Lions of Timbavati

[Potato]

Tanda Tula update

As always, we kick off with the lions and it was a week that seemed to further entrench the Mayambula’s intentions in the area as they became very settled, and even started pushing the bounds of what I would have considered their “territory” as recently as last week.  Following their buffalo kill, the pride headed off east and spent a day resting off their fat bellies and mating near our eastern boundary, but sadly did cross out that night.  Three days later they were picked up marching back into the areas from the south, and straight to the nearest waterhole to quench their thirst.  Based on the fact that they went to a relatively central waterhole, I can only suspect that they had actually been on a kill within our area, but that the guides had just not checked in that particular part of our concession, and hence we missed them.  Seeing all nine members of the pride – including the Skorro males – line up to drink was a special sight!   

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

From there the pride headed back to our eastern sections, crossed out late in the afternoon but were found the next morning with the remains of a zebra kill close to Machaton Dam.  Despite their fat bellies, the pride still covered almost 8km during the course of the night as we tracked them down to the western section of our concession, they then headed off south that evening.  This pride can walk, and we now wait to see where exactly they pitch up when they return in a couple of days.  With the nightly roaring and movement into areas that were considered River Pride territory as recently as last week, it is no surprise to be hearing that the River Pride are now being seen many kilometres north of our concession in what is new and unexplored areas for the pride.  As always, only time will tell if they return south or exactly what their future holds. 

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

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