There has been a subtle shift in the air around Londolozi. While we are still very much in the heart of winter, the days feel as though they are slowly starting to warm up. Something that hasn’t changed, is the light. The crisp golden mornings and soft afternoon glows continue to make this time of year so special to be out in the bush.
Lions seem to be everywhere around Londolozi at the moment. In the west, the Mhangeni Pride have been keeping us entertained with their extremely cute and playful cubs. The Msuthlu Pride showed themselves once again along the southern boundary. A personal highlight this week was my first view of the new Kambula Cubs found around a warthog kill, and through it all, the Gijima Makes continue to have a strong hold.
On the leopard front, it has been a week of welcomed reunions. Both the Makomsava Female and Flat Rock Male, neither of whom I had seen for some time, made an appearance. The Shingi Male managed to hoist an impala into the most incredible appleleaf tree, and the Ximungwe Female continues to make finding her a challenge, although as always, it pays off when we do.
The pack of five wild dogs have been moving through Londolozi over the past week; we are all crossing fingers that the Alfa Female chooses to drop her pups here on Londolozi. The three Makathini sub-adults have also been providing us with some incredible viewing; we are savouring these moments that they are still together.
All in all, it has been another amazing week at Londolozi showcasing winter light in all its beauty.
As always, let us know which images stood out to you in the comments below.
Enjoy This Week in Pictures…
The Msuthlu Pride patrolling along our southern boundary.
A massive buffalo bull approaches us in search of water.
One of the Makathini Young Males resting while an elephant walks off in the background.
All three of the sub-adults preparing to move in the late afternoon.
A group of hippo youngsters, contemplating going back in the water after warming up in the sun.
The Makomsava Female resting on a fallen tree before she continues her hunt.
The only surviving cub of the Nanga female, currently territorial northern Marthly. Currently denning north of boundary
The Mhangeni Cubs watch the sub-adults playing in the distance.
The amount of dazzles around at the moment has been the most I have seen in years.
Crocodiles in the Sand River basking in the sun.
The Shingi Male descending the incredible apple leaf.
The last surviving cub of a litter of three, he is on the cusp of independence.
Later that afternoon, he decided to rest in the apple leaf with the impala.
After joining up with the rest of the pride, the Mhangeni Cubs couldn’t stop watching vultures circling behind our heads.
I managed to catch this Tawny Eagle while it was blinking the other morning, but this isn’t an eyelid as such; it is known as a nictitating membrane and also helps protect the eye.
The Ximungwe Female resting in a tamboti tree.
Having been viewed by vehicles from an early age, this leopard is supremely relaxed around Land Rovers.
The blonde Gijima Male roaring after chasing the Ntsevu Young Male.
Two members of the pack of two on the hunt at sunset.
Two buffalo bulls fighting while the rest of the herd drinks. These confrontations are always immense.
The Flat Rock Male looking over the Sand River. I think it had been over a year since I had seen him.
Born 2013 Kruger, seized prime territory at young age. Strategic dominance led to successful lineage before current eastward shift.
Watching these incredibly cute Kambula cubs trying to get some meat around that warthog was definitely my highlight this week.
The photo of “The blonde Gijima Male” is my favourite. The detail in the ripples in the skin while he was having a roar are amazing. They are all lovely photos. Well done.
Patrick, Thanks for a great set of images and an excellent update! We loved the closeup of the Ximungwe Female – gorgeous!
Beautiful pictures, Patrick
As always so difficult to decide which one I like best. Maybe the one of the Ximungwe Female, I love that look of hers.
The hippos out of the water are something special. And though I aim not really fond of crocodiles, I think the colours and the whole photo of those two on the sand are really great.
Oh and it’s so good to know that the Flat Rock Leopard is still there, as are the young Makathini Cheetahs. I haven’t heard anything about Flat Rock for a long time.
Awesome summary of a fabulous week! We were so blessed to be there with you and Dorence (and Sam) for this very special journey! All the best!
These photos are stunning! I love the cheetahs, the lion cubs, the eagle blinking… all of them. wow. Thank you!
Hi LGR. Thank you so much for putting up the next new photos for this week’s TWIP. They’re often always so interesting indeed. Although you were lucky and fortunate enough to get to see the Ximungwe female leopard there again during this past week, but bearing in mind that she gave birth to 2 cubs back in early January, do you know if any of her 2 cubs are still alive, well & healthy there to this very at all or not? I do hope they are both alright. She didn’t give birth to them for nothing what so ever. I don’t want this to be litter number 3 that she has lost in the last couple of years at all either. It would be nice to think that at least one or both of her two cubs are fine. I don’t know where she’s hidden the cub(s) right now, but they certainly haven’t been seen for quite a while now. If she does still have them, then they should be about 6 months old by now.
It will be so good and nice to see them again, as we might possibly get a chance to get a good, clear and close enough look at them to see what gender they are. Liters one and two were successful, litters three and four weren’t successful and litter five we don’t know how and where they are at all. But I hope she will lead you to where her cubs are or that you bump into her with one or both of her cubs on a dirt track there together.
She is very good at hiding her cubs, but despite her been a very good and highly experienced mother like her older and heavily lactating sister, they’ve both got their own cubs very well hidden indeed. Whilst one has got tiny cubs still very dependent on her and is lactating heavily, the other one should have introduced her cubs to meat and taking them to meals that she has successfully provided for them as well as herself up in a tree.
Whilst the Mhangeni pride has got 3 adult lionesses, 4 – 6 month old cubs who are 3 boys and 1 girl, and 3 teenage and inexperienced sub adults 2 girls and 1 boy, but while one lioness is the mother of the pride’s 4 cubs, do you know if the oddly matched and unrelated Nkuhuma and Talamati males have got one or both of the other two adult lionesses pregnant with new cubs on their way there yet? It will be nice to see some more cubs well on their way very soon one day. I think they are all distant relatives of the much loved and elusive Tsalala lioness as well. Although it is hard to tell, but if they were to accept her into their pride at all, then maybe the chances of her giving birth to and raising cubs will be a lot higher and so much more successful. Wouldn’t they? I do feel so sorry for the Tsalala lioness, as though she doesn’t seem to have trouble in conceiving, falling pregnant and having birth to cubs, but it’s the fact that she’s lost ten lives on just three litters there now already. It has got me thinking and wondering to myself if she’ll ever be able to raise a litter or more to hard independence and even harder adulthood in order to rebuild and form her own birth pride. The Tsalala lioness needs help and support from other willing lions that will turn her luck and fortunes around the other way. She has been having a hard time.
I don’t know what so ever what you think as to whether they will ever accept her into their pride at all or not. Even though she is a good and capable huntress and able to hunt by herself, but I’m sure she would appreciate some company that will accept her and help her raise her cubs more successfully. I bet other lone lionesses from the past have beaten and defied the odds stacked against them and got their cubs raised to independence and adulthood, and I’m not saying that can’t, but she even though it’s not her fault, but she just seems to keep on loosing one litter of cubs after another to other lions even if she thinks she’s got them in a safe place. If she had her late twin sister and mum with her there right now, the survival of her cubs will be a totally different story.
I would love to know just out of interest, what the gender of those 8 brand new cubs of the Kambula pride are there. I can’t tell what they are, even from the photos taken during the course of the week, as it’s just impossible. I’m relying on you tell me as you all live and work there and I don’t. As the cubs must be at least a good couple of months old now already, I expect it will be easier to tell. Those cubs really have boosted their birth pride’s numbers up a bit currently.
They might well have a long way to go in front of them, but I hope that with the protection and safety of their big older relatives, mothers, aunts and fathers, they will all stand a good fighting chance of survival over there to beat and defy the odds stacked against them. I hope they will turn and grow up into powerful and formidable adults like their mothers, aunts and fathers in the future. I bet the inexperienced big sub adults are a bit curious about and playful with them.
Hope to hear from you shortly.
Robert 24.7.26
Great close-up of the Ximungwe Female!
How old are the Mhangeni Cubs now?
Your photos are all wonderful this week Patrickbut I do have a few favorites. Shingi posing in the tree is a classic, followed by the picture of Ximungwe. Additionally, kudos on your capture of the blonde Gijima as well as the buffaloes locking horns.
Hi Patrick, so many beautiful images showcasing this week. My favourite is the Shingi male and the Ximungwe female. Kambula cubs are gorgeous and getting bigger by the day. The two buffalo fighting looks intense and quiet scarry.
The Ximungwe Female resting in the tree is an epic shot! Love the lion cubs and happy to see some wild dogs too!
Thought you were talking about us as we read the first sentence of your opening paragraph, but not true!!! We recognize all your shots as we review our own from that time. You have really become a professional photographer with an excellent eye for composition and framing! We miss those early morning route calls and Dorence’s hot water bottles but we are basking in all those memories as we cull and edit the images from our time together. Give your girl an extra hug for us!!!
Dear Patrick, thanks for that great TWIP. Exciting, to see a pic of Flat rock-great he ist still alive. Hopefully we can see him next year.
Hi Patrick, all pictures are superb, each has a unique trait that surprises. The cubs are always a treat, the lions and the Makathini family. I like the dazzle of zebra and the hippo youngsters! Buffalo fighting. One that caught my attention in particular is that of the Ximungwe female. Impossibile not to stop and watch for a long time, like the last lions cubs.. The Shingi male … the blond Gjima male… and an absolutely surprise to see the Flat Rock Male again! Sometimes I think of him and the Senegal Bush male, whom I liked in particular. The Makomsava female is a very peculiar one, glad she’s there.
My favourite has got to be the crocs resting on the riverbank. My second favourite is the Makhatini male draped over the soil. Only cats can make the most uncomfortable places look like a bed of cushions 🙂
I will be stepping onto Varty deck in exactly 2 weeks from this moment. Please have someone keep an eye on the Makomsava female for me. 😂
Is Blonde Gijima OK? I was taken aback by his thin body.