Africa Wild

13/04/2016

Tamboti/Satara Area

We got back onto the H1-3 and soon found this sorry sight.



It's never nice to see animals suffering.



While stopped here someone told us about a pride of lions on the S126 Sweni road, which is the road we had planned on taking anyway.

At the turn-off we found a guy battling with a flat tyre so Mommo got out to help.



After looking in the boot he said he couldn't find the jack! We were about to get ours out when the Kruger traffic police arrived. They were charming guys and couldn't have been more helpful. They told us not to worry and to leave it to them.



The lions had been seen at the waterhole not far from the main road but when we got there, there was a herd of wildebeest but no lions. We scanned the area and then saw an elephant approaching and thought if the lions were still around, the ellie might flush them out. As the ellie got closer a lion cub popped out from some thick bushes, and then disappeared again.



A lioness then appeared, looking in the direction of the wildebeest.

(Video snapshot)

She then started towards them, moving with purpose.

(Video snapshot)

We reversed back to the waterhole. The elephant had arrived and scared the wildebeest away who were now moving towards the lion!

(Video snapshot)

We couldn't see the lioness anymore, so we moved forward again and saw that she had turned around and returned to where we had originally seen her. You can just see her nose to the right of the cub.



As we were in no rush we found some shade and decided to wait around a while longer. In total we counted 4 lions but they never moved out into the open, so we decided to continue on our way to the S36 and back to the H7. The rest of the route was quiet with just these grey ones to stir some interest.

Poor lion

How small the wildebeests are

Nice to have the lioness up and interested in some lunch

Poor male lion. He looks bad.

So there's some water at sweni hide

well done policeman
poor old Lion

nice to see the difference between Ellie et Gnus

That poorly looking lion... Kind of "interesting"... He's got such a healthy looking mane that you usually would associate with a king of a pride

Lisbeth wrote:Poor lion

How small the wildebeests are

Depends on how big the ellie was!

PJL wrote:Nice to have the lioness up and interested in some lunch

Pity she lost interest so soon!

Alf wrote:Poor male lion. He looks bad.

So there's some water at sweni hide

Ja, not a nice lion sighting. We didn't visit the hide so not sure.

Richprins wrote:Interesting, Flutts, and well done SANParks!

I think leachy photographed a lioness killing a wildebeest at that waterhole a couple of years ago!

We were really impressed with the police! Wonder if it was the same lioness and wildebeest?

nan wrote:well done policeman
poor old Lion

nice to see the difference between Ellie et Gnus

Thanks nan. Yep, that ellie was rather large.

Mel wrote:That poorly looking lion... Kind of "interesting"... He's got such a healthy looking mane that you usually would associate with a king of a pride

We thought the same thing Mel. He was apparently seen in that same spot for about a week.

13/04/2016

Tamboti/Satara area

We got back to the H7 but it was way too early to head back to camp so we decided to turn right, pick up the S12 to Girvana then onto the S40 and back down the S39 Timbavati road.

Girivana had a little bit of water but there was nothing to see. The S40 was very dry and just as we were about to give up on finding anything I saw something ahead next to the road...a leopard!! We approached as carefully as we could without scaring it away but it did move into some bushes. Luckily it didn't stay there too long and revealed itself to us!

© Bush Brat

It was still quite young and looked like a female. As she started to move we did too, and the Brat dropped his beanbag out the window! We told him we'd fetch it later!

© Bush Brat

© Bush Brat

She kept moving into thicker bush until we could no longer see her, so we reversed to get the beanbag. We drove back slowly and found her again.



She then started running and we saw her chase a duiker, but it got away. Soon after that she disappeared and we carried on, feeling very happy! I was super excited as this is the first leopard I've spotted in years!

We got back onto the H7 and about 1km down, this dreaded road finally produced something for us!



This is the Orpen pack and is apparently about 30 strong...we saw 18 of them. Being late afternoon there were quite a few staff vehicles heading to the gate, but the dogs were very comfortable and reluctant to move out of the way!





A happy chappie!



They were extremely curious and not scared of coming right up to the car.



The guy driving this vehicle said he had a really nice shot of the dogs around our car and I told him I also had pics of his car so I gave him my cell no. and he said he would be in contact...I'm still waiting!



The Brat still has to download his pics, so there are plenty more to come!