Wildlife Diary

The Week in Pictures # 20

November 11, 2011
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If you’ve ever been on a game drive with Freddy and me, you’ll know that our favourite thing to do is find an individual animal, or a group of animals, and stay with them watching their behaviour for as long as possible. The ability to do this relatively often is one of the very special things about Londolozi. In my opinion, that is what being out here is all about: you can go down a checklist of animals at a zoo just to ‘see’ them, but to actually be a part of a wild animal’s life, watching how it goes about surviving every day in its own environment, is incredibly unique to coming on a safari. This week I’ve highlighted a few leopard sightings where we did just this: stayed with the animals for almost the entire game drive, witnessing behaviours both distinctive of the individual as well as a few patterns. Enjoy this Week in Pictures…

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 12

November 9, 2011
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This week included yet more amazing leopard interactions, including kills, cubs and, as always, Camp Pan Male! Having spent a number of extra long days out in the field, I was lucky enough to witness and photograph quite a number of these. Enjoy this week’s installment!

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Two Incredible Snake Encounters

November 8, 2011
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Londolozi is famous for many things, but not, as far as I am aware, snakes. In fact, many guests specifically request NOT to see snakes, and I have yet to hear a herpetologist speak of the fabled “Snakes of Londolozi”. Yes, there are plenty of them here, but despite their undeserved reputation, they tend to stick to themselves and are seldom seen. But after two sightings in two days recently, that may all be about to change…

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Leopards, Lions, Hyenas and Tree Climbing

November 7, 2011
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What goes up must come down… The one thing I love about Leopards is that they can climb trees: and they make it look so easy. I have always loved to climb but I have certainly never managed the grace and agility of these spotted cats. When I’m up in a tree I feel free [...]

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The Week in Pictures # 19

November 4, 2011
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This week, the rains really came. We had several days where there was little break in precipitation, resulting in thickening green growth, vibrant colours, a rising river and many animals refreshed by both the water and nutritious vegetation. Most evenings carried the soft lulls of thunder the whole night through, with lions roaring intermittently and the frogs competing for their calls to be heard. As David Dampier mentioned in his post this week, rain brings a challenge to photography… but we luckily had some breaks where we were able to capture a few shots. Enjoy this Week in Pictures…

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 11

November 2, 2011
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As mentioned last week, the rains have well and truly arrived and the bush is quickly transforming itself. This can make tracking a little more difficult at times, and keeping your camera equipment dry while trying to get some good shots can also be a challenge! However there was still plenty to see in the [...]

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Wild Dogs and Wild Beasts

November 1, 2011
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The khoikhoi called them “Gnou” after their unusual sound; the Afrikaners called them Wildebeest, or “Wild Beast,” for the menacing appearance presented by its large head, shaggy mane, pointed beard, and sharp, curved horns. They roam over much of the African grasslands, open plains and dry woodlands. Here at Londolozi they are a characteristic species [...]

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Tailless Female is Mating…

October 29, 2011
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Big news from Londolozi in terms of the lion dynamics is that in the last week the much loved Tailless Female of the Tsalala Pride has been seen a number of times with her 2 daughters and their cubs. There was even a special moment the other night when the 3 adults moved off and [...]

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The Week in Pictures # 18

October 28, 2011
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This week the weather became significantly warmer, with the occasional unpredicted thunderstorm. Spring seems in the air more than ever, and I think the most appropriate theme for this week was the emergence of small things: birds, creepy crawlies as well as new arrivals. We had chicks, pups, cubs and calves, all of which of course made us very happy!  Enjoy this week in pictures…

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John Varty – A Life With Leopards # 3

October 27, 2011
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John Varty (JV) is an acclaimed wildlife filmmaker, conservationist, musician, author and one of the founders of Londolozi Game Reserve. He has dedicated his life to the conservation of Big Cats, most notably the leopard. During the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s JV’s wildlife films drew attention and awareness to the beauty, behaviour and lives of these phenomenal cats of which Londolozi is proudly home to. JV’s most recent film, Leopard Queen, is currently being screened on Nat Geo Wild and features two decades worth of footage of the famed Londolozi leopard ‘3:4‘. In this the third of a series of interviews with John Varty, he talks about how 3:4 responded to her cub being eaten by an African Rock Python…

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 10

October 26, 2011
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Although last week was always going to be tough to beat, there was still plenty of activity amongst the leopards these past few days, including an interesting interaction between the Camp Pan Male and his son, the Maxabene 3:2 Young Male. In addition, you will also notice the colours of the photos beginning to change, [...]

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Why the Giraffe has a Short Neck

October 24, 2011
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The idea that the Giraffe got it’s long neck due to food shortages in the lower reaches of trees seems like a no brainer. The Giraffe is taller than all other mammals and so can feed on the leaves that no other animal can reach. For this reason it’s neck has grown longer and longer. [...]

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The Week in Pictures # 17

October 21, 2011
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Last week I promised leopards for this week, and did they ever deliver!  As the weather gets more unpredictable, the days mixed with thunderstorms and summer sunshine, the bush is getting greener and the variety of creatures big and small grows.  We had a few truly memorable cat sightings and a highlight for me was discovering some very small hyenas.  Enjoy this Week in Pictures…

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Tsalala Pride Steal Leopard kill

October 20, 2011
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The Tsalala Pride never ceases to amaze! Following them move through the Sand River the other day the adult lioness with the older 4 cubs suddenly accelerated and ran forward. In seconds she scrambled up the main trunk of a large Weeping Boer Bean. It was anything but elegant! Hesitantly she began to scale the tree’s upper branches…she had found the remains of a young male bushbuck that had been hoisted by what we thought was a female leopard. Immediately she started feeding before the remaining pride members had even registered what was happening. The position of the kill was exceptionally difficult for a large lioness to maneuver around…I was sure that she would just try dislodge the kill and then feed on the more conventional terra firma. I was wrong…

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 9

October 19, 2011
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This week was truly a bumper week for leopard sightings, and in particular, leopard on kills. It seems perhaps that with the onset of the first summer thunderstorms, the extra cover provided by the dark, cloudy skies, strong wind and thunder, has enabled slightly easier hunting conditions. As such, there were numerous sightings of various different leopard feeding on kills including impala,duiker, nyala and bushbuck. As always, enjoy…

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John Varty – A Life With Leopards # 2

October 18, 2011
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John Varty (JV) is an acclaimed wildlife filmmaker, conservationist, musician, author and one of the founders of Londolozi Game Reserve. He has dedicated his life to the conservation of Big Cats, most notably the leopard. During the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s JV’s wildlife films drew attention and awareness to the beauty, behaviour and lives of these phenomenal cats of which Londolozi is proudly home to. JV’s most recent film, Leopard Queen, is currently being screened on Nat Geo Wild and features two decades worth of footage of the famed Londolozi leopard ‘3:4‘. In this the second of a series of interviews with John Varty, he talks openly about 3:4′s life, behaviour and her phenomenal life as a Leopards of Londolozi…

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Camp Pan’s Still Got It!

October 17, 2011
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It appears as if the Camp Pan Male Leopard has bounced back to his old majestic self. Over the last couple of months he had seemingly been deteriorating after his territory was rudely infiltrated by the much younger Dudley Riverbank 5:5 Male. Camp Pan is is a massive leopard and takes one’s breathe away when [...]

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A Night Time Safari Experience

October 15, 2011
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A wonderful element of the Londolozi safari experience is the night drive! Once you have finished sipping on your gin and tonic having watched the sun sink below the Drakensberg Mountains it is time for us to turn on the spot light and drive around looking for the nocturnal creatures…

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The Week in Pictures # 16

October 14, 2011
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Last week we had rain, and this week another crucial element of life in the bushveld – fire. Several controlled burns were conducted on Londolozi, which are essential to the nutrient cycle of the soil and making room for new, green growth. Fire is an important process which would naturally be created by lightning strikes. Post-fire, the burned areas brought us sightings with interesting colours as well as behaviours – the birds hunting on the exposed ground, and the herbivores feeding on the greenflush. I have purposefully left leopards out of this Week in Pictures (except for the Maxabene Young Male’s tail, below), mainly because David Dampier’s post earlier this week in Leopards of Londolozi contained such stunning images and the latest updates. More next week on leopards, but in the meantime, enjoy this Week in Pictures…

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Windy Afternoons at Londolozi

October 13, 2011
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So it was another of those kite-windy afternoons at Londolozi that you sometimes get in September and we were out hunting Rhinoceros. Typically on your fourth evening with the same guests you wouldn’t be so desperate to see one, but we had skillfully evaded them for days and so were under pressure to find one…

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The Leopards of Londolozi #8

October 12, 2011
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After a few weeks leave it was good to get back and catch up with some of Londolozi’s most famous residents. Despite a few quiet days during the middle of the week, it was another busy seven days on the leopard front. Camp Pan Male in particular was making his presence felt and was seen almost daily, patrolling all his favorite spots. Hope you enjoy the selection…

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Tsalala 8 Reunited

October 10, 2011
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It played out like a scene from a Walt Disney movie…the Lion King has nothing on the current drama that is unfolding for the beloved Tsalala Pride. Tragic events in the last few days whittled them down to 8 and then a Majingilane moment of madness threw yet another spanner in the works. The Tsalala [...]

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The Week in Pictures #15

October 7, 2011
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Last week it became warmer, and with this week came another sign of summer… rain!  Water is life, so we welcomed the storm clouds with open arms.  Game viewing can be fantastic in the rain – after all, the animals are still here – and in particular, predators will sometimes use the rain to mask [...]

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John Varty – A Life With Leopards # 1

October 6, 2011
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John Varty (JV) is an acclaimed wildlife filmmaker, conservationist, musician, author and one of the founders of Londolozi Game Reserve. He has dedicated his life to the conservation of Big Cats, most notably the leopard. During the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s JV’s wildlife films drew attention and awareness to the beauty, behaviour and lives of these phenomenal cats of which Londolozi is proudly home to. JV’s most recent film, Leopard Queen, is currently being screened on Nat Geo Wild and features two decades worth of footage of the famed Londolozi leopard ’3:4′. In this the first of a series of interviews with John Varty, he talks openly about his relationship with 3:4 and a life spent with the Leopards of Londolozi…

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Tsalala Lion Cubs Killed

October 5, 2011
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It was with great sadness upon my return to Londolozi from a short break that I found out some bad news. The Tsalala sisters have a pride of ever-growing youngsters and hungry mouths to feed. A couple of weeks ago I started exploring their hunting techniques around the river bed, touching on how they would need to start hunting larger prey to satisfy the increasing demand of the cubs. Last week they paid the ultimate price…

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Male Lions Bring Down Buffalo

October 3, 2011
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Talley, our tracker, had promised something special that morning. Something “rare.” So the five of us great hunters and Talley and Freddie, our tracker, enthusiastically jumped into the invisible green Land Rover and set out at a quickened pace to find our quarry. With Talley driving and Freddie tracking we rushed from one end of the property to the other finally coming across the four Southern Pride lion brothers…

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The Week in Pictures # 14

September 30, 2011
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As mentioned in last week’s Week in Pictures, the usual suspects are back! This week we were treated to a wonderful variety of landscapes, and creatures big and small. I was also very lucky to have some visitors from my native Bermuda, who clearly brought some great bush energy! Particular mention must go to an interesting interaction between two leopards, as well as the birthday of a pachyderm. There was also no shortage of lions this week. Enjoy this Week in Pictures…

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Lion Cub Saved by Mother

September 28, 2011
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We received this story via email and thought it was too brilliant not to share with you. Taking place in Kenya’s Masaai Mara game reserve and photographed by Jean-Francois Largot, this dramatic story once again displays the strong bond that lionesses and their cubs share…

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What’s Become of Camp Pan?

September 27, 2011
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Since the conflict with the Dudley Riverbank 5:5 Young Male, the Camp Pan 4:2 Male Leopard has been seen less and less frequently. Hanging further south into his territory than usual, this dominant male seems to be getting pushed downwards by both the Marthly Male and the Dudley Riverbank 5:5 Young Male…

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The Orange Bushveld

September 25, 2011
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The bushveld in September is magnificent! The mornings are crisp and fresh and the days warm and comforting. This time of the year always allows for incredibly vivid and colourful photographs. The colour orange is often expressed so effectively in strong powerful images. Below you will see some of the photographs which concentrate on the theme of ‘orange’…

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The Week in Pictures # 13

September 23, 2011
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I haven’t been in the bush for the past week so what I’ve decided to do is put up a series of my best bird shots over the past six weeks. Sometimes with the excitement of the big cats, birds often get overlooked. They are, however, a major part of a Londolozi safari nonetheless. Updates on the usual suspects will continue from next, however enjoy this week in pictures…

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World Rhino Day

September 22, 2011
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Today is about celebrating the magnificent Rhinoceros! These incredible creatures who grace us with their presence throughout much of Africa have become synonymous with the battle that they are currently enduring against poaching. A complete lack of respect for wild animals and their well being; the separation of man from beast; the forgetting that we are all connected; that we are all part of the same canvas…

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Majingilane : Face to Face

September 21, 2011
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Things are heating up here in the bush, both temperature wise and in terms of lion dynamics. We recently received news that the four Southern Pride Males killed the last Othawa Young Male just west of our boundary. Although this is sad news it was not all that surprising. To be a male lion in the Sabi Sands at the moment is an extremely tough ask! Coalitions in the central and northern Sabi Sands now include the Mapogo, Majingilane, Matimba, Southern and Nkuhumas…

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Tsalala Cubs Make First Kill

September 19, 2011
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Growing up as a lion cub is a constant learning process. Unlike us these days, learning quickly for them is ultimately a case of life or death. Their constant play is all about learning the skills that enable them to survive once mom is long gone. The other morning we were fortunate enough to witness [...]

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On Safari at Londolozi

September 18, 2011
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Our recent guest, Brian Datnow, provided us with an album of photographs which illustrates the type of images that a keen amateur photographer can capture on safari. Over the course of a few days, Brian photographed a variety of animals, birds, landscape and lodge pictures. We are happy to share Brian’s perspective of being on safari at Londolozi…

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A Winning Shot

September 17, 2011
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“We tracked the Maxabeni 3:2 young male leopard on an early morning drive a few months ago.” says ranger Mike Miller. “He appeared quite nervous and was always on the move. We could hear another leopard calling and assumed this younger leopard was being chased. We followed him for some time until we came across two warthogs fighting. He immediately took an interest in the warthogs, however they were so occupied in their fight that he snuck right up to them, getting to within a metre or two. Upon noticing him, the warthogs simply stopped for a second, sized him up and, realising he wasn’t a major threat, continued fighting…”

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The Week in Pictures # 12

September 16, 2011
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Spring has sprung and the bush is changing. The evenings are becoming balmy, the Jackalberry trees are shedding their leaves making room for new growth, the Knobthorns are in full flower, and the migratory bird species are returning. This week we observed this metamorphosis along with the resulting adaptive behaviours of the animals, and had one particularly emotional and intense sighting which embraced the circle of life in a different way…

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Wild Dog pup killed by Leopard and Hyena

September 15, 2011
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Before seeing anything I remember hearing someone saying “Oh my god, a leopard is attacking the wild dogs,” and then I saw it. The leopard, who we later found out was the Maxabene 3:2 Young Male, otherwise known as Pinky – named so because of his extraordinarily pink nose, had charged straight into the pack, targeting a young pup. We had seen this pup minutes before frolicking with its siblings, tumbling here and there on the road, but now, with one great swipe of his paw, the leopard had incapacitated it entirely.

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 7

September 14, 2011
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This week was yet another good week of leopard sightings. Included were kills, mating, cubs and many “regular” sightings of Londolozi’s most well known inhabitants. I also included some more camera settings which I will try and make a weekly addition for those who are interested. As always, enjoy…

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Elephants chase Mating Lions

September 12, 2011
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There is definitely a fun side to the bushveld. Sometimes you just need to watch animals and their outrageous behaviour to bring a smile to your face…they lighten up your day! I had one of those moments that appeared out of nowhere…

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Motherhood in the Wilderness

September 11, 2011
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It’s not a hard and fast rule, but most guides leave Londolozi having made a connection with a specific animal and that invariably turns out to be a leopard. Stoff watched 3:4 from the moment she was born, Alex Van Den Heever loved the Tugwaan Female, Rich Ferrier is always hunting for the Nottens Female and Mike Miller is still carousing the north for the Manyeleti young Male… I love the leopards but truthfully I’d swop every leopard sighting I’ve ever had for the time I’ve spent with the Tsalala tailess lioness…

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The Week in Pictures # 11

September 9, 2011
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This week again I had the pleasure of spending time with several experienced and devoted photographers. Many had come to Londolozi in the hopes of photographing a leopard. Fortunately for us Mother Nature, as well as Freddy ‘Eagle Eyes’ Engobeni, did not disappoint. We were treated to a variety of sightings of the Maxabene Female, the Vomba Young Female, the Dudley Riverbank 5:5 Male, the Marthly Male, and the Vomba Female, to name only a few! Otherwise we took some time to enjoy the remaining winter colours and light, sharing photography tips and embracing the bushveld. Enjoy this week in pictures…

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Back with the Pack

September 8, 2011
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It’s always exciting when the wild dogs come through Londolozi. Unpredictable in their movements and able to travel large distances on a daily basis, these rare and enigmatic carnivores grace us with their presence for a day or two and then disappear into the depths of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Park. A few weeks down the line they re-emerge and provide us with more spectacular viewing, before leaving as suddenly as they arrived. Last week was no exception…

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 6

September 7, 2011
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In light of some of the comments from last week regarding photo settings and techniques, I have taken a slightly different approach to normal. This week have chosen photos, some recent and some older, which illustrate different situations encountered in the field and how to handle them using the setting available on most, if not all, digital SLR cameras. Most of what I have learnt has been either through fellow rangers with more experience, or through my own trial and error. I hope the information helps!

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Hunting Antelope with the Vomba Female

September 6, 2011
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A herd of about 30 impala were drinking at Taylor’s Dam; it had been a hot day and they needed to quench their thirst. They had braved the crocodiles and had moved towards the watering hole. The Vomba Female Leopard maneuvered to perfection. She acted quickly and silently. From our vantage point on the vehicle we could see her plan…she used the long grass as cover and was aiming to chase the herd down the dam wall towards the water…they would be trapped. Her body lowered, belly nearly dragging on the ground. She moved like lightning. We hardly dared to breathe..!

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The Tsalala Super Pride

September 5, 2011
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The current low water level of the Sand River is allowing the Tsalala Pride to be a little more adventurous in their movements. Spending more time south of the river, they have increased their hunting grounds substantially. As spring envelops us the days are getting hotter and the river is a hive of activity, especially in the mid afternoon as animals come down for a refreshing drink. The Tsalala sisters are well aware of this and are using the river and it’s flood plain as a highway to speed up their movements and increase their chances of a successful hunt…

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3 Leopards and a Hyena

September 3, 2011
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A few weeks ago, my ranger, Chris Goodman and I heard over the radio of a leopard with a kill. We talked about going to see it, but the sighting was closed down because the kill was still on the ground and they were hoping it would be hoisted to a tree. We decided to try first thing in the next morning to see it. So early the following morning, we found the Camp Pan male sitting in a tree munching on a wildebeest. To our surprise, we also found his 3 year old son, the Maxabene male sitting on the ground below, hoping for scraps. Within about 15 minutes, a leg fell from the tree and the young male had something to eat…

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The Week in Pictures # 10

September 2, 2011
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As winter comes to an end, the days are getting longer and warmer, meaning more time in the bush for photographs! This week we had fantastic sightings of some familiar faces like the Tsalala Pride and the Maxabene 3:2 Young Male, as well as being able to share quality moments with less familiar individuals. In particular it was a privilege to be able to spend more time with the Maxabene Female and the Nyeleti 4:3 Young Male…

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Lion Warfare: Tailless Female and the Tsalala Five

September 1, 2011
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Rangers, trackers and guests have always had a soft spot for the Tailless Female. Her story is one of bravery and courage. The fact that she has no tail makes her so distinct looking that it is impossible to not recognise her instantly. About twelve moons ago she broke away from the Tsalala sisters, taking with her the 4 surviving youngsters from their 2008/2009 litter. They formed the Breakaway Tsalala 5 Pride and they moved off north and west of Londolozi in an attempt to get away from the onslaught of the Majingilane Coalition.It was sad to see them go but regular updates from neighbouring lodges confirmed their well-being…

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The Leopards of Londolozi #5

August 31, 2011
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Although sightings of any of the big, territorial males were scarce, the females and sub-adults certainly were not. Many of the regulars were seen, and there was a truly exceptional sighting of all three of the Nyalethi youngsters together, reminding us once again how fortunate we are as guides to be working on such an [...]

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