The Week in Pictures #638 – Londolozi Blog

This week in pictures embarks on a journey through the ever-changing landscapes of summer. As we slowly begin to witness how the relentless heat of the season has begun to sculpt the wilderness anew, we celebrate the diversity of colour during the summer. A combination of bountiful greens nurtured by the summer rains and the golden hues of the sun-drenched grasslands.

Having been treated to some spectacular sightings, join me as I provide a closer look into my first contribution to The Week in Pictures.

Elephant sightings have continued to take centre stage with countless sightings of impressive elephant bulls and many playful moments of calves amongst breathtaking breeding herds. In addition, bird life never ceases to deliver during the peak of the summer months, making it a photographer’s playground for artisic compositions. A female cheetah takes us by surprise and pops up in an area where we would not expect to find her; nonetheless, she takes advantage of great hunting conditions to secure herself a prized meal. It would not be possible to celebrate the diversity of the colours of summer without capturing the encapsulating giraffes that roam this timeless landscape.

Several different leopards feature with frequent sightings of our two favourite nomadic males (the Ntomi Male and the Kangela Male) stealing the show! Thanks to Tracker Geshom, we were lucky enough to witness both of them in the same sighting! The curious Kangela male provided a tense and exhilarating spectacle by carefully calculating an approach on the Imbali pack of Wild Dogs that were finishing off their morning meal. Let’s not forget about the stunning leopardesses. The Xinhova Female continues to provide spectacular viewing as she has started settling in her new territory close to camp, and the Three Rivers Female patrols the northern reaches of territory along the magical banks of the Maxabene riverbed.

On the lion front, sightings of the Ntsevu pride and the Ndzengha Males continue to be a major talking point around the Boma fires with incredible sightings and potentially my favourite one of them yet. It is not every day we get to witness lions climbing trees however, when they do, it makes for the most incredible photographic opportunities. With the Ntsevu Males and their sister spending more and more time in the northern reaches of Londolozi, we were treated to one of the males and the female marching their way through a small pool of water in the Manyeleti River bed on the way to rejoin the rest of their siblings.

Let us know your favourites in the comments section below.

Enjoy This Week in Pictures…

Secondly, The Kangela Male strides towards a scene of the Imbali Pack of Wild Dogs having reclaimed their prized meal after it had been stolen from a clan of Hyenas.

Thirdly, The Imbali pack of Wild Dogs waste no time in devouring their prized meal.

Taken completely by surprise, this Female Cheetah appeared in the least expected of places on the reserve – just next to the Maxabene river bed! This sighting epitomizes the saying ‘You never know what you might find around the next corner’. With plenty of Impala lambs roaming around predator activity has been at an all-time high.

An inquisitive Bearded Scrub Robin explores the vegetation just outside my room in the Londolozi Village.

A tender moment shared between two elephant calves.

Two young elephant bulls are seen sparring in the open grasslands of Londolozi. A true spectacle!

A playful cub from the Ntsevu Pride clings onto the low-hanging branches of a fallen marula tree.

Tracker Geshom pulls off an unbelievable spot of the Ntomi Male resting in the bows of a Schotia tree. Upon closer inspection, we could see there was not one but two leopards in the same tree! Here the Ntomi scans his surroundings as he prepares to descend the tree after realizing he has lost his meal to the Kangela Male.

A single cub of the Ximungwe Female’s second litter. Initially rather skittish but is very relaxed now. Birth mark in his left eye.

U

Spotted this leopard?

You’ve seen this leopard

39 sightings by Members

The Kangela Male guards the remains of a hoisted impala lamb and snarls down at the Ntomi Male, who lay resting on the ground below.

An Elephant Bull feeds beneath a fruit bearing marula tree – a staple for their diet this time of the year.

After finally pulling himself up the tree, a warm embrace was shared between one of the youngest cubs within the Ntsevu Pride and his older sibling.

The Xinkhova Female poses atop a termite mound as she patrols through the clearings of her newly acquired territory.

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

U

Spotted this leopard?

You’ve seen this leopard

23 sightings by Members

With an incredibly full belly, the Ntomi Male rests along the branches of a marula tree in the golden afternoon light. It is amazing to see how well he is doing and how large he is growing with each sighting of him.

One of the Ntsevu Males and his sister make their way through the Northern reaches of Londolozi to go and rejoin the rest of the males laying down in the clearing ahead of them.

The Three Rivers Female strolls along the bank of the Maxabene river bed as she patrols the Northern reaches of her territory.

Forced into early independence as her mother was killed by the Southern Avoca Males.

U

Spotted this leopard?

You’ve seen this leopard

27 sightings by Members