Londolozi Blog

Impala Birthing Season Approaches

by Adam Bannister November 14, 2011

Many scientists, taxonomists and experts in the evolutionary field consider the Impala the archetypical antelope; with it’s body form bearing resemblance to many other bovids. A hugely successful antelope remaining almost unchanged since the Miocene (6.5 million years). One stratergy, amongst many, which the Impala uses is to breed on masse at a very specific time of the year.

Hyena bites Lioness’ Tail off

by Adam Bannister November 12, 2011

The last 10 days have provided some fascinating developments for Londolozi’s Tsalala Pride. I need to wind back the clock to the night of the 1 November. That night the 2 sisters managed to kill a zebra in a region that historically is some distance south of their territory. At this stage the Tailless Female [...]

Read the full article → 25 comments

The Week in Pictures # 20

by Talley Smith November 11, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 19 comments

My Friend Elmon

by James Hobson November 10, 2011

We have very little in common. Elmon is an elderly, wise, shangaan man who was born and bred on the land. As a young boy he was taught to track by his father while herding cattle amongst lions. I am half his age and have spent a lot of my life in cities. Yet, as different as we are, we choose to spend at least 8 hours of every day in each others company. The common denominator you may wonder? A profound love of the bush…

Read the full article → 27 comments

The Leopards of Londolozi # 12

by David Dampier November 9, 2011

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!

Read the full article → 2 comments

Two Incredible Snake Encounters

by David Dampier November 8, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 18 comments

Leopards, Lions, Hyenas and Tree Climbing

by Adam Bannister November 7, 2011

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 [...]

Read the full article → 3 comments

Jaguars, Macaws and the Pantanal

by Dave Varty November 5, 2011

Shan and I have just returned from an inspiring expedition to Caiman Ecological Refuge situated in Southern Pantanel, South America. We were kindly hosted by Roberto Klabin, the owner of this remarkable property and although for the past 250 years cattle has been the primary land use practice for the area, Roberto Klabin is a leading conservationist in Brazil has afforded absolute protection of wildlife on this ranch for the past 30 years. Proving that nature is an enduring partner, the proof of Klabin’s visionary work was there for us to see…

Read the full article → 8 comments

The Week in Pictures # 19

by Talley Smith November 4, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 11 comments

The Leopards of Londolozi # 11

by David Dampier November 2, 2011

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 [...]

Read the full article → 13 comments

Wild Dogs and Wild Beasts

by Adam Bannister November 1, 2011

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 [...]

Read the full article → 9 comments

The Lodges of Londolozi by Ryan Graham

by Rich Laburn October 31, 2011

Renowned photographer Ryan Graham was recently at Londolozi taking pictures of everything from the rooms to the wildlife to the members of the Londolozi family. In this post, we showcase Ryan’s stunning images of the Londolozi Lodges, interior details and cuisine…

Read the full article → 8 comments

Tailless Female is Mating…

by Adam Bannister October 29, 2011

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 [...]

Read the full article → 9 comments

The Week in Pictures # 18

by Talley Smith October 28, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 16 comments

John Varty – A Life With Leopards # 3

by Rich Laburn October 27, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 7 comments

The Leopards of Londolozi # 10

by David Dampier October 26, 2011

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, [...]

Read the full article → 3 comments

How to Photograph a Lightning Storm

by Rich Laburn October 25, 2011

Have you ever wanted to know how to capture stunning images of lightning? Contrary to what you may think, the process is relatively simple provided that you have the correct equipment, a promising location and, of course, a very big electric storm. I took the below set of images a few nights ago as the first electric storm of the summer rolled across the central regions of Londolozi, creating a spectacular contrast of lightning bolts and sheet lightning. I have included a short explanation beneath each image which all together should give you a fairly good indication of how to get these types of shots…

Read the full article → 13 comments

Why the Giraffe has a Short Neck

by Adam Bannister October 24, 2011

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. [...]

Read the full article → 5 comments

The Top 5 Things to Bring on Safari

by Rich Laburn October 22, 2011

Preparing for your safari can be a daunting task, especially when you have limited luggage space and a long trip ahead of you. With this in mind, I have put together a basic list of what I believe the 5 most important items for your safari are. As long as you have these, everything else should fall into place. Of course, there are items I have not included and as such if there is something that you feel to be just as important, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below…

Read the full article → 12 comments

The Week in Pictures # 17

by Talley Smith October 21, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 24 comments

Tsalala Pride Steal Leopard kill

by Adam Bannister October 20, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 4 comments

The Leopards of Londolozi # 9

by David Dampier October 19, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 11 comments

John Varty – A Life With Leopards # 2

by Rich Laburn October 18, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 0 comments

Camp Pan’s Still Got It!

by Adam Bannister October 17, 2011

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 [...]

Read the full article → 4 comments

A Night Time Safari Experience

by Adam Bannister October 15, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 12 comments

The Week in Pictures # 16

by Talley Smith October 14, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 14 comments

Windy Afternoons at Londolozi

by Tom Imrie October 13, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 6 comments

The Leopards of Londolozi #8

by David Dampier October 12, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 5 comments

Safari for the Soul

by Rich Laburn October 11, 2011

There’s a line from a poem by Mary Oliver that asks: ‘What is it that you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?’ Those words have a habit of hitting me in the gut, which is why I leapt at the opportunity to join the African STAR (Self-transformation Adventure Retreat) hosted by Londolozi in June each year. The retreat invites people to experience the healing power of nature during a week of intensive coaching…

Read the full article → 0 comments

Tsalala 8 Reunited

by Adam Bannister October 10, 2011

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 [...]

Read the full article → 12 comments

Celebrating Water at Madlala

by Witness Mnisi October 9, 2011

At the end of September, the GWF and Londolozi were part of a wonderful day of celebration in the Justicia community – the handing over of a healthy, flowing borehole at Madlala High School and Learning Centre…

Read the full article → 1 comment

The Week in Pictures #15

by Talley Smith October 7, 2011

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 [...]

Read the full article → 13 comments

John Varty – A Life With Leopards # 1

by Rich Laburn October 6, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 7 comments

Tsalala Lion Cubs Killed

by Adam Bannister October 5, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 12 comments

The Good Work Foundation – Now LIVE

by Rich Laburn October 4, 2011

The Good Work Foundation is committed to doing just that, Good Work. For many of the travelers to Londolozi, you would have experienced first hand the amazing work that the GWF is doing by bringing positive educational interventions to the rural South African communities in and around Londolozi. Over the course of 2011, the GWF has continued to expand rapidly with the development of the Madlala Digital Learning Center as well as the newly acquired Hazyview Learning Centre…

Read the full article → 4 comments

Male Lions Bring Down Buffalo

by Rich Laburn October 3, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 4 comments

The Week in Pictures # 14

by Talley Smith September 30, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 23 comments

Lion Cub Saved by Mother

by Rich Laburn September 28, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 27 comments

What’s Become of Camp Pan?

by Rich Laburn September 27, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 3 comments

The Orange Bushveld

by Rich Laburn September 25, 2011

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’…

Read the full article → 3 comments

The Week in Pictures # 13

by Talley Smith September 23, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 16 comments

World Rhino Day

by Rich Laburn September 22, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 5 comments

Majingilane : Face to Face

by Adam Bannister September 21, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 13 comments

Meet the Blog Team: David

by Rich Laburn September 20, 2011

The bush is a long way from the world of finance and few men manage to bridge the gap successfully. David ‘Doyle’ Dampier is one of those men and with a knack for capturing spectacular photographs of Londolozi’s most renowned and elusive leopards, he is one of the secret weapons in the Londolozi blog team.

Read the full article → 3 comments

Tsalala Cubs Make First Kill

by David Dampier September 19, 2011

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 [...]

Read the full article → 11 comments

On Safari at Londolozi

by Rich Laburn September 18, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 5 comments

A Winning Shot

by Rich Laburn September 17, 2011

“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…”

Read the full article → 3 comments

The Week in Pictures # 12

by Talley Smith September 16, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 29 comments

Wild Dog pup killed by Leopard and Hyena

by Rich Laburn September 15, 2011

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.

Read the full article → 20 comments

The Leopards of Londolozi # 7

by David Dampier September 14, 2011

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…

Read the full article → 12 comments

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →

The Luxury African Safari Video Blog featuring videos of Lion, Leopard and Londolozi

Archives

Search the Stories

Enter Email To Subscribe

Like Us on Facebook

Follow Us on Twitter

Join the Discussion

Write a Review