Lions of Timbavati

[Herekitty]

A WEEK OF LIONS - TANDA TULA SAFARI CAMP - Words and images by Chad Cocking, 28 September 2018.

For the first time in a long while we have had a week that was not dominated by the elephants in the Timbavati Game Reserve. Instead, the Tanda Tula guests have been absolutely spoilt with some fantastic lion sightings over the past week, as can be seen by their prevalence in the images posted here!

*This image is copyright of its original author

This week saw no fewer than four different prides spending time within our concession. The sighting of the week belonged to the River Pride that succeeded in bringing down one of the resident buffalo bulls a mere 400m from Tanda Tula Safari Lodge! I woke up to find the lions chasing the buffalos past my house, and shortly after dropping the coffee trays off at the guests’ luxury tents, we heard the unmistakable distress call of a buffalo being attacked by lions. My tracker Glen and I shot out and found all nine members of the River Pride bringing down the large buffalo.

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What unfolded over the next 24 hours or so was something special, and not wanting to take away from Luke’s upcoming blog about this incredible sighting, I will leave it at the fact that not only did the two Zebenine lionesses rock up at the scene with their two cubs, but two neighbouring clans of hyenas were also drawn to the kill! With two prides of lions and around forty hyenas all fighting one another, you can only begin to imagine the sounds that filled the night skies that evening!

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Both prior and subsequent to the buffalo kill, the River Pride had been very much in evidence, and this had led the Zebenine girls to move out of the area with the cubs. Since then, the Zebenine pride seem to have settled down in their old territory once more, and we have had some precious sightings of the two cubs along with their mother. Despite all the walking that they are doing, these cubs are looking in great shape still and are very comfortable with the vehicles.

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

The Mbiri males temporarily took time away from mating with the four Mayambula females to also respond to the buffalo kill, but their interest in chasing the River Pride away was short lived and two hours later they were back mating with the lionesses who were drawing them back to the east. It appears as if three of the lionesses may already be pregnant, so we could soon have a real substantial pride emerging in the east!

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The last pride to show face was that of the two Ross lionesses that seem to have caught the undivided attention of the Black Dam male lion – a glorious boy who has moved into the area from the adjacent Thornybush Game Reserve. They spent several days mating out in the west before making their way further and further east. Needless to say, with us being spoilt for choice some days, we all got to enjoy some excellent lion viewing. Credit: images of Black Dam male by Luke Street, Tanda Tula Week of Wildlife in photos, September 21 , 2018

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

I wait with baited breath to see how our local males, The Mbiris, react to this imposter!

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- this last photo is the Black Dam male mating with the Rothsay female. Reply