WEEK IN PICTURES #56
We raved about how 2019 kicked-off for us on the previous week in pictures post, well this week was no different.
I’ll start with the highlight of the week, one of the Kudyela lionesses carrying her 3-4 day old cub! She was briefly spotted by our fellow rangers moving a cub out of a drainage line. We had an idea of where she was moving her cubs to but decided to go and wait from where our fellow rangers could still hear cubs calling. On our way there Eric spotted the female in very thick brush and we could hear cubs calling in there with her but could not see exactly how many. We knew that she would eventually go and fetch the other cubs, so we waited.
Thuli probably gave us some of the best photographic opportunities this week. She was seen several times and we enjoyed sightings of both Nkanyi and Chavaluthu but they were constantly on the move. Thuli was first seen one morning, thanks to Eric’s eagle eyes, where she made use of a termite mount to scout the area. Later we followed her through some thick brush only to find her lying in a perfect spot.
The rest of the Kudyela lionesses were clearly on the hunt this week and by looking at there bellies, they were successful. We did spend some quality time with the pride one afternoon and it was an absolute joy watching all the cubs stalking and pouncing on each other. The Machaton males never went to far from the pride and could always be heard roaring in the background.
We also had sightings of both black and white rhinos.
A buffalo herd had enough of the heat one morning and so cooled themselves down in on the dams.
We were just in time to catch a herd of elephant making their way to a water hole where they very quickly quenched their thirst.
