The Week In Pictures presents a journal of wildlife photographs celebrating the diversity of life and beauty surrounding us at the beautiful Londolozi Game Reserve. As we reflect on the past week with hot days and anticipating the first summer rains, we’ve been fortunate to witness amazing wildlife activity across the reserve, from predators and prey to interesting birds, special landscapes, a beautiful cheetah family and everything in between.
The Toulon pack of wild dogs has been on the reserve recently, and the three young adopted pups are growing nicely. We followed them one afternoon and witnessed them successfully hunt an impala.
We’ve also been treated to a phenomenal viewing of the cheetah family in the open grasslands. The mother is doing an excellent job of securing food and providing safety for her three adorable cubs. The male cheetah made a brief appearance one morning as well.
On the lion front, the Ndzhenga Coalition continues to patrol the eastern parts of Londolozi, maintaining their reign over the Ntsevu Pride and Kambula Pride near the Sand River. A standout sighting was of the Tsalala Female and her three cubs on a rocky outcrop. Additionally, the Talamti Male Lion was seen with his new coalition partner, the Nkuhuma Male, as they roamed the open grasslands.
Leopards were fairly elusive this week, though I managed to capture a shot of the shy but striking Nkuwa 2:2 Young Male, as well as the Three Rivers Female while she was hunting impala.
The rest of the images include some of my favourites—elephants, giraffes, birds, and even a monitor lizard!
Let me know your favourite images in the comments section below.
Enjoy This Week In Pictures…
This was a first for me, watching an African Fish Eagle land on the back of a sleepy Hippo.
The Three Rivers Female moved in deathly silence and crouched low to the ground shortly after noticing a heard of Impala in the thickets nearby.
Forced into early independence as her mother was killed by the Southern Avoca Males.
This beautiful elephant struck us a pose as she fed on a green thorn tree (Balanites maughamii).
One of the stunning Ntsevu Lionesses lying on a granite boulder in the Sand River. Her Amber eyes are vibrant as she stares right into the sunset.
A young female elephant strolls across a clearing providing us with a special sighting made even better with the stunning backdrop.
An adorable scene as two of the Tsalala Female’s cubs rest on the edge of a rocky cliff. A truly picture-perfect moment!
The moments that you least expect to witness out on Safari. An African Goshawk swooped down and killed a young Natal Spurfowl.
An unfamiliar sight of the Nkuwa 2:2 Young Male. He is still small and fairly shy. Now at the age of 20 months, he is beginning to really distance himself from his mother’s territory west of Camp.
A unique sighting of a kudu bull picking up an old bone from the ground. This is known as osteophagia where some antelope species will lick or suck on bones to get more phosphate that is lacking in their usual diet.
The commanding Ndzhenga Male patrolling the eastern section of Londolozi.
A White-backed Vulture joins the masses scavenging on the remains of a baby zebra that appeared to have died from natural causes.
An elephant uses her trunk to reach up to the sweeter leaves in the canopy of the green thorn tree.
We parked at the base of Ximpalapala Koppie to admire a dazzle of zebra. The stallion of the herd was very impressive and we observed him scanning the grasslands at dusk.
The family of cheetahs have been spoiling us with incredible sightings. We were fortunate one afternoon to spend some quality time with them grooming and playing on this termite mound.
A stunning silhouette of a marula tree (Sclerocarya birriea) against another memorable winter sunset in the African bush.
A raucous flock of Guinefowls had a drink from a puddle in the Sand River. I love their contrasting colours and polka-dot markings.
After an exhilarating chase, we watched an African painted dog successfully catch an impala.
A couple of cheetah cubs to brighten your day!
A majestic bull giraffe walks across the crests just north of camp. The views of the landscape are just breathtaking up there.
A large elephant bull with Impressive tusks ambled away from us along the road. He was showing signs of musth so we viewed him from a distance.
A male cheetah poses for us in the morning sunlight.
A monitor lizard peaks its head out of a fallen leadwood tree (Combretum imberbe)
The Talamati Male gave us a large yawn exposing his impressive jaw of teeth.
0 Comments
on The Week In Pictures #671