Own a home in the African wild

The Leadwood Observer

VOLUME 2 | MAY 2013

Welcome to the second edition of The Leadwood Observer. We hope you enjoyed reading our first issue and a big thank you to everyone who contributed to its success. Just a reminder, our readers are invited to send in contributions on a regular basis.
I think having land and not ruining it is the most beautiful art that anyone could ever want.
Andy Warhol

New stand owners on Leadwood

Welcome to the Leadwood Family

Erika Stewart, the new owner of stand 370 joins us from the United States of America. After selling her property in the Cape, Erika decided to make Hoedspruit and Leadwood Big Game Estate her destination of choice in South Africa. With past experience, involvement in - and managing her big game property in the Cape we are certain she will add value to our estate. Welcome to the family, Erika we look forward to the commencement of construction on your new bushveld home. Lizette and David van der Merwe have joined our family from slightly closer to home. Being residents of Nelspruit they came looking for a bushveld retreat, somewhere to relax in the peace and tranquility that can only be found in the African bush. As the new owners of stand 413 we are certain that they will find the peace and tranquility they seek. Welcome to Jacqui Carnelley and Neil Hobkirk who are the new owners of stand 355. They are both extremely busy in their demanding jobs and have purchased at Leadwood as a get away from the pressures of work both nationally and internationally. We look forward to seeing them regularly at Leadwood.

- Patrick Jordan

Progress on Chris Martins house

The final fitments are being done to Chris Martins house on stand 369 and will be completed by the end of May. Chris will be ready to settle in and enjoy his new Leadwood wildlife home!

New build sites

More progress on Glen Poole and Chris Martins houses Our main aerial image at the start of the Leadwood Observer is the home of Kevin and Greer Leo-Smith also under construction.

Blue Canyon Conservancy Game Ranch Management Report Tim Parker

Rainfall
KHAYA NDLOVU - 86.5mm BOKMAKIRIE / KAYA IMBABALA - 42mm RIVERSDALE - 89mm MADRID - 100mm MODITLO - NO RETURN BLOUBANK - NO RETURN

I am pleased to announce that the construction for the new Black Rhino boma is now complete. We involved the community in a bush clearing veld management project on Leopards Bend throughout the month of April creating the perfect aesthetic and practical environment our residents envision.

BCC Anti Poaching Unit

Additional field rangers have been recruited and the Blue Canyon Conservancy now boasts a total of 12 rangers

Ranger Training
These rangers are being trained and duly equipped as an anti-poaching unit. Their training involves, foot, fence and horse patrols as well as armed reaction amongst other necessary anti -poaching procedures. Beware to anyone trying to enter the Conservancy illegally.
Ranger Educational visit to the Moholoholo rehab-centre

Special mention on our ex race horses

Aiden Lithgow is visiting the Blue Canyon Conservancy this weekend to film the anti-poaching horses in action for a magazine programme, which will be flighted on Telly-track, Winners Circle, as well as a news programme on the Australian racing channel. The programme will showcase the excellent job the horses are doing in their new role and generate much needed awareness to a new market on the plight of our rhino. We are very excited to cover this story said Aiden these horses have embarked on such a worth-while career after years on the race-course and it is not often one animal is used to save another! Hopefully we can do justice to the incredible job, these horses are doing and create an impact to those, who would not normally give rhino conservation a thought! - Lisa Harris

American Beauty to launch Leadwood

Great Excitement this weekend at The Blue Canyon Conservancy!
Top Billing will be visiting The Blue Canyon Conservancy to film Miss USA, Nana Meriwether, during her stay at Khaya Ndlovu Manor House. Top Billing have also expressed keen interest in Rhino Revolution and will be speaking to Tim Parker regarding rhino conservation, the anti-poaching systems that are in place and how they can create more awareness regarding the seriousness of this issue. Please keep a look out for the show once we have the airing dates, we will advise everyone accordingly.

Beauty Queen, Miss USA 2012 - Nana Meriwether will officially launch Leadwood Big Game Estate. The opening ceremony will take place at the Leadwood gate on Sunday 19 May 11h00. Nana Meriwether will also be attending the translocation of a breeding pair of Black Rhino onto the Blue Canyon Conservancy (subject to receiving the necessary permits in time). We are hoping that Nana takes on the role as patron for Rhino Revolution and brings the necessary media attention to the plight of Rhino.

Nana Meriwether was born at Tintswalo hospital in Acornhoek. Her father was working at Tintswalo as a missionary doctor and doing charity work. Nana hopes that her trip to South Africa will bring awareness to the various causes and charities in her country of birth. More on Nana Meriwethers visit in the next Leadwood Observer. Karen Jordan

Adopt the pace of nature; her secret is patience

Emerson

Leadwood Footprints

Lion photos taken by Glen on Leadwood

New bush hairstyles as modelled by our resident Nyala bull

Tims Cheetahs

New residents on Leadwood - Cherilynn

The Golden Brown Baboon Spider (Augacephalus Breyeri) at threat by development

Upon finding this rare and unique species of spider, Glen called Mr. Donald Strydom of the Khamai Reptile Centre out to inspect the environment and its surrounds. Upon his recommendation, Glen rerouted the entrance to his stand to preserve this beautiful specimen and his/her home. Leadwood Big Game Estate has formed a unique relationship with the Khamai Reptile Centre and look forward to assisting them with research and release programs to re-habituate a variety of different reptiles and arachnids back into their natural environments and away from harmful farmlands, etc.

This photo was taken by Glen and Shona Poole who kindly diverted their driveway for this protected Golden Brown Baboon Spider

Did You Know?

The Golden Brown Baboon Spider lives to about twenty five years and only becomes sexually mature at fifteen years old. These beautiful spiders are protected by law and may not be killed nor kept as pets. The venom of this large gentle spider is absolutely harmless to humans. The Golden Brown Baboon Spider lives in a hole that takes it between five to seven years to construct. Once this spider has excavated a hole it seems that the adults lose some of their instinctive know-how for digging. Building a new hole is time consuming, leaving the spider vulnerable to predation for too long and they soon die. If you would like to know more please dont hesitate to contact the Reptile Centre or visit their website.

Interesting

facts!

A brace or clash of buck A journey of giraffe

A dazzle of zebra An army or colony of frogs

The Nyala, also called Inyala, is a spiral-horned antelope native to Southern Africa. It was first described in 1849 by George French Angas.

Competition results:
Congratulations to Ian Nortier for the winning Caption of our Frog and Boomslang photo! Caught in the act Enjoy your dinner for two at Khaya Ndlovu Manor House! The Leadwood Team

Photograph of a frog and boomslang

Python Release on Leadwood Big Game Estate

Lance (Holding the head of the Python) and Pieter from the Khamai Reptile Centre seen here on Leadwood Estate releasing a four meter Python back into the wild.

Khamai Reptile Centre: 087 806 2093

Python Release on Leadwood Big Game Estate

Over the past twenty nine years, the Khamai Reptile Centre has helped thousands of snakes and other reptiles in and around homes at Hoedspruit. They do not keep any rescued reptiles at the Centre for display but rather release them as soon as possible. The staff at Khamai do extensive legwork to find appropriate and safe habitats before releasing animals. At least once a year they survey the greater Hoedspruit region by fly over

Google Earth research, plotting and planning with the use of topographical sheets as well as ground surveys and interviews with land owners. Reptiles are then released into these safe zones to hopefully live safely in their natural habitat. With the help of the Leadwood Big Game Estate and Mr Patrick Jordan the Khamai Reptile Centre was able to release another large four meter Python safely back into the wild. A local farmer who was concerned about the wellbeing of

the Python phoned for help, the snake had been disturbed by concerned farm workers who discovered the reptile coiled around a sheep! The Khamai Reptile Centre is in the process of establishing a relationship with Leadwood Big Game Estate and the Blue Canyon Conservancy to do reptile related research on the property. Non-invasive research projects will be implemented to benefit and promote reptile conservation.

2013 Marketing
For all of those interested in marketing Leadwood Big Game Estate has had great success with our latest campaigns. Some of you may have heard our Radio 702 pre-recorded adverts as well as our live reads by John Robbie on the early morning show during the month of March. The results were excellent, increased activity on our website as well as enquiries from the website. 22 New posters have been erected around Hoedspruit, 10 of them at the entrance and others around the town and the roads leading into Hoedspruit you cant miss us now! Our posters around the Sandton area are relocated on a regular basis, for the month of May we are at the off ramps from the M1 at Woodmead Drive. These not only work as an awareness of the Estate in and around Johannesburg but lead to constant enquiries. We had our first show day over the Easter weekend. We had an amazing response and were all kept extremely busy over the whole weekend. The Leadwood Observer is sent to our data base and has also lead to enquiries both nationally and internationally. Nita Dalziel Please visit us at the Sandton City Property and Home Improvement Showcase in the centre court from 21st 27th May 2013, and bring your friends!

Attention all New Owners

There is now a new E Pad automated gate system installed at the entrance of Leadwood Estate at the end of April. Each new owner will be provided a remote. I like this place and could willingly waste my time in it.
William Shakespeare For anyone wanting to know what is happening in the Hoedspruit area Hoedspruit has its own website www.hoedspruit.co.za No. 1 Safari Junction, Hoedspruit, 1380, Limpopo, South Africa | PO Box 1622, Hoedspruit, 1380 Tel: +27 (0) 15 793-0471, Fax: +27 (0) 15 793-0472 | Email: info@jordanprops.co.za | Web: www.leadwood.net