The weekly TWIPs present a journal celebrating the diversity of life and beauty surrounding us here in the heart of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve. As we reflect on the past week with crisp misty mornings and warm winter days, we’ve all been fortunate with an assortment of wildlife and activity across the reserve; from predators and prey to an abundance of large herds of elephants and buffalos, to birds and everything in between.
The Lions have been plentiful of late as we have been lucky to view various prides and coalitions around the reserve. To mention a few, The Skorro Young Male and a Talamati Female have been mating and the Ndzhenga Males and Nstevu Pride with their 12 cute cubs, were seen feeding on a wildebeest carcass.
On the leopard front, we spotted two female leopards that are not seen very often. We had an awesome sighting of the Nkuwa Female hunting impala in the western section of the reserve as well as the Ngungwe Female north of the Sand River. She managed to kill and hoist an impala ram up a jackelberry tree.
A memorable sighting of the young male Cheetah one afternoon left us marvelling at him as he scent-marked and climbed onto a fallen marula tree in the savannah grasslands.
Let’s not forget a fantastic misty morning following a large elephant bull and an abundance of impala leaping across the rolling hills and clearings, a breeding herd of elephants in the Sand River and a dancing Ostrich!
Let me know your favourite images in the comments section below.
Enjoy This Week in Pictures…
An elephant bull marches across an open clearing as the mist rises above the Sand River and the valley below.
The Bateleur poses on a branch in the spectacular morning light. These majestic birds of prey lack a distinctive tail feather which helps them swiftly fly low to the ground in search of any carcasses or prey.
In an attempt to find the Black Dam Males after they disappeared into the Sand River, we waited patiently on the other side of the river bank and were greeted by the beautiful sight of two young elephant calves play fighting in the water.
A striking image of the Ashy Flycatcher, which is a secretive bird often heard around the camp.
A leaping impala left us mesmerised as the herd collectively ran in a single file and then jumped across the road in front of us. These antelopes sure are athletic!
The regal and impressive Ndhzenga Male.
We experienced a special moment with an old male giraffe that quietly walked towards us and then paused for a moment allowing us to focus on the details of his big marble eyes and textured fur.
The Skorro Male, seen recently at Londolozi, was mating with one of the Talamati Females this week. This could potentially mean that the Talamati Pride may look to settle on the reserve and hopefully we can have some new lion cubs soon!
A male Ostrich in full breeding plumage performs a mating ritual dance for a female standing nearby. The dance is known as ‘kantling‘ and is performed by the male by resting down on his knees and then folding his head back over his body and moving it from side to side. This was a really unique sighting!
The Skorro Male lion looks good in B&W. This male roams around by himself and comes from the territory North of Londolozi.
A young male cheetah smells the bark of a fallen tree and smelling scent left behind by another cheetah.
One of the Ndzenga Males glances over towards the rest of the pride who had just finished feeding on a wildebeest.
The beautiful scene of the Ngungwe Female lazing on a branch in the early morning. She had successfully hoisted a kill in the tree above her and could relax high above the hyenas skulking below.
Born 2020 during lockdown to Piccadilly Female. Once skittish, now confident mother denning her first litter in Marthly's rocky terrain.
The stunning Nkuwa Female glanced back at us as she snuck towards a herd of impalas. You will notice she has a small milk pouch at the base of her stomach indicating that she is still nursing a cub at a den somewhere nearby.
Raised as an intact litter, first in 7 years, who has now made her own history by raising two males to independence as an intact litter.
A Ntsevu Lion Cub feeding on a wildebeest with the rest of the pride.
The Ntsevu Cubs are starting to explore the reserve and growing in confidence with each passing day.
With the Sand River still flowing steadily, it is a fantastic place for the animals to come down and quench their thirst.
A Ntsevu Lioness born in 2019 from the Birmingham Coalition is still seen with her four male litter mates in the southwestern parts of the reserve. This group of lions are doing well and becoming very good buffalo hunters.
An implausibility of wildebeest steers their faces towards the warming morning sunlight
Two stunning Talamati Lionesses are looking rather intimidating as they walked along the road passed our vehicle in search of any prey. We have found two members of this pride recently mating with the Skorro Male and a Ndzhenga Male on different occasions.
Thanks for a fantastic collection of images for your TWIP Nick. Since you’ve requested choosing one favorite, my pick is the stunning b/w portrait of the Skorro lion. He truly is magnificent and a stark contrast to the portrait you shot of one of the Ndhzenga males, who unfortunately is rather battle scarred.
Thank you, Denise! I’m thrilled you like the Skorro Male in B&W. He is a very impressive male lion.
You can’t go wrong with cub pictures. Ntsevu Lion Cubs are my favorite.
Agreed Sandra. They are getting to the age now where there is just so much activity and playfulness which leads to much excitement and lots of photographs!
Wonderful series of images. My personal favorite is the elephant in the misty morning, it is such an iconic Africa composition.
Thank you, Karen.
This time lions are my pickup although all pictures are unique. All, regal males and females and the adorable cubs. I think I’d chose the Skorro male in black and white, a very handsome male. The Ndzenga male is also superb. And the impala and wildebeest second. My sister’s choice is the old giraffe bull.
Thank you, Francesca! Im thrilled you enjoyed the TWIP this week.
Great selection of photos Nick! Will be interesting to see the lion dynamic going forward! Are the Talamatis still the five females or just the four daughters of the Avoca male lions (Northern Avocas)? Also lovely to see the Ngungwe female doing well too!
Thanks Michael. The Lions viewing has been exceptional of late so it will be an interesting few months coming up as winter descends… The Talamati pride is made of of the 5 females still. With two young males recently finding independence.
Nick, What a fabulous set of images! Very hard to pick a favorite!! We love the one of the “implausibility of Wildebeest! It’s so unique!
Thank you Michael and Terri! Yes, the wildebeest all staring at the camera was a fun shot.
I love the Olympian Impala and the implausibility of wildebeest!
Thank you Michael!
Great TWIP Nick! So many great shots, but I have to pick the cool shot of the cheetah, quickly followed by the brilliant capture of the impala in mid leap!
Thanks Paul. The impala is a personal favourite of mine – capturing it in mid leap!
The lion cub feeding of the wildebeest carcass is my pick this week. So many expressive lion faces in this collection!
Indeed, the image of the Lion cub feeding is quite a scene!
All of the photos are my favorite!
Another amazing week of captured moments!
Thank you for the share…
Thank you Barbi!
Nick my favorite is the lion cubs for the week. Fantastic fotos this week in the TWIP. The foto of the skorro male lion in B/W is stunning, reminds me of the foto I printed many years ago while I was working in the dark room. I printed a huge print of a lion head with a mark over his nose. It looked so real and absolutely stunning.
Hi Valmai! thanks for the comment. Amazing how times have changed where the studio now has computers to download and edit images and not a dark room for developing film!
Nick, fantastic pictures this week. The two b & W pictures of the male lions are outstanding. However, my favorite is the leaping impala. It is a magnificent shot. Thanks for sharing TWIP!
Thank you, William! The impala in mid leap is a favourite for sure.
Stunning pictures, Nick. I like the one of the cheetah sniffing around that fallen tree best.
Good to know that so many lions and leopards are doing fine.
Thanks Christa. It is always a special sighting when a cheetah leaps onto a fallen over tree.
Powerful picture of the Talamati Lionesses. And that picture of the cub chewing on the bone what is the best cub picture I think I’ve ever seen. Both adorable and a chilling foreshadowing of a future Hunter.
Thank you very much Johanna. I’m glad you enjoyed the lion images this week.
Bull Elephant in the mist by a nose. wonderful pics but that one is magical
Thank you very much! the setting was perfect!
The cheetah pic is my fave this week! So good!
Thanks Carly!
Lovely photos Nick – favourite being the two lionesses – nice time of the year in the bush!