There is still a lot of water around Londolozi! With all the excess water, it has made for some unreal photographic opportunities. The greenery, accompanied by epic sunrises and sunsets, has been an absolute dream. The wildlife have also followed suit and provided us with some memorable moments over the past week.
Lions have been all over the property. The two Kambula Females that have been hanging around the northern parts of Londolozi have moved back south towards their old territory. The Mhangeni Pride have allowed us to view their extremely cute four new cubs. Around three months old, they already have a lot of attitude! The Southern Black Dam Male has spent a bit of time on Londolozi and is looking rather impressive.
The Tinxiya Female, now fully independent, has been seen in and around the Maxabene. Although the Shingi Male has still been seen with Nkoveni from time to time, he is showing promising signs of being totally fine without her. Managing to kill a fully grown impala. The Xhinkova Female is spending more and more time around camps, expanding her territory constantly.
The pack of two keep popping up, causing havoc around our airstrip, while the male cheetah has also been seen a couple of times. Both Wild Dog and Cheetah are always extremely exciting.
All the animals are loving the amount of water around, especially the elephants. Watching them get excited around water will always be one of my favourite things to watch.
It’s been an interesting and eventful week!
Let us know in the comments which images are your favourite.
Enjoy the Week in Pictures…
The Tinxiya Female rests under the cool canopies of the Maxabene.
A confident and curious young leopard, that is nearing independence after a remarkable start to life alongside her resilient mother.
A Spider Hunting Wasp dragging a spider to its near by hole.
A Rhino Bull assessing his surroundings after a mud bath.
One of the Kambula cubs looks into the distance as some vultures fly by.
A Elephant calf takes the opportunity to swim in one of the larger waterholes while the rest of the herd drink.
Looking up at a Marula Tree, The Shingi Male decides where to stash his impala kill.
The last surviving cub of a litter of three, he is on the cusp of independence.
After a failed attempt to hoist, he decided to rest in the Marula.
Before leaving for a sundowner, we had one more look capturing this moment of him watching more impala in the distance.
A Martial Eagle taking off form a dead tree.
One of the members of the pack of two watch Zebra crossing the airstrip.
While birding at this body of water, this hippo decided to display his impressive incisors.
A dazzle of zebra quenching their thirst.
The Southern Black Dam Male has been making a name for himself in Marthly over the past couple weeks.
A zebra foal running back to its mother after venturing too far.
It always a pleasure seeing these incredible cats.
A wildebeest mother and calf taking a break from suckling to watch us drive past.
This was my first time seeing the Mungen Cubs.
The morning light made an already amazing sighting that much more memorable.
The Xhinkova Female on a territorial patrol.
Born 2021, daughter of Nkoveni. Young dynamo actively claiming territory near camps, showing promise as next generation's dominant female.
Taking full advantage of the extra water around at the moment.
My favourite is the zebra foal in mid-air with the elephant in the background.
Thanks for a great TWIP, Patrick – I love the variety from little to large! My favourite is the Martial Eagle taking off, but they’re all terrific.
Did the Shingi male manage to hoist his kill in the end, or did the hyenas get it?
Beautiful collection Patrick! Seeing the animals taking advantage of the extra water makes me excited for summer.
A more than muddy rhino – looks great.
I love the Martial Eagle taking off; such a great shot.
The younger generation of leopards: so nice to see them all doing so well.
And the young zebra foal and the young wildebeest, the black and white photo of the zebras drinking, the elephants enjoying life with so much water around, the lions cubs and male, the tiny wasp with its catch: all your photos are so pleasant.
Great group of photos making it difficult to pick a favorite. However, that martial eagle @ the point of lifting off is probably the! Thanks Patrick.
Well, big cats are absolute wonders. Marvellous. But I was thinking that, in spite of my sympathy fot the Three Rivers young female (Tynxya( I haven’t chosen her since a long time … she’s still a younger. So. All cubs and calves are favourites. I adore the picture of the zebra calf jumping! And the lion cubs they are peculiar. Beautiful and more serious, acting like adults, so they look funny too. The elephant cub is fantastic. The black dam southern male, what a surprise! And he’s a gorgeous specimen. The cheetah is always a unique creature to see. The wildebeest mother and calf are same level to the zebra foal. So, considering that the tinxyia female is still a youngster and the Shingi male too I’d put them in the “young winners ‘ category. The hippo and rhino are in the “water and earth warrior ” category…. oh so wonderful life you live, I’d stay all my day long to look at them… elephants swimming, bathing and playing, and little lions playing like adults….
GREAT shot of the Martial Eagle!
Oh, and I figured out why the Rhino Bull is so carefully assessing his surroundings, coming out of his mud bath. His wife said to him – “If you track mud through my kitchen one more time!….” He could learn a lesson from the baby elephant who is pristine beautiful after his fresh water water bath.
Hi Patrick, my favorite this week is the Tinxiya female and the Shingi male. Love the leopards of Londolozi.
I loved viewing your photos this week Pat, in part because of the intense greenery and the summer lighting. I do have a few favorites – perhaps not what you would expect. First of all I love the little things, and so your Spider Hunting Wasp dragging its prey was my first favorite, followed by the muddy Rhino bull. The others included the little elephant calf enjoying his water bath, the little Zebra foal seemingly airborne, and finally the Wildebeest mother and her calf. I will add that your photo of the Tinxiya female lying in repose under the tree is very special. I am hoping that by the time I arrive in a couple of months it will still be quite lush and there will still be many water pools available…..
Dear Patrick, great pics , love the small zebra and the lion cubs.
That baby ellie is my fave! But also the foal and the young lion kings!
Patrick, Thanks for a fabulous set of images! Love all the ones with the wildlife moving and in unexpected scenes!