1st March Magic!

Cheetah cub looking back for mom!

Morning Drive

(Shadrack & Andrea)

Elephant (Breeding Herd) / Peru – Hippo Rocky Road

Elephant (Breeding Herd) / Peru – Mongova Road

Elephant (Breeding Herd) / Karans – Western Cutline

Leopard (Rockfig Jnr’s boy) / Tanda TUla – Van Vyk’s Crossing

Lion (X2 Ximpoko, x1 female) / Kings – Cheetah Plains

Wild Dog / Tanda Tula – Sunset Plains

Cheetah (x1 female and cub) / Tanda Tula – Sunset Plains

Afternoon Drive

(Andrea)

Lion (x 2 Ximpoko males) / Tanda Tula – Traffic Circle

Elephant (Breeding Herd) / Karans – Southern Access

What a crazy morning - the bush was at its absolute best! My guests were dying to see hyena so I shot straight to the hyena den in hopes of getting a glimpse. We were in luck as two youngsters and one adult were around. True to form, the two sub-adults were being their usual character filled selves. The one started to chew my tyre and despite my attempts to shoo him away he eventually ate off a plastic hubcap cover! I can’t say I was too impressed with him, but they really are the cutest things to watch.

I was already down south when the Kings guys invited us to take a look at the lion and then Tanda Tula guides found wild dog on their property. The dogs were on the move and we took a fair amount of time relocating them. Although the viewing was short as they were heading out of our traversing area, the dogs a re always amazing to see. Shadrack got lucky as he watched the dogs chase a leopard up a tree!!!! Just then, two cheetah were found and it was with sheer excitement that we went to spend some time with the cheetah! It always rare to see cheetah in the Timbavati so any glimpse is exceptional! They were a little skittish and we didn’t want to push them too much. The lion were quite close by as well so we quickly popped past the three full-bellied, sleeping lion before making our way back up north to camp!

New guests arrived in the afternoon and were very keen for lion. Knowing the general area from this morning, we decided to head down to the southern region of the reserve (again!!!). En route we found a herd of elephant who gave us the most spectacular display. At one point, the one elephant sat on a termite mound. The youngsters were full of energy playing with each other and mock charging the car. It was a beautiful herd! We spent a fair amount of time with the ellie herd, and so had a rather late drinks stop. We had a fair way to drive to see the lion and get back home, so we had a quick drink and pushed further south.

 

When we got there, the one male was properly flat cat asleep to the point my one guest asked whether he was dead! Knowing lion patterns, it was with a little patience that we waited to see the male get up and begin grooming. He eventually joined the other male and interacted a little before settling down again. I left it to the absolute last minute before pulling out of the sighting and starting the long journey home. At least we got to see some lion activity as well as a genet and African Wild cat on the way home!

See you all tomorrow!

Andrea