Here we are again. Another week down and another week of action packed sightings across the reserve. The days are noticeably getting longer now as we gradually move away from mid-winter. However, the sharp chill in the air still lingers late into the mornings, reminding us that we are still in the cold, dry season. With that, the low angled sunlight blankets the land and its creatures in a that beautiful golden glow at dawn and dusk, allowing us to capitalise on some fantastic photographic opportunities. After unprecedented rainfall earlier in the year, the vegetation is only now starting to fade to that greyish brown we usually associate with winter. This means the land is in great condition for this time of year and well prepared for the looming rumours of a potential drought in coming seasons due to the brewing El Nino.
On a more personal level, I have recently got myself a new lens; one with a lot more reach than I am used to and have really enjoyed getting closer to the subjects and creating tighter frames than what I’ve done in the past. Thankfully, I have been spoilt with opportunities to test the lens with plenty of diversity, great light and amazing scenery over the last while.
While a few question marks are starting to rise around the well-being of the white zebra, I managed to get two great views of this rare creature a couple of weeks ago which I’ve included in this weeks gallery. Leopards have proved to be challenging to find over the last while (at least by our skewed standards!) but a great track and find of the Ximungwe Female and sightings of the Shingi Male and Nkoveni Female – all three being draped in the branches of a tree – certainly didn’t disappoint. With the Nkoveni, Ngungwe and likely the Xinzele Female having recently given birth, our leopard cub viewing has the potential to get really good quite soon. What difficulties the leopards gave us, the lions definitely weren’t lacking. A long awaited view of the Ndzenga Males was a highlight for me while the Gijima Males were also present nearly everyday.
Let us know your favourites in the comments section below.
Enjoy This Week In Pictures…
A young elephant calf navigates its way through the herd while keeping an eye on us at a distance. Elephants at this age are innately curious but seldom wonder too far from their mother.
A Wood Sandpiper wades its way through a shallow pan, searching for insects and small molluscs to feed on. The overcast conditions and flat water created a great opportunity for more of a high key image.
Tracker, Life Sibuyi pulled off an incredible find late one afternoon after spotting the Ximungwe Female’s kill hoisted in a Tamboti tree. We returned at sunrise the following morning with the hopes of getting a view of her 7 month old cub. While sitting and waiting for the cub to emerge, the rising sun found the perfect gap through the branches, onto the leopards face. Unfortunately we never got a view of the youngster who is still rather unrelaxed around the land rovers.
Having been viewed by vehicles from an early age, this leopard is supremely relaxed around Land Rovers.
U
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The White Zebra foal was growing rapidly and still defying the odds of survival – at least we hope. Sightings of this individual have been quiet over the last little while. Following on from Sean’s Blog yesterday, if anyone has any news on her, please let us know.
The Shingi Male rests in the branches of a Boerbean tree while Megan Wade and her guests view him from beneath.
The last surviving cub of a litter of three, he is on the cusp of independence.
U
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A welcomed sighting of the two Ndzenga Males one morning was an unexpected surprise for us. Since the arrival of the Gijima Males in the south, the Ndzenga coalition have shifted their territory north, largely beyond Londolozi’s traversing area. This was my first time seeing them in months, right up on our northern boundary, and they are looking stronger than ever.
A banded mongoose pauses for second before following the rest of its group into the riverbed thickets.
The Nkoveni Female keeps a beady eye on a pair of hyenas that were lurking below the bushwillow in which she had her impala carcass stashed away. This carcass was hoisted low to the ground, in a small tree which likely indicated that she was forced up there by the hyenas at short notice.
Londolozi’s most viewed leopard and prolific mother. This gorgeous female has raised multiple cubs to independence.
U
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A Verreaux’s Eagle Owl, the largest owl in the region, gazes down at us between mouthfuls of the spurfowl it had recently caught. These owls are ferocious predators, often hunting other bird species.
A large hippo on full display is always an impressive sight! Despite the intimidating tusks, these large mammals feed predominantly on grass. The flat molars at the back of the mouth complement this diet while the tusks are largely for protection and intra-specific competition.
The same elephant bull from the backlit photo above. We spent nearly an hour following him over the open crests of the north. His impressive size along with the soft, warm winter light made for some great photographic opportunities.
A close up look at the lower canines of the dark maned Gijima male. These teeth can reach around 3 inches long (excluding the part in the gum) and are backed up with a bite force of around 800 psi! A real weapon of the natural world.
Two young hippos engage in a playful tussle. As with most young animals, wrestling around like this allows them to build coordination, strength and skills needed for later in life.
A tender nudge of affection from the mother of the white zebra to her foal.
As mentioned in last weeks TWIP, a female cheetah has kept us quite entertained recently. We managed to find her shortly after she’d caught a young impala.
An egret keeps a watch over one of the waterholes, perfectly framed by the twisting branches of a dead leadwood tree.
Two giraffes carefully cross the Sand River. This is no easy task for them, as the rocks in this section can be incredibly slippery under the shallow water, and a fall would likely prove to be fatal for them. Fortunately, they crossed safely, creating a beautiful vista for us to enjoy from upstream.
Chris Taylor
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