hyena

Majingilane – The Story of Lion Warfare

January 16, 2012
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Introducing: Majingilane – The Story of Lion Warfare A male lion takeover is a hard reality of the wilderness. Since the 8th June 2010, when the Majingilane Coalition arrived in the Sabi Sands and began to take control from the Mapogo coalition, the rangers, trackers and guests of Londolozi and its surrounding properties have witnessed [...]

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The Week in Pictures # 24

December 16, 2011
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This week was action-packed, and I suppose if there was to be a general theme, it would be the circle of life. We continued to see babies and even witnessed the birth of a wildebeest (sorry no photos as we were walking at the time!). We saw animals mating as well as birds in full [...]

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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 # 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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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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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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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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4 Hyenas, 2 Leopards and a Jackal….

April 13, 2011
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Not long after the Maxabeni 3:3 young male leopard had killed an impala, did the first hyena arrive. The rogue scavenger had smelt the carcass and wandered into the arena. Upon calling for backup there were a handful of hyena circling the male leopard within minutes. The restless, marauding masses had arrived. The Maxabeni young male would have to give it up…

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Majingilane Murder

December 15, 2010
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For a single heart stopping moment, they stood and stared at each other with just meters between them. Four male lions, confident and big, had piercing gazes locked on Adam and Solly. A low growl sounded, reinforced by two, then three low rumbles from either side. Stepping backward slowly, Adam and Solly created distance between themselves and the coalition eased back down into the grass, never letting their sights off the pair. There was an undeniable tension in the air. An intangible energy which had already set the Majingilane coalition on edge. Something was in the air. Something was up….

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The Revenge of the Maxabeni Brothers

November 9, 2010
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Once the hyena was dragged up the tree, he no longer stood any chance. Instead of being the one to lock his firm jaws around flesh and bones, he now felt the powerful grip of the Maxabeni 3:2 Young Male Leopard around the back of his neck. Suspended 5 meters up and wailing for assistance from any creature that might hear him, the only other animal that arrived was the Maxabeni 3:3 young Male Leopard. After one too many stolen kills and aggressive encounters, the Maxabeni Leopard Brothers were now exacting their revenge….

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The Demise of the Tsalala Pride

October 11, 2010
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She was discovered in a heap by the hyena den. One of the young Tsalala lionesses was badly beaten up, bleeding, drifting in and out of consciousness. Barely able to stand, she would muster a growl only when the six hyenas surrounded her. A kilometer away, her three sisters lay out in the open on the airstrip having run from the violent encounter the previous night. Fragmented, beaten and lean from the winter months, a once formidable pride of lions is now struggling to regroup. Could this be the demise of the Tsalala Pride…

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What Everybody Ought to Know About Hyenas

October 6, 2010
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In the last 4 weeks I have witnessed both the cuter and more aggressive side of the spotted hyena. These misunderstood carnivores are unlike any other animal I have spent time with and provide so many different angles for debate. As we are fortunate enough to get up close with these animals on a daily basis, this is currently what everyone ought to know about hyenas…

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Camp Pan Leopard Kills Again

July 26, 2010

A few days ago, one of Londolozi’s guests, Nic Lacgalvis was fortunate enough to witness the Camp Pan male making a spectacular kill in broad daylight.

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Nottens Female Leopard Feeding

November 25, 2009

The Nottens female leopard had hoisted the impala into the upper echelons of the Marula tree. It was so typical, so predictable, yet so effective for her purposes. Tried and tested methods worked the best when down below scavengers were already arriving on the scene. These hungry animals were completely willing to pilfer from her in the desperate hope of a free meal. Click on the heading for the full story and video.

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Growing into adulthood – 3:2 and the blind hyena

November 11, 2009

The 3:2 Maxabeni Young Male had sharpened his instincts. He saw the hyena coming from the other side of the river. Tensing his muscular body into the tall grass, he watched the unwitting hyena draw closer. For a brief moment the hyena stopped and stared at the young male leopard. Blinded in one eye, cyclops sniffed once, unsure of whether he was seeing the patterned cat or if the windswept grass was playing tricks on him. He could smell nothing in the stiff breeze. He sniffed again…still nothing. Loping forward, he moved into the bush unaware of the potential conflict he could have begun.

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