05th August – Kuhanya Keeps her Kill

 Photo of the Day

Machaton cub on a buffalo kill

Morning Drive

(Chad, Godfrey and Herold)

1 x leopard (Kuhanya female killed impala) – De Luca, Drongo Drive

2 x rhinos (two male white rhinos)

1 x breeding herd of elephants – Mbali, Java Mbali

1 x breeding herd of elephants – Vielmetter, Elephant Dam

2 x elephant bulls – Peru, Entrance Rd

2 x elephant bulls – Motswari, Airstrip

Afternoon Drive

(Chad, Grant, Godfrey and Herold)

11 x lions (Machaton Pride – 3 lionesses and 8 cubs with buffalo kill) – Tanda Tula, Sunset Rd

1 x leopard (Kuhanya female killed impala) – De Luca, Drongo Drive

1 x breeding herd of buffalo – Argyle, Lover’s Leap

1 x breeding herd of buffalo – Vielmetter, Vielmetter, Java Cutline

6 x buffalo bulls – Motswari, Southern Access

Daily Synopsis

Having missed out on the kill last night, and having new guests joining me for morning drive, I headed straight over to see what had happened with Kuhanya leopardess during the night, and was rather relieved to pull into the area where she had been left yesterday and find her sitting out in the open. 

Kuhanya still at her kill

A bit of searching revealed her kill lying in a clump of grass, so we were all happy that she had managed to keep it safe during the night.

Kuhanya was partially active, and moved about a bit, waking once to move the kill into some longer grass before coming to lie right near my vehicle.

After a good sighting of her, we left her in peace and headed west to where Herold had relocated some rhinos after another guide simply left them unattended in his rush to get to some lions that weren’t going anywhere.

After some impalas, waterbuck, steenbuck and kudus, we arrived to see the two male rhinos as they milled about in the mopane woodlands of the west before eventually both lying down to sleep, and we left them like that.

White Rhinos

 Heading back towards the lodge after a cup of coffee, we found two lone elephant bulls as well as more impalas and waterbuck.

Elephant bulls

The afternoon saw me need lions, and knowing that the Machaton Pride were on a buffalo kill way south, I made the long trip down there.

Heading pretty much straight south, there was not a lot about, but arriving down at Vielmetter, we responded to a large breeding herd of buffalo that were moving north, and away from Vielmetter trough, and spent some nice time watching the herd move across a reasonably open area. 

Breeding herd of buffalo

 We also got to see our special “spotted” buffalo in the herd.

Spotted buffalo amongst the herd

We then received an invitation to Tanda Tula to go and see the lions, and went the long way around to get to then, coming across a herd of giraffe, a herd of kudus, and some impalas in wonderful light on the way to the lions.

Kudu ad impalas

We joined the lion sighting in the last few minutes of light, and arrived to a glorious scene of five lions sprawled out, fat-bellied, in the open while six of the cubs fed on the carcass nearby.

Machaton Pride at theri buffalo kill

There was still a bit of meat left, and we enjoyed watching as the cubs climbed and clambered over the carcass to get to the choicest parts.

There was a bit of fighting between them, but overall it was a peaceful affair and we sadly left them to make space for Herold and his guests before it got too dark.

After drinks, and a forced pit spot to change a flat tyre, we made the long trip back to the lodge, although sadly we didn’t see a great deal along the way.

Grant and the Godfrey had a nice chilled afternoon in the north adn got to see Kuhanya as well as a large breeding herd of buffalo near Lover’s Leap.