It’s been a longer winter here in the Sabi Sands but summer seems to have finally arrived. The land is thirsty and the recent storms seemed only to bring wind with very little rain. However, we have had a couple of light drizzles which have sparked an awakening. Tortoises are being seen more regularly, dragonflies flit through the air and chameleons are being spotted at night. Termites have begun new construction on their ancient dwellings and the first alate (winged termites) emergence should happen soon. The days are long with early morning starts and later afternoon drives to maximise time in the active hours of the day which means plenty of time for relaxing on deck, in your private pools and treating yourself to a healing house spa experience, and of course still have plenty of time for a mid-day nap!
Regarding the wildlife, there’s been a veritable avalanche of cats on Londolozi this week! We’ve had unusually frequent (I won’t say regularly) incredibly special cheetah sightings. The Ndhzenga Males continue to be a force to be reckoned with, not allowing any males near the Kambula or Ntsevu Pride, and controlling their turf with gusto. The Kambula Pride were found with not one, not two but THREE buffalo carcasses the other day. What a wild moment that was to find the pride full-bellied but still having two full carcasses to get through! The Three Rivers Female continues to look after her little one, who is becoming enthusiastic and confident, a fantastic young leopardess. A very exciting update is that the Ndzandzeni Female is suckling and we are searching for the den!
It’s all happening here on Londolozi this week and so let us know your favourites in the comments section below.
Enjoy This Week In Pictures…
An Ndzhenga Male crosses the airstrip at dawn.
This male cheetah finally succumbed to the pressure of these three giraffes staring at him and giving away his position in a very obvious way.
This young Bateleur looks to be in the range of seven years old having almost transformed from brown with a grey/green face to the magnificent bold black, white and chestnut body with bright red legs and face.
Wisdom.
The Londolozi ladies choir perform for our guests as the sun sets behind them; a very special moment.
Moments like these are burnt into your memory.
We stopped to look at a tortoiseshell and suddenly spotted these two Lapwing chicks hiding in plain sight but so camouflaged nonetheless!
The innocent eyes seem not to suit the ferocious display!
One can only imagine that this quick dip must have felt so refreshing on one of the first real hot days of summer.
This leap ultimately ended in failure but what a moment to be right there for!
Part of a small colony of Yellow-billed Storks have set up shop near camp.
This young Kambula Female practised killing this buffalo for quite some time.
Posing with her prize.
This buffalo herd numbered around 200 individuals! Mind-blowing.
Bathed in fresh kudu blood, the Nkuhuma Young Male stares in the direction of a roaring male lion.
The Ndzandzeni Female perches on a ledge above us!
Royal descendant of Mother Leopard lineage. Remarkable single cub success story who overcame injury to continue the royal bloodline.
10 oxpeckers work hard at cleaning this large male giraffe.
The Three Rivers Young Female treats us to a show as she explores the upper limbs of a leadwood tree.
The Three Rivers Female pauses to scan the surroundings.
Forced into early independence at 11 months. Despite her small size, she's proven resilient, currently raising a cub in SE Londolozi.
Keeping her cub entertained!
This Ntsevu mother did not want to be disturbed but the cub was having none of it and kept coming back for more!
Sleepy…
Always a pleasure to get the current edition of TWIP. Gorgeous leopards. Ndzanzeni will be 13 in about 4 months. I had always hoped she would raise a daughter to keep the female line of the Mother Leopard going on Londolozi.
The photo of the Three Rivers young female is nice. I love her position as she is looking up into the tree. She is getting big. I saw her in early June.
Gorgeous pictures, Kyle, thanks. From the 3 giraffes staring at the cheetah, to the great photo of the Battler, the entertaining leap into the water of the young lion to the Leopards, and the lioness with her kill… as.s. every photo a little treasure.
The Lapwing chicks hiding are precious.
You saved the best for last IMO! Sleepy little guy is so cute! But love the giraffes staring down the cheetah too! Mothers w/cubs always special even if annoying to mom! Happy Friday!
So many wonderful images this week, Kyle! Love the lapwing chicks, the lion cub mid-jump and the Three Rivers female wrestling with her cub! I would so love to be there!
You’ve really excelled yourself this week, Kyle! I’m picking the Ndzhenga male at dawn as my favourite, but it’s a tough call.
I’m delighted to hear the news about Ndzanzeni but will try not to get too excited, as she’s lost so many cubs. But her mother (Dudley Riverbank) was nearly 14 when she had her so I guess she’s still in with a chance.
TWIP is super. My favorites and the cheetah being looked at by the giraffes, along with the shot of the leopard and her cub. That is the tree rivers female.
Hi Kyle, such lovely pics this week in TWIP. My favorite would be the Three Rivers female in the Leadwood tree. Her cub is getting big so quickly. Loved the pic of the buffalo drinking water with oxpeckers cleaning them and also the giraffe with the oxpeckers cleaning it’s neck.
I always look forward to Fridays as opening the TWIP is my early morning treat , and today’s is exceptionally great to see. I especially liked your amazing image of the young Bateleur Eagle – the details were extraordinary. Another favorite is the detail shot of the elephant eye, those long lashes almost covering the eye. Ndzanzeni looks good, perhaps because she is a mother again, and hopefully she will be able to raise a female cub to independence this time around. Seeing the hippo rising out of the water was a fantastic capture, given they don’t grace us with their whole body presence very often. Fingers crossed the winds subside and the rains arrive to really penetrate the earth. When I was there last month, everything looked so parched.
Lovely photo of the Three Rivers female and cub. I saw both at Londos in Septe,ber during the sighting where the cub was not feeling good well. I am glad she is better. Saw Three Rivers two weeks ago, minus her cub but hope to see both when I am back at Londolozi in late April!
Hi, I don’t really know what to choose, they are fabulous! What hit me was the lapping chicks I had to take more seconds to understand… that is an excellent finding! And the eyes of the hippo… really fascinating. As far as beauty is concerned, the Ndzanzeni female is different from the others and I have always loved her. The last royal queen. The Three Rivers female and her cub are just amazing, the cubs coat looks like a jaguar’s one with those rosettes… I watched a video of the Nkoveni Female, her cubs and the Maxim male, maybe his daughter looks soft because she has such a nice dad…the lions are all fantastic , too. The buffalo drinking also is a special shot. Wonderful pictures of the cubs, the giraffe, the elephant’s eye and the bateleur eagle.
Lovely photos, except the Nkuhuma Young Male, and that is the one I would have turned into Giclee print and hung on my wall. It may not be the prettiest photo but it is the most powerful photo
The lapwing chicks are adorable! I’m glad the young Kambula female was able to practice her skills on one of the extra dead buffalo. That was a good learning opportunity for her.
Beautiful shots Kyle! We especially love the close up of the elephant eye – wisdom for sure!
Once again, your prose and awesome over the top pix have blown us away!!!!
Keep it up bro! Love and hugs
Excellent, Kyle! The lion leaping into river shot, split-second perfection.
What a week Kyle!! This has to be one of the richest TWIP in recent memory – so much variety in subjects, settings and composition! I hate to choose, since they are all great, but the cheetah slinking off after being given away by the giraffes is my top pick this week!