Lions of Timbavati

[Potato]

Tanda Tula update

As for the lions, well they approached their movements like I approach a game of snooker, and it was a “calling all pockets” scenario where the pride wandered far and wide.  After catching and consuming a wildebeest near Macro’s Dam, they moved towards Nkhari for a few days.  They then pitched up in the far north-eastern corner, and it was such an unexpected distance to have moved that the guide that found them reported that it was an unknown pride (until they got up and moved, then she realised it was in fact the River Pride).  A day later, Ginger and Jack were tracking a pride of lions in the south-western corner, and I was now the one thinking that they were tracking a “new” pride, but upon finding them, it was once again found to be the River Pride.  Later in the week I was out getting photos for this Week in Pictures and managed to track the pride down but in a very uncooperative manner, they headed straight for the thickets on the banks of the Nhlaralumi.  Luckily, we had a lovely sighting of them in the evening when they came out of hiding, but it was disconcerting to see that one of the youngest cubs had a bad limp on bot his back-right, and front left paws!  This made him an easier target for his brothers that constantly bowled him over in their play – and could well be how he injured himself to begin with.  Fortunately, the pride seems to be leaving the cubs behind when they go hunting, so this will give the little guy time to heal. An unknown male lion was also seen in close proximity to the River Pride when they pushed to the north-east, but I sadly wasn’t on drive to see him and ID him.  And on another occasion, a distant visual of a lone lioness was had as she crossed the eastern boundary into Tanda Tula’s concession. Sadly she wasn’t located and as all the other River Pride members were in the west at that point, she must be from another pride…or possibly even the missing old female? Time will tell if we get more sightings of these new lions. The Sark breakaways were eventually reported again in the west, now with four lionesses and the young male, and the Giraffe Pride and Monwana male were also seen this week in the far west.  So, it was far from a “bad” week of lion viewing, it was more the fact that the lions made us work hard for the sightings we did have.

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

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