Kgal Dec 2015

[Michele Nel]

Hi jb72
Wow ..long time no see. But first of all let me tell you that I am so sorry to hear about your camera equipment - that really stinks
Thank you for doing your travel tale though. We visited the park - usual time from 26th Dec but stayed for 2 weeks this time. What a fabulous trip we had.
D and I wondered if you and your family had visited the park at all. We then had a chuckle when we remembered the excitement on your little girl's face when she told us that the hyena had sat right inside the waterhole ....she was just so cute. :)
Let us know if you are ever in CT...methinks you and D are a few beers behind....the beers taste just as good in CT you know.
Cheers
M

[Bushveld Jock]

jb72,

There is a post on Kgalagadi Sightings FB about 3 male lions from Kij-Kij that had a big fights with the Rooiputs pride male. Looks like the large Kij Kij pride don't like competition anymore.

[Alf]

sounds like a wonderful short trip and stunning sightings

[General Gump]

Awesome report JB72 !
Spend more time with Dave he puts those guides to shame if you ask him questions.

[jb72]

Awesome report JB72 !
Spend more time with Dave he puts those guides to shame if you ask him questions.

Would help if I get invited to spend time with Dave....

[jb72]

Hi jb72
Wow ..long time no see. But first of all let me tell you that I am so sorry to hear about your camera equipment - that really stinks
Thank you for doing your travel tale though. We visited the park - usual time from 26th Dec but stayed for 2 weeks this time. What a fabulous trip we had.
D and I wondered if you and your family had visited the park at all. We then had a chuckle when we remembered the excitement on your little girl's face when she told us that the hyena had sat right inside the waterhole ....she was just so cute. :)
Let us know if you are ever in CT...methinks you and D are a few beers behind....the beers taste just as good in CT you know.
Cheers
M

Hi Michele,

Good to hear from you! As mentioned before we were on our way to Namibia, so were in the park fairly early - I figured that you would be there after Christmas as usual. Hopefully we can meet up this year? My plan is to go after Christmas (need to visit the folks in Cape Town first). Will appreciate a beer or two, so will keep in contact!

That cute little girl became a teenager on Saturday, so times have definitely changed.

Hope you are going to do a TT?

Cheers
jb

[jb72]

The highlight of the trip was one morning when we found the pride of 11 at Kij-Kij. They were quite relaxed, and were scattered all over the area. This was also the first time we saw the mother and cubs with the pride. The next moment another female came strolling over the dunes down to the waterhole. All the females in the pride suddenly jumped up and started stalking the new female. Once she had finished drinking she started walking to the big tree just south of the waterhole. Suddenly all the females in the pride charged her, and started attacking. The sounds were just incredible. The girls in the car, wife included, did not like the show, and were crying and asked me to drive away (yeah right). The next moment the two males came charging over and started sorting out the pride females. The literally placed themselves between the "intruder" and the attackers. Each time one of the pride females would try to attack the single female the males would stop them, and give them a bit of their own medicine. You can imagine the noise levels at this stage!!! This also put a big smile on the ladies in the car's faces, as the handsome princes came to the rescue of the damsel in distress. Eventually the pride females realised they were on a hiding to nothing, and retreated. The males stayed close to the damsel for a while.

This really was an awesome sighting. Any clever people out there that can explain what happened? Why would the males defend a "stranger"? Maybe she was a real beauty, and the males were being chivalry, but to klap your wife out the way to protect a hotty? That's just ballsy - they truly are the kings of the jungle....

[jb72]

jb72,

There is a post on Kgalagadi Sightings FB about 3 male lions from Kij-Kij that had a big fights with the Rooiputs pride male. Looks like the large Kij Kij pride don't like competition anymore.

When was this? We saw a male near Rooiputs that looked like he had taken a beating and was wobbling terribly. This was just before Christmas though, so might have been a bit early.

[PRWIN]

jb72, when did this happen

The highlight of the trip was one morning when we found the pride of 11 at Kij-Kij. They were quite relaxed, and were scattered all over the area. This was also the first time we saw the mother and cubs with the pride. The next moment another female came strolling over the dunes down to the waterhole. All the females in the pride suddenly jumped up and started stalking the new female. Once she had finished drinking she started walking to the big tree just south of the waterhole. Suddenly all the females in the pride charged her, and started attacking. The sounds were just incredible. The girls in the car, wife included, did not like the show, and were crying and asked me to drive away (yeah right). The next moment the two males came charging over and started sorting out the pride females. The literally placed themselves between the "intruder" and the attackers. Each time one of the pride females would try to attack the single female the males would stop them, and give them a bit of their own medicine. You can imagine the noise levels at this stage!!! This also put a big smile on the ladies in the car's faces, as the handsome princes came to the rescue of the damsel in distress. Eventually the pride females realised they were on a hiding to nothing, and retreated. The males stayed close to the damsel for a while.

This really was an awesome sighting. Any clever people out there that can explain what happened? Why would the males defend a "stranger"? Maybe she was a real beauty, and the males were being chivalry, but to klap your wife out the way to protect a hotty? That's just ballsy - they truly are the kings of the jungle....

now to say all are missing, that would be enough to make me stop photography for good

[jb72]

jb72, when did this happen

now to say all are missing, that would be enough to make me stop photography for good

My wife kept a journal, so I can probably go look for the exact date, but I would guess it was 19th or 20th of December.

We had some amazing photos. I even offered the car guards at the place where they broke into the car and stole our cameras R10k for the memory cards, but I guess it would have been an admission of guilt so they played dumb.