The game viewing at Londolozi has been nothing short of spectacular these last few weeks. We have been visited by at least two different wild dog packs and the leopards have been doing their usual thing, but the really huge news was the discovery of a female cheetah with two cubs. Reports have been filtering in over the last while that they have been near our North-east boundary, but it took a few weeks for them to break the surface on Londolozi itself.
Next week should be a bumper week in which we profile some of the more exciting incidents on Londolozi, but for now, enjoy this week in pictures…
The mother cheetah and one of her cubs in a playful mood. f3.2, 1/500s, ISO 320
The standard cheetah-on-fallen-log photo, but this time with a difference. Look beneath the fallen trunk… f6.3, 1/500, ISO 320
I held my breath as the mother cheetah and her cubs steadily approached this cluster of boulders. One by one they hopped up, and I only wish I had had a wider angle lens to take in more of the scene! f9.0, 1/124, ISO 100
With its mother close behind it, an elephant calf tests our scent from the long grass. One of two little calves we believe to be twins, these youngsters could scarcely be seen as the grass was much higher than their little frames. f2.8, 1/200s, ISO 640
The Mashaba female and cub. f4.5, 1/200s, ISO 320
The cub of the Mashaba female leopard, wonderfully relaxed around vehicles these days, saunters casually towards us. f5, 1/400s, ISO 160
A spotted hyena. Often misunderstood and certainly mis-portrayed in many popular animated films, hyenas are fascinating creatures with a highly complex social structure. f4.5, 1/1600, ISO 320
A wild dog warily passes two zebras. Zebras have a potentially lethal kick and the wild dogs had fed on two impala on this morning, so neither side interfered much with the other… f3.5, 1/500, ISO 640.
This pack is relatively unknown to us, but is occasionally seen in our northern areas. This female with her blue eye is unmistakeable. f4, 1/400s, ISO 640
A Sparta pride cub sharpens its claws on a fallen marula tree. All the cubs had a go sharpening their claws on this same tree, and as one can see, the claws already look lethal! f2.8, 1/125s, ISO 6400
A large male warthog, minus part of his tail, watches over his sounder while some wildebeest file past in the background. f6.3, 1/400, ISO 500
Two wildebeest bulls chase each other around Fluffies clearing. The pursuit lasted for over 15 minutes, with both males reduced to an exhausted trot by the end. f4.5, 1/1000s, ISO 320
A Verraux’s eagle owl on a rainy morning at Londolozi. Usually well concealed in the dense canopy of a riparian tree by sunrise, it was very special to see this one right out in the open. f2.8, 1/640, ISO 1000
A marula tree festooned with vultures near the site where the mother cheetah and her cubs were feeding on an impala kill. f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 320
The newest edition to the Tsalala pride. This tiny, tiny cub is barely a few weeks old, and is dwarfed by its aunt as it totters around the sandy Manyelethi riverbed. f3.2, 1/1250, ISO 100
The little cub again, isolated from its mother, yawns while it rolls around in the sand. f3.5, 1/1000s, ISO 160
Photographed by James Tyrrell
as always, thanks for sharing. and thank you again for including camera settings!
jimmy
The pictures are wonderful (as usual)! The new cub is adorable – who is it’s mother?
Thanks for a reminder of the fabulous 5 nights we just spent in Founder’s Camp. We were privileged to witness many of the scenes. Oh what a wonderful place!
Oh my gosh….adorable. Just hoping we see them when we are there the first week in Sept. So excited!!! Thanks foe sharing!
Amazing pictures and stories, thank you for always sharing.
Wonderful, brilliant shots! The cheetah are gorgeous; am looking forward to seeing them in May. The owl, young ellie, teeny lion cub, beautiful leopard cub — wow! Thank you!
OMG, I can only hope that the cheetah and lion cubs don’t grow up in the next two months until I get back there!! LOL
Heaven on earth!
These are wonderful photographs! I just hope those wild dogs hang around through May!
In both the photos of the cheetah mother, she looks as if she has no tail…..is this the case or is it purley by chance.
Hi Coo,
She does have a tail, was just by chance that it is not seen in the photo’s!
Hope you are well!
Kindest regards,
Kate
Those pictures are wonderful. Thank you. I enjoyed every one of it.
Thanks to Lawrence, Andrea, Mark, Anna and all the staff at the Tree camp for making our honeymoon unforgettable. Londolozi will always be very special to us. Best Claus & Kelly Maria
Thanks for the links! Just loved the little predators. Heart warming pictures on a cool morning in northern France on our way home. Thanks James!
Sitting in hot, cloudy, humid crowded hong kong and wishing we were back in the Landrover watching the animals and birds. Spectacular owl shot James! Thanks for sharing the wonderful shots. Nell hoping the baby lion still ok. Love jane, edge, Tilly and Nell.
J.T.
Just got back home. Great photos, we had such a great time. We will never forget the experience we had during this week at Londolozi. Your efforts and expertise are greatly appreciated.