WEEK IN PICTURES #54
It was an absolute incredible week to be out on the Balule Game Reserve with such great game viewing and the most breathtaking thunderstorms.
Although to get those big thunderstorms it needs to be very hot and that’s exactly what we had, a few extremely hot days. So the elephants only know of one way to deal with these extreme temperatures and that’s to play in any water source. Sitting at a waterhole one afternoon we watched as a herd of elephant, one by one, came running out the thickets with such great excitement that they have finally reached the water and was able to enjoy it to the fullest.
The Kudyela pride with their cubs have been focusing in the south western corner of the reserve for the first part of the week but to the end the lionesses left the cubs behind and moved further east looking for a meal. The three Machaton male later joined the female in the hunt for any pray animals but thus far we have seen no success.
A herd of buffalo, around a hundred strong, came in from the east and spent some time grazing on the green grass the rain have brought us. The lions seemed to have been trailing this herd for a while but clearly had no success taking one down. The herd has since moved back again.
A unknown male leopard was found one afternoon relaxing next to the road. He later got up and moved through a few thickets before finding a herd of impala out in the open. We watched from a distance as he tried to stalk the herd but unfortunately got spotted by a lone male impala that alerted the herd.
Faka Nchovela was seen too during the week but mostly kept herself moving in the thick brush.
Thuli was seen sitting on top of a termite mount not even 20 meters away from the herd of buffalo watching them as they walked by. She the spotted a warthog family in the distance and actually managed to kill two piglets.
