A Week in the Bush Vol. 66
on Aug 27, 2015We are driven by five genetic needs: Survival, Love and Belonging, Power, Freedom, and Fun. – William Glasser
This week started off with a big bang and it stayed like that! Sightings have been really amazing and it seems like animals are pushing their boundaries to try and get sufficient food and water, causing a lot of conflict between different species.
The lions seems to be benefitting from the dry conditions because there are a lot of slow moving animals that are struggling to keep up with the rest of the herds in these very dry conditions. It was great to see the Southern Pride back on our reserve again after they took down a kudu during the heat of the day.
Floppy Ear, at that time, was still mating with the Fourways males. A few days back we found the orange-eyed male mating with one of the other older females, so things look to be going well with the Southern Pride and cubs should be expected in the next 80 days from some of the females that were mating a few weeks back. The only two females that have not yet been seen mating are the two young females – maybe they are just very nervous as this will be their first time mating.
It was nice seeing the 2 young Sparta males here a few days ago and they also look to be in good condition. We are still just wondering if the other young brother is still around.
The Lisbon female is showing herself more regularly with her cub. She successfully killed a bushbuck and her cub was there but unfortunately two adult hyenas came in and stole the kill from her. Her focus was mostly on her cub to ensure the hyenas don’t get a gap to kill him/her.
Little Bush gave us an amazing sighting of her as she killed a bushbuck and hoisted it up a tree away from lurking scavengers. This meant she had sustainable food to last her at least four days. She has been in and out of the riverbed where she cools down in the heat of the day.
It’s been a while since we last saw White Dam female and her cubs; and Nottins female. We hope they are doing just as well as the rest of the Sabi Sabi leopards.
It has really been an honour to be able to spend so much time with the new members of the Toulon Pack of wild dogs. The pups are growing up very quickly and seem to get closer and closer to the days that they will join the adults in a hunt for their bread and butter.
It’s been two weeks that they have been with us and all the pups are doing great! Every now and then there are a few that step out of line and the adults come running in to discipline them.
They seem to explore every corner and riverbed that they get to, and always looking for a fellow member of the pack that they can irritate or grab by the tail! This is all part of growing up and helping with hunting skills.
A big male cheetah showed himself this week, doing a fast walk through the property and had an attempted hunt a herd of kudu but they spotted him before he could launch himself at full speed and they got away. We hope to see more of him in the future as he is a magnificent cheetah that sees every fallen over tree as a vantage point to spot his prey.
We continue to have some great sightings of big herds of elephant and buffalo. We hope that the Southern Pride will come together with the two Fourways males and start trailing these big herds of buffalo. There’s been some great activity around a firm favourite of most guests – the giraffe! There are a new calves that have been born, and seen in some thick areas trying to stay away from trouble.
