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The weekly TWIPs present a journal celebrating the diversity of life and beauty surrounding us here in the heart of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. As we reflect on the past week with crisp misty mornings and warm winter days, we’ve all been fortunate with an assortment of wildlife and activity across the reserve; from predators and prey to an abundance of large herds of elephants and buffalos, to birds and everything in between.
The Lions have been plentiful of late as we have been lucky to view various prides and coalitions around the reserve. To mention a few, The Skorro Young Male and a Talamati Female have been mating and the Ndzhenga Males and Nstevu Pride with their 12 cute cubs, were seen feeding on a wildebeest carcass.
On the leopard front, we spotted two female leopards that are not seen very often. We had an awesome sighting of the Nkuwa Female hunting impala in the western section of the reserve as well as the Ngungwe Female north of the Sand River. She managed to kill and hoist an impala ram up a jackelberry tree.
A memorable sighting of the young male Cheetah one afternoon left us marvelling at him as he scent-marked and climbed onto a fallen marula tree in the savannah grasslands.
Let’s not forget a fantastic misty morning following a large elephant bull and an abundance of impala leaping across the rolling hills and clearings, a breeding herd of elephants in the Sand River and a dancing Ostrich!
Let me know your favourite images in the comments section below.
Enjoy This Week in Pictures…
An elephant bull marches across an open clearing as the mist rises above the Sand River and the valley below.
The Bateleur poses on a branch in the spectacular morning light. These majestic birds of prey lack a distinctive tail feather which helps them swiftly fly low to the ground in search of any carcasses or prey.
In an attempt to find the Black Dam Males after they disappeared into the Sand River, we waited patiently on the other side of the river bank and were greeted by the beautiful sight of two young elephant calves play fighting in the water.
A striking image of the Ashy Flycatcher, which is a secretive bird often heard around the camp.
The regal and impressive Ndhzenga Male.
We experienced a special moment with an old male giraffe that quietly walked towards us and then paused for a moment allowing us to focus on the details of his big marble eyes and textured fur.
The Skorro Male, seen recently at Londolozi, was mating with one of the Talamati Females this week. This could potentially mean that the Talamati Pride may look to settle on the reserve and hopefully we can have some new lion cubs soon!
A male Ostrich in full breeding plumage performs a mating ritual dance for a female standing nearby. The dance is known as ‘kantling‘ and is performed by the male by resting down on his knees and then folding his head back over his body and moving it from side to side. This was a really unique sighting!
The Skorro Male lion looks good in B&W. This male roams around by himself and comes from the territory North of Londolozi.
One of the Ndzenga Males glances over towards the rest of the pride who had just finished feeding on a wildebeest.
The beautiful scene of the Ngungwe Female lazing on a branch in the early morning. She had successfully hoisted a kill in the tree above her and could relax high above the hyenas skulking below.
Young inquisitive beautiful female, bordering on independence as of November 2021
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The stunning Nkuwa Female glanced back at us as she snuck towards a herd of impalas. You will notice she has a small milk pouch at the base of her stomach indicating that she is still nursing a cub at a den somewhere nearby.
One of two sisters born to the Nhlanguleni Female, both of whom made it to independence, the first intact litter to do so in 7 years.
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The Ntsevu Cubs are starting to explore the reserve and growing in confidence with each passing day.
With the Sand River still flowing steadily, it is a fantastic place for the animals to come down and quench their thirst.
A Ntsevu Lioness born in 2019 from the Birmingham Coalition is still seen with her four male litter mates in the southwestern parts of the reserve. This group of lions are doing well and becoming very good buffalo hunters.
Two stunning Talamati Lionesses are looking rather intimidating as they walked along the road passed our vehicle in search of any prey. We have found two members of this pride recently mating with the Skorro Male and a Ndzhenga Male on different occasions.
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Nick Tennick
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