Lions of Timbavati

[Potato]

Klaserie Drift update

Once again, the star sighting last month belongs to our immense River Pride and their protectors, Hosi and Socha. If you haven’t checked in with us since our last sightings blog, you’ll be as pleased as us to learn that our pride has expanded by another 3 adorable cubs! Just a few weeks old, these little ones have already met their older cousins, as we first discovered them at a recent sighting of the entire pride.

Having noticed a gathering of vultures along the river in front of Misava, we went out in the game vehicle to investigate. The search didn’t take long and soon we were enjoying a beautiful African sunset in the company of our feline family. There was no sign of the kill itself but every lion was full to the point of bursting, passed out on the sand with their distended bellies suggesting they had had a very successful evening. Just then, we noticed more movement in the reeds and out hobbled 3 fuzzy cubs, their legs barely coordinated with their bodies! These latest additions bring our pride to a total of 20 lions - a formidable number. 

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Although we aren’t sure what they killed as the evidence is lost somewhere in the reeds of the Klaserie RIver, we have noticed the untimely disappearance of an injured hippo that had been tending his sorrows at the bridge for most of the previous month. Even a one and a half ton hippo is no match for the River Pride it seems…However, with so many mouths to feed, we are sure not a single morsel went to waste. We followed up with the pride the next morning and had an amazing sighting of all the cubs, including the latest arrivals, slowly crossing the bushveld searching for the perfect spot to relax for the day. 

The rest of the month we have had wonderful sightings of the pride, although the youngest cubs have not been with them, suggesting mum has stashed them safely somewhere for the time being. As they are so small, they aren’t able to keep up with the pride’s movements so it may be a few weeks yet before we get another glimpse.  Reply