride and interactions, and the Nikon COOLPIX900 for the single male, far away.

As we headed back to Motse after the lions, Moses broke into applause after hearing some radio chatter. The 7 male juvenile wild dogs had reunited with the other 9 pack members so they were once again a pack of 16.

The departure flight was 2:50 pm, arriving back in Cape Town at the Signature Flight Services hangar at 4:50 pm. That was late enough to allow for a full morning activity the last day, though my bag needed to be ready for pickup around noon. I chose to fly back to Cape Town instead of to Joburg specifically to allow for this full morning. Also, it was less expensive on KLM for a round trip Chicago-Cape Town than a multi-city trip Chicago-Cape Town-Johannesburg-Chicago. However, the big reason I went in and out of Cape Town was more time in Tswalu. Compare the two options:

Johannesburg - Tswalu

o Check in Time: 12h00 / Departure Time: 13h00 / Arrival Time: 14h30

Tswalu - Johannesburg

o Departure Time: 10h20 / Arrival Time: 11h50

Cape Town - Tswalu

o Check in Time: 06h50 / Departure Time: 07h50 / Arrival Time: 09h50

Tswalu - Cape Town

o Departure Time: 14h50 / Arrival Time: 16h50

To/from Cape Town extends the Tswalu time for the same flight cost and the same daily cost.

Departure flight, photo from the right side of plane when boarding and facing the rear of the aircraft. This is the better side for views when leaving. But combining sun and views, the best view is on the arrival flight, sit on left side of the plane, when boarding and facing the rear of the aircraft.

Flying back to Cape Town from Tswalu on Execujet

Back at the Signature Flight Services Execujet office, I retrieved my stored luggage and one of the employees drove me to the main terminal for my flight home.

I had seen everything I could have ever hoped for on this trip and only missed out on what I did not even know existed before

boarding the shark boat in Mossel Bay: claspers.

I was going to add a clasper photo here but from what I found online all the claspers seem to be copyrighted, which I found rather curious and amusing.

The End

Photo illustration of The End.

2nd of 2 meerkat colony visits, 10:09 am. Some definite war dance maneuvers on the far left.

Edited September 30, 2019 by Atravelynn

September 30, 2019

3 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

I'm so happy to see the wild dogs doing so well! The previous pack (except for 2 males if I recall correctly) was wiped out by canine distemper just before I arrived for my first trip to Tswalu but a pack was introduced so I got to see them on the second trip a year later, but it was not easy to find them and when we did, they were hiding in the grass. And so pleased for you to be able to see new dogs released into a boma. That was interesting and we even got to touch them, wearing a glove. Just touch, no petting.

But OMW! the plane crashed? it's a miracle all the humans and dogs survived! Could have been a very sad tragedy.

wonderful to see the meerkats again! sad to hear the alpha female was killed. Did they find a successor by the time you left? No successor found. If the new alpha female is non-habituated outsider, which Moses thought would be most likely, she could be fearful of humans. That could be a problem for awhile. But the alpha male had been a non-habituated outsider when he joined this colony and the habituated alpha female and other meerkats helped him get used to human visitors.

3 hours ago, shazdwn said:

No we just have weird plugs - well us and Argentina, I think we are the only two countries that have that sort.

Weird animals, weird plugs. It makes sense for Australia.

September 30, 2019

@Atravelynn:

I really enjoyed this report and the background details of the active management that is taking place. In your discussion of future plans, you state that Tswalu is divided into two blocks of 98 and 20 hectares. I assume that ,for hectares, one should read square kilometres.

September 30, 2019

what a splendid report @Atravelynn and what lovely sightings!. You mentioned going to KTP in March and I wanted to wait until the end of your report, but are you self-driving or going with a guide? May I ask your itinerary?

September 30, 2019

A wonderful report, thank you. What an amazing sighting of the Wild dogs, and superb images. Beautiful lions as well!

Your report makes us very excited about our visit.

We also chose to fly from Cape Town because of the increased time you get at Tswalu

September 30, 2019

7 hours ago, douglaswise said:

@Atravelynn:

I really enjoyed this report and the background details of the active management that is taking place. In your discussion of future plans, you state that Tswalu is divided into two blocks of 98 and 20 hectares. I assume that ,for hectares, one should read square kilometres.

Guide Moses gave me the 98 and 20 hectares number, totaling 118. He had to have meant in thousands, or just assumed I would know it is thousands, which I probably should have, but I am as familiar with hectares as I am with kickboxing. Not very. 98,000 + 28,000 hectares is correct and that equates to 1,000 sq km. With the forever edit button available here, I'll just go back and add some 0's so my report does not suddenly usurp 90% of Tswalu's land mass! Thanks for your technical editing skills!

6 hours ago, Towlersonsafari said:

what a splendid report @Atravelynn and what lovely sightings!. Thanks! You mentioned going to KTP in March and I wanted to wait until the end of your report, but are you self-driving Bwa Ha Ha Ha or going with a guide? Yes, with a guide. May I ask your itinerary?

I thought 2 weeks of this deserty habitat would make a good trip. I knew that 2 weeks in Tswalu was not possible. So I thought I'd add the rest in the KTP with a several month break in between that also allowed it to be different seasons. @Michael-ibk and @AndMic's report made me want to include De Hoop too.

I asked Wayne of Take2 Tours about doing a KTP trip. He suggested Catz Tours and Safaris. I contacted Catz and even though it was nearly a year in advance, our first choice of itinerary was not possible. The second choice will work fine. One thing I want to concentrate on when I get there, is the difference (if there is any) between the areas around the camps.

2020

22 March Arrive Cape Town and I'll probably book Cape Verde

23 Leave for De Hoop with Wayne of Take2Tours and he has arranged where to stay but I don't recall.

24 De Hoop

25 Morning in De Hoop and back to probably Cape Verde

26 7 am flt to Upington Twee Riviern

27 Mata Mata

28 Kalahari Tented Camp

29 Kalahari Tented Camp

30 Gharagab

31 Gharagab

1 Nossob

2 Nossob

3 Twee Riviern

4 Twee Rivern

5 5:20 flt to Upington and home

Might we cross paths?

3 hours ago, TonyQ said:

A wonderful report, thank you. What an amazing sighting of the Wild dogs, and superb images. Beautiful lions as well! Thanks and they are waiting for you.

Your report makes us very excited about our visit. Great! If you requested Moses and Piet, I am sure you'd be happy with them.

We also chose to fly from Cape Town because of the increased time you get at Tswalu

If you have the choice the Cape Town flight really does give you a whole 'nother game drive the day you depart. It also guarantees a full afternoon drive on the day you arrive. If the Joburg-Tswalu flight is a little late or you want to get checked in and settled first, then that first pm drive could be cut short. The downside is the very early wakeup call in Cape Town on the day you fly to Tswalu. That's a price I am happy to pay!

Edited September 30, 2019 by Atravelynn

September 30, 2019

Just wonderful Lynn, your pictures of Aardvark and Pangolin are just extraordinary. Not to mention the fantastic Meerkat, Dog and Lion sightings. Tswalu really delivered big time for you, and I´m afraid sooner or later we will just have to copy your itinerary (5 days in July). @TonyQ, just postpone a year and we can go together!

September 30, 2019

3 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Just wonderful Lynn, your pictures of Aardvark and Pangolin are just extraordinary. Not to mention the fantastic Meerkat, Dog and Lion sightings. Tswalu really delivered big time for you, and I´m afraid sooner or later we will just have to copy your itinerary (5 days in July). @TonyQ, just postpone a year and we can go together!

I asked how many people would it take staying at the group lodge, Tarkuni, to be more cost effective than a single and the number was 8. You'd get 2 vehicles. Food for thought.

September 30, 2019

Wow, @Atravelynn, Tswalu really paid off for you. Those are just amazing shots of the aardvarks and pangolins. I’m just going to have to return for a June/July visit and try our luck again.

Your comments about the timing of sightings is spot on as well: mornings for the meerkats, and afternoons for better chances at aardvarks and pangolins. In their aim to please, our guide didn’t mention this to us, so we ended up with an afternoon meerkat expedition that was pretty much a bust. Hopefully, they’re explaining this a little more directly nowadays.

I’m happy to see the wild dogs prospering again after they were wiped out by distemper there in 2016. But I had to laugh at the sight of them at the lodge with those seat cushions in their mouths. Just hilarious. My one negative takeaway from Tswalu, if you can call it that, was that the ambience was slightly more stuffy and formal than I ordinarily prefer. Glad you were able to take part in shaking things up a bit, even if only temporarily!

October 1, 2019

51 minutes ago, Alexander33 said:

I’m happy to see the wild dogs prospering again after they were wiped out by distemper there in 2016. But I had to laugh at the sight of them at the lodge with those seat cushions in their mouths. Just hilarious. It really was funny. Bad dogs! My one negative takeaway from Tswalu, if you can call it that, was that the ambience was slightly more stuffy and formal than I ordinarily prefer. Glad you were able to take part in shaking things up a bit, ha ha, that's one way of putting our wild stomps through the lobby and lounge even if only temporarily! Interesting you would say that. The staff members were really friendly and had great people skills from my interactions. Moses and Piet were a lot of fun, especially as the days went on and we got to know each other better.

Now no one can control the guests and my sample size is about 25 people total over 5 days, but I believe not one guest ever initiated any conversation with me ever during my stay. Not one word. And when I was the one to start the conversation, they would offer a one sentence reply and that's it. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and interacting well within their own group, which was often a family. And I must say the children I encountered were all very well behaved. During my orientation it was strongly suggested I dine in my room for the evening meal. It's like the staff kind of knew all this. I liked that in-the-room plan very much, after all it was a lovely room with a fireplace, heat, and wifi.

Edited October 1, 2019 by Atravelynn

October 1, 2019

@Atravelynn

It's remarkable how our experiences and impressions , separated by almost 4 years, practically mirror one another. Agree on all counts, even down to the noticeably well-behaved children.

Absolutely, the staff, from the director on down, uniformly were very friendly and relaxed, and seemed to enjoy our more informal approach. One of the cooks even came out of the kitchen one night to give us a family recipe! No gripes there whatsoever.

No, it was the other guests themselves that lent to the formality. Just as with you, we found it so impossible to engage anyone in conversation, even at coffee first thing in the morning, that we just gave up after a few days. At first I thought it might be us, but, no, because in all our other travels over the years, we’ve never encountered anything like that. It must just be the combination of private vehicles and separate dining at all times that leads to a sense of insularity? I don’t know.

Anyway, I don’t mean to belabor the point or risk turning anyone off Tswalu, because we had a great time there and we’d definitely go back — and intend to, now! Thanks for letting me compare notes, though.

October 1, 2019

1 hour ago, Alexander33 said:

@Atravelynn

It's remarkable how our experiences and impressions , separated by almost 4 years, practically mirror one another. Agree on all counts, even down to the noticeably well-behaved children. Wow!

Absolutely, the staff, from the director on down, uniformly were very friendly and relaxed, and seemed to enjoy our more informal approach. One of the cooks even came out of the kitchen one night to give us a family recipe! No gripes there whatsoever.

No, it was the other guests themselves that lent to the formality. Just as with you, we found it so impossible to engage anyone in conversation, even at coffee first thing in the morning, that we just gave up after a few days. At first I thought it might be us, but, no, because in all our other travels over the years, we’ve never encountered anything like that. It must just be the combination of private vehicles and separate dining at all times that leads to a sense of insularity? I don’t know. Me neither. Nothing like this ever from guests at other camps/lodges. Other places I have been, groups also have their own vehicles and dine at their own tables. I've been invited to some of those tables when I'm alone to join the other groups. Or we converse at afternoon tea. Also around the campfire in the evening, which might be a contributing factor as Tswalu had no evening campfire. I would not expect a campfire because it was too cold at night. I am glad you described so well what I experienced too.

Anyway, I don’t mean to belabor the point or risk turning anyone off Tswalu, because we had a great time there and we’d definitely go back — and intend to, now! Thanks for letting me compare notes, though. Agree. Don't want to turn anyone off to Tswalu. Tswalu cannot control the sociability of the guests, and again the staff was extremely congenial. And none of the guests did anything offensive where I would want management to intervene. The behavior of the others did not detract one bit from my outstanding experience. I just found it odd. And I'd go back again too if the stars aligned just right.

Edited October 1, 2019 by Atravelynn

October 1, 2019

Sadly our paths will not cross next March @Atravelynn and as you are going with a guide you will be in good hands. I was just going to say take lots of bottled water as the water in the KTP is too salty to drink or cook with and we have found the area from twee riverien until say Rooiputs often good for MeerKats and check the trees by the road from Kalahari Tented camp until Dalkeith as you often see African Wild Cats sleeping in them, wedged against a forked branch-that part of the park is prpbably our favourite! sounds like a great trip

October 1, 2019

What good hints, @Towlersonsafari. It seems you have gone often to KTP.

October 2, 2019

An exceptionally detailed report of a truly wonderful trip, thank you!

Show us your Claspers! Your Pangolins & Aardvarks, SOUTH AFRICA!

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