17th December – White Lions Return!

Photo of the Day

Another tough day at the office

Morning Drive

1 x leopard (Thumbela female) – Vielmetter, Grasslands Rd

4 x lion (Jacaranda Pride – 1 lioness, 2 young males, 1 young female) – Argyle, Horizon Rd

2 x buffalo bulls – Argyle, Vyeboom Dam

1 x breeding herd of elephant – Vielmetter, Back 9s East

1 x breeding herd of elephant – Argyle, Horizon Rd

Afternoon Drive

5 x lion (Xakubasa Pride – 2 lionesses, 2 white females, 1 young male) – Jaydee, Jaydee Access

4 x lion (Jacaranda Pride – 1 lioness, 2 young males, 1 young female) – Argyle, Horizon Rd

1 x breeding herd of elephant – Vielmetter, Pump Crossing

4 x buffalo bulls – Argyle, Mfene Crossing

2 x buffalo bulls – Argyle, Vyeboom Dam

2 x buffalo bulls – Jaydee, Khona Bobesi Rd

Daily Synopsis

Coffee at Hide Dam with Grant

Friday was another good day for game viewing, particularly from a lion point of view.  While Grant checked the east for any sign of rhino – and came up empty-handed – Elliot and Marka spent the morning up north tracking the 4 Jacaranda lions, eventually finding them not far from our northern boundary a kilometre or two west of the lodge.  As it was late in the morning, they spent it sleeping; in fact, it was a rather warm morning and the animals seemed to be resting for most of it.  A small breeding herd of elephants gathered under the shade of a marula tree and some were already sleeping quite early in the morning!

a fly covered steenbok - we suspect it wasnt 100 percent healthy

Rockfig Jnr and Thumbela female leopards had been found together early in the morning, but soon parted ways before both uncooperatively going to sleep in very poor positions.  Rockfig Jnr eventually moved off and was lost, whilst Thumbela fell asleep under a milkberry bush, and left the guests with an exceptionally poor visual of the leopard.

Mating Leopard.....toistoises

In the afternoon, both of these leopards were relocated, but none of the Motswari guides went to see them.  Instead they spent their time bided between the Jacaranda lions in the north (who woke early and slowly moved off, managing to escape Chad’s attention when he went to look for them with some guests that arrived late) as well as the welcome return of the Xakubasa Pride of lions with their two white ‘cubs’.  This pride has been AWOL for over a week and it was great to have them return from Klaserie.  Grant and Elliot went south to see them, but they were rather inactive, and slept the whole afternoon.  It didn’t appear that they had had any good meals in the last week as they were looking a bit on the skinny side.

Sunset at Vyeboom Dam

Elsewhere there were a few groups of buffalo bulls about, as well a breeding herd of elephants in the south that Elliot went to see.

We hope that this good run of lions continues!