As June draws to a close, winter has firmly established itself across the reserve. The mornings now arrive with a distinct chill, often requiring an extra layer or two as we set out before first light. Yet with the colder temperatures comes one of the great rewards of this time of year. The spectacular sunrises and sunsets that seem to grow more vibrant with each week that passes. Soft pastel hues give way to fiery oranges and deep reds, painting the sky above the bush and providing photographers with endless inspiration.
What makes this season feel particularly unique, however, is the lingering impact of the exceptional rainfall received earlier in the year. Despite being well into the dry season, much of the reserve remains surprisingly green, with pockets of lush vegetation still scattered throughout the landscape.
The wildlife continued to deliver unforgettable moments this week. From many awesome encounters with lions and leopards, to the quieter scenes that so often define life in the wilderness, this week’s collection of images captures just a small glimpse of the stories unfolding across the reserve each day. And believe it or not, most of which we will never get to see.
I hope you enjoy this selection of photographs. Let me know what your favourites are in the comments!
The dark-maned Gijima male walks across an open crest whilst being lit up by the soft morning light.
The Makomsava Female glances up at her hoisted impala carcass moments before she leapt up into the upper branches to go and feed.
The only surviving cub of the Nanga female, currently territorial northern Marthly. Currently denning north of boundary
A very tiny rhino calf, only days old. This little calf and its mother are very relaxed around vehicles and have been providing some incredible viewing recently.
A herd of elephant come down for a late morning drink at Shingilana Dam.
A large clan of hyenas try to pack together to intimidate and drive off the Ntsevu pride from the area early one morning. Unfortunately for them, they were unsuccessful.
The Tinxiya female, treed by a pack of wild dogs, uses the opportunity to rest in the upper branches of a leadwood tree.
A confident and curious young leopard, that is nearing independence after a remarkable start to life alongside her resilient mother.
Before the sun disappeared up into the clouds, we quickly used the opportunity to photograph a lone impala ram silhouetted by the beautiful morning light.
Another successful afternoon down in the south western parts of the reserve searching for the white zebra foal. She seems to be very healthy and is currently doing incredibly well.
An inquisitive young rhino calf keeps a watchful eye on us whilst its mother has a late afternoon drink.
We used this opportunity to take some black and white photographs of this male cheetah on a drizzly, overcast morning.
One of the majestic Plains Camp males. A true powerhouse predator.
Two wild dogs chase each other around in the soft sand before beginning to settle up for the day.
A long afternoon search proved to be fruitful as we got to spend the last moments of daylight with the Tinxiya Female. We were just about to call it a day. We rounded the next corner and there she was.
We could hear lions roaring north of the river whilst having our morning tea and coffee. We wasted no time in getting to the area and we were rewarded with a magical sunrise scene and the Nkuhuma breakaways.
A martial eagle takes flight from the top of a very tall dead leadwood tree.
Two youngsters of the Munghen pride snuggle up to one another.
What an incredible sighting this was for us. We were able to spend the morning with the three Makatini sub-adult cheetah after not seeing them for months. We are thrilled that all of them are still alive and thriving.
The Styx male and the Kambula female have been spending a lot of time around our camps lately.
The Makomsava Female rests in a large marula tree.
The Nkoveni female strops her claws into the trunk of a fallen Weeping wattle tree. This helps shed dead nail husks and stretch their muscles.
Londolozi's most viewed leopard and prolific mother. This gorgeous female has raised multiple cubs to independence.
This zebra stallion stood in the middle of the road for a couple minutes before eventually deciding to move off.
One of the Plains Camp males on a territorial patrol.
The youngsters of the two Kambula females run to come and greet their mothers after they returned from a hunt.
The Tinxiya female keeps a very watchful eye on a lioness from the Ntsevu pride from the safety of a leadwood tree. She was moving through the area with one of the Gijima males.
Hi LGR. That was just another very good and interesting TWIP for me to see and read, so as usual, thank you so much for putting it up. If the Nkuhuma breakaway lioness isn’t pregnant with her first ever litter of cubs there yet, then I expect she will have to find the large and powerful Gajima males, and start mating with the duo again in a effort to try and fall very heavily pregnant so more successfully. Wouldn’t she? It will be so nice to see her with her own very first litter of cubs with her in a few months time very soon one day. I know she and the Tsalala girl aren’t related to each other, but if they teamed up with each other as a oddly matched duo, then they possibly might stand a much better chance of raising some new Nkuhuma breakaway and Tsalala pride cubs together. What do you think about that? It may well help them.
That was just a thought anyway, but it is a very tempting thought. I don’t know how they will react to each other either, even if teaming up together would help. They might take to each other nicely at first, but I’m sure they will get used to one another in the end eventually. It’ll double their chances with cubs together. I would be so interested to hear your opinion and also what you think as well. I do feel very sorry for the older Tsalala lioness, as she’s list 3 litters of cubs in a row now there already, and it’s left me wondering to myself when and if she’ll ever raise a successful litter or more at all. I do hope she will do, as we’d all like to see her rebuild and increase her birth pride’s old former numbers back up a fair bit to what they once were so many long years ago. They need to mate with some good strong and loyal male lions who’s territory they will feel safe raising cubs in together, and that will also check up on them both nonstop relentlessly as well as keeping all other male lions and rival predators there well away.
Although the nearly 14 year old Nkoveni female leopard is still heavily pregnant, but how far away do you think she is from giving birth to her new and last ever litter of cubs there eventually? Like you, I can’t wait to see her new and last cubs once she’s given birth to them and also decided when they’re old enough to come out of their densite. Can you? At least we know the Maxim’s male sired her new cubs with her, as she mated with him a good couple of months ago.
She might not be the oldest female leopard on your land in terms of age, but she is certainly one of the most experienced mother leopards over there. She has most definitely raised more cubs to hard independence and adulthood than her mother, the Mashaba female has, but not as many as we would like to see. This is so going to be her last chance at raising cubs, but it’ll be interesting to see how well she is able to raise them, like she has with the survivors from her previous two litters to hard independence.
We know her mother, the very elderly much loved Mashaba female, gave birth to at least twelve litters of cubs totaling ove thirty altogether in total throughout her long lifetime, but sadly only successfully raised just her two existing daughters that are thankfully still around with us to this very day. It is so very sad that she lost so many of her other cubs to other leopards, lions and hyenas as well as the bush so many long years ago. It’s sad she’s to old to produce anymore now.
I would so like to know how and where she is there right now currently. I would like to think she is still alive, well and healthy there to this very day, but I don’t know when, where and if she will make her next appearance to show everyone who knows her so well, that she is still alive, well and healthy. Though she was born to the Vomba female in September 2008, I find it hard to believe that she’s done so very well indeed to reach nearly 18 years old in just 3 months time. But at a incredible 17 years and 9 months old, she’s the oldest leopard in the whole of the Sabi Sands area. How do you think how and where she is right now? I will like to know where else she goes to, when she’s not seen and viewed there. It has been such a rather long while now since you last put up a blog on her. I do wonder if you’ll ever get an update on her from another neighbouring property at all, as she’s very good at keeping her head down and playing hide and seek. She is one very special old leopard, and means a lot to loads of people, as everyone there has known her right from when she was a tiny cub herself.
As the four small cubs of the Mhangeni pride are 3 males & 1 female apparently, but whilst they’re the only cubs in the pride, do you know if the Nkuhuma and Talamati males have mated with any of the other two adult lionesses of the pride and if they’re looking very heavily pregnant with more new cubs on their way? The Mhangeni pride hasn’t been a very big one since the long gone days when the 4 famous and formidable Manyelethi male lions sired at least 12 cubs together, which turned out to be 9 boys & 3 girls. But with two other cubless adult lionesses to mate and sire more cubs with, l do hope more cubs will be on their way over there very soon one day. When and if the 3 male cubs in the pride survive to hard independence and adulthood, they will undoubtedly be a formidable and powerful force to be reckoned with and respected completely fully. They’ve got a long way to go, as they’re only about 5 months old now so far. Let’s all hope and keep our fingers crossed for them, too.
Hope to hear from you shortly.
Robert 26.6.26
Matt, your images are stellar! One after the other are really great and we added a few to our favorites. As far as the top ones, we especially liked the Nkoveni female with her claws out and the Makatini sub-adult cheetah in that cool setting. The male lions are really impressive too!
What an almost brighting gallery this week! The Tinxya female cornered by wild dogs and in lions’ territory, that’s a thriller. She’s young and must live on the edge…. the little zebra, so cool to see her close to her mum and .. alive and kicking! The little rhino calf, the herd of elephants, but the Makomsava female struck me in particular, while the Black – mane Gjima male is awesome! The cheetah and the black-and-white zebras, the impala ram and martial eagle…. all.a spectacle. I’m so glad the splendid Styx male is still around. The Three Makathini subadults are a great surprise!
Matt, my favourites are Tinxiya in the tree, both are beautiful.
I’m so happy to see that you spent time with the 3 Makhatini sub-adults, that must have been amazing. I can’t remember how many are male/female?
Hi Matt, lovely images once again this week. My favorite would be the two cubs snuggled together. The Plains Camp males are impressive and are still my favourite males. Little rhino calf too sweet.
Love your photos, Matt.
So the Three young Makhatini Cheetahs are still together?
My favourite photo is the one of the Tinxiya Female in the tree, together with all the other great photos.
Wonderful images, Matt! Love seeing Makomsava – we missed seeing her last month and recall her as a cub with her mom, the Nanga female. The headline shot of the Tinxuya female is superb and I love the image of the Nkuhuma male at sunrise.
Thanks Matt for your collection of photos this week, highlighting some of the well-known predators in addition to a few prey species. A first favorite is your portrait of Tinxiya, paws crossed in the V of the tree trunks followed by the image of the tiny rhino calf. Additional favorites include your sunrise/sunset images, the b/w Martial Eagle and the offspring of the Makhatini female cheetah. And actually a special mention for your fantastic image of two of the Kambula sub-adult males, greeting their
mothers, such a special moment to capture.
Dear Matt, amazing pics. Love the Tinxiya with that wonderful red nose.
Is the Tinxiya female’s tale longer than normal??? Great pics this week Matt…every one!!! Love the Styx male…so handsome!