Walking with Lions (December 2015)

[PJL]

Once the tent/trailer was all packed up we were ready for a final drive south through the park. Out of curiosity we travelled round the Domkrag loop to see if we could work out where the lions had eventually settled but they were completely out of sight. We did however find a pale chanting goshawk busy with a mid-morning lizard snack









There were the typical regulars around as we drove south, but as we approached Marion Baree waterhole there were a good few cars around. I thought it had to be elephants quenching their thirst in the midday heat, but as we got closer there were no big grey lumps to be seen. Instead it was a hyena cooling off in the water



I was pretty amazed as we only normally see hyena in Addo very early in the morning, but it seems that there's a new den site just over the hill from this waterhole so perhaps there will be further sightings of them. I managed to squeeze the car and trailer into a spot where we could see across to the hyena.... D was stoked as this is his favourite animal



After plenty of sloshing around, the hyena suddenly became very alert.



In the rear-view mirrors we could see another hyena approaching, but this one in the water seemed to be dominant and wasn't keen on the idea of sharing a bath so got up and chased the other one away





The chase continued near the road behind us, and there was a big pile-up of cars reversing and trying to get a view. I wasn't about to join that kind of mess whilst towing a trailer so we watched events unfold in the mirrors until the hyenas disappeared into the bushes. The other cars and jeep jockeys slowly dispersed as we sat chatting about what a great sighting it had been.

[Lisbeth]

The goshawk with it's snack is a great sequence

I do not like hyenas as much as D does, but it is a good sighting in any case

[Mel]

That goshawk didn't really waste time with its mid-morning lizard snack. After two or three probing bites it just gulped the poor thing down.
Excellent captures

And a brilliant hyena sighting to off your trip

[Richprins]

Superb, PJL!

[Flutterby]

Great pics of the PCG and love the hyena cooling off.

[Bushcraft]

Thanks for lion name information

Fantastic goshawk sequence

That hyena seemed to love the mud bath

[Pumbaa]

Stunning goshwak with kill shots, PJL,

and a bathing hyaena is also amazing to watch

[PJL]

Thanks Lis, Mel, RP, Flutts, BC & Pumbaa for your comments and following along

In a matter of minutes there were no vehicles in sight and we were about to drive off when the 2 hyena re-appeared coming down the hillside towards the waterhole again

The dominant one went straight for the water while the other sauntered off behind us somewhere.





The one behind us soon appeared on the road and then came right along next to us whilst waiting for the dominant one to finish it's cooling off



At times it was very close indeed





Eventually the dominant one had enough and allowed the other to make its way down to the water to cool off





It provided some great entertainment as it appeared to be fishing around for something under the water







One final glance at us and it moved off.




It's funny how some trips work out. Staying up in the north we didn't really explore much of the park as the sightings were so good up there. I don't think you could ask for much more than what we saw in the 3 days... except perhaps for one of these



But that's another reason to go back
Thanks for all of you who followed along on this little trip... hope you enjoyed it

[Flutterby]

Just love these hyena pics!

[Lisbeth]

Great hyena pics Some of them just love sitting in the water doing nothing. I wonder why it went under Something itching perhaps

Alf I must come back one day and I want to see one of those with the pointed ears