This week’s Virtual Safari focuses on a single, pretty epic morning, as opposed to the usual entire week.
We start with one of the Gijima Males, lying nearby with a belly so full he could hardly move. Both males had been feeding on a buffalo carcass alongside two Kambula Lionesses, but as the morning warmed up, the blonde Gijima Male wandered off to find a quieter patch of shade.
Then, in true bush magic fashion, a herd of elephants moved through the background, providing a breathtaking scene, a powerful male lion in the foreground, framed by elephants in the distance. And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, the lion got up and strolled straight past a group of three rhinos. Three of the Big Five, all within 50 metres, moments like these are what make living and working out here so extraordinary.
Just as we were about to wrap up, a call came through the radio from Shaun D’Araujo — impala alarm calling not far away. We rushed over to find the Three Rivers Female Leopard on the move, marching through a clearing and clearly in hunting mode. Following her through the bush rounded off the drive perfectly. A morning that truly had it all.
Enjoy this Virtual Safari…
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Wonderful, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Great Virtual Safari, thanks Sean. Interesting that the Gijima males had been feeding alongside 2 Kambula lionesses…hopefully not the 2 with the young cubs? Even so, dangerous for the subadults in the pride.
Thank you so much, Suzanne. So these two lionesses are the other two Kambula Females. The mothers have headed much further north, following the Ndzhenga Males and trying to keep the cubs safe.
What a great morning safari! How fun to a part of it!
You all actually saw 4 of the big 5, the buffalo was very evident in the Gijima male’s belly😂
Sean, I would love to know how hot it actually was when you said that it was getting incredibly toasty. I visited in late August last year(had a magnificent time), and it was perfect weather for me. Quite cold in the morning and very tolerably warm during the day.
It really was a great morning, and yes, 4 of the Big 5 by the end of the drive.
So on that particular morning is was already about 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit). The weather in August is normally amazing, exactly how you describe it, cool in the mornings and evenings, with it warming up nicely during the day.
What an efficient morning of filming! The belly of the Gijima male looked like it was going to pop! I was so glad to see some rhinos. They don’t feature very often and I’ve wondered if that’s because there are fewer of them around lately or whether you are trying not to alert potential poachers of their whereabouts.
It turned out to be a very efficient morning. That Gijima Male’s belly was so ridiculously full.
We deliberately choose to not feature them for that exact reason.
Hi Sean, this is a phenomenal sighting seeing 3 of the 5 big five in one viewing and they were all close together. That Gijima males tummy looked as if it wanted to burst. I hope his open wound will recover quickly. Loved the elephants and especially the 2 that walked so close to the vehicle, looked like a female and her calf. Then the 3 rhino were spectacular, you don’t always get to see rhino, so this was special. Off course the cherry on top was the Three Rivers female out in the open, beautiful and always a winner watching a leopardess trying to hunt or even just walking. You were very lucky to see all these magnificent animals in one afternoon.
It turned out to be such a great morning with everything that we got to see. I am sure his wound will heal soon.
As I see more and more videos and stories about the Gijimas are they now the dominant coalition on Londolozi?
In my opinion, I would say yes, they are the dominant males in the southeast of Londolozi. We haven’t seen the Ndzhenga Males on Londolozi in more than 4 weeks. To the north and west of the Londolozi camps we see the Plains Camp Males.
What a great morning, during which you were able to film 4 of the big 5 . That‘s really fabulous.
It was such a fabulous morning out there.
I love your narrating Sean I love the virtuals it brings africa into my lounge room in Australia that Gyjima male is so full he looks pregnant and seeing the 4 of the big 5 in one morning was amazing thank you so much keep on doing them for us who cant get there to see it live
Thank you so much, Lyn. I love the fact that I am able to share this incredible place with everyone across the globe, no matter where you are.
For first time safari visitors, this would be an epic drive – three of the big five in one outing. I almost laughed at the size of the belly of the Gijima male, especially when he stood up, as he looked very pregnant! He certainly took the lion’s share of that buffalo. It was such a bucolic scene, given the resting lion as a herd of elephants passed through behind him, only to then be replaced by a trio of rhino. No aggression on anyone’s part. Given female cubs generally leave their mother around 18 months, it seems it’s time for Three Rivers young female to break away, but perhaps due to her rough start, she will stay around longer. A meal from mom is always welcome. Thanks Sean for this very relaxing video to watch today – nice there was no drama.
I think for anyone this would have been an epic safari, no matter how many times you have been on safari. It was a really soothing morning, like you say, no drama.
Yes, the Three Rivers Young Female will likely break away from her mother in the next few months. We are still seeing them move around together and the mother go and fetch her daughter to feed on carcasses.
OMG he was SO FULL!!!
He was about to pop.
WOW!!!!!!! SEAN!!!! AMAZING!!!!!!!QUESTION…. ANY NEWS ON THE TSALALA LIONESS CUBS YET??? I HAVEN”T SEE OR HEARD ANYTHING!!!!!
Thanks so much, Suzanne. Unfortunately, no news yet. I believe she was seen moving them to a new den but they are just giving her some space and time to settle.
Thank You So Very Much!!! I Save Everyone of The Londolozi Blogs I get in my e:mails!!! I have No Idea How I missed it!!!! BUT I LOVE watching you and going out while you are you are doing the virtuals!!!! SEAN RULES and THANKS SO MUCH AGAIN!!!!! The lioness is VERY SPECIAL to me!!!!!! BE BLESSED!!!
Thanks so much, Suzanne. I love being able to share everything out here with everyone.