This week, we showcase a beautiful compilation of wildlife captured in the final moments of the winter season.
With the arrival of the first rains, it’s been wonderful to watch the bush begin its transformation with fresh shoots emerging and the landscape slowly coming back to life, including vibrant bird activity, a curious jackal, and a stunning spring sunrise.
On the predator front, leopard activity has been excellent. The Nkoveni Female and her impressive young male feature prominently. He continues to grow in both size and confidence, spending more time exploring away from his mother. The Three Rivers Female has also begun to distance herself from her daughter and was seen resting on top of a termite mound.
Lion sightings this week were dominated by the Nkuhuma Breakaway Duo, who have been on the reserve for the past three weeks. They’ve been moving across the crests well into the morning, offering some exceptional photographic opportunities.
There was also a brief appearance by another Nkuhuma Young Male, who has recently broken away from the Nkuhuma Pride in the northern reaches of the reserve, as well as some playful moments from the Msuthlu Pride in the deep south. Lion viewing has been nothing short of exceptional lately.
There was hyena activity all week, with a clan fighting over the scraps of an impala presumably killed by a leopard.
Let us know your favourites inthe comments section below.
Enjoy This Week in Pictures…
The Nkoveni Female pauses while drinking from a mud wallow.
A really fascinating moment we witnessed as a Hamerkop picked up a platana frog from a mud wallow and later, swallowed it whole!
Another spectacular sunrise over the silhouetted trees on the crests of Londolozi.
The Three Rivers female rests peacefully atop termite mound
Forced into early independence at 11 months. Despite her small size, she's proven resilient, currently raising a cub in SE Londolozi.
A Hyena Cub glances over to her litter mate during a playful time outside of the den.
A lucky and brief view of The Nkuhuma Young Male.
A Grey Go-away Bird takes flight.
A striking and close-up image of the intricate details of a Zebra’s face. I really enjoy the rich colour of his eyeball and the long hairs around his mouth.
The Nkoveni Young Male rests peacefully out in the open.
An African Fish Eagle eyeing out the Sand River for any fishing opportunities.
Two members of the Msuthlu pride play in the open grasslands on the southern reaches of Londolozi
An opportunistic hyena walks away with the head of an Impala.
A peaceful moment with a gentle giant.
Two Hyenas grapple over the remains of an Impala Carcass. The sounds from this sighting will stick with me for a while…
The Nkuhuma Breakaways are siblings that have left the pride and roaming the central parts of Londolozi. They are offspring of the Plains Camp Male coalition and are beautiful lions.
The Nkuhuma Breakaway Male drinks from a mud wallow after finishing off a warthog kill.
A Grey-headed Bush Shrike calls out from the tree tops.
A black and white edit of the Nkoveni Female drinking from a Mud wallow.
Londolozi's most viewed leopard and prolific mother. This gorgeous female has raised multiple cubs to independence.
An exhilarating moment is watching The Nkuhuma Breakaway Male stride down the road past the vehicle.
A curious Jackal holds its nose close to the ground in search of some food.
I’m still wishing to hear about the tsalala lioness, it’s been so long. Please give us a update
I just love the hyena cub and the zebra this week, Nick. And the shot of thy hyenas grappling with the impala head made me laugh. I almost appears that the hyena in the background is a mystical beast with the head of an impala, and it’s fighting off the hyena in the foreground. Great shot!
My favourites are the Hyena Cub, Zebra face and the beautiful sunrise.
Difficult to choose from these images, because I like them all, but if I really have to choose it may be the hyena cub, the two playing lions of the Msuthlu pride and the relaxed picture of the Nkoveni Young Male.
Hyena pup for the win! Also the colors w/ the Nkoveni Female taking a drink are amazing, as it the zebra shot!
Fantastic collection of photos Nick. Difficult to choose favorites but here goes: loved the hammerkop with his catch, the stunning sunrise, the zebra portrait in that lovely light, and the apparently “sound to sleep” Nkoveni young male. The most intriguing image is the two hyenas playing tug of war with the impala carcass, its head appearing to be attached to the hyena’s body that’s at the left – was that a surprise capture or did you see it as you were shooting?
All wonderful of course, but that picture of the Grey-headed Bush Shrike calling out from the tree tops, takes me back to my youth, seeing Molly Goldberg on black and white TV, calling to to her tenement neighbors, “You, hoo!!” 😉
Hi Nick, the Nkuhuma male lion and lioness are really beautiful lions. My favorite this week would be the Nkoveni young male lying down in the open. He looks so peaceful sleeping there. I am sure the Nkoveni female and Three Rivers female are enjoying time alone as their cubs are just about ready to leave their mother and search for their own territory. Just looking at those hyenas fighting over the impala carcass, makes you just want to close your ears because they can make such a noise fighting over a carcass.
Hi, leopards are always my favourite, but in this list I was particularly hit by some peculiar pictures. Firstly the Grey Go-Away bird… I didn’t know if it! Could you prepare a blog on it? What a fascinating one! Then the wonderful zebra stallion, he’s a real stunner! I’d add the elephant bull they are in all pictures series more or less and always imposing, as they always are present I don’t usually pick them up, but they do are superb. The NkuhumaBreakawsy male striding past is absolutely fantastic! And the picture with his sis made me smile. I definitely prefer jackal to hyena! It’s do elegant it looks dancing… the Three Rivers female opens the gallery with her eternal beauty, like the Nkoveni that lasts both in colour and black ans white.
Thank you Nick. My favourite this week has to be the Nkoveni young male gently dozing…..no other species looks so supremely comfortable as the cat family. They’ve made it an art form!
So true Suzanne!
Another wonderful collection of photos, Nick. I love the hyenacub and the Hamerkop with the frog especially. Having said that: All the other photos are great as well, so it‘s really hard to choose.