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26/04/09

My wife and I have only been in our new home on the Katisunga plain in Katavi National Park, for a week now and already I feel that this must be Tanzania’s hidden gem. Just driving in on Tuesday afternoon we came across buffalo, giraffe, a nice herd of eland, elephant, topi, zebra, impala. And on the birding side we had great sightings of crowned crane and ground hornbill as well as woodlands kingfisher.

The view of the Katisunga Plain from Katuma bush lodge is stunning to say the least. Home to a wide variety of game which can be viewed whilst relaxing in one of our comfortable deck chairs in the lodge’s main area. This week alone from in and around camp we have seen a huge herd of buffalo that seem to be on the plains in front of the lodge daily. Herds of zebra and topi also on a daily basis as well as giraffe and impala. We get a visit every evening at around seven by a large family of banded mongese. Hippo lion and hyena has been herd every night in and around camp. And on Saturday afternoon we watched from the deck of our main area a lioness stalking a small herd of zebra. Due to a thick tuft of hair growing on her chin our staff have named her SHARUBU which in Swahili means the bearded one. By the way she did not get her zebra. Oh well we can’t win them all. So for a real wild life adventure that’s not for the faint hearted Katuma Bush Lodge in Katavi is the place to be.

Mammal sightings for the week.

Lion, elephant, buffalo, eland, zebra, topi, giraffe, impala, hippo, banded mongees, vervet monkey.

Birding. Crowned crane, ground hornbill, lilac breasted roller, purple crested turaco, helmetted guineafowl, woodland kingfisher, blacksmith lapwing, saddlebilled stork, spurwing and egyptian geese, cattle egret.

Geoff Mullen.