Lions for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (October 2019)

[Mel]

I'll try to share an acceptable amount of the almost 4000 pix I took on this trip. Way too many cat sightings up close which cause some happy trigger moments on my camera

It was VERY dry, actually concerningly so, but the animal activity was as good as it hasn't been in a long, long time for us. The amount of Elands seen on the Saffie side of the park is a testimony to the fact that water is desperately needed everywhere. Quite a few carcasses around, and I'm sure not all of them were kills, but a result from drinking too much of the brackish water which obviously causes the elands' system to collapse.

The first night was spent in an FA3 at Twee, followed by 4 nights at Grootkolk and a whopping 9 at Urikaruus.

First pic of the trip - especially for you, Lis

[Mel]

5th October - Twee to Grootkolk

We always take it slow on the first morning after the long haul flight and being in a main camp would also mean battling with umpteenth other to get out of the gat which we're not too fond of. So we left at around 7.30 am (gate opening was at 6, for those who are not familiar).

Even though we haven't found her for some time now anymore, we always check that "owl tree" just a few kays out of Twee camp. It seems that the weaver nest where the owl used to raise her babies on, crashed and instead of seeing an owl I found a suprisingly relaxed slender mongoose.

[Mel]

At Leeuwdril a red-necked falcon had breakfast.

[Mel]

Just before Rooiputs the first jackpot of the trip - caracal

We sat with it for some minutes while it was taking its weekly bath (it was Saturday after all!).

Then it got up and started eyeing a particular tree.

And - hop - the end of our sighting.

[Mel]

The first lions were found just south of Kamelsleep (more like Lionsleep, it seems...)

The male

and his pile, uhm pride

[Mel]

Just after Kamelsleep - a wild cat

[Mel]

At Dikbaardskolk the first clues as to how many elands were dying.

[Mel]

Cheleka provided the first lunch with a lioness.

[Pumbaa]

WoW Mel,

what an incredible start already especiall with that caracal sighting

[Mel]

Next up our first cheetah sighting of the trip, south Langklaas.

Those girls were serious hard work. We had to sit for 1.5 hours before they were inclined to get
up to show me some of their sides for ID purposes. I was able to match them to Catrin's first set
of cubs, both females. Obviously, they haven't been separated from mum for too long yet and
non of them both has gotten into oestrus yet, so they still hang out together and seem to be
doing quite well for themselves. But then again, Catrin had an excellent mother who was not
only a good huntress but taught her offspring well how to survive - the legendary Caster