In u nuusbrief van 10 Junie 2009 het ons gelees van die Seekoei wat dood gevind is in die Mankwedam. Ons vakansie sou eers die 22e (Junie 2009) begin en ons het maar aanvaar ons sou net die "lee" karkas kry as ons in Pilanesberg aankom. Met ons aankoms die 22e is ons dadelik die oggend na die dam en het die karkas gaan soek.

Daar gekom was net die karkas te sien, en tot ons groot vreugde was daar 'n bruin Hiena in die gras besig om weg te loop van die karkas af en het ons agter hom aangery en kon ons baie mooi fotos neem.

Die volgende oggend was ons weer vroeg by die Mankwe-uitkyk en kon ons iets by die karkas sien beweeg. Ons is dadelik soontoe en het die Hiena "in" die karkas gekry. Ons het ook 'n baie mooi video kon neem soos hy stukke ingewande uit die arme seekoei gekrap het.
Ons kom al die afgelope 12 jaar dikwels (soms 'n naweek, soms net vir 'n dag) Pilanesberg toe en het altyd iets interessants wat ons kan huis toe neem. Ek sal in 'n aparte email vir u fotos stuur van die oulik klein krokodil wat ons in die Mankwedam afgeneem het op die 23e Junie 2009.
 
Vriendelike groete
Rina Harmse
Erasmuskloof
Pretoria

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Dear Mr Andrew Jackson,
 
We have once again returned from a wonderful holiday in Pilanesberg.  Restful and enjoyable.  Thanks must once again go to you and all your hard-working staff members for keeping up the natural wonders of the park.
 
I attatch 2 photos of a cheetah sighting - our first one since 2003 so it was a very exiting experience. This cheetah was spotted on Tuesday 7 July 2009 at approximately 11 a.m. The photo actually gives you the location.  Just a pity that Gautengers don't know how to behave at a sighting.
 
Hope you enjoy the photos attached - keep up the good work - we will be back in December to once again enjoy your hospitality.
 
Regards
Jenny Johnston

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We are avid visitors to Pilanesberg, been going for 12 years, and we came across the buffalo for the 2nd time, we have such fun there and enjoy any sightings from the smallest to the largest,

We were lucky to see the big 5 in 2 days ,and have introduced many friends and family to the park.

The bird aviary at Manyani is a stunning place to have a walk around and  MISHAKE THE CARE TAKER IS SO FRIENDLY AND NEEDS FUNDS FOR THE AVIARY .....

Thanking you

Diana Roos
30 Oct 2008

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The debate as to how many Cheetahs there are in the Pilanesberg has been an ongoing one over the last few years between the Park staff and the concessionaires.
A concerted effort by the Guides of the various Lodges in the park was done to try and get photos of all Cheetahs sighted.
I even ran an article in the Pilanesberg News asking visitors to the Park to please send in any photos of Cheetahs seen during their visit.
With all the Photos i received it became evident that the population in Pilanesberg was really low.
So low in fact that i only received photos of one Male.
He was easily identifiable by a scar on his nose.
So for a while it was thought that only one Cheetah, a male was still alive.
Well that all changed today, a Cheetah was seen about 100m from the Manyane Gate.
I arrived there to discover that the Cheetah had killed an Impala and was busy dragging it away to start feeding.
When i looked at the face of the animal i noticed that it did not have any scaring and looked allot smaller than the Male we knew.
This got me excited, as could this be an unknown animal.
My excitement turned into outright elation when the cheetah turned around and revealed that it was indeed a female.
This is great news for the Pilanesberg population and shows that there is still hope for the population to increase again.
I once again ask all visitors to Pilanesberg to please submit to me any photos they may have of Cheetah as well as a brief description of the date and location.

Andrew Jackson
CEO
Pilanesberg Wildlife Trust.

The images of the crocodile attack on a young wildebeest at Mankwe Dam were taken by Tinus Janse van Rensburg.


Tinus resides in Rustenburg and he and his family are regular visitors to Pilansberg. They have been visiting Pilansberg frequently for the past twenty years, as he jokingly commented:” we know every tree in the reserve”.

Read the accompanying story of the crocodile attack below.

Written By:
Alf Fanfoni
Moswe’s Wildlife Experiences

It was late morning with some visitors viewing the area from the hide. Apart from some blue wildebeest, impala, warthog and a few red hartebeest lounging around the edge of the dam there was not much activity.

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Meet Lee and Jodi from the UK – enthusiastic supporters of the Park since 2006.

They usually stay at Manyane – which they say has a more "authentic" feel.

During their last visit in November 2007 they took the accompanying beautiful photos with an ordinary digital camera.

We need more such supporters – thanks you two!