Dalkeith

[Tina]

and a tawny

[ExFmem]

Some really nice contributions here! Thanks, all

Can someone tell me if Dalkeith is the ONLY loop road w/ the fenced in area to the right of the waterhole? I'm still trying to figure out at which one some of my pics were taken

I guess I could do like leopard or cheetah IDs and match up the rocks

[Duke]

Hi XFM Dalkeith has the fenced up area to the right. 13 and 14 borehole has it to the left.

[ExFmem]

VERY smart man you are Duke! and . Lucky Sharifa

November 2011

Our afternoon game drive to Dalkeith produced two female and one male lion who had different agendas in mind. The lionesses just wanted some "girl time", while the male was insistent upon some "afternoon delight".







He was definitely of the "if at first you don't succeed…" school of thought.

We had to move on back to camp, but I have to hand it to Mr. Romeo who was STILL trying when we departed.
Perhaps he needs some lessons from Duke

[nan]

Ground Agama 27.3.2013
maybe ready to put eggs in the hole

[ExFmem]

Thanks, all.
That's an interesting photo, nan. H-m-m-m-

Another Dalkeith sighting for us:

On Oct. 15, 2011 we went for an afternoon drive out of KTC. As we approached the Dalkeith waterhole we encountered a cheetah with a springbok kill.





While taking pics of her, something else began moving around under the tree, but it was well hidden and we couldn't see what it was.

Several minutes later this little pipsqueak punk rocker emerged from behind the tree.





It was quite independent, venturing out into the open on its own while mom finished off her meal.




Dinner finished, mom crossed the open area and headed back over the dunes.



She never slowed down or coddled the little one, and it was up to the cub to keep pace, even with those short tiny legs.



Reminds one of just how tough animal babies have to be to even have a chance to survive in the wild.

[Mel]

Interesting observation about Elena and that cub, ExFmem...

When we saw them in October 2011 (as well) I was under the impression that there wasn't much
TLC from mum's side. I got photos (far off and very blurred though) that show the little one trying to
cuddle up to mum and she seemed to be rather unimpressed with its efforts. Knowing the little one
was limping, I wonder if mum already knew that there was no future for her offspring and detached
herself from it?

[ExFmem]

Yes, Mel. This sighting was our first of the cub and it was walking perfectly fine at the time. Even then, mom had NO interaction w/ it at all. I thought maybe the mom was just trying to eat her kill and get away from all the cars, so I find your observation quite interesting. SO and I discussed the lack of maternal care that evening also, but not being animal behaviorists, we couldn't really form an enlightened opinion. We saw them several more times and as I think back, mom was always rather aloof.

I should add, however, that the day after the cub was last seen, the mom was calling and calling for a very long time, and over quite a distance, so she seemed distressed by its absence. In fact, the photo I posted of the cheetah chasing the jackal (KTP Mammal Challenge - Two in One) is her on that morning running the jackal off while looking for the cub.

[Mel]

We only saw her and the cub at the end of October and the cub was already limping then.
As far as I gather, you saw Elena again after that and the cub wasn't anymore.

But generally wild animals show strange behaviour every now and then. Ever since I started to look more into
cheetahs, I'm not surprise about much anymore, I guess. There is some inexplicable behaviour going on sometimes.

[ExFmem]

Revisiting the lack of interaction point, in defense of Elena, it occurs to me that of ALL the numerous pics I have of cheetahs playing, cuddling, grooming, whether very young or adult, it is always of siblings, not mother and cub. That's just my own personal experience, not making a blanket statement.

Perhaps due to the enormity of the task of raising cheetahs alone, and the inability of cheetahs to always defend their kill, they are just "wired" to be parents, not playmates/pals?? Just a thought.