Lions of Timbavati

[Potato]

Tanda Tula update:

12.07.2019
The most memorable sighting of the week though, was the death of a large male giraffe which brought many predators to enjoy the plentiful bounty. There were hundreds of vultures, an entire clan of hyena and ultimately a pride of sixteen lions. The drama started with us spotting vultures swooping in from far and wide on investigation we discovered a giraffe carcass which had most likely died from natural causes or even a repercussion of fighting. The vultures lacked the means to open a carcass of this magnitude and so they had to wait patiently for something larger to come along and perform the task. CUE THE HYENAS! At the height of it all there must have been close to thirty hyena gorging, laughing, fighting and chasing each other around the area in what can only be described as nature’s greatest comedy. Every now and then the vultures would try to get through the ranks of hyena, in search of a morsel of food, only to be chased off. Time and time again they would try, some making off with nothing and some making off with a delicious meal. The drama of it all was incredible. 

The next morning, all around the dead giraffe, lay some heavily overweight hyena struggling to keep their eyes open while others continued feeding on the carcass. All the while, the vultures remained patiently on the side knowing that their time would come. By night fall only ten or so hyena remained, the others having moved off to look for a new meal or perhaps lying in a food coma in the surrounding area. During the night things changed, we could vaguely hear the drama unfolding in the distance, with one unmistakable sound - the deep, guttural roar of a lion. The Mbiri males had arrived and they hadn’t come alone either - with them was the entire Mayambula Pride. And so, there we were the next morning watching sixteen lions, two males, four females and ten fat cubs tucking into the remains of the giraffe carcass. I have no idea what really happened that night, but from previous experiences I would guess that the Mbiri males charged in, dispersing the hyenas in a flurry of laughs and dust clouds into the night, and took over what remained. 

Sadly, I do not have an update on the remaining Zebenine lioness along with her sub-adult daughter. The pair have not been seen in the last few days and it would seem that the Mayambula Pride has moved solidly into their territory claiming it as their own. 

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