ANGAMA PRIDE

(Angama lioness gazing intently over the plains, Screenshot Credit: safariLIVE)

30 June

All of the lionesses and their cubs were found on the move again, with one of the cubs pausing in an attempt to take in the view from a balanites tree.

3 July

The lionesses, after a failed zebra hunt, returned to the cubs in time to chase off a mischievous clan of hyena. Later, the pride is joined by an unidentified large adult male lion.

4 July

The pride has a series of unsuccessful hunts during the night.

THAMBA

(Thamba resting in the golden grass of winter, Screenshot Credit: Lily Brown)

1 July

Just off Central Hyena road, WE found Thamba with a bulge to his belly, taking a morning nap in the grass. He was still sleepy on the Sunset Safari but was roused by a ground hornbill flying above him.

NKUHUMA PRIDE

(Nkuhuma lioness blends almost perfectly into the tawny shades of winter, Screenshot Credit: Ann Del Tredici‏)

1 July

Just west of Cheetah Cutline, WE followed the pride on a stroll through the thicket.

2 July

West of Mvubu road, a blanket of Nkuhuma lions spent most of the day lying in the yellow grass of winter. They looked lean and hungry but seemed to be waiting for nightfall to hunt.

3 July

Only one lioness was found with the cubs on Sunrise Safari. She had some blood on her leg and seemed to be rounding the cubs up to take back to a kill.

TINGANA

(Tingana male leopard carefully stalks an unsuspecting female nyala, Screenshot Credit: Thafi)

2 July

Last minute leopard Tingana lived up to his name with a brief glance of him at Buffelshoek dam in the last few seconds of Sunrise Safari.  

3 July

Tingana almost had antelope for dessert when an unsuspecting nyala wandered dangerously close the the territorial leopard who was munching on a warthog kill.

THANDI

(Thandi female leopard crouches low on a dusty road hoping to ambush some near by impala, Screenshot Credit: Luci)

 

3 July

Thandi was spied eyeing Tingana feasting on a warthog kill.

5 July

WE watched Thandi leopard-crawl down Main rd as she considered an impala for her next meal but then changed her mind when it came to making that final, fatal move.

MVULA

(Mvula male leopard gazes out over the territory he once reigned over as king, Screenshot Credit: Thafer)

3 July

The old king Mvula was WE’s third leopard of the day, surprising us with his presence north of Vuyatela Access road. The once dominant male of Djuma had his ‘lion king’ moment on top of a termite mound before quenching his thirst at a nearby pan.

4 July

WE found Mvula again in the same spot we had left him the night before –  close to the road and barely moving a muscle as he played the patience game in front of an occupied burrow.

SHADOW AND CUB

(Shadow female leopard keeps a watchful eye out as she leads her tiny female cub through the perils of the wilderness, Screenshot Credit: Ann Animal Lover)

4 July

Shadow allowed her cub no time for play this morning, urging her on with soft calls, possibly leading her back to a nearby kill or taking her to a place she thought to be safer.

7 July

Shadow and cub treated WE to a loving display of the strong bond between a mother leopard and her young cub.

EGYPTIAN GOOSE PRIDE

(Egyptian Goose Pride lionesses peer out in the darkest hour of the night, Screenshot Credit: safariLIVE)

3 July

The pride was mobile in the night, initially following one adult unidentified male lion, who eventually met up with the Egyptian Goose lionesses – to whom they gave a friendly greeting before moving off again into the darkness.

THE PURUNGAT PRIDE

(Beautiful Purungat lioness has her ears pricked for the call of the dinner bell, Screenshot credit: safariLIVE)

4 July

The Purangat pride feasted off three wildebeest calves during the night, with a fight breaking out between one of the lionesses and an unidentified male lion.

THE NOTCH COALITION

(One of the Notch coalition males roars out his dominance in search of his brother, Screenshot Credit: safariLIVE)

4 July

One of the Notch males is found roaring into the night,  scaring off a Purungat lioness put in charge of caring for the cubs.