Indeed moving day - Also for us it was the first time in seeing such a tiny cub
The Heat is on and the Lions as well
Re: The Heat is on and the Lions as well
PuMbAa
Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
Re: The Heat is on and the Lions as well
We slready saw a lone lioness years ago at Leeupan but that sighting was in fact something very specialRichprins wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 6:05 pm What an episode, Pumbaa!
Rhino, of all things!
(I think the mom might be a male?)
Klipspringer always nice!
And lion at Leeupan, not actually that common despite the name!
Lovely that your life dream was made, plus great action shots. They can't resist impala sometimes but very rarely catch them...
PuMbAa
Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
Re: The Heat is on and the Lions as well
Well meanwhile we had already 40 degrees and in the sun it so consequently must have been unbearably hot we in the car had the sun from the back, had still shade in same and it was a slight wind blowing so we were more than impressed that she tried to attack something.
It got quiet again as the lions stayed out of sight but we were therefore entertained by a lanner falcon who landed on the dead tree close to where we parked which is normally used by the buffalo weavers to build nests
indeed a raptor we do not see often in Kruger and we were more than happy that same was so willing to pose a while before same finally took off again.
Therefore one of the lionesses again appeared on the scene and she was in fact in the mood to do some exercise in running
and moreover she never gave up in hunting the impalas or one of the warthogs who meanwhile also returned to the pan.
I even had a short Pumbaa and Nala moment
but the warthog could escape and so she had been left out in the cold. I still suppose that all these attacks were only half-hearted as otherwise at least one of the lionesses should have caught the prey as so many huntable animals were around or it was simply too hot for the hunt.
So the lioness again walked back to the others in the shade whilst one of the impalas still had to check out whether there might be some more lions anywhere else around
and they even checked out in pairs as four eyes do see more than only two and we still could not believe our luck with such a sighting and the whole time we stood there the maximum number of cars were only five.
After another while now even giraffes arrived and one of them even quenched its thirst despite the not far away lions but it took once again endlessly before the giraffe was ready to drink.
It got quiet again as the lions stayed out of sight but we were therefore entertained by a lanner falcon who landed on the dead tree close to where we parked which is normally used by the buffalo weavers to build nests
indeed a raptor we do not see often in Kruger and we were more than happy that same was so willing to pose a while before same finally took off again.
Therefore one of the lionesses again appeared on the scene and she was in fact in the mood to do some exercise in running
and moreover she never gave up in hunting the impalas or one of the warthogs who meanwhile also returned to the pan.
I even had a short Pumbaa and Nala moment
but the warthog could escape and so she had been left out in the cold. I still suppose that all these attacks were only half-hearted as otherwise at least one of the lionesses should have caught the prey as so many huntable animals were around or it was simply too hot for the hunt.
So the lioness again walked back to the others in the shade whilst one of the impalas still had to check out whether there might be some more lions anywhere else around
and they even checked out in pairs as four eyes do see more than only two and we still could not believe our luck with such a sighting and the whole time we stood there the maximum number of cars were only five.
After another while now even giraffes arrived and one of them even quenched its thirst despite the not far away lions but it took once again endlessly before the giraffe was ready to drink.
PuMbAa
Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
Re: The Heat is on and the Lions as well
For sure they very well knew where to look to identify the lions
and now even four of them could be seen in the shade obviously still thinking about an attack, there were in fact more than four lions but as already said we never found out the total amount.
From time to time one of them peeped from behind a bush
but they only looked wishfully to the masses of impalas, giraffes and warthogs but we noticed that one of lionesses changed her position and walked away from the others hiding under a bush so maybe they already planned something for later that day or in the evening.
Whilst the impalas meanwhile started to leave the pan after finally more quenched their thirst
the giraffes still stayed
but the amount of impalas was still impressive
and now the giraffes even walked closer to investigate the lions still a bit more.
We meanwhile stood at that sighting more than 2 hours and there was so much to be seen that we never noticed how fast time flew by as we had still such a long drive ahead we finally changed the position at the pan but as at the other end nothing was around we finally left although the lions were still around but obviously decided to spent the rest of the day motionless in the shade. That was another proof that lions could also be seen not only early in the morning but also at 40 degrees!
Originally we wanted to drive on the S36 using one of the crossroads to reach same as often when we are in the park all these gravel roads are closed during this trip all of them were open but as it was already that late we decided to stay on the tar road and visit all the dams along that road instead.
The road to the previous Silolweni dam was open again so we paid a visit there too but as we could not see anything we turned around and found on our way a large tree under which already a group of giraffes stood
and close to Tshokwane close to the bridge at the crossing with the H10 we spotted another bateleur in flight
and as the river under the bridge still had a bit water left also a bushbuck enjoyed the green grass and maybe wet feet too on that extreme hot day.
To be continued.....................................
and now even four of them could be seen in the shade obviously still thinking about an attack, there were in fact more than four lions but as already said we never found out the total amount.
From time to time one of them peeped from behind a bush
but they only looked wishfully to the masses of impalas, giraffes and warthogs but we noticed that one of lionesses changed her position and walked away from the others hiding under a bush so maybe they already planned something for later that day or in the evening.
Whilst the impalas meanwhile started to leave the pan after finally more quenched their thirst
the giraffes still stayed
but the amount of impalas was still impressive
and now the giraffes even walked closer to investigate the lions still a bit more.
We meanwhile stood at that sighting more than 2 hours and there was so much to be seen that we never noticed how fast time flew by as we had still such a long drive ahead we finally changed the position at the pan but as at the other end nothing was around we finally left although the lions were still around but obviously decided to spent the rest of the day motionless in the shade. That was another proof that lions could also be seen not only early in the morning but also at 40 degrees!
Originally we wanted to drive on the S36 using one of the crossroads to reach same as often when we are in the park all these gravel roads are closed during this trip all of them were open but as it was already that late we decided to stay on the tar road and visit all the dams along that road instead.
The road to the previous Silolweni dam was open again so we paid a visit there too but as we could not see anything we turned around and found on our way a large tree under which already a group of giraffes stood
and close to Tshokwane close to the bridge at the crossing with the H10 we spotted another bateleur in flight
and as the river under the bridge still had a bit water left also a bushbuck enjoyed the green grass and maybe wet feet too on that extreme hot day.
To be continued.....................................
PuMbAa
Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
Re: The Heat is on and the Lions as well
What a wonderful way to spend a day Rhinos, klipspringer (pic is quite lovely), and the lion saga with all the temptations for a meal, and the cherry on top - mama lioness w/ her tiny cub 
Lovely episodes
Rhinos, klipspringer (pic is quite lovely), and the lion saga with all the temptations for a meal, and the cherry on top - mama lioness w/ her tiny cub Lovely episodes
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Lisbeth
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Re: The Heat is on and the Lions as well
Great visit to the dam with impalas, giraffes, warthogs, lanner falcon and last but not least LIONS
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
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The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge