Lion (Posted from Nelspruit)

We have been looking for Lion for days now, all the sightings have been near Croc Bridge and all too far for Photos. Yesterday (06/05/15) we went north up to the pan on the S128 hoping to see Lion as it is open around the pan. We saw Rhino and lots of Zebra and Wildebeest come to drink. On returning to camp we heard that there had been Lion at Sunset Dam at 06:30 they drank and then crossed the road in front of Lower Sabie gate. I hope this is not going to be like last year when we always seemed to take the wrong road or leave to early or too late.

Determined not to miss the Lions again we were up early this Morning (07/05/15) and at Sunset Dam by 06h00, as we were drinking our coffee Lettie spotted 2 Lions in the tall grass and at precisely 06h30  3 Lioness and 1 Lion emerged and started drinking. The light was still bad and they were across from us, still I managed a couple of shots.

The 4 Lions then moved off in the direction of Lower Sabie, we drove to the tar and waited and after about 15 min they emerged stalking some Impala, they crossed the road in front of us. By this time a lot of cars had arrived and it became quite congested. We left the crowds and went and parked a short distance away only for the Lions to return and cross right in front of us again returning towards the dam where they seem to have settled for the day. We had our second cup of coffee hoping they would drink again.

All this within 100 metres of the camp gate.

The Gaurd watching the Lions at Sunset Dam

Best Photos of last few days

Mpondo dam

Mpondo dam on the S102

For my grand kids, see the Waterbuck sat on the toilet while the paint was still wet that is where the ring on his bum comes from

Swimming at Mpondo dam

After a swim the elephant strolled right up to us

Another one for Penny

Rhino colours

on the S128

Leopard and cub Big Five Day

We left camp as the gates opened at 06h00 and traveled south along the tar H4-2 with the intention of going to Komatipoort to get a Vodacom sim as MTN has been offline for some time.We turned onto the S130 (Gomondwane Loop), we had coffee and rusks at  Froggy pan which we have named after Prince the frothy Tree Frog who we released here last year  (see last years Blog).

We continued along the S130 and at the dry Pan half way along we found a troop of very agitated Baboon. We watched for a while and then saw a Leopard with a cub, the baboons also saw it, and the big male baboons attacked and chased the Leopards. The cub was chased into a bush (not Tree), while the mother was chased by the male Baboons right in front of us and across the road for some distance and out of sight.

We sat in the car right next to the bush with the cub high up in the top reaches barely visible. The male Baboons eventually returned to where the cub was hiding. We expected the baboons to attack and kill the cub, they made an effort to dislodge the cub.

By this time another car arrived and saw what was going on, every time the Baboons tried to get the cub it hissed loudly and we made a noise to try and chase the Baboons away from the cub.

Eventually the Baboons moved off, we continued to sit and watch expecting the mother to come back. We sat there for at least 2 hours waiting. The cub eventually came down and slunk into the long grass out of sight. We stayed at least another hour before moving off without a further sighting. We only managed 1 or 2 photos as the visibility was bad, but hey its stored up there somewhere.

We hope we saved the Leopard cubs life and that mother and cub were reunited.

Saw Buffalo, plenty Elephant, Rhino and finally Lion, after a long drought, pretty close to the road at the Gezantfombi dam.

This is all we could see of the terrified Leopard cub

After he came down and slinking away

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Little Heroe's Acre

While at Skukuza we took the opportunity to visit the Little Hero’s Acre which is a memorial to the dogs of Kruger. It brings a tear to your eye as you walk around and read the plaques of these brave dogs of Kruger.

 I hope you can read the writings on the pictures, click on the photos to enlarge them.

I was particularly drawn to “Milo” roughly translated

“She survived 8 Mfezis’s (Zulu for snake) and a crocodile attack, but not the Leopard. Go well brave one”