News from Zululand
It has been a very long summer and the end is not yet in sight but there appears to be the first signs of our equivalent of autumn sneaking in. The intensely hot days have become bearable and the evenings are now pleasantly cooled with a gentle breeze yet still the night air is filled with the sounds of the resident frogs and insects. It is a bitter-sweet farewell to the summer weather as the rainfall has begun to dwindle and the grass is beginning to brown. Yet even with this change nature seems to slowly shift its course and the animals seem to come out of hiding in search of water and food. A trio of warthogs has already taken up residence in the front garden, trying to beat the rush I imagine, as the manicured, green lawn proves too appealing to resist. Even the dry season of the bushveld has its own unique beauty as everything lies dormant, we await it patiently.
As things are fairly quiet in Zululand we start with this proverb in Northern Sotho:

Bophela ke molaetsa. Thee letsa.
(Life is a message. Heed it.)

Bush Cuisine
Potato & Mushroom Soup

½ Onion finely chopped
1 pnt Fresh Brown Mushrooms cut large
3 Potatoes cubed
200 ml Fresh Cream
250 ml Water
Mixed herbs, salt and pepper to taste

• Sauté finally chopped onions until brown and add the mushrooms
• Add the potato and water and allow to simmer until cooked
• Add seasoning and blend until smooth
• Lastly adding the cream
Best served piping hot with croutons or fresh homemade bread.

Tales from Africa
The people of Africa are renowned the world over for there unusual tales explaining life and the creatures that inhabit this beautiful continent. As we have shared the Zulu customs with you, allow us now to share their imagery…

How the Zebra got his stripes.

Long ago, when the sun was still new in the sky and shone too hot, the land had very little water. What water there was, was very precious to the animals. Of all the sparsely scattered waterholes, one was guarded by an obnoxious baboon who claimed to be “the master of the water�, and did not allow the animals even one sip from his pool. The baboon built a fire close to the pond so that he could protect it through the cold nights. One day a Zebra was searching for a drink. Now in those days the Zebra wore a coat of pure white. He was about to drink from the pool when the Baboon barked, “You trespass, go away! I am the master of the water!� “The water belongs to us all� retorted the Zebra. This angered the Baboon even more, he bared his fangs and shouted, “if you want water you must fight for it!�
The battle began and continued until, with a mighty kick of the Zebra’s legs, the Baboon went flying high into the rocky krantz behind them. He landed smack on his behind, and since that day he still shows the bare, red patch on his bottom, where he landed. The Zebra, with the force of the kick, stumbled back into the Baboon’s fire. The hot sticks scorched black stripes across his white fur. In shock he galloped away back into the dusty veld, where stripes and all, he stays to this day.

News from our Tracker
(Rudolph – Head Ranger)

We have had an exciting last month here at Leopard Mountain. With scorching hot and dry weather which has both it’s advantages and disadvantages…the greatest thing being plenty of reptile sightings. One night during dinner in the boma we heard the Weaver birds going crazy and upon investigation we were treated to an amazing show from one of South Africa’s most beautiful snakes, The African Rock Python. We got out the spotlights and a few chairs and for the next hour watched him go from nest to nest looking for food but due to the Weaver’s cunning nest building skills in the tree tops, the heavy Python struggled to balance himself on the thin branches and went to bed hungry.

With many youngsters around, the bush is very busy and playtime never ends. After introducing Buffalo last year we proudly announce the first Buffalo calf. He is very cute and gives us great joy.

The fruits of the Marula trees are ripe and all the animals are enjoying it especially the Elephant’s that regularly pass through to enjoy the delicacy.

Trees
The Marula Tree (Sclerocarya birrea)
(Ranger – Claire)

Reaching a height of up to 10 meters, the Marula is found over much of Natal and the Eastern and Northern Transvaal. It spends the winter bare of leaves and only fruits in the beginning of the year. The fruit of the Marula, richly scented, fleshy and yellow when ripe, is well known as the base for a highly intoxicating drink. The single stoned fruit contains a protein-rich oil and is very high in vitamin C the content of which is four times greater then that of oranges. This tree is one of the most highly valued indigenous trees, for both nutrition and traditional medicine uses. E.g. Bark used in a tea form for intestinal maladies and the stones themselves used in traditional divination methods.
The Marula has been declared a protected tree in South Africa.

The Small 5
So you’ve heard about the Big 5? But what about the Small 5?
Ladies and Gents, we present to you…

The Antlion:
(Ranger – Claire)

If you have seen tiny, cone-like pits in sandy soil, you may have discovered the cunning trap set by an Antlion larva. The larva waits in ambush at the bottom of the pit, when an ant falls in, it is seized by the long curved jaws of the Antlion and all vital juices are extracted – this predatory “Lion-like� behavior of the larvae gives the insect its name. Not all prepare a pit for their victims; some simply lurk beneath the soil surface. Adult Antlions resemble dragonflies except they are not such swift fliers and are mostly active after dark.

Can you guess which of the Small 5 will be next? Stayed tuned!

Funny Bones
A man takes his Rottweiler to the vet. “My dog’s cross-eyed, is there anything you can do for him?�
“Well says the vet, “lets have a look at him.� So he picks the dog up and examines his eye, then checks his teeth. Finally, he says “I’m going to have to put him down.�
“Why? Because he’s cross-eyed?!�
“No, because he’s really heavy.�
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Feel free to drop us an email with your favorite jokes to add into future newsletters. You can send them to lodge@leopardmountain.co.za
Brain Teaser
Thank you to everyone who responded to our last brainteaser. Congratulations Claire Attwood of Durban who sent in the correct answer to the riddle. You have won yourself and a partner one free night at our award winning lodge, dinner, bed and breakfast.

Last Month’s brain teaser was
There are three houses built exactly the same. One is filled with cotton, the other with wood, and the third with iron. One day an arsonist sets them all on fire. The sound of sirens was growing louder at the scene. People were screaming. Which house did the ambulance try to put the fire out at first?

The answer was
Ambulances don't put out fires

.........You too could be the lucky person to win yourself and a partner a free night including dinner, bed and breakfast at the lodge. Simply solve the riddle below to be entered in our lucky draw and email us the answer to win@leopardmountain.co.za (competition closes 15th March 2007):
Short and sweet...this week’s puzzle:
A sundial is a timepiece that has the fewest number of moving parts. Which timepiece has the most moving parts?
News from the lodge

2007 has started off with a bang. We count ourselves so privileged to begin another year on such a beautiful game reserve.

Due to popular demand Leopard Mountain is pleased to announce two new activities for our guests to allow them to interact closer with nature and experience this wonderful piece of paradise on foot. Both activities need to be pre-booked so as to ensure availability.

1) Leopard Mountain Guided Morning Trail. Our guided morning trail is approximately 2 hrs long and leaves from the lodge. The qualified trails guide will give interesting interpretations of the things seen on the trail. R200pp

2) Leopard Mountain 5 Day Trail. This is an experience of a lifetime. Trails are conducted by a highly qualified guide chosen for his infectious passion for the African Bush and its inhabitants and extensive knowledge acquired over a decade of dealing with dangerous game. This is more than just a trail as guests receive informative lectures on all aspects of walking in the bush and then put what they have learnt into practice on the trail. The first and last nights are spent at the Multi Award Winning 4 Star Leopard Mountain Game Lodge with the second and third nights spent sleeping in the bush. Nothing beats walking and sleeping out in the bush and Leopard Mountain’s 5 Day interactive Trail is the perfect way to experience Zululand’s premier endangered species reserve. Trails are every last Monday of the month and take between 4 and 10 people so please phone or email for a booking. The five day trail is R5750pp fully inclusive of all meals and drinks.

Best guest comments of the month

• What a wonderful experience. Feel very well in your Lodge. Thank You so much
• The most fantastic experience, the staffs’ energy ran over to us. The food, service, smiles… Never never will this be found anywhere else!!! No such a complete “all in one�

Luxury Private Game Lodge –
Leopard Mountain