Big 5 Sightings 07 to 13 May 2012

Our highlight of the week is seeing 2 male cheetahs on the Nkhoro open area while feeding on a Kudu kill. This is a very rare sighting and we are fortunate to have seen them at this close range.

Two male cheetahs feeding on a kudu. Photo by Willie Woest

Monday, 7 May 2012
(29º)

• A herd of about 300 buffalo resting around Simba Dam
• Shadow, female leopard walking East from Matandaluka Pan

Tuesday, 8 May 2012
(31º)

• Herd of 300 buffalo resting in Ram Pan
• Salayexe, female leopard walking around E.P. Lodge enterance
• Tingana, male leopard cent marking East along A-Main/Big Dam

Wednesday, 9 May 2012
(33º)

• 9 Wild dogs where hunting an impala and after an unsuccessful hunt they picked a fight with 4 hyenas
• An Elephant bull feeding on a Marula tree on the fire break
• Herd of about 20 elephants drinking water at Simba dam
• Herd of about 10 elephants feeding North at Grissly Bear Crossing with about 300 buffalo’s feeding South in the same area

Majingi male lion with impala kill. Photo by Morné Fouché

Thursday, 10 May 2012
(29º)

• Breeding herd of about 300 buffaloes feeding on Saseka and Milkberry junction
• 9 Wild dogs resting on Gowrie Main close to Little Gowrie driveway
• Ntima, female leopard with a grey duiker kill close to Ingwe Pan
• 2 Cheetah males feeding on a juvenile kudu kill on Nkoro Open
• Breeding herd of about 25 elephants feeding on EP open area

Friday, 11 May 2012
(28º)

• A breeding herd of about 30 elephants feeding on Shirley’s/Safari cutline
• A big breeding herd of 300 buffaloes resting on E.P. Southern boundry
• Salayexe, female leopard with a big male impala kill on The Island
• Styx lion pride moving west from Tree House pan
• 1 Majingi male lion feeding on a male impala kill north of Tree House pan

Styx female lions with cubs. Photo by Morné Fouché

Saturday, 12 May 2012
(28º)

• Breeding herd of about 300 buffaloes resting on Big Dam Link north
• Moya, female leopard scent marking on E.P. Southern boundry
• 1 Elephant bull feeding on the Northern side of Safari Airstrip

Sunday, 13 May 2012
(30º)

• Salayexe, female leopard, scent marking East from Pungwe Open
• Tingana, male leopard walking East on A-main towards Big Dam
• Styx lion pride, resting at Knobthorn Pan
• A breeding herd of about 200 buffaloes sleeping on Knobthorn Open
• A herd of 10 elephants feeding on Zebra Drive

Big 5 Sightings 30 April – 06 May 2012

Our Big 5 highlight of the week was to see a breeding herd of elephants playing in the water at Big Dam. We did experience some high temperatures during the past week and they truly enjoyed the cooling down.

Young elephant bull cooling down in Big Dam. Photo by Louis Liversage

Monday, 30 April 2012
(30ºC)

• A breeding herd of about 150 buffalo resting on Central
• 4 Tsalala female lions walking west on Kimbians crossing
• 1 elephant bull browsing on Marula Bult Central

Tuesday, 01 May 2012
(34ºC)

• Tsalala female lions sleeping at 2nd Windmill
• A breeding herd of about 40 elephants playing in the mud at Boundary Pan
• A breeding herd of about 25 elephants walking east form Bushcamp West
• 1 buffalo bull feeding north on A-main

Wednesday, 02 May 2012
(29ºC)

• 2 Majingi male lions resting south on Pumphouse road
• 2 Matimba male lions resting north from Baboon Pan
• 2 Majingi male lions contact calling north from Pump track
• Tsalala female lions sleeping in the Morakeng at the rocks
• 1 Buffalo bull resting in the water at Gaby’s causeway

Young Hyena at EP den site. Photo by Richard Davis

Thursday, 03 May 2012
(30ºC)

• A breeding herd of about 40 elephants walking south from Horseshoe East
• Tingana, the male leopard, resting in the open area at Kraaines
• A breeding herd of about 10 Elephants playing in the water in Serengeti Pan

Friday, 04 May 2012
(34ºC)

• 3 of the Majingi male lions resting at Mnisi Mati, with a buffalo standing in the background
• Salayexe scent marking east along Londoz Boundary
• 1 Elephant bull feeding on EP open area
• The Styx female lions and their cubs sleeping north of A-main
• 1 Buffalo bull walking west from Lowveld Link

Buffalo bull and Hippo at Buff Pan. Photo by Louis Liversage

Saturday, 05 May 2012
(32ºC)

• Tingana, the male leopard, scent marking on Robson’s Boundary
• 1 Elephant bull feeding on Francolin Road
• Thandi, the female leopard, resting east of Little Gowrie driveway

Sunday, 06 May 2012
(28ºC)

• 10 Wild dogs moving south on Madash Road towards Wetpatch
• Salayexe stalking a scrub hare on Kuala Bear Road
• A breeding herd of Elephants feeding around One Eye Pan

Big 5 Sightings 23 – 30 April 2012

Our Big 5 highlight of the week would have to be when Salayexe the female leopard joined Tyson the male leopard on his impala kill and proceeded to feed with him! These two definitely did not read the handbook on normal leopard behaviour!

Salayexe lying on a termite mound - Louis Liversage

Monday, 23 April 2012

(25 °C, 12 mm rain)

• Salayexe the leopard still feeding on her impala kill at Picanini Utah
• The Nkuhuma lionesses with two of their youngsters, eating the last of their buffalo kill at Boundary Pan
• One buffalo bull walking north at Kimbian’s Crossing

Tuesday, 24 April 2012

(24 °C)

• Shadow the leopard with an impala kill west of Madashi Road
• The Nkuhuma lionesses and youngsters resting on Methlowani Road
• A breeding herd of about 15 elephants swimming in Simbambili Dam
• One buffalo bull resting on Saseka Road
• Salayexe the leopard still feeding on her impala kill at Picanini Utah

Wednesday, 25 April 2012

(27 °C)

• Salayexe the leopard finishing the last of her impala kill
• One buffalo bull feeding on the firebreak west of the Manyeleti riverbed
• A breeding herd of about 20 elephants feeding on Puffadder Road
• Two Nkuhuma lionesses and the two youngsters playing around at Knobthorn Pan
• One buffalo bull resting in the water at Rampan

Giraffes in the mist - Louis Liversage

Thursday, 26 April 2012

(26 °C)

• The Tsalala lionesses sleeping at Big Dam
• One buffalo bull resting at Boundary Pan
• A small breeding herd of 6 elephants walking east along the firebreak

Friday, 27 April 2012

(29 °C)

• Tingana the male leopard on an impala kill close to Sixes Road
• The Tsalala lionesses resting on Eastern Bank Manyeleti
• A herd of 5 elephants feeding west of Landcruiser Crossing
• One buffalo bull resting in the floodplain close to Tamboti Crossing
• An unknown male leopard walking north along Robson’s boundary

Saturday, 28 April 2012

(30 °C)

• Salayexe the leopard walking south from Arathusa Main Road. She found Tyson the male leopard on an impala kill and decided to join him.
• Tingana the leopard still feeding on his impala kill on Sixes
• A pack of 9 wild dogs hunting impala on A-Main
• Three Styx lionesses and one Majingilane male walking south along Annett’s cutline

Tsalalas lying in the Manyeleti riverbed - Louis Liversage

Sunday, 29 April 2012

(33 °C)

• Tingana the leopard walking north on MMM South
• The Tsalala lionesses unsuccessfully hunting giraffe on 1st Windmill
• A breeding herd of elephants feeding west from Shirley’s open area
• Salayexe the leopard stalking impala at Bushcamp
• A big breeding herd of about 150 buffaloes feeding from Serengeti Manyeleti Crossing

Big 5 Sightings 16 – 22 April 2012

Our highlight for this week was to see Mvula, the dominant male leopard in our eastern traversing area stalking and also killing an impala.

Mvula the male leopard with his impala kill. Photo by Richard Davis

Monday, 16 April 2012

(29ºC)

• Lamula the male leopard with a juvenile kudu kill east of Little Gowrie drive way
• Ntima scent marking on MMM south close to Hoffman’s drift
• Salayexe scent marking on EP delivery road
• The Styx lion pride resting on A-main
• A breeding herd of about 15 elephants drinking water at Big Dam

Tuesday, 17 April 2012

(28ºC)

• 1 Elephant bull feeding just off One Eyed Pan
• Salayexe stalking impala on EP delivery road
• The Styx lion pride on a kudu kill just off Jerry Drive
• 1 Buffalo bull resting in the water at 2nd Windmill
• A breeding herd of about 12 elephants feeding on A-Main

A young elephant enjoying a mud bath. Photo by Willie Woest

Wednesday, 18 April 2012

(27ºC)

• 9 Lions of the Styx pride resting next to Safari airstrip
• An unknown male leopard walking north on Robson’s boundary
• Tingana, the male leopard, moving west from Kraaines
• A small herd of 5 elephants feeding south from 5-way Junction
• 4 Female lions of the Tsalala pride sleeping in the Manyeleti river close to Nyati Bamba Road

Thursday, 19 April 2012

(28ºC)

• 2 Female lions of the Nkuhuma pride and their 2 cubs walking west down Pump track
• A breeding herd of about 15 elephants feeding on Marula Bult central

Friday, 20 April 2012

(28ºC)

• A breeding herd of about 20 elephants feeding on Rhulani road
• 2 Female lions of the Nkuhuma pride and their 2 cubs resting on Pungwe open area
• Salayexe scent marking on Puff Adder road
• 3 Buffalo bulls resting in the water at Rhino Pan
• A breeding herd of about 20 elephants feeding and drinking water at Rhino Pan

Young male lion cub of the Styx pride. Photo by Morné Fouché

Saturday, 21 April 2012

(29ºC)

• A breeding herd of about 25 buffalo feeding on Shirley’s open area
• Mvula stalking and killing an impala south of Delta South road
• Thandi, the female leopard and her cub eating an Impala on Wessels old driveway
• The 4 Magingi male lions sleeping on EP airstrip
• The Nkuhuma lion pride feeding on their buffalo kill at Boundary Pan

Sunday, 22 April 2012

(32ºC)

• A small herd of about 5 elephants feeding on Leopard Drift
• 1Elephant bull feeding on a marula tree in Picanini Utah
• The 4 Magingi male lions on a buffalo kill at Grisly Bear crossing

Big 5 Sightings 09 – 15 April 2012

Our Big 5 highlight of the week was spending time with the two male cheetahs. What amazing, elegant creatures they are!

Two male cheetahs - Morné Fouché

Monday, 09 April 2012

(31 °C)

• The Styx pride of lions resting on A-Main
• A breeding herd of about 25 elephants feeding on Simbambili firebreak
• Tingana the leopard scent marking on A-Main
• Two male cheetahs resting at Kudu Corner

Tuesday, 10 April 2012

(27 °C)

• A breeding herd of about 150 buffaloes resting on Gowrie Main
• One elephant bull feeding at Simbambili firebreak
• Another elephant bull feeding on Robson’s boundary
• A breeding herd of about 15 elephants feeding and drinking water on EP open area
• Tingana the leopard walking south from Leopard Drift
• Salayexe resting on EP driveway

Wednesday, 11 April 2012

(27 °C)

• A breeding herd of about 150 buffaloes resting on Oom Corrie’s loop
• Salayexe the leopard sent marking on the firebreak west of Pungwe Pan
• Three buffalo bulls resting in the riverbed, just north of Serengeti
• One elephant bull feeding on our southern boundary

The pack of wild dogs - Morné Fouché

Thursday, 12 April 2012

(27 °C)

• A pack of nine wild dogs resting on Gowrie Main Road
• One buffalo bull resting on EP open area
• A breeding herd of about 25 elephants feeding on Methlowani Road
• Salayexe scent marking on Rhino Ring East

Friday, 13 April 2012

(26 °C)

• One elephant bull feeding on Robson’s Boundary
• One buffalo bull drinking water at Serengeti
• A breeding herd of about 150 buffaloes feeding west of Treehouse Pan
• Lamula the leopard stalking impalas on the eastern side of Treehouse Pan

Saturday, 14 April 2012

(28 °C)

• Eight wild dogs chasing impalas on Sawmill
• Four young Tsalala lionesses playing in the riverbed south of Rhino Ring South
• One elephant bull feeding north of EP Manyeleti Crossing

Lamula the leopard - Morné Fouché

Sunday, 15 April 2012

(31 °C)

• A breeding herd of about 25 elephants feeding around 5Way Junction
• Four Tsalala lionesses stalking a male waterbuck close to 2nd Windmill
• Salayexe the leopard scent marking on Marula Bult North
• Tingana the leopard scent marking on EP delivery road