During the course of this past week out in the field, we have been enjoying the true highlights of autumn weather and all the beauty that comes with being on safari at this time of year. Heading out in the mornings, the crisp fresh air wakes you up as we head out with enough time to watch the sun rise above the horizon from atop the crest, providing us with beautiful prolonged sunrises and golden backdrops.
On the leopard front, the curious and inquisitive Three Rivers Young Male has been seen more frequently on his own. The Ntomi Male continues to roam around fairly close to camp. Excitingly, the Xinzele Female and her cub were found in the Northern part of the reserve feeding on an impala kill.
The Talamati Pride continue to spend time traversing the central parts of our reserve, while the Ndzhenga Coalition have been seen along our eastern boundary. The Ntsevu Breakaways were found full-bellied after killing a buffalo. The Tsalala Lioness has also been vocalizing in the Manyeleti River as we suspect she begins her quest for advertising her presence and trying to find a mate.
We were also blessed with an afternoon of spotting the mother cheetah with her two cubs! In addition, the large pack of wild dogs from the south have made a few appearances in the southwestern parts of our reserve, which has stirred much excitement amongst the team. Fingers crossed they continue to move further north and can be seen traversing Londolozi more frequently!
Over and above the array and diversity of predators, there has been an array of wonderful breeding herds of elephants seen across the reserve as well as relaxed general game.
Let me know your favourites in the comments section below.
Enjoy This Week In Pictures…
A relaxed young elephant bull entertained us first thing in the morning as he raised his trunk to smell his surroundings and investigate our presence.
As the sun sets in the background, we watched as the Three Rivers Young Male gazed in the direction of a herd of impalas walking towards an open clearing.
Somewhat skittish after becoming independent, he is an impressive young male with a rich golden coat.
Part curiosity, part mischievousness led the Three Rivers Young Male to crawl down the termite mound in an attempt to get closer to a herd of impala.
Not long after leaving camp, we came across a hippo ambling back towards his water hole while being backlit by a perfect autumn sunrise and beautiful orange light.
After spotting fresh tracks of the Tsalala Lioness as we crossed the Manyeleti River, tracker Equalizer Ndlovu radioed me not three minutes after following the tracks on foot to say he had spotted her further upstream in the riverbed. We sat with her for a while as she let off a few loud calls. Could she be coming into oestrus and looking to find a mate?
We are still seeing the Ntomi Male roaming around his mother’s territory. Here we watch as he investigated a branch that his mother may have previously scent marked. He got on his two back legs to grow tall and milled about under this branch before continuing into the thickets.
A single cub of the Ximungwe Female's second litter. Initially rather skittish but is very relaxed now. Birth mark in his left eye.
An intimate moment between a mother waterbuck and her calf as they rested on the side of a water hole.
The Xinzele Female begins to feed on an Impala she managed to catch and hoist in a marula tree. Strangely she started with the tail!
A small female often found in NW Marthly. Similar spot pattern to her mother the Ingrid Dam Female.
With the Xinzele Female having caught an impala earlier in the day, she went to collect her daughter, the Xinzele Young Female. We returned to the scene later on that day to find her and her cub up in the tree feeding and playing.
Born into a litter of two, male cub did not survive. She is seen more and more in central Marthly and rapidly approaching full independence.
It’s always a treat to witness animals on the Londolozi airstrip. A perfect airstrip crossing for Ross Cheshire and his guests.
A young male cheetah climbed on a fallen marula tree to scan for any prey.
After a close-sounding roar caught the attention of myself, Robbie Ball and Barry Bath already in the area, the three of us managed to find one of the Ndzhenga Males on the move, which allowed for an exciting time as he walked past our vehicles.
A male wild dog briefly pauses in the glorious morning light before trotting off to rejoin the pack.
Chasing after one another as they fight over the last bits of an impala carcass. Almost a comical sighting as they ran back and forth.
Full-bellied, the Tsalala Lioness gazed up the bank of the riverbed. She could probably hear something in the distance in that direction that was too far for us to hear.
We struck luck with a rare sighting of the mother cheetah and her two cubs which are believed to be around 14 months old. We watched them climb atop a termite mound and later attempt and fail to hunt a herd of impala.
For a few days in a row, we came across the Talamati Young Male who had seemingly separated from the rest of the pride. After a morning following him, while he was contact calling he then settled in the long grass.
One of the Ntsevu Breakaway Males stares back intently as he pauses his feed on a young male buffalo kill.
We passed a large male giraffe who seemed to be in a trance as he ruminated on a mouthful of food. Giving us an opportunity to observe his bottom teeth.
One of the Talamati Lionesses patiently scanned her surroundings before deciding which direction the pride should head towards as the light began to fade
We came across this female Giant Kingfisher after she had just caught a small tilapia fish at the causeway. It is incredible to think that she gracefully flipped this large meal around to be head-first and swallowed it whole.
After a week-long search for elephants swimming and splashing in the water, on our last afternoon game drive, we came across a large breeding herd that proceeded to exceed all expectations and fully submerge themselves in a water hole surrounded by hippos.
Wonderful pictures. i would have to say the mother waterbuck and her calf is my favorite.
Thanks Sandra!
The giraffe in photo 19 looks like it has braces on its bottom teeth! And the kingfisher on the concrete post is impressively framed. Both, beautiful photographs.
Thanks Willa, I know the expression caught of the giraffe is very comical!
You’ve compiled a terrific group of images for TWIP and after scrolling through a couple of times, I favor the Giant Kingfisher with his tilipia catch as there’s so much detail.
Also a note for the creative hub, I’ve seen Ntomi male and clicked yes, but it doesn’t register. Thanx!
Thanks very much Denise! I’ve passed on the message to the team to check the website – thanks.
Great collection as always! The young waterbuck and mother is truly warm hearting. How did you know that the Three Rivers young male leopard was “mischievous and curious,” rather than on the hunt?
And as far the Giant female Kingfisher, her bite is definitely bigger than her bark!
Thanks Michael! We found him resting on the termite mound, rather full-bellied, and knowing his nature at that age (a young leopard still honing in on some of his hunting skills), he was eyeing out a herd of impala too far in the distance to actively ‘hunt’. But even though they were far away it did not stop him from jumping in and out of ‘stalking mode’ as he milled about the termite mound.
Thank you! That makes total sense!
What a wonderful week of sightings and photos! The Giant Kingfisher is my favorite hands down! Kate captured that amazing action moment of both bird and fish that every photographer hopes for! Bravo!
Thank you Mary Beth!
The cheetah mother with her two cubs is a beautiful shot! The mother Waterbuck and her calf is also quite special. Thanks for posting! 🤩📸👍
Thank you Marcia!
I think the ellies at the water hole is my fave followed by the mom waterbuck and calf 🙂
Thanks Anita!
What stunning images this week in TWIP. My favorite this week is the image of the waterbuck mother and her calf, they are my ultimate favorite antelope. Secondly would be the Tsalala female, with her full belly. She is fighter and with all the odds against her she has made it.
Thanks very much Valmai! I agree – she is such a beautiful lioness.
I really enjoy this blog! & photos!
Thanks Kathie!
I love your pictures, Kate and the ones by Nick as well. Great!
Thanks Christa!
All pictures are too unique and full of good news and hope to pick up on, but this week I choose the hippo, as I recently watched a documentary on Zambesi River and its existence due mainly to hippos. They also were the first African animal I loved as a small child and that image is very special, the light and the fading and melting of shapes of the animal and vegetation in it. Leopards are absolutely stunning! My second choice are the cheetah mother with cubs. So rare, they have a unique fashion with their melancholic beauty and alertness. Love the Tsalala female listening. My sister ‘s choice is the giraffe bull, such an impressive guy! Plus mother waterbuck and calf, so peaceful and sweet-looking.
Thanks Francesca! Amazing – thanks for sharing.
I like the Ntesevu breakaway male, lolling and relaxing for a moment. But truly, they are all quite good!
Thanks Ann – he was very full and uncomfortable taking a break from feeding!
I loved the waterbuck mama and her calf the most, but the expression on the Ntsevu breakaway male agains the buffalo kill was also entertaining. The giraffe’s teeth made me chuckle, and the kingfisher was striking! Glad to see the Tsalala female is looking so healthy. Paws crossed she finds a suitable mate.
Thanks Chelsea. Agreed – paws crossed!
Great week of pictures Nick and Kate! Exciting times ahead for the next chapter of the Tsalala Pride if the lioness is indeed coming into estrus!
Thanks Michael!
Hard choice this week – but my favourites are the Giant Kingfisher and the beautiful shot of the young cheetah on the marula tree. I also really love the waterbuck and her calf. ❤️❤️
Thanks Carly!
Kate, Thanks for a totally awesome sit of images this week! If you are still collecting favorites, we loved the one of the Talamati Lioness in the straw grass!
Thanks Kate for the wonderful pictures. The young male cheetah on the fallen macula tree is my favorite.
The kingfisher is my favourite! But I do think the leopard munching on the tail is pretty cool too!
Leopards, Tsalala and Talamatis! A purrfect combo of cats for this week’s photos!