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Orpen dam covered with water lettuce , an exotic invader plant which is being fought biologically - a beetle that feeds solely on the water lettuce has been introduced in an effort to control the infestation .

The beetle is a biological control measure introduced by the KNP alien biota control division .
The water lettuce is an alien (introduced from other continents by man through aquatic animals kept in aquariums or fishponds) highly invasive species which does not naturally occur in RSA and has no natural enemies that utilise it for food , which allows it to increase without its growth being controlled naturally .
Water lettuce (there are also many other alien plant and animal species) then covers rivers , dams and pans preventing the sunlight from entering that is necessary for natural plant growth to photosynthesise , thus natural aquatic plant life dies and the chain repeats itself when the fish die and other organisms cease to be viable due to lack of oxygen from the natural plant life , wherupon animals & birds that feed on the fish move away along with their associated predators .

The roan antelope numbers decreased due to the provision of unnatural water points which attracted other antelope which were strongly competitive to the roans more selective feeding needs .

As a matter of interest , the biggest long term threat to the KNP is the potential loss of biodiversity due to invasive species .

Did you know that there is an area around Skukuza which is over 10 000 ha in extent which is so totally infested with prickly pear that very little mammal life exists there ?

Ok so here goes posting pics of Crook's Corner!


That's across the Limpopo to Zim


That's looking South towards Mozambique.

I think I might just get the hang of this

We were in Kruger Feb 2009 and had the awesome privilege of seeing the Shingwedzi, Letaba, Olifants & Sabie all coming down in "flood".

The most impressive was the Olifants ......... what a sight it was watching the Olifants from the Olifants Camp

True. The Letaba is not in flood, but from time to time there is a lot of water running through it.
This picture was taken from the high waterbridge at Letaba this week and that is not that far from Letaba camp.



I have no idea where all that water goes too, but when you are at Letaba the flow of the water is just a little bit more than the usual stream.

December Rainfall in mm :
(Long term average for December in brackets)
Station
Pafuri (79) 93.5
Vlakteplaas (78) 170.7
Shingwedzi (91) 99,2
Shangoni (94) 210
Woodlands (88) 137
Mooiplaas (77) 190
Mahlangeni (86) 169
Letaba (87) 115
Phalaborwa (87) 205
Olifants (90) 153
Houtboschrand (76) 129
Satara (94) 158
Nwanetsi (98) 112
Kingfisherspruit (98) 234
Tshokwane (102) 117
Skukuza (85) 88
Lower Sabie (95) 110
Pretoriuskop (119) 193
Stolznek (115) 74
Crocodile Bridge (91) 116
Malelane (94) 74

Looks as if a rainstorm can be expected at Satara too, Wildflowergirl

Look how black it is! Great to see a saturated Satara

Hi ndloti,
Also been reports of rain in the Phalaborwa area, would be nice if anyone can confirm

No rainfall yet in far northern KNP , though it is cold and overcast .

Rainfall in 24 hr period up till 8 a.m . as per SAWS :
MPUMALANGA
GRASKOP AWS
04
KRUGER MPUMALANGA INT. AIR.
06
NELSPRUIT
04
SKUKUZA
08
LIMPOPO PROVINCE
GIYANI
03
HOEDSPRUIT
03
PHALABORWA AIRPORT AWS
01
THOHOYANDOU WO
03

Rainfall in lowveld area for 24 hour period ending 8 am today as per SAWS .

MPUMALANGA
BELFAST
17
ERMELO WO
23
GRASKOP AWS
16
KRUGER MPUMALANGA INT. AIR.
38
LYDENBURG
12
MACHADODORP AWS
10
MBUZINI MONUMENT ARS
69
NELSPRUIT
25
OUDESTAD
02
SKUKUZA
28
WITBANK
17
LIMPOPO PROVINCE
GIYANI
08
HOEDSPRUIT
08
PHALABORWA AIRPORT AWS
05
THOHOYANDOU WO
09

http://metzone.weathersa.co.za/images/P ... ly_rai.pdf.

Rainfall for 24 hr period ending 8 a.m. today (as per SAWS)

http://metzone.weathersa.co.za/images/P ... ly_rai.pdf

MPUMALANGA
GRASKOP AWS
48
KRUGER MPUMALANGA INT. AIR.
42
LYDENBURG
42
MBUZINI MONUMENT ARS
70
OUDESTAD
89
SKUKUZA
18
LIMPOPO PROVINCE
ALLDAYS HALY ARS
13
GIYANI
03
HOEDSPRUIT
03
LEPHALALE
04
MARA
22
MARKEN
67
MOKOPANE
36
PHALABORWA AIRPORT AWS
01
POLOKWANE WO
08
THOHOYANDOU WO
23
TZANEEN-WESTFALIA ESTATE
73
VENETIA MINE
09

We in White River had plenty of rain last night. For the past 4 days we had 196mm of rain. White River is near Numbi gate. Can someone give us some rainfall figures from in the park and mayne tell us if any gravel roads are closed after last nights heavy rain

Greetings from a beautiful and wet Numbi Gate, we measured 62mm for the area for the period Tuesday morning the 4th at 07h00 ending Friday the 7th at 07h00. We already spotted green shoots coming from the severely burned areas, not much road damage and good sightings.

Just returned from a week in the park.
In Satara it started raining on Tuesday evening, and was still raining when we left on Thursday morning.
In Letaba it rained on and off the whole of Thursday and Friday morning.
Friday evening it started raining again and was still raining on Saturday morning when we left.
There was plenty of water lying around on the drive to Palaborwa Gate.