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Hi Guys.

I love the H1-9 Pafuri Gate Road.

How do you like this Road

What sightings have you had on this road ( Even Impala )

Thanks

Did a small section of this road in April this year.... Saw fish eagle at the bridge just before the road becomes the H1-8, also saw plenty of Vervets, Impala (many), Lone Ellie, Nyala and a Honey Badger.

I especially like the bridge over the Luvuvhu (is that still H1-9?). Pulling over there and stop for not even very long gave us fish eagle, saddle billed stork, impala, bushbuck, nyala and the only zebra sighting in days.

Have only ever seen impala and baboon on this road.

Outpost sign of the H1-9.



Very nice baobab close to the road.

H1-9 itself a little sparse game wise IMHO , but I'll take Ollie along to spot the Honey-badger next time (August 8th coming from Tshipise 6am) . Mopani bush a little too dense is main reason I'd say .
But the bridge over the Luvuvu is magic . Remember to open your windows to listen to the sounds and help to alert you to special bird sightings . We spotted a TROPICAL BOUBOU at about his southern range limit , becuase of the different call from the southern boubou .
This bridge does not have a "get-out sign board zone" like all the other high level bridges , but we can sort of "assume" that you can .
Nyala country this , but they like the riverine alluvial floodplain rather than the H1-9.

That sign is the about the only place North of the Luvuvhu where you have cell reception. When I was in the Makuleke last November we used to drive to this spot to make phone calls and send text messages

H1-9 Sightings So Far :

- Vervet Monkey - 1
- Impala - 5
- Elephant - 2
- Nyala - 3
- Zebra - 1
- Honey Badger - 1
- Bushbuck -2
- Buffalo - 1
- Grey Duiker - 1
- Baboon - 1
- Warthog - 1
- Wildebeest - 1
- Sharpe's Grysbok -1

I've seen the usual impala and baboons on the road, and more rarely elephant and buffalo. but most animals seem to avoid the tar road. I spent six weeks living in camps a few kms from the road, (including what is now Pafuri Lodge) and saw far more animals away from the road. However others in the group I was with saw both lion and leopard on the road.
However I did see far more snakes on that road than any other road in the park.

Thanks have added to report of this road

Snakes

We entered the park via Pafuri gate this year and saw the following before we reached the river:

1 Duiker
1 Sharpe's grysbok
12 Baboons
3 Warthog
29 Impala
3 Squirrels
1 Blue wildebeest
5 Nyala

From the bridge over the Levuvhu we saw 3 bushbuck and about 40 impala.

Stoffel. Grysbok is rare. So that was a great sighting
Have added to list.

Does anyone know what the chances are of me seeing a cheetah or wildog are on this road [ going to Punda Maria in July 07]

Mark,we have done a nightdrive there in June 2005 and saw 12
Grysbokken

Apart from the usual general game I've seen (off the top of my head, I don't have records to hand):

- lion (male and female)
- leopard
- cheetah (female on an impala kill)
- spotted hyaena
- elephant (plenty)
- buffalo (both herds and dagga boys)
- spoor of several white rhino in the sand on the side of the road.
- Natal red rock rabbit (Twice, right on the tar. The same individual on both occasions, I suspect).
- gorgeous bush-shrike.

Johan

Have seen bushbuck, impala, baboon, vervets, elephants, buffs, grysbok, Nyala, kudu, & Zebra.