Lions of Timbavati

[Peteporker]

27 July 2018

http://www.tandatula.com/blog/posts/a-we...n-pictures
A week of ample game viewing in pictures

Chad Cocking

Another week has come and gone in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, and it has been another fantastic few days of game viewing at Tanda Tula Safari Camp. Despite a week of rather chilly, windy and not overly-pleasant weather, the glorious Lowveld winter days have returned, and the big blue African skies are once more keeping us company.

Following the blog post about “Lion dynamics of Tanda Tula”, things remained interesting in this part of the Greater Kruger Park. For the majority of the period since my last report, the two Mbiri males have been absent from the Zebenine Pride’s territory. Their focus remains firmly on the Mayambula Pride with their distant roars only occasionally reaching our camp. The lack of their presence has once more allowed the River Pride to push deeper into the Zebenine Pride’s territory, and we yet again found the nine River Pride members close to the Zebenine lionesses den site. Fortunately though, after stealing an impala kill from a pack of African wild dogs, the River Pride moved off to the east and away from the den site.

The Zebenine lionesses are doing well, but remaining very much out of sight with the cubs. The cold weather no doubt making the dense riverine vegetation a great deal more appealing than sitting out in the open riverbed! When we have seen them, the two lionesses have been looking in great condition and are clearly feeding well. A couple of days back, they were found feeding on a large zebra that they had managed to catch. Sadly however, the hyenas succeeded in chasing them off the kill during the night and finished off whatever was left. This is another situation that could have been avoided if the Mbiri males had been around. Their visit the previous day didn’t bring them into contact with the lionesses before they headed back to the south-east. Good news is that they too are looking in good shape. All their wounds seem to have healed nicely, and simply add to their already impressive scar count. 

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

Reply