This week I kept finding myself watching animals navigate the gap between where they are and where they’re going.
It started at the wild dog den. The pups are getting bigger and bolder every visit, but this week made it very clear that bigger and bolder doesn’t yet mean ready.
From there we spent some time with the Shingi Male. Nkoveni’s son, with an impala hoisted in a knobthorn tree and two hyenas that finally helped speed things up.
Then the Kambula Pride. Two of the southern females back on Londolozi with their eight cubs, a welcome return after a long stretch on our eastern neighbours’ side.
And then back to the den. Because the pups had more to show us.
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The last surviving cub of a litter of three, he is on the cusp of independence.
Those five Wild dog pups are just too cute for words and certainly are keeping the four adults busy hunting. However, it is apparent that the adults know how to keep the pups in line, as when they are resting and the pups come too near, they bark at them and move to another spot. And then poor mom, five wiggly, milk hungry bodies all cramming into her belly to latch onto a teat and one can understand why she lets up and moves away from them.
And it seems the same is true for the lionesses – two females and 8 cubs – that’s a lot of mouths to feed and especially now when they are bigger and stronger. Those two females must be exhausted by all their cubs as well as hunting large enough prey to keep everyone fed. it may have been angles from your video, but not seems a few cubs are significantly bigger than the others. Either they are a few weeks older or get their lions’ share when a kill is available.
Shingi looks even bigger than when I saw him in April. I am imagining that he will grow to be larger than his father and eventually will be a formidable leopard in a territory that he can call his own, much like Tortoise Pan.
Thanks for your visual updates and commentary and welcome back from your leave.
Hi Sean, great video as always. I felt for the emaciated cub. Once I watched a documentary, there was a lion cub that was definitely weak and undernourished. His mother waited for him, but in the end the pride went on fast and she had to leave it behind. This cub had such an inner strength, a will to leave. In the end he reached his mum and she and the other cubs let him suckle. He got stronger and stronger. And survived. I hope this will be the happy end for this one too, although nature is always a bet….
Hi Sean. The wild dog pups are just the cutest, full of energy and growing by the day. Soon they will be wanting more meat to satisfy their tummies. Lion cubs are also growing by the day. Mom is being strict not to let then suckle as they to must start eating more meat. Having 8 cubs and 2 Mom must be exhausting for the Mom’s. Oh but the Shingi male is still my favourite male leopard with the Ntomi male 🐆 leopard. Both are stunning young males are just beautiful specimen. Has Nkoveni still got both her cubs?
Another wonderful video, Sean. Thanks for it.
The cubs and pups are really so cute. And I hope for all of them that they can continue their road to independence.
The Shingi mail is one of my favourite leopards. He has already successfully reached that stage. I hope that he will stay at Londolozi or at least in the vicinity so that you will be able to see him on a more or less regular basis.