It has been a very special week for all of us here at Londolozi, Wild dogs seemed to be everywhere at one point which is by no means the norm, but we definitely aren’t complaining! There’s a lot of water-related content this week. A hyena patiently waits in the cooling flow of the Sand River for a pack of wild dogs to get a move on, this after having been on their tail as they chased a wildebeest calf into a nearby waterhole! Somehow the little antelope made it out of the jaws of both 9 wild dogs AND a crocodile. Although it was sporting some war wounds, the calf was found in a much calmer state, seemingly mostly recovered from the harrowing morning.
In the world of lions, the two Plains Camp Males find a dead giraffe and have a feed, evidence showing that they had chased off the much younger and less experienced Kambula Breakaways. Later in the week, we were incredibly fortunate to find one of the Ndzhenga Males crossing the Sand River at the crack of dawn, an absolute gift for any photographer. We almost witnessed the birth of a buffalo and later saw one of the biggest tusker elephants I’ve seen in my time at Londolozi. The Kambula Pride’s Cubs continue to enthral us with their antics, the youngest three of the 12 constantly stealing the show. And finally, the highlight of my week, the Ximungwe Female leading her cubs to a new stash point further down in the Maxabene River, a dry river bed that she has raised cubs in and around before.
We’ve had a blast this last week here at Londolozi and I hope you enjoy a few of the images I managed to take along the way. Let us know your favourite in the comments below!
Enjoy this Week in Pictures…
Some movement across the river caught the eye of this beautiful specimen as he lazed in the shade after a successful morning hunt.
A Woodland Kingfisher rests atop a broken knobthorn branch as it scans for prey.
An intense encounter as a crocodile makes an attempt on a wildebeest calf that had been chased into the water by a pack of wild dogs! The calf made his escape though and was later found several kilometres from the scene of the crime. We can only hope he survived and found his herd again.
Brothers in arms. The two Plains Camp Males stare toward a distant roaring as they feed on a deceased giraffe. In the last TWIP, ranger Kirsten Jocelyn found the Thumbela Female feasting on the fallen ruminant, who died seemingly of natural causes. We Found her slinking away from the scene shortly before finding these two behemoths having a feed.
I have not had the privilege of seeing a birth but this is the youngest calf I have ever seen. Still very wobbly on his legs, this little one must have just been born not 15 minutes prior to us see him taking his first steps.
Moments like this are what we live for out here, the Ndzhenga Male crosses the Sand River just as the sun rises to the East.
A huge tusker walks through the grasslands as the sun sets behind him. I tried to get onto the other side to get better lighting but he wasn’t having any of it as he was in musth and we decided to let the giant be.
Magic.
A very fat and happy cub gets his evening bath.
A magical scene unfolded during our morning coffee break as some 25 giraffes arrived at the water hole to drink.
A chilling moment as this Ntsevu Lioness stares straight through the camera lens.
An elephant calf playfully cooling itself down had our hearts melting on this scorcher of a summer day.
A prize clutched in his maw, this male keeps an eye out as the rest of the pack feeds.
Having just been given a fright by something unknown, this pack-member does its best to hover above the grassline!
Ranger Ross Cheshire & guests enjoy the excitement as a pack of wild dogs, having recently finished a kill, nervously stare toward a point behind my vehicle where one of the pack-members had recently yelped in suprise and bolted from that spot.
A Saddle-billed Stork silhouetted against the reflection of dusk in the Sand River.
This hyena sat cooling itself off in the Sand River as it waited patiently for the wild dogs in the first picture to get going for the afternoon.
The Xinkhova Female stalks a steenbok in broad daylight! She was unsuccessful but what a moment to witness!
A stunning young female with a very similar spot pattern to her mother, the Nkoveni Female. Litter still completely intact March 2022.
Just two best buddies sharing a drink.
Dawn over the grasslands can be magical.
A highlight of my week, watching the Ximungwe Female move her little ones down the dry Maxabene Riverbed.
Having been viewed by vehicles from an early age, this leopard is supremely relaxed around Land Rovers.
Keeping an eye out as her little ones explore the river. Her second cub was enthralled with digging deeper into a hole that was dug by an elephant earlier that day.
Stretching her claws out on a fallen knobthorn tree as one cub follows her lead in the background.
Kyle, the best action shot this week is the crocodile and the wildebeest calf, great picture. TWiPs had wonderful pictures of the wild dogs, leopards, and the lone bull elephant. He is impressive.
Kyle, What an amazing set of images! One more exciting than the last. You caught some great action too – our favorite is the wild dog in the air!
Kyle, your wildebeest/crocodile shot is amazing! And I always love the leopard cub ones, so thank you for sharing your talents here.
It is impossible to choose between the lion cub with its round belly being groomed by mom while grooming her and the Ximungwe female leopard being nuzzled by her cub. Excellent series of images all.
Kyle your images this week are awesome and it is hard to just pick one out of all of them. But I will say the Ximungwe female with her cubs are my favorite for this week. Secondly the buffalo and the Oxpecker drink water together is a fantastic image, well done! May I now how you can tell between the Plains Camp lions and the twins Ndhzenga lions. Stunning dawn image Kyle. You Rangers can certainly take the most beautiful photos.
Hi Kyle, My favourites is the happy lion cub that gets his evening bath, the hyena that was cooling itself off in the Sand River and finally the second leopard photo of Ximungwe female and her cubs.
Thank you for this Week In Pictures! I really enjoyed it!
Hi Kyle, I went back to your articles. The one about termites and the moon’s formation were particularly special. All pictures are superb but, as you say, the Ndzenga male is absolutely spectacular, a photo that would become a fantastic poster. The Ximungwe female and her cubs are impossible to beat! Wonderful! Aldo the lion cubs is adorable, the newborn buffalocalf too sweet!. The sunset is one of the best you got. The Saddle-billed stork I think is the most special picture of this week. Giraffe are always so welcome as well as the tusker, always iconic. The jumping wild dog has an unusual grace and it seems much more finely built, the picture is a perfect instant in time. , with pointed ears instead than round. Lovely elephant calf!
Thanks for your fantastic TWIP Kyle! You’ve given us so many amazing images that it’s not possible to choose one or two, so I’ve chosen a few. First of all, your first portrait of the painted dog is brilliant – those eyes. Other favorites include the poor wildebeest in the jaws of the crocodile, Ximungwe and her cubs, the newborn buffalo, and the elephants in the water. Cheers to another great week of sightings!
What a wonderful TWIP! Lions, elephants, leopards, wild dogs and so much more! Yup, the Ndzhenga at dawn is my fav!
Lovely. my favourite email of the week
I notice that one dog has a collar , do you know the reason who or what is tracking him/her?
Once again very difficult choosing one! I like them all – BUT the lone bull Elephant makes me ponder what stories he and his tusks could tell.
Love the mom and cubs leopards but you truly are the Lion King. Dawn over savanna was gorgeous!!!!!!! Jealous!
Your highlight definitely the highlight of the week! I also love the first pic of the wild dog and the lone hyena cooling off. Of course the ellies cooling off too!
Are we converting you to Nikon? Love and hugs
Kyle, they are all super photographs. I have a number of favourites. The dawn pic, the Wild Dog in mid-air, the Ximungwe Female and her cubs, the ‘buddies sharing a drink’. They are all great photographs. Thanks for sharing them with us.
I love the shot of the elephant bull. And how magical to see a journey of 25 giraffes drinking! I would have loved to be on the Land Rover for that experience.
Brilliant! Not just the lighting, not just the composition – there is some real poetry to this collection!
What an amazing TWIP, Kyle! For sheer cuteness, Ximungwe with her 2 cubs just edges the lion cub having its bath. for an action shot, the wildebeest calf and the crocodile, can’t believe the calf got away. The sihouette of the saddle-billed stork is stunning, and so is the Ndzhenga male crossing the river. But I like all the others as well!
Great images this week Kyle!!
Kyle, another spectacular TWIP from you! The gravity defying wild dog is my favorite. Well done as usual!
Spectacular photos, Kyle! Thanks for another great series of photos.