Lions – Mbiri pride

We had 2 sightings of 2 of the females. The were initially found on the evening of the 8th, sleeping next to the road, close to Xigamba pan. The next morning, they were found in exactly the same place, but were this time joined by the Thanda Impi male Lions. Tensions flared between the male Lions, and the 2 Lionesses moved north towards Konkoni quarry. They were followed the entire morning, and some of the guides were lucky enough to watch them and the thread impi’s kill a Buffalo on Windi Windi. The ladies had to wait to feed though, because a combination of hunger and testosterone stood in the form of 2 male Lions, between them and the carcass.

Thanda Impi male Lions

We had 3 sightings of the 2 males, over the 2 days. The Sizanani male was found on the morning of the 8th, close to Zebra pan. He eventually moved into the drainage line. The next morning, we found both males with the 2 Lionesses from there Mbiri pride at Xigamba pan. The Skorro male was quite aggressive and launched into a quick attack on Sizanani. Later the same morning, they killed a Buffalo with the 2 Lionesses on Windi Windi. We then witnessed an interesting dynamic between the males. Skorro is the more aggressive around females, but Sizanani is extremely aggressive towards the other male at the kill.

Leopard

Kwatile male

We’ve had a few sightings of a new male leopard in the north of the reserve, and because of his temperament, we call him the Kwatile male, which means Angry in the local Shangaan language. He was seen again on red road, and moved to the drainage line where he spent the entire day sleeping in the same place. We now have 3 young males operating in the same area.

Other views from the bush