This week has seen various creatures fall into the viewfinder, with a gorgeous bokeh of green dominating the images.
Leopards and lions take charge of the predator space, with the Senegal Bush Male leading the way on a territorial patrol and the Ntomi Male showing off in a fallen marula tree. On the lion’s side of things, the Ntsevu Pride take centre stage as they have been in the limelight after we found their den. Everyone trying their luck to get down and hopefully see the cubs.
And a few other supporting roles carry this week across the line with baby warthogs, giraffes, buffalo, swallows and yawning baboons.
All-in-all it has been a magnificent week.
Let us know your favourites in the comments section below.
Enjoy this Week in Pictures…
In a bokeh of green, the Senegal Bush Male struts through a clearing on a territorial patrol.
We don't know much about this leopard.
A Ntsevu Lioness briefly rested on a termite mound before yawning and then getting up to join the rest of the pride lying down on the road ahead.
Welcoming the new day from the limbs of a large albizia tree.
I spy with my little eye. Are you able to identify this leopard?
We don't know much about this leopard.
Two Red-billed Oxpeckers flutter down to a puddle in the road from the back of a giraffe in order to quench their thirst.
Tracker Ray with his huge smile while watching the Ntomi Male resting in a fallen marula.
A different view of the same sighting, now with the focus shifting to the Ntomi Male.
Two Barn Swallows perch in the morning sunlight. These small birds are often found in big flocks sitting on the branches of a tree. They are palearctic migrants and will remain in the Southern hemisphere until March/April when they return North to breed.
Kate and Equalizer were also there with their guests to view the Ntomi Male on this fallen marula. Equalizer was in fact the one who found the leopard for us all, spotting him lying on this very branch from about 50m away.
Being the first one to the waterhole ahead of a herd of about 200, this large male had access to un-muddied, undisturbed clear water to drink, not that it really mattered to them.
Two giraffes stand tall amongst the dead leadwood trees near Lex’s pan.
A family of warthogs trot off in tight formation, tails raised to the sky.
The Ntsevu Pride are denning several cubs in the densely vegetated banks of the Sand River. I got my first glimpse of these tiny lions this past week.
The Ntomi Male, possibly our most entertaining leopard at the moment, had us all captivated for hours on a recent rainy morning. Something I only noticed after taking the photo was that he in fact had a spider web and spider amongst his eyebrow whiskers.
Kudu bulls, mostly solitary outside of the breeding season, sport an incredible set of spiralled horns. This male is nothing short of a truly spectacular specimen.
Ranger Shaun D’Arujo and his guests watch on as three of the Ntsevu Females, prepare themselves for an evening of activity. Yawn and grooming precede most bouts of activity.
A cow elephant walks intently towards the Sand River with the rest of her herd in tow.
another amazing photo series!!!
Thank you so much, Mark.
Excellent week in pictures once again! The photo of Tracker Ray with out-of-focus Ntomi male is superb.
Thank you so much, Rob. The photo of Ray and the Ntomi Male is a great one.
hard to choose between leopards, lions.. But cuteness overload with the Ntsevu Pride cubs win me over.
I agree the cuteness of the lion cubs always gets me.
Sean, wonderful pictures this week. Hard to pick a favorite with the young wart hogs, a yawning baboon , and the new lion cubs. My favorite is the young lion cubs, especially the one looking strait into the camera .
Thank you so much, William. The lion cubs are so cute, so I don’t blame you for choosing them as a favourite.
Lovely photos, all of them! I particularly like Nick’s photo of the warthog family walking through the grass. But, as already said, all of them are great.
Thank you so much, Christa. There were some great photos this week, but the warthogs were entertaining.
I believe it is the Flat Rock male with the charateristic M above the nose.
Close, but it was the Ntomi Male. The distinctive speck in his left eye is what I was testing to see if people could recognise.
The leopard is the Flat Rock male with the characteristic M.
Regarding identifying the leopard playing peek-a-boo, How can I Chris? He/she has their identifying marks hidden! However, I have a 50:50 chance, so I think I’ll go with the Ntomi 3:3 male.
With the ‘peek-a-boo leopard. I was testing to see if anyone could recognise the speck in his left eye.
I loved the one of the Ntomi male covering one eye. But all the pictures this week were beautiful!
Thank you so much, Barbara.
Lions, leopards and other fantastic inclusions from the bush world filled our screens this week, but looking through the images a couple of times, my vote goes to Chris for his wonderful closeup of Ntomi, up in the dead Marula tree. That eye of his is such a photographer’s prize to capture!
The close up of the Ntomi Male is a cracking shot.
Wow! So many wonderful photos. I’ve been wildly enamored of the Ntomi male since our visit last year. The picture of him that’s most intriguing is the one with his eyebrow whiskers. Also striking are the wart hog gallery (both pix) and barn swallows. Fab week, Sean.
Thank you so much, Willa. The Ntomi Male is a fantastic subject to photograph. But so are the warthogs.
How could anyone vote against the warthogs!
They happen to be the first animal we encountered on our first day ever in Africa at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
The warthogs are epic little animals and appear so full of character.
Last week I didn’t really know what to choose. Too wonderful pictures and subjects. This week the Ntomi male is simply hypnotising, his striking beauty and the gaze of his green spotted eye, and the spider web through his long whiskers… he seems both an innocent youngster and a mighty predator. baby lion, the buffalo drinking (my second choice) the kudu, baby whartogs and the “chatting ” giraffe, all special. Big cats are always top quality no matter their condition or light!
The Ntomi Male is hypnotising indeed and is a great leopard to photograph for exactly the reasons you mention.
😂 The warthog pic wins for me this week!
Love the beautiful eyed Ntomi male shot as well.
Those are two great shots.
I loved the Ntomi male leopard with his paw in front of his face and also the shot of the water buffalo with all the green shades.
Chris’s photo of the Ntomi Male is a great one isn’t it?
I love that Ntomi male…so gorgeous! The peek a boo shot is so great! I want to hug him! Second choice is the baboon yawning with the baby! Everything is so green it’s wonderful to see!
Well done for identifying the Ntomi Male. he is a great leopard to view. The baboon shot is another great one.
Sean stunning foto’s again and it is really difficult to choose just one favorite. All the animals are beautiful in their own right. My favorite is the Itomi male leopard closing his one eye with his paw. That is forsure the Naomi with the spek in his eye, my favorite male leopard. Secondly would be that magnificent kudu bul with those huge horns.
Well done for recognising the eye of the Ntomi Male.
Sean, Thanks for a great set of images! Our favorite this week is Chris’s “eye spy” image of the Ntomi male – with his unmistakeable eye!
Thank you so much, Michael and Terri. I am so glad you picked up on the freckle in the eye and were able to remember that it was the Ntomi Male.
My sister’s choice are the warthogs in tight formation
I’m always amused by the self-important attitude that warthogs give off even in still pictures. Maybe it’s the tail in the air or the expressions on their faces but they are arrogant and so full of character! What a handsome little bird those oxpeckers are and the good they do to the larger animals, (besides filling their own stomachs). That is a magnificent picture of the Ntomi male. Thank you for the great post and I look forward to next week.
That is a great way to put it, ‘Self-important’. You are welcome, I am glad you enjoyed this week.
I so enjoy this blog & all the photos of the wildlife!! Thank you so much for sharing
Thank you so much, Kathie. I am so glad that you enjoy the content we put out.
Super photos.
As always
Thank you so much, Ian.
The barn swallows and the warthogs are definitely my favourite this week! So lovely!
Thank you so much, Carly. Those are some great choices.
Wonderful images this week, but the peek-a-boo pic of the Ntomi male is precious- a real keeper!
Hello Sean, Many beautiful and artistic photos this week.
The spying leopard is my favorite!
Wonderful picture of the resting Ntomi Male in the fallen marula… also the family of warthogs from behind, very artistic! And the light in the photo with the baboons!
Thank you for this weeks pictures! Thank you for sharing!
There were many great pics this week. Those are some great choices.
Sean, the photo of the Kudu is incredible! Wow
I love Chris’s close up of the Ntomi Male’s eye – fantastic. The kudu bull and water buffalo drinking were also gorgeous images. Those little lion cubs don’t even look real – too cute for words! It’s hard to believe they’ll grow up to be powerful killing machines (with any luck).
Brilliant week of pictures Sean, and fun to see some great shots of animals we don’t always see; baboons, kudu and warthogs, along with the stars of the reserve!!
Thank you so much, Paul. It was a great week.