Ben's News: A beautiful sunrise greeted us again this morning with the different waking animals dotted around the Plains. A pod of around 45 hippos had crowded into a very small pond - it was not large enough to be named anything other than a pond - and we sat an watched them for almost an hour as they jostled one another for space, moved around a little irritably, yawned, shoved each other, and generally kept themselves and their companions on the go all the time. We were diverted now and then as different birds flew over, capturing images against the beautiful sky. While watching the birds and the hippos we heard lions calling from an area we have not encountered lions before. We headed in that direction and met up...
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Blog posts tagged in Lechwe
Ben's News: A beautiful sunrise greeted us again this morning with the different waking animals dotted around the Plains. A pod of around 45 hippos had crowded into a very small pond - it was not large enough to be named anything other than a pond - and we sat an watched them for almost an hour as they jostled one another for space, moved around a little irritably, yawned, shoved each other, and generally kept themselves and their companions on the go all the time. We were diverted now and then as different birds flew over, capturing images against the beautiful sky. While watching the birds and the hippos we heard lions calling from an area we have not encountered lions before. We headed in that direction and met up...
From Wim: An extra early start meant that we were in Silver - Eye's territory before sunrise, searching for buffalo and lions.There was a breathtakingly beautiful mist over the plains, with glistening water channels peeping through here and there. Elephants, lechwe, warthogs and other game appeared and then disappeared into the mist with the golden rays of the sun shining behind them and creating a glorious scene which we watched and photographed in awe. We found the lions from yesterday right on the boundary of Silver - Eye's territory. They were hastening to catch up with the buffalo, stopping now and again for some playful interactions. We were saddened to see that the mauled lioness was not with her pride - and we assume that she has not made it....
Brendon's Bulletin:We dashed straight to where the buffalo were this morning and arrived before sunrise. Silver - Eye and her entire pride were lying in an open area, not yet quite awake, and in a good vantage point to keep an eye on the buffalo. As the lions woke up our cameras were very busy capturing the early morning rituals - grooming and greeting each other. The rising sun allowed beautiful backlighting and our rim shots were most successful.Then the lions moved toward the buffalo. Crossing open, clear water channels, and creating splashes against the sun again gave us some stupendous shots.Finding a convenient spot, the pride ensured that the heavily pregnant lioness, who is unable to hunt at present, was settled before they moved toward the buffalo with renewed vigour and determination.As on the previous days it is clear that the lions are hungry - and now hungrier than ever. ...
Brendon's News:We rushed straight out to meet up with the buffalo, expecting one of the prides of lions to be close by.About half way to the lions we came across the pride of six lions we have seen previously. Four lionesses and a subadult male were cavorting in the early dawn. We watched enthralled as they played, leaping onto each other, nuzzling, rolling and tumbling around. As they enjoyed their morning games, they moved slowly but certainly in the direction of the buffalo. There were numerous water channels to be crossed and the lions seemed to use a variety of approaches for each, sometimes swimming across, sometimes leaping, or finding a shallow spot to wade across. The wading was accompanied by a continuation of their game with much splashing, attacking invisible foes in the water and swatting anything that rippled. The photo opps were quite amazing! Eventually the lions tired of...
Brendon's News ...It was a dark, gloomy, overcast morning when we started out heading toward the Paradise Island area, hoping that the buffalo have crossed back to Duba Plains.On the way we again found the Side-striped Jackal mother and her pup. They were foraging around outside their den and we managed great action photographs the pup was playing and stopping his mother to suckle from time to time, interrupting her search for small rodents.And when we left the jackals we again bumped into the Bat-eared fox family. We were delighted to see them again. The parents and their three pups were also on the move, and as the light started to improve we captured photographs of the family and their actions and interactions without the use of external light sources.When we reached Leopard Point ... a spot very close to Paradise Island we could hear the buffalo across the channel but...
Hilton Reports ...The early predawn found us focused on reaching the edge of Paradise Island to see if the buffalo have returned yet. They are still on the island but on the way there we first encountered the pride of lions with the two cubs - the pride that finished the remains of the buffalo on Thursday. They are still feeling full, well- fed and very relaxed. They were lying around under the bushes and trees and showed no intention of action within the coming hours. They made such a peaceful scene, lolling around and barely twitching.The second pride of lions are very close to the buffalo and getting closer and closer. They are still surrounded by lechwe.We had a very exciting morning with this pride as we photographed them creeping up, stalking the lechwe. We held our breath as they crept closer, closer, closer.Then a bound ... a lion leapt...
Brendon's Bulletin ...As planned we headed straight back to the lions with the kill, arriving there while it was still quite dark. We parked and enjoyed the early morning sounds of the bush waking up, and watched as the lions woke, stretched and examined the very sparse remainders of their kill. The few scraps of sinew and bone provided a source of great interaction with each member of the pride arguing with the others over the tiniest morsels. We remained at the scene for over an hour capturing dramatic and endearing images of the family.When we moved on it did not take long before we found a Side-striped Jackal playing outside her den with her very young pup. We were captivated by the interaction between the two as they played, leaped on each other and paused occasionally for the pup to suckle before sniffing around and playing again. When the sun...
From Ben CrankeAs always, the first rays of morning light found us in the orange - golden mist on the Plains, photographing the beautiful predawn, with lechwe and tsessebe silently and eerily appearing out of and then and disappearing back into the mist.Our intent this morning was to try to find Silver - Eye. Everyone has concentrated so much on the actions of the other pride for a few days, that none of us had time to track her and her pride. However, even the large pride had moved away from their buffalo kill, and although we could hear them, we did not see them this morning. Vultures galore again provided some excellent photo opportunities. Today they were able to attack the buffalo carcass without interruptions.The buffalo herd have moved onto Paradise Island, and the lions are probably staying as close as possible to them.We could hardly believe our luck...
From Wim van den Heever in the Bush: We left before dawn this morning again so that we could be on the Plains to take full advantage of the beautiful morning mist, with the first rays of sun breaking through and creating magnificent photographic opportunities for all. And of course we wanted to be there when at least one of the prides of lion woke up. As you know, Silver - Eye and her pride started to hunt again yesterday after their successful kill on Monday. The other pride has eaten very little - only that buffalo calf two days ago, which is hardly enough for twelve lions! As we arrived on the Plains we found the first pride and here we stopped for some time. The photographic opportunities were just too marvellous to miss. The lions, family interactions, playing, grooming each other with that gorgeous orange mist all around...
Another beautiful dawn at Duba Plains found the ODP safari group out on the Plains, cameras capturing the amazing morning light, with the mist looking as though on fire with Lechwe in the mist, leaping across water making beautiful photographs.The group did not stay too long here, however, knowing that two separate prides of lion are hungry and have not eaten for days.They caught up with Silver-Eye and her pride who were almost on top of the buffalo. The 6 lionesses and the large male followed the buffalo closely. One could almost see them plotting their moves. The tension was palpable. After only about 45 minutes, the lions quickly cornered a cow, and proceeded to take her down - about 10 meters away from the ODP vehicles!The reason for her vulnerability soon became apparent. Little hooves were visible. The cow was in labour. In spite of 6 lions clinging furiously to...