Lions of Timbavati

[Potato]

Tanda Tula update

The rainy conditions made it a little difficult out there for a few days as off-road driving wasn’t possibly in the soggy conditions, but the guides still managed to see some decent game, with the Mayambula Pride in the eastern sections providing for more consistent viewing.  I didn’t manage to see the cubs this week, but they were reported over the first few days of the week before going AWOL.  The pride members around the new cub den site in the south-east remained active for most of the week, and we got to see one of the Skorro males mating with a young lioness from the pride, although she didn’t look too interested.  The highlight of the week was no doubt having the Giraffe Pride back in the area around Plains Camp.

*This image is copyright of its original author

Hearing roaring straight east of the camp one morning, Guy and Civilized set out to find them, and succeeded in locating on six lionesses and ten cubs.  This was a great surprise as we only knew of the six older cubs, but the pride had their numbers bolstered by the addition of these new cubs who looked to be around four months old.  They remained well hidden for most of the day before coming out after sunset as the bellows a nearby buffalo herd caught their attention.  We left them before it got dark and followed up the next day and located the pride on a zebra kill; both the Hercules and Sumatra males had joined up and the pride made quick work of the poor equine as hordes of vultures gathered in the area.  Although the hyenas arrived to try and get their share, the pride males ensured that they were not getting a single scrap!  We are keeping our fingers crossed that as the cubs get bigger, the pride will start utilising our concession more regularly. Reply