Lions of Sabi Sands

[Timbavati]

The lion dynamics continue to entertain us with the Avoca males being seen together, patrolling further south than we have seen before as they continue to press deeper into the reserve and probe the long-standing dominance of the Birmingham males. This week also saw the long awaited return of a large herd of buffalo, some 600 strong, which wandered the central parts of the reserve for a couple of days and were unsuccessfully hassled by a portion of the Ntsevu pride, who still remain fragmented. We also enjoyed an incredible morning following a pack of 18 wild dogs on the move and witnessed them catch no less than three impala lambs in the space of thirty minutes.

*This image is copyright of its original author

The two Avoca males paid a long overdue visit to the northern regions of the reserve. We continue to see them expanding their range and enjoyed an incredible evening following the pair into the darkness as they scent marked and vocalised along the northern bank of the Sand River, advertising their dominance. We continued to hear them roaring long into the night.

*This image is copyright of its original author

[i]There’s something quite special about following male lions at night. A clear look of intent comes over their face as the sun sets and they get on the move. Here, one of the Avoca males drops his nose to the ground on the scent of another young lion that had moved through the same area the night before.[/i]
[i]

*This image is copyright of its original author

[/i]
[i][i]The current dynamics of the Nstevu pride still remain quite unclear. A split does however seem imminent. Here, a sub-adult male of about two years of age makes his way through a dense thicket with a portion of the pride following in tow. This particular morning was quite an adventure as we tracked these lions for over two hours across the width of the reserve.[/i][/i]

Photo credits: Chris Taylor
Londolozi-Sabi Sands-12/04/2020. Reply