The Makomsava cubs featured in last Friday’s Week in Pictures have been the highlight for us over the last week, but the viewing hasn’t been quite as spectacular as it was on that first afternoon, so we’ve decided to hold off on publishing more photos of them until we have some really stunning ones.
Elephants have also been a main theme over the past seven days; droves of them have been rumbling down to the Sand River (which has risen considerably after three days of a rain system moving through the Lowveld) in front of Camp and on either side of it.
The Ntsevu pride have been keeping us guessing; tracks through the middle of the reserve tell of their nocturnal movements, but by morning they have usually moved off Londolozi once more. We are probably going to see some interesting splits in tihs pride going forward, as more often than not the tracks we’ve seen have only been of portions of the pride and not the full complement.
Enjoy this Week in Pictures…
A spotted hyena covered in gore makes off with a substantial portion of a nyala kill that its clan had robbed from the Tsalala lioness. Being a single female (her daughter won’t yet be able to help in a battle with hyenas), the Tsalala lioness will invariably lose kills to a big clan.
And the lioness stares back towards the hyenas. Unfortunately for her, she’s probably going to have to get used to losing kills to her arch-rival.
The Makomsava female looks down over the Manyelethi Riverbed. Leopards will pause predictably when approaching an open area; they want to see if there is any danger there, whether or not there is anything they might be able to hunt, and true to their retiring nature, anything that might sound the alarm and give away their presence.
The same leopard in the same sighting, moving over a wildlife photographer’s dream location for these spotted cats; giant boulders.
The largest vulture species we get here – the Lappet-faced – takes flight.
Scary to think that this small crocodile will grow up – assuming it survives – to a size at which it will be big enough to take down large antelopes.
James Tyrrell films members of the Nkuhuma pride that were thinking of going for a drink. Some of the other lionesses had already moved off their giraffe kill towards the nearest waterhole, but these two thought better of it and moved with their cubs (visible to the right of the vehicle) back into the shade.
An inquisitive giraffe bull.
We went to check on the latest ostrich nest recently and found only shell fragments, but we are as yet unsure if this means the nest was raided by predators (most likely hyenas) or if the eggs hatched and the chicks have moved off with their parents. There were no chicks with this group, but they aren’t the only ostriches on Londolozi anymore.
The future of the industry. The Tracker Academy on the tracks of a lioness in the early morning. These young men will play a pivotal role in keeping the ancient art of tracking alive for future generations.
Beautiful morning dew on Phragmites reeds next to the Sand River.
An elephant’s tusk comes perilously close to the bumper bar on the front of the Land Rover. This elephant wasn’t actually interested in the vehicle; he was feeding on Jackalberry fruits that had fallen to the ground around the tree we were parked under.
A rare sighting of an exposed klipspringer. Usually these diminutive antelope are confined to their rocky outcrop habitat, but this one must have been moving between outcrops, or else it was a young one dispersing and looking for an outcrop of its own.
Rangers Sean Zeederberg and Guy Brunskill photographing the Makomsava female leopard and cubs, who were perched on the boulder cluster in the background.
The male lion dynamics are set to heat up over the next year, With the Avoca males. (one of which is pictured here) pressing into northern Londolozi more and more, a coalition of four just beyond our southern boundaries, and the Birmingham males ageing, something must surely give…
Stunning pics this week.
Great photo of the giraffe–eyelashes!!
Incredible Hyena picture
Congratulations to the Tacker Academy and to those who make their training possible. And best wishes for a brilliant future.
The Birmingham Male, lovely shot and the bloody hyena – faves. Both would be on my wall. Especially the hyena.
In Samburu at Save The Elephants , they have a Land Cruiser that an elephant put its tusk through. Basically it crushed it like you or I would crush a drinks can It is a very mangled Land Cruiser. Your photo of the closeness of the tusk to the Land Rover reminded me .
PS As you moderate , you can take this bit out but I will send you the picture if you want?
PPS Thanks for the blog, it cheers my day up
As always beautiful photos guys..just love the dew drops on the reeds and the klipspringer 🙏💕
The male lion in the last photo looks like the Northern Avoca male commonly called “Blondie” rather than a Birmingham male
Apologies, yes, I accidentally attributed the wrong caption to the wrong photo. Well spotted
James, I loved all the photos, especially the Lion🤗
I think there are 2 Avoca males? – surely the Birmingham male wouldn’t chase them on his own?
Hi Suzanne; he may well do. They aren’t quite as big as him. There may have been the other Birmingham male nearby as well but we didn’t see him…
James, it is likely that Makhomsava’s father would be Anderson? Her eyes really look like him and I know that she was born in the northern parts of Londolozi.
He’s definitely the most likely candidate!
I was really taken by the photo of the Lappet-faced vulture taking flight. Such grace and power.
Beautiful pictures. I think you should do a blog post on the Lion dynasties throughout the years I’d be quite interested in that! Thanks!
Beautiful pictures. Thanks!
As my favorite picture is for the week, (the up-close of the giraffe),.. Wouldn’t it be nice to have natural eye lashes like the giraffe? She has such a lovely energy and expression.
Great pictures!
So, the Avoca males and the Birmingham males were involved on a fight recently?
Hi Tino, not a fight, more like a verbal confrontation…
*Vocal
Hi James superb animals and pictures as usual… the elephant tusk close-up and the dewdrops are strikingeach in a different way. I do hope the the ostrich still have chicks! It must be so difficult. They are regal birds and regal is the male lion in the picture. The Tsalala lioness does look disappointed! I love the klipspringer such an exquisite creature and the picture of the young crocodile is interesting.
Hello James. Who are the 4 male lions in the coalition to the south of londolozi that you’re referring to?
Hi Chris,
They are called the N’waswishaka males
Awesome photos, thanks for sharing!
Another week of great photos. I did read your caption for the male lion at the end, Avoca. He didn’t look like the Birmingham male. Fingers crossed Tsalala can hold on to her kills! The wildlife activity is amazing there….
Hi James. Interesting blog and great pictures, as usual. Speaking about the Tracker Academy you write «these young men… » Are there any women among the team?
Hi Madeleine,
The tracker Academy does accept female students there just don’t happen to be any in this intake…
That image of the Avoca Male is spectacular!! Also love the drone shot of the Tracker Academy students!
Did the Birminghams really chase the Northern Avoca and are you going to post the picture along with the story? If not here than on your social media platforms?
Hi Zaahid, apologies that was the wrong caption for the photo. That was an Avoca male not a Birmingham male.
Yes we have heard the Birminghams roaring and moving north in response to the Avoca males calling but we don’h have nay footage as much of it happens at night.
Stunning camera captures. Poor Tsalala lioness, life has not been easy for her but she is a true survivor. Thank you so much Londolozi.
Brilliant weeks of photography!!
I love that every picture has a great story… the intrigue and beauty of each creature is endless…what a gift you are “all” so good at sharing…
Great shots gang! Awesome image of the Avoca male! Added to ouyr favorites!
very enlightening girraffe images . powerful
awesome images that give a wonderful message from nature