This week we are filled with mixed emotions. We start off with an incredibly lucky find, as we are lead to the newest additions to the Ntsevu Pride by one of the females. Spending a short while there we then decided to leave her to entertain at least four cubs estimated to be probably two-three weeks old. It is such a sensitive phase for these little ones and with there being enough pressure on them from other threats such as new male lions moving through Londolozi, hyenas, and leopards, we decided to not let anyone else drive in there to help alleviate the pressure on the mother.
The Flat Rock Male had been found with an impala kill, which he had hoisted into a Jackalberry tree. We arrived as he was feeding with the hopes of him descending the tree and going for a drink at a nearby pool of water. Let’s just say we got lucky!
To finish off we answer a lot of questions we have received regarding the wild dogs and their pups. Sadly, we believe the pups are now roaming freely with the pack and are no longer in need of any dens. This has meant that overnight, pretty much, they moved off of the reserve. Our hopes were high that they may return, but we were let down as they continued on into the Kruger National Park. We will have to wait until next year to see if they return to den on Londolozi again.
Enjoy this Week in Video…
To view the YouTube link click here.
A dominant male leopard over the majority of the north. He originally took over the 4:4 Male's territory when he died.
I haven’t heard anything about the one mother lioness with the teenager daughter do you know who I mean and are they still with us I hope
Hi Tammy, I presume you are referring to the Tsalala Pride. They have moved further wet and have been seen on Dulini and some other reserves around that area. We have not seen them here for quite a while now.
What beautiful sights! I can’t believe how aggressive the cubs are at such a young age! They were definitely cute! Too bad about the dogs, they are always fun to watch! Good luck next year, hopefully they will return! Thanks for sharing with us the incredible sightings on Londolozi!
Thank you so much, Debra. The cubs are so feisty at such a young age. It was amazing to watch.
We do hope the wild dogs return next year but I guess only time will tell.
Thanks for the video! I especially appreciated the part with the lions and their progeny. I had always wondered how lions handled their very young cubs. I also enjoyed the segment with the leopard feeding on the kill in the jackalberry tree. Outstanding videography!
Thank you, Paul. It was a great week and we were fortunate to see some great things.
How wonderful for you to find those very young lion cubs! A question Sean – I think it was a Ntsevu female who (2-3 months ago?) had 5 cubs, are they still alive? Loved the footage of Flat Rock, and of the wild dog den. I guess you learn to just enjoy and appreciate the moment, as you never know what will happen. Four years ago, we spent about an hour watching Mashaba and her 3 cubs (about 3 months old) playing, it was an incredible experience. About 2 weeks later, all the cubs were dead, killed by lions. At least the wild dogs are likely to return at some stage, hopefully.
Hi Suzanne, yes three of those cubs are still alive and thriving. The mother is spending a lot of time in the Sand River with them, meaning we do not see them often but they are still around.
You definitely do learn to appreciate and enjoy everything while you can as we never know what may happen next. It is a really cruel world out here.
Memorable video for us today. We had the good fortune to visit with the wild dog pups 4x during our 13 day visit last month. Their development was incredible:
–barely emerging from the den
–moving to the 2nd den
-frolicking with each other several meters from the den
-coming over to and under the vehicle, licking the tires, etc.
Hi Vin, the wild dog pups were great to view and I am so glad that you had some great sightings of them this year. Hopefully we have another pack around next year.
What for an incredible sighting of the lion cubs-unbelievable, without words for that, I will watch this video manytimes.
Thank you, Jutta. The cubs are so small and incredibly cute.
Those lions cubs are so small and very precious. So glad the Birmingham male seems to be looking much better after his altercation with the other male. The Ntsevu female and her cubs are well hidden, very excited that there are 4 small cubs to add to the pride. Flat rock male is my favorite leopard male, seeing him drink water and feeding is a good sign that he is well. So sad to hear that there are only 4 wild dog pups left and that they have moved on to the Kruger Park.
The lions all seem to be doing very well. The Birmingham Male has recovered, the lioness has chosen a great den and the rest of the pride are doing well although somewhat split up across the reserve.
The Flat Rock Male is an impressive leopard and so we were so happy to have such a great sighting of him.
Those adorable little cubs are new lives and hop for the Nsevu pride. I keep my fingers crossed for them. Who are the dominant males now?
And the Flat Rock male, is the owner of a large territory as the Senegal Bush male? Such a spectacular creature he is
Hi Francesca, the dominant males are still the Birmingham Males. She is denning very far south. I believe out of the reach of the Avoca Males for now. Things may change but for now, they are safe, unless some other threat such as a leopard or hyena finds them.
A really nice virtual drive Sean. Good to see the old Birmingham male doing better – pretty amazing really. Lovely to see the lion cubs also – cuteness overload. Sad about the wild dogs only having four pups left. Hopefully they will survive and we hope they will return to Londolozi next year. Thanks very much for sharing – enjoyed it.
Thank you, Leonie. It was a relief to see him having recovered. Lion cubs are amazing to see and so we hope that they are kept on Londolozi for a while longer. We are hopeful that the wild dogs will return next year but wont hold our breaths.
Oh Sean, you’ve really raised the bar this week with that incredible video of the adorable squeaky voiced lion cubs. To see them so small, eyes barely open was absolutely heart melting! When I need a happy moment, a break from all the bad news, I’ll come back to this week’s virtual safari.
The capture of the Flat Rock male drinking was also a highlight as well as re-visiting the wild dogs and their pups. If 4 are remaining out of the 10, then percentage wise it’s not too bad for the pack and it would be wonderful to see their numbers grow in Sabi Sand. Thanks and cheers!
Denise, it was phenomenal to see such small cubs I couldn’t believe how small and cute they were. I hope this video of the cubs brings a lot of joy and brightens up many peoples’ day.
It was also such fun going through the footage of the wild dogs and reminiscing on the special time watching the pups grow. Hopefully they can survive and we see the numbers in the Sabi Sands increase.
A great video of the tiny lion cubs. It is amazing how hard they fight for getting their share of mum’s milk.
The Ntsevu pride seems still to be thriving, which is really great, after most of the two to three year-old subadults have left .
I keep my fingers crossed that you will be as lucky next year regarding the wild dogs pups. It would be really great if they returned to denn on Londolozi again. Which time of the year would this probably be? In May/ June?
Thank you, Christa. The Ntsevu Pride are thriving at the moment.
We are also crossing our fingers hoping the wild dogs return next year. They normally den during the winter so probably around May/June on average.
Fantastic video, thanks Sean! Those wild dog cubs are just the cutest!! 😍
Thank you, Carly. The cubs and pups are all so cute.
Sorry I meant to say pups not Cubs! 😄
Sean, what a bonus ! Such a touching scene with the tiniest of cubs all growling over mums teets …certainly brought tears to my eyes and, yes yet again reliving the first sighting of the wild dog pups did much the same. The flat rock male is stunning and particularly loved the light on his coat as he left the water hole. A very very special edition which I will have to rewatch over and over again. Thank you Sean 👌🏻💗
It was incredible to sit there and watch. So glad you enjoyed it and that I was able to share it with everyone.
Sean, This weeks video is on the the best of all time! The adult lions “calling” and lion cubs at the den were just amazing. And then Flat Rock…. Wow! It is sad that the wild dogs have moved on, but the story you got to tell and learn from will be remembered for years to come!
Thanks so much, Michael and Terri. It was so awesome to see the lions and then be lead to the cubs. We were so sad that the wild dogs moved on and we never got to see them as they moved on. Hopefully, they will return next year.