Lions of Timbavati

[Rabubi]

(04-09-2024, 10:18 PM)BA0701 Wrote:

(04-09-2024, 10:01 PM)Rabubi Wrote:

(04-09-2024, 07:50 PM)BA0701 Wrote:

(04-09-2024, 11:47 AM)Potato Wrote: Tanda Tula update

It was a week that saw some good lion viewing returning to most parts of the concession; the River Pride and the Vuyela males returned to the areas around camp, and it was quite something to wake up in the early morning and hear male lions roaring in three different directions around camp. There were six days of guaranteed lion viewing as one Vuyela male spent almost a week around a large male wildebeest that he caught to the north of camp, and without any vultures arriving until day 5, it drew no attention from his coalition partners, despite his nightly roars from the same place. He was satiated, and the only effort he ever put into being a lion was running away from the elephants when they came past and chased him off a couple of times. The other males spent time between the Sark Breakaways and the River Pride, and we had a very interesting sighting after that rain bucketed down on us when we tracked down the pride and found them drying themselves off next to the road. They had been joined by three males, but one of them was not welcome; each time he approached the youngest female (coming into estrus again), she would growl, but then the mother of the three cubs got involved. She charged out at the male, swatting at him – hearing this, the other Vuyela male jumped up and came running in to see what the commotion was about, but upon seeing that it was just his brother, he backed down; they all roared and then went back to sleep. Exactly why the lionesses were not happy with his presence is uncertain. The next day, when three males were found near the wildebeest kill, one of them was sporting very fresh bite marks and claw marks on the face; I am not sure if that was from a continuation of the earlier altercation, or rather from a fight over the estrus female. The third lioness does look to be pregnant again, so we hope that she has better luck with the cubs this time. The pride were seen feeding on another wildebeest this week too, and there was evidence that they snacked on a zebra one evening as well.

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

giraffe pride:

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

Must be some real tensions around the dinner table lately, that or scuffles over mating rights, as a few males with cuts right under their eyes all around the same time. It is spring time, perhaps we'll be seeing lots of new cubbies in the not too distant future.

Could be a combination of all of those things. We are now in Autumn here in South Africa and so the dry season isn't too far away. Still holding thumbs for more cubbies though.

Ah, yes, opposite seasons and all. Who doesn't enjoy new cubbies. I know lions don't really have an estrus season like many other animals do, it is pretty much year round for them. Here, Whitetail Deer for instance, have their rut during the fall, and it is usually one area wide event, but I have seen two ruts in a single year, but for many others including birds and small animals, spring time seems to be the predominant mating period. In the late winter, early spring, the Whitetail bucks start shedding. Is spring time the typical time there for most animals, as well?

That must have been amazing to have witnessed those ruts in person. It's always wonderful watching nature in action. If I understood your question correctly, spring time (and early summer) is the typical birthing time for most animals this side as well. 


. Reply