The Week In Pictures #630 – Londolozi Blog

While putting this week in pictures together, I couldn’t help but reflect on the amazing photographic opportunities we are lucky enough to have at Londolozi. The first week of 2024 was no exception.

On the Leopard front, the impressive Maxim’s Male featured, as did the Three Rivers Young Male (whom he most likely sired). How much longer he will allow his son to roam his territory is anyone’s guess, but it shouldn’t be long until the young, impressive male leopard flees from the southeastern part of Londolozi. Another young male leopard that has recently graced our cameras’ viewfinders is the Kangela Male, who had a hoisted impala kill stashed up a marula tree in an open clearing – a photographer’s dream. Over-exposing in overcast conditions (which we experience quite frequently during the summer) allowed for an effective high-key edit of the Plaque Rock Female lying in a bare marula tree. Lastly, we spent time with the Xinkhova Female rainy conditions.

Moving onto lions… it’s the males that featured most this week. The Ntsevu Sub-adult Males were in pursuit of buffalos in the southwestern open plains whilst the Ndzenga Males were seen patrolling their territory further East. Vultures a plenty littered in dead trees in the deep south lead us to finding the Black Dam Males, who seemingly have returned to Londolozi after an extended period of time in the Northern Sabi Sand; they had successfully killed a buffalo cow.

To wrap up on the predator front, both a young male cheetah as well as wild dogs feature this week. The cheetah had successfully killed an impala lamb, only to have his hard-earned meal stolen away by a cunning hyaena. He subsequently fled the scene and walked off towards the setting sun. A pack of four wild dogs attempted to cross the Sand River, only to turn back around after deciding the water level was too high after the heavy rains we have had.

Wrapping things up nicely, the ever-present elephants were abundant on the reserve and visibly excited after the rain had filled up water holes and given the vegetation a fresh burst of moisture and nutrients.

Without further ado, I present the first week in pictures of 2024. Enjoy!

If looks could kill… The Maxim’s Male pauses temporarily from his territorial march and glances towards our vehicle

Fairly skittish male that is presumed to have come from the Kruger National Park.

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The Kangela Male leopard ascends a marula tree in the late afternoon to get to an impala kill that he had stashed in the branches

One of two cubs to survive, the sister lost at five months. Still dependent on his mother, but is growing into an impressive young male.

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Three Rivers 2:3 Young Male

A monochrome high-key edit of the Plaque Rock Female glancing towards us from the branch of a marula tree

A pretty young playful female found along the river to the east of camp

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Two young elephant bulls have a sparring contest in a shallow channel of the Sand River

A wild dog leaps out of the Sand River to rejoin the rest of his pack

A pack of four wild dogs tears apart an impala lamb that they had successfully caught in the clearings nearby

One of the Ndzhenga Male lions marches down the road on a territorial patrol

The look of defeat… Moments after this young male cheetah successfully killed a young impala, a hyena was on the scene and stole the cheetah’s hard-earned meal.

After conceding to the hyena, the same male cheetah strutted off towards the setting sun

A moody scene indeed, with mostly white-backed vultures perched in a dead knobthorn tree hoping to get some scraps of the buffalo carcass after the Black Dam Males leave their meal

A moody scene indeed, with mostly white-backed vultures perched in a dead knobthorn tree hoping to get some scraps of the buffalo carcass after the Black Dam males leave their meal

After quenching his thirst, he hastily returned to his brother with the setting sun to the west

A small breeding herd of elephants, almost in order of age and height, take a moment to drink from a recently filled water hole late in the morning.

The Xhinkova Female glances down towards an open clearing from atop a termite mound. If you look closely enough you can notice the drops of water that have gathered on her whiskers from the light rain

A stunning young female with a very similar spot pattern to her mother, the Nkoveni Female. Litter still completely intact March 2022.

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One of the four Ntsevu sub-adult male lions holds a regal pose from atop a termite mound after an unsuccessful attempt to hunt buffaloes.