Week in Pics : Gliding into the Long Weekend

Like a hungry vulture gliding through the skies, we’re gliding into the long weekend. Monday is an internationally celebrated public holiday known as Worker’s Day or May Day, which means our short stint of a weekend gains an extra day. In the bushveld time has no meaning – a slow and exquisite pace of life continues as per usual. This week we focus on the “work horses” of the Kruger and Botswana. The wild ones that roam free but work hard to survive and forge their place in the wild, despite often torrid times.  

May Day is set aside to commemorate the working class. The roots of this bank holiday are in the fight for the right’s of workers, that began circa late 1800s. Workers demanded a standard number of hours of work per week in line with their well-being and overall health.

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp :

Highlights: The highlight of the week has most certainly been the return of the Ross Pride Breakaway lionesses. Coupled with that, two unknown male lions arrived on the Klaserie turf. We are still finding out their history. Then there was a second sighting of one of the male coalition. Duma is nowhere to be seen, so there’s potential that these young and virile boys could target the Ross lionesses.

Unknown Male Lion nThambo Tree Camp Verrauxs Owl Ross Dam Leopardess Trunk of the Elephant Eye of the Elephant Impala Africa on Foot Ross Dam Leopardess Africa on Foot Ross Pride Breakaways

Ezulwini Game Lodges

Highlights : Chavaluthu, our sparkle-eyed leopard of the Balule Nature Reserve is most certainly a part of the furniture on the Ezulwini traverse. He was spotted enjoying a drink at one of the pans and a mere 50 metres away, a lone lioness was patrolling her neck of the woods. If they’d collided we may well have had a big cat fight on our hands!

Ezulwini Chavaluthu Leopard Giraffe at Ezulwini Lioness Ezulwini Game Lodges

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

Highlights : Mxabene, our dominant male leopard, came crawling out of the woodwork this week and has regained his status as lover of the limelight. Watching him devour a kill was certainly an enjoyable moment for guests. Tatowa, the gentle leopardess, was also seen during the course of the week. The Sparta Pride of lions emerged from the darkness and guests observed them patrolling the winding roads during nocturnal hours.

Hyena Cub at Umkumbe Kashane Umkumbe Southern white-face owl Wild Dogs Umkumbe

Tuskers Bush Camp 

Highlights : The lions of the Kwatale Conservancy are making their presence known. Photographer Dan has spotted them on numerous occasions patrolling their environment and engaging in many mating sessions.

Wild Coffee Bean/Camel's Foot/False Mopane Elephant at the Waterhole Sable at Tuskers Bush Camp Tuskers Bush Camp Lion