26th, 27th and 28th October – A Slight Struggle!

Photo of the Day

This time last year....the Three Sohebele Brothers!

26^th October Morning Drive

(Grant, Shaddy, Herold and Marka)

1 x leopard (Xindzuti male) – Argyle Hennie’s Rd

1 x breeding herd of elephants – Mbali, Moeniejag

2 x elephant bulls – Vielmetter, Western Sharalumi

1 x breeding herd of buffalo – Scholtz, Shooting Range Rd

26^th October Afternoon Drive

(Grant, Shaddy, Herold and Johannes)

2 x rhino

1 x breeding herd of elephants – Vielmetter, Hide Dam

1 x breeding herd of elephants – Peru, Sohebele Plains

2 x elephant bulls – Karans, Twin Peaks

1 x breeding herd of buffalo – Scholtz, River Rd

27^th October Morning Drive

(Grant, Shaddy, Herold and Johannes)

1 x rhino

1 x breeding herd of buffalo – Borneo, Airstrip

1 x breeding herd of elephants – Mbali, Terminalia Rd

1 x elephant bull – Vielmetter, Steep Sharalumi

27^th October Afternoon Drive

(Peter, Marka, Shaddy, Herold and Johannes)

1 x leopard (Shongile female) – De Luca, Western Cutline

1 x leopard (unknown semi-relaxed male) – Motswari, Ingwelala Crossing

1 x rhino

1 x breeding herd of elephants – Java, Buffalo Kill Rd

1 x breeding herd of elephants – Peru, Xikari Rd

1 x breeding herd of buffalo – Argyle, Hyena Pan

4 x buffalo bulls – Motswari, Ingwelala Crossing

28^th October Morning Drive

(Peter, Marka, Shaddy, Herold and Johannes)

1 x breeding herd of buffalo – Java, Western Cutline

1 x breeding herd of elephants – Vielmetter, Western Sharalumi

1 x breeding herd of elephants – Java, Vielmetter-Java Cutline

1 x breeding herd of elephants – Mbali, Western Cutline

1 x elephant bull – Motswari, Southern Access

28^th October Afternoon Drive

(Peter, Marka, Herold and Johannes)

2 x lions (Jacaranda lionesses) – Argyle, Argyle Rd

Daily Synopsis

Sorry for the lack of updates the last few days, but not having been on drive, there has not been much to post about!  I do return to action on Monday for the next two weeks, so I shall be back to regular blogging from tomorrow!

The guys sound to have had a bit of a struggle out there the last few days, and while the elephants and buffalo herds have been present, the things with claws and big teeth have been less so!  A few leopards have popped up, but nothing like usual...the one afternoon when they were greatly needed, both Peter and Herold found leopards within a few minutes of leaving the lodge – Peter got himself a semi-relaxed young male while watching a group of buffalo bulls, and Herold located on Shongile female...the interesting news is, he said that she appeared to be suckling!  If her mating with Machaton male was successful in July, her cubs will be less than two weeks old!  As a first time mother, it will be very interesting to see if she is able to do as good a job as her own mother did...will keep you posted as soon as we hear more news; although it is likely that she is actually denning on Ingwelala, our adjacent property.

Lion-viewing has been, well, terrible!  Eventually after a flood of lions at the beginning of the week (with four prides around on Tuesday afternoon alone!), a three day drought was broken when Shaddy was leaving the camp (on an afternoon off) and found the two young Jacaranda lionesses sleeping in the middle of the tarred access road to the lodge!  He phoned reception and they let the guides know, and luckily the lions didn’t move and everyone got to see them, unfortunately, being an access road, there were a couple more vehicles from the neighbours that also rocked up, but it was a treat to see some lions again.

Will have to see if my luck is good or bad as I return to drive tomorrow, but I do hope that some of my favourite animals decide to show themselves, but with the forecasted rain, I am sure that it is not going to be an easy couple of days....guess we shall have to wait and see!