The last week in pictures at Londolozi Game Reserve including a video of the spectacular Lunar Eclipse…
- The Camp Pan Male watches a herd of impala, late afternoon at Londolozi. Still holding territory despite his conflict with the Dudley 5:5 Male, it is going to be important for this leopard to continue to hunt, kill and feed frequently.
- The young lioness from the new Breakaway Sparta Pride stares into the winter sunset on the lookout for the Majingilane Coalition. Although she mated with a member of the coalition, there is still no certainty amongst this female and her ally.
- A misty winters morning breaks at Londolozi.
- A Bateluer waits warms himself in the cold of the Winters morning.
- A herd of buffalo wallowing in the last remains of the summer mud.
- Despite losing a battle to the Camp Pan male, the Dudley 5:5 Leopard sought revenge by stealing a kill back from him. The territorial pressure he is exerting on male leopards around him will only intensify as he grows bigger.
- Egyptian Goose Ruffling Feathers
- A herd of elephants drinks in the Sand River. With the many of the natural pans and water sources drying up, elephant herds are frequently seen by the river during the winter months.
- A member of the Majingilane Coalition licks his paw after feeding on a kill which he stole from the Sparta Pride. Covered with hundreds of tiny barbs, a lions tongue will quickly tear open the meat they are feeding on and serves as a versatile tool for grooming.
- The Majingilane Coalition is silhouetted in the early morning sunlight. Having chased and killed a member of the Southern Pride, their territorial dominance over much of Londolozi is only growing.
- A member of the Majingilane coalition stops drinking to observe nearby commotion. Close to the Southern Pride, the coalition were to eventually find them and kill one of the younger members that evening.
- The Maxabeni Female rests in a Marula tree close to her hoisted impala kill. Just having been chased by a clan of hyenas, her deft climbing skills allowed here to avoid losing her prey.
- The Ravenscourt Female’s cub watches her mom stalk an impala. At only a few months of age, this cub and its sibling have been providing amazing game viewing for all who are afforded the opportunity to watch them.
- The Ravenscourt Female stops to look back at her cubs. Agitated as to the nearby presence of hyenas, this female is on the constant lookout for both herself and her offspring.
- The two Tsalala lionesses stand on top of a termite mound to look for their missing cubs. Shortly after finding and killing one of the Southern Pride young males, the Majingilane coalition moved north and chased these two lioness and their four cubs off a zebra kill. Two of the cubs were seen with the lionesses a few days later, whilst the remaining two have yet to be found…
- A herd of Waterbuck run through the low flowing Sand River. Despite the threat of crocodiles, these antelope still frequent the river.
Which of these images do you like the most? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Photographs by: Talley Smith
Filmed by: Rich Laburn
Talley great having you on the team! well done guys great stuff…
You are going to have to buy a new computer monitor for me. I keep drooling over each photo and wishing I were there RIGHT NOW.
MAgnificent presentation. Deserves an OSCAR.
Thanks Judy, so pleased you like them. Get yourseld a nice HD monitor, it’ll make them look even better!
Like the lion licking its paw the most!
I sure do hope those lionesses find the other two cubs. I think I like the ravenscourt female picture the best.
I am sooo…. envious! Hard to imagine actually seeing these amazing creatures in the wild!
Magnificent photos …. wish I was back there. Particularly like the Bateleur and the lionesses on the termite mound. Hope they’ve found the other two cubs.
Debra, thanks for your thoughts – I agree that the Bateluer is spectacular!! Will keep you updated regarding the cubs.
Wow what a week you guy’s have had, the pictures are amazing. Hopefully all works out well for the Tsalala Pride. Just wondering which coalition fathered there cub’s?
Kerry, one of the members of the Majingilane Coalition fathered the cubs. We also hope things are going to work out well for this pride as it will be amazing to see the two lionesses each with their full set of cubs!
Beautiful photos Talley.
Talley, these photos and your dialogue give me chills. Honestly, I feel like I’m in the vehicle with you, watching these sightings first hand! That waterbuck photo is amazing. You’ve got the eye (and that’s 75% of photography!).
Talley!!! Wonderful absolutely spectacular photos…..I like the Ravenscort Cub looking at her mom stalking the impala – it’s in the eyes! i like them all. Your grandparents, Wilbur, Irene, Phebe and especially Chester would be super proud! I am in Bda with your ‘rents! Love the house….what a view. We will be fishing soon! Love ya…..Uncle Willy
Stunning set of pics Talley!
Happy to be able to report that the Tsalala females did find the missing two cubs and the family has been reunited.
Although no-one has yet caught a glimpse of the new litter of cubs, a tracking team went out to locate them yesterday and heard them still in their original wild date palm thicket in the Manyelethi River. They are roughly 3 weeks old now, so in the next couple of weeks they should be starting to totter out into the open more and more to suckle from their mother…
these photographs are breathtaking….thanks for sharing
Absolutely incredible pictures…. WOW!!! Makes me miss Londos even more than I already do – and thats saying something…
Thanks so much everyone for all the flattering feedback. It really helps to have such willing and beautiful subjects! We are very lucky at Londolozi; I continue to be blown away every day.
Hi Guys,
I dont beleive you can pick they are all fantastic, however the one I felt was really different was the Waterbuck.
Talley, great to see you made it to the team and hopefully you didnt have to drink to many beers! (we were in David’s Jeep when the Hyena’s spotted you)!
Just WOW! You two put together quite the spectacular collage.
Beautiful pictures, I enjoyed watching the video of the lunar eclipse, it was my birthday the 17 th
Happy Birthday for then Merandi. Pleased you enjoyed the video and the post. Thanks for your comments.
Rich
Amazing pictures Talley.
So does anyone else think the Egyptian Goose looks like it was just shot? It looks like it should be a bad guy in a spaghetti western! I can see it now: Goose, “Ahh! I’ve been shot!” Hen, “Don’t you die on me man!” (or, “Talk to me Goose!”)
Keep them coming.