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10 Lion Cubs Spotted While on Game Drive with Ezulwini

Lion cubs are fragile, bumbling cats with a high mortality rate in the wild. They’re born completely helpless and require protection and guidance from their mother until they’re old enough to leave their den site, which generally happens at 3 months old. This is when they’re ready to be introduced to their powerful birth pride. Not only do cubs face threats from marauding scavengers, stampeding bovids and sly predators; but they also face the dreaded underlying threat of infanticide from testosterone fuelled male lions in search of females to conquer and prides to take over. Seeing a healthy lion cub in the wild, thriving, surviving and confident is indeed a rare sighting.

Imagine the sheer delight of guides and guests when they spotted 10 lion cubs happily waddling through the crunchy ‘veld? Game drives with Ezulwini Game Lodges have delivered noteworthy big cat sightings recently, and this is not the first sighting of the tawny group of cubs. A couple months ago, 10 lion cubs were spotted together with their mothers, the Kudyela lionesses. The 10 cubs were sired by the reigning kings – the Machatons! In this particular sighting, which Angele visually documented, the 10 cubs were trailing behind 4 of the Kudyela lionesses. The pride were clearly on a mission to an undisclosed location, which could be anything from an ideal shady spot to a protected den site. The 4 lionesses each have cubs aged between 2 – 6 months (3 cubs, 3 cubs, 2 cubs and 2 cubs).

For months on end, Angele (lodge manager and avid field guide of River Lodge), sent through reports of sightings of the Kudyelas mating with the Machaton males, and kept a close eye on the dynamics on the traverse. With all the intense mating sessions, it was inevitable that we’d see new life emerging.

The Machatons are still holding their territory and blitz their way through their kingdom preying on unsuspecting game, and mating with available Kudyela lionesses. Power plays in the world of lions are always shifting, and at one stage 4 burly boys infiltrated the Machaton’s turf on a number of occasions, seemingly without fear. To date, the Machatons are still large and in charge, and successfully chased the burgeoning males away. There will always be threats to the Machaton brethren, but they have a pride to protect and hopefully theirs will be a dynasty that becomes a legacy.

Klaserie Leopard Relaxes on the Wooden Deck of Buffel Dam Treehouse

When it comes to siesta time, leopards tend to seek out elevated areas providing sweeping views of the surrounding wilderness. This height advantage means they are in the ideal position to eagerly scan the ‘veld for potential prey; and it keeps them out of harm’s way. A leopard generally relaxes at the top of a termite mound, or the fork of a tree. Not our leopard princess Nyeleti. This princess decided that the perfect spot for a siesta was in the doorway of an open canvas tent resting on a wooden balcony, which is actually the Buffel Dam treehouse – a raised hide overlooking the wilderness. Nyeleti moved from the comfort of a termite mound (see photos) to the treehouse in order to step up the luxury a bit.

Guests from nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot were taken to this spot on the Africa on Foot traverse to observe the ultimate in Klaserie leopard laziness. The Klaserie is heaving with leopard sightings at the moment, and as each month passes by we notice a marked increase in sightings. A few days ago, head guide Mauritz reported a sighting of 5 leopards sharing a kill. The number of Klaserie leopard sightings is quite remarkable!

Leopards are opportunistic, so we’re not surprised our princess found THE best spot to relax. One of our guides, Elmar Van Niekerk, was quick to photograph this memorable moment.

We trust you’ll enjoy these images of a leopard dominating her turf in the Klaserie.

The Week in Pictures : The Youth of Today

We owe you a storm of images and plenty of updates from our camps. The ‘veld is brimming with activity and the bushveld abounds with mystery. The thickets have plenty of stories to tell, and our favourite is the stories that bring promise of new life into the unforgiving landscape. When we browse through the collection of images and videos sent through from our guides on a weekly basis, we try to get a feel for a similar thread that weaves its way through the reserves. Today, the theme is the youth of today. Our guides and guests have enjoyed a bounty of sightings of cubs, calves and fledglings. Spring is approaching, which means new life is emerging!

Chacma Bush Camp

The Lamai lioness has cubs! She’s been stashing her cubs deep within the thickets, keeping them out of harm’s way and far away from carnivorous intruders. Lion cubs are vulnerable when they are born and have a high mortality rate in the wild. The Lamai female has been spotted mating with the Maseke boys on numerous occasions, which leads us to believe that one of them sired her cubs. Lion sightings are on the increase, and this only adds to the bulk of species that Chacma have spotted while out on drive.

Roam Private Game Reserve

The cheetah that were relocated to Roam Private Game Reserve continue to thrive in their environment. One of our photographer’s, Em Gatland, managed to capture a few magnificent photos of the cheetah. The cheetah experience is just one of the many activities on offer in the Great Karoo.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

Umkumbe have enjoyed a wealth of big cat sightings, with an appearance of a slender and refined cheetah. Coupled with this unique sighting, the team stumbled across an endangered pangolin, otherwise known as the scaly anteater. Notoriously shy and leading a life of solitude, the pangolin is certainly a rare find. When the Umkumbe guides aren’t tracking rare species they’re stumbling across our aloof leopards.

Africa on Foot Wilderness Trails

The Africa on Foot Wilderness Trails is in full swing, with avid walkers enjoying their 3 day trails through the Maseke Game Reserve. These set trails offer up a variety of game viewing opportunities, and each night is spent in a different location. Sun Destinations recently hosted well-known rugby players and local celebs, who seemed to enjoy quite a riveting outdoor experience. Our photographer joined the trails to document their journey, a story which is currently in the making. Highlights from recent walking trails in the Kruger have included sightings of lions, a resident hippo, and the sneaky crocodiles that guard the mighty river that eagerly cuts through the reserve.

Klaserie Camps

The Klaserie continues to enthral and entertain us with their big cat sightings. The leopard dynamics on the Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp traverse continue to fascinate us, and there seems to be plenty of shared genetics among the leaps of leopards emerging from the thickets. Just the other day Mauritz reported that 5 leopards were spotted on one kill. The leopards were a female with 2 cubs, and the Ross Dam female. Later that evening the local legend, Rhulani and another male leopard were spotted feasting on the same kill.

About a month ago the wild dogs were commanding the Klaserie sightings, but the sightings seem to have dwindled. This has made way for exceptional lion sightings, and the guides are being rewarded with consistent sightings of 3 prides of lions (pride of 10, pride of 6 – possibly Bateleur Pride, and the Ross Pride females) operating within the region. We’ll showcase the big cat Klaserie images during the course of the week. In the meantime, the general sightings of big game and plains game continue.

Ezulwini Game Lodges

The bushveld is heaving with sightings, and fairly notable wildlife moments continue to emerge from the Balule Nature Reserve. When wildlife reveals their new additions to the reserve, it always makes for heartwarming sightings. Guides from Ezulwini, together with their guests, witnessed a spate of sightings dominated by the “youth of today”! Sightings included that of a 1 day old giraffe calf being nurtured by its mother, 4 lionesses on the move closely followed by 10 cubs, and a fragile young leopard cub seeking refuge in the foliage from an Apple leaf tree. In other sightings, the Kudyela lionesses and the Machaton male lions were spotted mating, the elephant bulls are enjoying the grounds of the lodge, and the general game continues to provide prolific sightings.

The Week in Pictures : Orange You Glad We Love Sunsets?

This is the last showcase of images forming part of our trio of themed “Week in Pictures”. This week we’ve decided to neglect the animal focused posts and pay homage to part of the safari experience that is always a much celebrated and anticipated event. We’re referring to golden hour. Sunset is the time of day when that golden ball pushes the crisp blue skies into oblivion, and dominates the landscape below with its warm hues.

We’re talking silhouettes of ancient leadwood trees leaning against fiery skies, low lying shrubbery providing a textured border between the red sky and landscape below; and exceptional colourful skies that roller coast through pinks, oranges and finally indigo. Today we celebrate golden hour, a revered time of day.

In the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp built a dedicated sundowner area close to a drainage line. This is the spot of the famous Bush Bar, which is a permanent rustic bar complete with a makeshift boma area. Home to surprise gin and tonic tastings, the Bush Bar is fast becoming an institution. Ezulwini Game Lodges also have a dedicated area called Paradise deck, which is often used for surprise sundowner sessions.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge and Chacma Bush Camp prefer to do things out in the open, as do Walkers Bush Villa and Nsala Safari Camp. Sundowner stops are located in sweeping savannahs, close to waterholes, on riverbanks and in Chacma’s case, on rocky outcrops.

Tuskers Bush Camp have their majestic baobab tree that serves as a backdrop, and sundowners are often served under this mighty baobab tree. Xobega Island Camp and RAW Botswana delight guests with sundowners in waterlogged areas teeming with hippo and abundant game. The waters tend to reflect the brazen orange skies and create a mysterious and magical scene.

Roam Private Game Reserve is in the heartland of the Great Karoo and the crisp air provides the perfect setting for mind-blowing sunset scenes.

Here are a few of our favourite sunset images to make you feel alive.

Tuskers Bush Camp, RAW Botswana Motswiri Camp and Xobega Island Camp

Chacma Bush Camp

Ezulwini Game Lodges

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp

Walkers Bush Villa

Nsala Safari Camp

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

Roam Private Game Reserve

The Week in Pictures : Leap of Leopards. Your Bumper Edition.

Leopards are aloof, scarce, graceful and independent. They lead a solitary lifestyle, and they’re rarely seen keeping company with other leopards. When we see 2 or more leopards hanging out together, it’s either a mother with her youngsters, or a mating pair. Seeing a leopard in the wild is always a heart stopping moment and often requires plenty of tracking skills to find this elusive cat. It’s a combination of guiding experience, luck, and being in the right place at the right time that sees us coming face to face with the sleek beauties of the bushveld. Leopards tend to hide out in the tops of trees, drainage lines and dense thickets. They’re always there, but our untrained eyes often miss them. Today, in our second theme of the trio of themed “Week in Pictures”, we showcase the ethereal leopards of the Kruger.

Why are leopards so tricky to find? There are a number of reasons why it takes eagle-eyes to find these cats. Because they lead a solitary lifestyle, and they don’t live in prides, it’s harder to locate them. Prides are normally on the move and easier to spot than one heavily camouflaged individual.

When it comes to meal time, lions with sit with their meal for days while they gorge themselves until they can longer move. They tend to hover around the vicinity of the carcass, rolling around on their back to expose their full bellies. They are so full and generally don’t move because of their enlarged bellies.

When a leopard conducts a kill, it’s quiet, secretive and done with stealth. They elegantly stalk and dart through covered areas, and ambush their quarry when up close. Almost immediately they drag the kill up into the fork of a tree for safekeeping, or even in a drainage line shrouded with vegetation. Not being on ground level also makes it tricky for us to find them. Leopards will keep their meal in a tree while they wander off to replenish their thirst, or conduct patrols of their turf. It’s not uncommon to find a half-eaten impala kill draped over a branch, but no sign of a leopard anywhere!

Leopards traverse far and wide. Males have far larger territories than females, and they seek out areas that have a heavy presence of females and ample sources of with prey. Females seek out smaller territories with easy access to prey and areas providing potential den sites. Because of these wandering ways, and the constant need to be on the move to mark their territory, it makes it tough to locate leopards.

Of course, you can just as easily sit on your patio with a drink in hand and a leopard strolls past. We call this leopard luck!

Without further ado, it’s time to celebrate the presence of the leopards that dwell on the traverse surrounding our lodges in the Balule Nature Reserve, Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve, Timbavati Private Nature Reserve and the Maseke Game Reserve.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve

Chacma Bush Camp

Walkers Bush Villa in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve

Ezulwini Game Lodges

The Week in Pictures : The Art of White Space in Wildlife Photography

This week for Week in Pictures, we’re going to focus on something a bit different. It’s time we scrolled through our archives and showcased our photographer’s skills when it comes to the theme of negative/white space in photography. For the next 3 editions of “The Week in Pictures” we’ve decided to give the weekly portfolio of images a theme. When our theme-based week in pictures has come to an end, we’ll ensure we deliver an epic bumper-edition catch-up!

White space is also referred to as negative space, and it can create quite a stark illusion when it comes to photography. It’s the notion of abandoning an area around the subject, making sure that the subject appears to “pop” out from the image and the eye is drawn to the positive space within the image. It’s a concept used in digital and print design; and has made its way into photography, which has led many photographers providing us with conceptually unique images.

Our wildlife photographers have adopted the negative space concept, and have produced a number of remarkable wildlife images where your eye is drawn to a particular area without getting distracted by the busyness of the background. It seems that birds are the most common subject when it comes to negative space

Below are a few of our favourite engaging images of wildlife surrounded by negative space, and a few that can be slotted into that category. We have hippos dwelling deep in the open waters of the Okavango Delta, birds soaring above, giraffe galloping across open plains in the Kwatale Conservancy and lions in the dark night.

Botswana : The Selinda Spillway, Okavango Delta and Kwatale Conservancy

Ezulwini Game Lodges in the Balule Nature Reserve

Umkumbe Safari Lodge in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp

Chacma Bush Camp

Roam Private Game Reserve

The Week in Pictures : Expect the Unexpected While on Safari

We can never anticipate what we’ll see scurrying and loping through the bushveld while we’re on safari. Eager safari goers arrive at their destinations with a certain level of expectation, and a tick-list of the “must sees”. The wild natural world around us doesn’t care about your safari bucket list, and constantly seeks to disappoint and surprise us on a daily basis. We are merely observers to the tumultuous, yet strangely ordered world of wildlife. We experience swings-and-roundabouts in terms of sightings, and today’s Week in Pictures is an yet another example of the unpredictable moments in the wild!

You are to expect the unexpected when visiting reserves. You will see things you’ve never expected, and soon forget about your list. Our highly-qualified guides will attempt to monitor wildlife behaviour and make assumptions based on history, and their experience in the wild. But even they don’t know what will cross their paths at any given moment.

Herds of elephant might visit the lodge swimming pool everyday for 2 weeks, but then the day you arrive, they stop. We might not have seen a leopard kill in weeks, and you arrive and a kill is made. This is the beauty of the wild – we’ve come to expect surprises.

Our first eye-opener of sighting this week happened on the traverse hugging Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp in the Klaserie. Rogan was out on drive and came across a pack of wild dogs frolicking at a waterhole, while a herd of elephants were hovering in the background soaking up the fresh water. Neither party seemed to give much notice to the other, and shared their space quite happily.

On the Klaserie side, we’ve shared a few photos of the resident hyenas and vultures that seem to have crawled out of the woodwork to perform their janitor duties. Those lions that feasted on the giraffe kill from the previous week sure made a mess! Commonly spotted carrion lovers will retreat into the bushveld abyss when a kill site is cleaned to perfection, proving yet again that sightings are never guaranteed.

Another thunderbolt of a sighting occurred at Chacma Bush Camp. The Maseke male lions were spotted ! The team at Chacma haven’t seen the Maseke boys in a while, so it made for yet another unpredictable sighting. Ezulwini Game Lodges have continued to enjoy lion sightings on their traverse in the Balule, with the previous week’s sighting of the cubs ranking as one of the top sightings of the month. Umkumbe constantly enjoys leopard sightings, but once again, we can’t predict when and how these sightings happen!

Nsala Safari Camp came across a coalition of young and confident male lions, just casually enjoying their pocket of paradise in the wild. They are the youngsters from the Western Pride of lions. In term’s of our Timbavati sightings, Walkers Bush Villa delivered an unexpected sighting of hyena cubs in the wild.

That’s our round-up for this week, we trust you’ll enjoy the images. Next week we’ll start the week off with a themed “Week in Pictures”, which will run for 3 weeks. After which, we’ll take a week’s break and then furnish our fans with a bumper catch-up.

We Found Cute Hyena Cubs While on Drive with Walkers Bush Villa

We’re here to dispel the myth that hyena are nothing but scavenging evil cretins. The team at Walkers Bush Villa recently enjoyed a sighting of adorable coarsely furred hyena cubs while on drive with leading guide, Brett. Em’s images prove that hyena can be pretty cute.

It goes without saying that hyena have a bad reputation in the wild. This is largely due to their unfortunate looks and sheepish gait, the misunderstanding of the hyena’s role in the bushveld, and their less than ethical means of gaining prey.

Did you know that hyenas have a crucial role to play in the wild? They clean up debris, decaying flesh and prevent the spread of possible disease. When the unmistakeable cries of a flaying animal echo through the savannah, the hyenas begin to vocalise, and the clans eagerly approach the scene of a kill. These animals are opportunistic and will do what is necessary to find food, but they’re also accomplished hunters, which means they’re highly successful carnivores! We see hyena hovering around the base of trees while leopards dwell high above with their kill. They wait in the wings while beastly lions gorge on kills. These odd looking animals are experts at sourcing food.

So now we know about the vital role that hyena play in the cleanliness of a reserve, but it should be noted that hyena are more than just successful hunters and part of the ‘veld clean-up crew. Hyena have a softer side. The entire clan – together with the dominant female – helps to rear the cubs. There is always full cooperation from clan members, including bringing food back to the den for consumption, and even protecting territories from intruders. Hyena might have a tight-knit community, but interestingly enough, groups aren’t always made-up of related individuals. The structure within clans is quite complex, making them one of the most fascinating species in the wild.

Walkers Bush Villa is certainly no stranger to hyena sightings. With a prevalence of big cats in the area, it goes without saying that the spotted hyena is an ever present force within the reserve. Walkers enjoys plenty of hyena sightings, mostly of groups feasting on the remnants of a kill, making this cub sighting a welcome break from the “standard” hyena sightings. While Em and Rogan were on a game drive in the Timbavati with guide Brett, they came across hyena cubs. This made a nice break from seeing hyena fulfilling the stereotype of cackling, stealing and skulking in the shadows.

Em, Rogan and Brett watched the young cubs stumbling around and play fighting. The bitch births 1 – 3 cubs on average and her gestation period is a meagre 4 months. Cubs are born into a carefully selected birthing den, which can be anything from a disused termite mound to a well-hidden hole they’ve dug in the ground.

Brett, a highly-qualified and eager guide, knew just where to find the hyena. These growing cubs are born black and develop their spots at roughly 3 months of age, which would indicate that they are in the vicinity of that age, if not slightly older. This was yet another adorable sighting at Walkers Bush Villa.

The only negative side of hyena cubs? Unfortunately, cubs of the same sex often begin fighting – quite violently, and this can result in the death. We’re pretty sure you’ll love hyena after seeing these pictures!

The Week in Pictures : Abstract Scenes in the Bushveld

The bushveld provides ample opportunity to get creative with your lens, and there’s never a moment not worth photographing. There are times when you’re confronted with endless open landscapes begging to be captured, and other times you’ll get up close and personal with lions on a kill. This week, we’ve decided to select our more abstract images showcasing life in the bushveld, while simultaneously updating you about the general goings-on from the week.

The cheetah that were relocated to Roam Private Game Reserve in the Great Karoo continue to make progress in their new environment. This is fantastic news, and certainly carves the path for further cheetah to be introduced into this area of the Karoo. The team at Roam is looking at creating a variety of conservation safari itineraries, where guests have the opportunity to contribute to conservation while still enjoying a luxury safari. In terms of images, this week we’ve delivered a couple of bold and mysterious sunset images fresh from the Karoo. We can’t help but love a Karoo sunset!

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp emerged the victors in terms of lion kill sightings. The team came across a seldom seen pride feasting on a fresh giraffe kill. The skittish lions were at the kill site, guarding their precious prey for 3 days. Not once did the pride let up and give the scavengers license to chow down. Lions normally saunter off from the kill once they’ve gorged themselves. Not this pride! For 3 days guests and guides enjoyed sightings of lions, vultures, and hyenas in close proximity to the kill.

Another highlight was the arrival of a lone elephant to the grounds of nThambo Tree Camp!

Umkumbe Safari Lodge’s slew of leopard sightings was interrupted by a sighting of a pack of denning wild dogs on the hunt. The wild dog predator sighting was a welcome break from the influx of leopard sightings! The recent leopard sighting of Ndzanzeni the young male with his mother, and the ever graceful Natumi, provided the bulk of the leopard sightings at Umkumbe this week.

Game drives at Walkers Bush Villa are always exciting. Em and Rogan headed to the Timbavati to join Walkers on their daily drives and walked away with a fantastic portfolio of images and videos. They came across a hyena den and witnessed a number of cubs bumbling and falling about outside of their safe-zone. A few incredible images of hyenas in the sunset emerged, and the setting alone provide further opportunity to get creative with images.

Ezulwini Game Lodges should win an award for their recent lion cub sightings. The Kudyela lionesses were spotted with their litter of cubs, and the Ezulwini team managed to get a perfect visual of the cubs. There are 11 youngsters in total, sired by the Machaton males. Across the board, this was possibly the sighting of the week!

Chacma Bush Camp also enjoyed a lion sighting of an unknown pride of lions. The youngsters within the pride appeared to be quite scraggly and battling somewhat. After a lengthy discussion with lion experts, it was established that female in the pride is the oldest female from the River Pride. Chacma continues to enjoy abundant elephant and buffalo sightings.

Roam Private Game Reserve

Ezulwini Game Lodges

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp

Chacma Bush Camp in the Maseke Game Reserve

Umkumbe Safari Lodge in the Sabi Sand

Walkers Bush Villa in the Timbavati Game Reserve

Skittish Lions Feast on Giraffe Kill for Days

There are a number of resident lion coalitions and prides on Africa on Foot and nThambo’s traverse. These are the local battle-scarred kings and queens that have staked their claim on the land around camps, and frequently put on award-winning shows for guests. The ever-shifting pride dynamics ensure things are never static with our lions, and we’re often gifted with sightings of newcomers exploring the possibility of new kingdoms and prides to take over.

The ever-present Ross Pride, the confident Mbiri males and the robust Hercules females are the usual suspects that make up the bulk of the Klaserie lion sightings. On occasion, the River Pride have made a grand entrance and delighted guides with a few memorable moments. Sightings of this much-talked pride about appear to be on the increase, which would explain the dwindling sightings of the Mbiris and Ross Pride over the past 6 weeks. If the presence of one pride increases, a previously established pride might choose to retreat somewhat. We’re pretty sure things will shift again in the next few weeks – it always does!

It is remarkably easy for guides and trackers to identify commonly spotted lions, but when lions cross over from neighbouring properties or wander in from the Kruger National Park, it requires research to establish their origin. Sometimes a bit of back-and-forth with guides from other camps and chats with known lion experts in the area helps to establish who’s who.

A pride unknown to the Klaserie guides was recently spotted feasting and gorging on a giraffe kill. There’s speculation that this pride could be the Bateleur Pride, numbering at 9 members, but that’s yet to be confirmed. The Klaserie team spotted about 4/5 lions sharing the kill. There were thoughts that they might be a split-off from the River Pride, but they were actually located in another area at the same time that this “unknown” pride was snacking on their giraffe kill.

Guide Mauritz says, “We haven’t seen this pride often, and this is about the second time I’ve personally seen them. They are quite skittish”.

The pride provided the perfect lion kill sighting, with powerful paws eagerly pushing the carcass into the perfect position to access the meaty bits. Bone-crushing jaws could be seen grappling with sinew and muscle, ensuring the carcass was completely devoured. At a kill site it’s always a show and there’s normally drama, tragedy and brutal behaviour that accompanies meal time.

While the lions were moving back and forth over a period of 3 days, the hyenas began their standard behaviour of circling the outskirts of the carcass. The vultures descended upon the location, entertaining onlookers with their comical dancing. A journey of giraffe appeared in the background, seemingly to confirm that one of their own had left the earthly realm.

Videographer Rogan says, “The pride hit the jackpot when they pulled a large female giraffe to the ground. A meal like this can last them days if they can keep the scavengers away. This was certainly going to be a challenge. We knew there was a kill from a mile away when we spotted scores of Hooded and White-Backed vultures looming in the trees above. Below them the hyenas were skulking around the bushes hoping they might get a piece of the action.

While we watched the cats tuck into their prize, a pair of giraffe stepped out into the clearing, peering thoughtfully at their fallen comrade. The lions were too busy filling their bellies to bother about them, which allowed the giraffe to pay their respects, and move quietly on their way”

A few days later, Rogan filmed the lions and the scavengers finishing up the remnants of the kill.

He says, “Day three on the giraffe kill and the lions were still chewing on the bones. Despite there not being much meat left, they kept close guard of the carcass refusing to share it with any of the hopeful scavengers. Bellies full, they moved into the shade for a rest, opening a window of opportunity for the hyenas waiting eagerly in the sidelines.

Unfortunately for the hyenas, the lions weren’t ready to lose what was left of their meal and relentlessly defended it against the hyenas advances. They stayed in the kill well past sunset. When we returned in the morning they had moved on and the tenacious scavengers had stripped what was left to the bare bones”

We’ll update our readers when we establish the accurate ID of these incredible big cats.