Written by: Derrick Spies
Every game reserve in South Africa goes through periods of loss and new life and Pumba Private Game Reserve is no exception.
The reserve recently lost a very influential member of the Eastern Cape’s natural history with the passing of Hapoor Junior, but on a positive note welcomed some new arrivals between October and February this year.
Hapoor Junior (aged 58) was the Eastern Cape’s most famous elephant bull. He was sired by legendary Hapoor, the dominating bull who reigned over all in the Addo Elephant National Park from 1944 – 1958.
Hapoor Junior was born in the Addo Elephant National Park in 1954. He wasrelocated to Pumba Private Game Reserve in 2005, when the Addo Elephant National Park decided to relocate twelve big bulls to Private Reserves in the Eastern Cape, to diminish the competition and fighting amongst the bulls in Addo.
At the time of relocation, Hapoor Junior had been the dominating bull in Addo for 26 years, during which time he had killed eight other bulls who had challenged his dominance. Hapoor passed away from injuries sustained when he was attacked by his brother Nick, another dominant bull, last month.
Since October last year, three baby Hippopotamus have been conceived bringing the pod’s numbers to nine, filling the air with their characteristic calls which echo through the valleys, a highlight for of many guests’ stays.
The plains are active with an amazing variety of baby Wildebeest, Haartebeest, Eland, Zebra, Impala, Blesbuck, the infamous Warthog and an abundance of antelope.
The White Lioness and her cub have settled down well in their new environment exhibiting extremely good hunting skills, provided many a guest staying at Msenge Bush Lodge, with amazing sightings of them, while hunting Warthog and other plains game.
The Acacia Thickets scattered around the reserve, abound with new Giraffe calves, which are doing extremely well, since the Lions attention has shifted to easier game to prey upon.
The reserve is undoubtedly at its very best at the moment, following the prolonged drought experienced over a period of three years, which was broken just under a year ago. The Thickets and opens plains are full of colour and life, while insects busily go about their work looking for food and assisting in the future procreation of nature. It is truly magical, hardships have passed and new life has begun.
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