Daily Archive for May 1st, 2007

Lions brave the cold: Video

Published
by
Wildcaster
on May 1, 2007
in videopost
. 4 Comments

Another cold night but this time I was prepared for it but the lions weren’t.

Can't get in
The vultures had moved in in force onto the buffalo carcass with at least a hundred of them trying to get into it. They’d only managed to make a small hole in the rear end of the animal where they were feeding from. And some had stuffed their necks right into the buffalo’s mouth pulling out what they could.
We spent the rest of the night with the carcass. It was quiet with little going on. Jackals circled in the area but didn’t want to brave the water.
And we had a good nights rest.

Vulture Dusk
Just before dawn the Nduna pride arrived. They didn’t look that lean but were still keen on the buffalo. But it took them about an hour to pluck up the courage to brave the cold water’s. Eventually it was Manyari who took the initiative and pulled the carcass to the edge of the pan from where they could feed.

Water!
Once they’d made a big enough hole in the carcass they pulled the foetus out and then the fight was on for that as they left the rest of the carcass.

Reflecting
The vultures moved in but were sent packing with a growl.

Threats
Will the lions keep guard on the carcass all day to keep the vultures away or will they be ultra lazy and just leave it to the vultures? We’ll see this evening.

Heads or Tails

Chidumu B No.14

Published
by
Wildcaster
on May 1, 2007
in bushmen
. 0 Comments

bushmanlogo.jpg

Chidumu B 14

The big washed out animal at the top looks very similar to the dark one at the bottom. I just don’t know what antelope these might be. Hard to make a lot of it out due to weathering.

Tjololo 1st May 2000

Published
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Wildcaster
on May 1, 2007
in tjdiaries
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The Tjololo Diaries

1st May 2000
Still safely stowed in a tree Tjololo’s kill from Friday was untouched.
There was no sign of  Tjololo or his kill where we’d left him in the morning. We searched just about his whole territory without a sign. On going back to where we’d had him in the morning we heard him calling to the north and picked him up heading north, but were unable to stay with him as he crossed into a bog. He stayed in the area for some time and kept calling.


Only several hours later did he head north and we were able to follow. Although bulging at the seams he still showed a lot of interest in anything that moved. Getting in close to a Steenbok he was unsure of its exact position but knew it was close. Thrashing his tail in the grass he got the animal to spook and gave chase. The chase through, not around or over, bushes went on some 150m before Tjololo gave up, his belly weighing him down.
His calling increased on reaching the northern part of his territory and he slowly made his way to his impala kill from Friday arriving there at daybreak.