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Newsletter - June 2010
25th June 2010 Fur, Feathers and Flowers
Has the prolonged drought in the Eastern Cape finally broken? The good April rain mentioned in last month's newsletter gave us hope, and further heavy downpours in the first half of June have resulted in all the water holes on Sibuya now being full. In the space of about a week, over 150mm of rain fell on Sibuya. As one would expect in the middle of winter, this rain was followed by bitterly cold weather, and there was even snow in nearby Grahamstown. Needless to say, the camp fireplaces were hugely popular, as were other winter comforts such as hot chocolate on morning game drives, port or sherry after the evening drives, and hot water bottles in beds, underneath the thick winter duvets and mohair blankets. June has, as usual, been a month of frantic rutting activity for impala. The competition between the males for herds of females, territory and mating rights has been intense, and more than a few impala rams have been killed in these fights. With the World Cup in full swing, the nation has been gripped by "soccer fever", and several parties of guests coming to our camps have been World Cup tourists, following their teams around South Africa. We are delighted that they have taken time out from their busy spectator schedules to come and enjoy South African hospitality in our warm and friendly camps on this little jewel among the Eastern Cape game reserves. Swiss fans in particular were in high spirits after their team's victory over the fancied Spanish team.
People traveling in the Eastern Cape for the first time would have been astounded by the beauty of the thousands of aloes in flower at this time of the year. World-wide, there are approximately 500 species of aloes, which range from diminutive plants only a few centimetres in height, to substantial trees that may reach a towering 20 metres. South Africa is home to some 120 species of aloes, and of these, several well-known and a few less well-known species occur on Sibuya. The largest of Sibuya's aloes is the Tree Aloe (Aloe barberae), which grows very well from cuttings and is a popular garden tree.
Perhaps the three most well-known of our aloes are the Krantz Aloe (Aloe arborescens), the Bitter Aloe (Aloe ferox) and the Uitenhage Aloe (Aloe africana). Guests traveling up the Kariega River towards the camps will encounter tremendous numbers of Krantz Aloes on the steep banks along the lower reaches of the river. These plants also often take on a tree form, and can be several metres in height. On game drives, guests will be shown that huge numbers of Bitter Aloes and Uitenhage Aloes have been destroyed by elephants. Elephants break off the fleshy, leafy tops of these plants and eat the cores. Other animals, such as eland and kudu, will also browse from aloe leaves, but without the devastating effect that elephants have on the plants.
Not as numerous as the above-mentioned species, but also occurring on Sibuya, are the French Aloe (Aloe pluridens), the Scrambling Aloe (Aloe gracilis) and the Strand Aloe (Aloe thraskii). A delightful little aloe that is abundant on Sibuya is one that takes the form of a vine, and is found in the pristine thickets that are a feature of the game reserve. This is the Rambling Aloe (Aloe ciliaris), a plant with much smaller leaves than any of our other aloes, and which tends to flower over a more extended season than the larger species. While it may be tempting to try and identify an aloe by means of its flower colour, this is not a reliable method, as it is not unusual for flower colour to vary considerably within a species. Apart from the beauty of the aloe flowers themselves, there is the additional bonus that they frequently attract a host of very colourful, nectar-seeking birds.
Although no aloe is more famous than Aloe vera for its medicinal properties (particularly in skin care products), extracts of the Bitter Aloe are used to make a brown, crystalline product that is used to treat stomach ailments. Most of our aloes are hardy, attractive plants, which can grow well in gardens from cuttings. It is illegal to dig out entire aloe plants and move them elsewhere without a permit, as they are protected. Let us enjoy and appreciate them in the splendour of their natural surroundings, where they belong. SPECIALS * SPECIALS * SPECIALS
We would like to remind our readers of the WONDERFUL SPECIALS we have on offer until 31 August 2010. River Camp - our child-friendly camp
FREE - children under the age of 12 years sharing a tent with their parents Forest Camp
FREE - your 3rd night in camp, when you pay for 2 nights Includes: All meals, all game activities, all drinks and return boat transfers from Sibuya reception to/ from the camps. Warm regards The Sibuya Team Thanks to Leon van Wyk (Head Ranger) for his contribution to this newsletter. |
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