After 5 hours searching in the morning for the lions and another 4 hours this evening things were looking bleak.
But then jackpot, about 9pm I picked them up a ways to the north of where we’d left. But not all the pride members were there. Nduna, Manyari and her 3 cubs, the sub adult male and another female. They were resting when I found them and stayed put until about midnight when they headed south again along the Mulovela river, the young male leading the way.
For 2 hours they kept moving before resting up.
While the rest of the pride were quietly sleeping, Manyari snuck away having heard impala close by. She managed to stalk to within about 20m moving a paw very very slowly, one at a time. She waited like a taught spring ready to be released, shaking with excitement. Then she jumped but she hadn’t a chance. The impala were too fleet footed and disappeared.
Manyari went back to the pride to be greeted with masses of joy, all the cubs falling all her to get some attention. Nduna just lay close by not watching and keeping to himself.
The pride moved on further south to Makeche resting here again. Then they started roaring, the whole pride together. This went on till sunrise roaring about every 20 minutes.
At dawn some of the lions were lying on some open sand on a slight rise which was the ideal situation for me to get some low angle shots of them against the early morning glow and have them lit with Barend’s light. I climbed out next to the car shooting on a bean bag. Manyari spotted me first. She went into stalk mode but then left. The young male came prancing closer. He’s big. Already bigger than an adult lioness. I was a little concerned with him but he was nervous of me too and moved away. Then Manyari’s brave cubs came over to investigate. They really were just curious and of no threat. And all this interest in me was just in the right spot to get some great images.
Once the sun was up and back in the car, I eventually left the cats sleeping in the mopanie to the south of Makeche.
Banyini this morning was a hive of activity. Several zebra herds were scattered across the open area.
Giraffe were making a stand too.
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