There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
Not to be outdone, the lion prides also played along very nicely this week, and yes, when I say “prides”, that does include the Giraffe Pride. We headed east one afternoon to spend some time with the Mayambula Pride after they were found sleeping near Tanda Tula Safari Camp with their fat bellies after a successful hunt the night before. Awaking the next morning, we could hear multiple lions roaring on the plains in front of Plains Camp, and excitedly headed off to find the majority of the Giraffe Pride ambling across the open area to the south; four lionesses, eleven sub-adults, and the two pride males – it was a wonderful sight.
A few days later a few members of the pride were also found a couple of hundred meters to the east of Plains Camp, with their blood-stained coats telling of another successful night of hunting. That same morning, the Mayambula Pride were found on a fresh buffalo bull kill close to Safari Camp, but with seventeen members present, they made short work of the kill and were done by the following morning. One of the single lionesses also managed to kill a wildebeest bull on her own near Machaton Dam, but as she was joined by the rest of the pride that night, the kill didn’t last long. This lioness then spent the next three days “mating”; I use the inverted commas as although there were reports of some mating taking place, she was not very interested in the two Skorro male lions that were following her and in my time spent with the pair, we only saw one half-hearted effort from the honeymooners.