Lions of Timbavati

[Potato]

Tanda Tula update

The Giraffe Pride remained in the area of the plains for a few more days at the start of the week and went on quite a successful hunting streak.  We watched as the pride got active one evening as a big thunderstorm was brewing over the mountains and putting on a fantastic electrical show for us.  The lionesses went off hunting and we saw them stalking wildebeest in front of camp as we returned but didn’t want to shine on them and disturb their efforts.  We had no sooner got back to camp when the strong winds of the storm came blowing in, bringing a little bit of rain.  These conditions suited the lions perfectly, and once the sounds of the rains and wind passed, we had our dinner interrupted by the roars of the male lions in front of camp. Incredibly, this was followed by the sounds of the entire pride feeding on a wildebeest after a successful hunt.

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The next morning the pride were found resting on the access road in exactly the same place we found them twice last week.  They spent the day resting in the thickets, but that evening popped back out onto the road and gave us quite a show as they headed off on the hunt.  They moved onto the bottom of the plains and began stalking some wildebeest and zebras; I left Tristan to it on the condition that he would call me if anything were to happen.  As I was about to drive into camp, I called to remind him only for the lions to then go and catch something as I was talking to him. We turned around and headed straight there to find 23 lions trying to find a feeding spot on the wildebeest they had caught.  It was amazingly still alive for a few minutes whilst we watched, but the lions soon finished the job and set about fighting over each mouthful – the sounds were quite something.  The next morning the pride was found finishing off the remains of a young zebra in the same area!  After that feast, the pride moved off, giving the plains game in front of camp a bit of a gap.

These were not the only lions feasting this week; the Vuyela males remained on their giraffe kill for a couple of days before popping into our concession – we caught up with two of them one morning towards the end of the week.  Three females from the Sark Breakaway pride were also found in the west with a young giraffe kill as a large clan of hyenas gathered looking for their share.  Also, in the east, five of the Birmingham Breakaway males, three young River Pride lions and the Mayambula Pride all showed themselves to round off a good week of lion viewing for the central Timbavati. Reply