The Nyari pride were still chilling out at dusk near Hwata pan. With them lying out in the burn it gave me the ideal opportunity to get on the ground for those low angle shots I so enjoy.

Magwaza was very obliging and Chahwihwi too wasn’t too phased, even though I was only some 15m away. The light lasted only briefly, as it has done for the last couple of weeks. It really hasn’t been good all this time. Overcast every morning and evening and not even bringing rain.
With the light gone I commandeered Mark to bring the filming lights and using them at the right time in the day can be rather stunning. And of course they allow me to film at night giving me light where, when and how I want it. So much easier than filming in the day and I have quality light all the time!

As the light faded the lions greeted and headed out west, that just happening to be where I was lying next to the vehicle. As they walked past they hesitated only some 5m away and then carried on. Seeing those dudes from that angle makes them seriously huge. Really gives me huge respect for what my grandfather was up against when a lion grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him off. (He managed to kill it with his knife.)

The lions moved west all night resting on and off. They were still well fed and in no hurry.
Around midnight Manyari into a bush and came out with a screaming young Duiker. It was soon dead, but the game had just started. Manyari was being pursued by the others. They desperately wanted to hi-jack her kill. For 10mins they chased her around eventually giving up and leaving her to feed in peace. It really wasn’t much of a meal, being hardly much larger than a scrub hare.
This left the pride resting well into the day when we left.

I haven’t flown for ages and it was just brilliant to be up there again soaring with the freedom of an eagle.
I picked up the lions a long way to the southeast. They sure had done some walking the night before.

It was then a rush to land and head to the area of the lions before they got mobile for the evening. But arriving on the scene, Sjambok was panting away frantically, with his gut fully enlarged. Manyari was lying to one side and Chahwihwi next to her, while Magwaza finished off the remains of a warthog kill. No doubt Sjambok got the lions share of the kill.
While Magwaza chewed away on the warthog’s head, Manyari headed west hunting. The mopanie is incredibly dense in that area meaning we had to keep leap-frogging to keep up with her. A herd of impala in the thickets were soon scattered as Manyari had a go at them. No joy there.

Then it was on to Hwata pan where she met up with the rest of the pride. After a good long drink they spent the rest of the night lying around roaring on and off. There was no reason for them to do much else.
And I was happy to catch up on much needed sleep too.

Danger is always lurking in the bush and sometimes in forms one doesn’t imagine.
Allan, the guy who’s going to be working on leopards, was driving and still very new at it, when the car left the road, we were going slowly, and ended up wedged under a huge low hanging branch with me squashed between it and the camera box. Allan was fine as his seat is a lot lower. I managed to shuffle myself out of there with little injury. But my vehicle mounted tripod wasn’t so lucky. It had been ripped away from the vehicle frame and seriously bent and buckled. A few other things were damaged too but all can be sorted in some way or another.

So it was back to camp. Allan driving. I wanted to be sure he didn’t lose his confidence.
5 hours later we’d cut and welded wherever we could and the tripod was back in place, probably stronger than before.
That meant we only got out at midnight. We searched a while for the lions without success and ended up getting some rest on Banyini. Sadly we didn’t have lions to rest with. When they’re around we tend to get more sleep.

Just as dawn was breaking we heard lions roaring a long way to the east, but weren’t able to pick them up. I’m hoping to fly this afternoon to locate them.
Heading back home several impala were sparring on Banyini. It’s not the time of the rut but the youngsters will spar all year round in training for the big one.

It was pointless checking on the lions at dusk and they would still be holed up in the hills after a hot day and still being well fed.
Instead I visited Banyini. It’s always been a favourite at sunset and has so many different moods. Today’s sunset was hardly too spectacular but still very pleasant and with frogs calling in the pan as it got dark, it still is a special spot. Unfortunately nobody came to visit while I was there.

When we did pick up on the lions they had moved out the hills heading west towards the Chiredzi River but didn’t make it there. Instead they passed out on the road for a couple of hours.
Manyari, with her still very much full tummy showed some interest in a herd of impala. She was trailed by the others, but as expected, nothing came of it.

They kept on with their movements southwest and when the neighbours across the river roared so they returned the volley. The Nyari pride then settled in for about an hour roaring on and off at their enemy. Being surrounded by 4 lions roaring in such close proximity is a pure sensation! Actually it’s probably one of the only things I like about lions.
Then there was a roar from the northeast. Who could that be deep in the heart of their territory? It sure alerted the Nyari pride sending them mobile in that direction. They walked several kilometres eventually resting up before dawn. Now they were quiet.

They stayed here till well after dawn in the cool overcast morning, grooming and socialising amongst each other.
So we didn’t find out who was shouting the odds in the north, but maybe tonight will be reveal all.

The Nyari pride were still in the hills when we searched for them at dusk. With no access in there, we headed south to the Mahande drainage system where the youngsters from the Nduna pride had killed a zebra. They were all pretty well fed and only one young male was chewing on the remains of the carcass.

With little going on there and potential rain on the way we headed back north.
Eventually we managed to picked up the Nyari pride, all 4 of them, passed out in the hills where they didn’t budge all night except to roar a couple of times and even that they did lying on their sides.

No point spending any more time with them after sunrise and we headed in search of potentially more interesting things.
This group of elephant bulls arrived early to drink at Banyini pan. Quite an impressive bunch of tuskers.

While filming them I noticed the one bull’s trunk to be floppy. This is called Floppy Trunk Syndrome. It’s caused by a small plant that some elephants eat. Luckily it’s not very plentiful in our area but in other parts of the country it is and causes partial paralysis in the elephants trunks. The elephants are still able to feed and drink but not as effectively. Apparently this condition does in time revert back to normal.

The Nyari pride were totally chilled out last night and quite happy to have us right back amongst them.
But they weren’t happy with the state they were in. Their stomachs were absolutely enormous having finished off their zebra kill. With all that meat digesting in there they were suffering from overheating and from the extreme discomfort.

After drinking at Nyari pan they spent the rest of the night lying around moving every 15 to 20mins trying to find a more comfortable position to lie in. You would think they would learn each time, but the next time they’re at it again overeating. I suppose it all comes from the fact that they don’t want to share and if anybody shows any interest in eating then they must eat too.

Magwaza wasn’t with the pride last night but we did hear her roaring in the early hours. I wonder if she has possibly got brand new cubs in the hills? When I saw her yesterday she was lying on her stomach all the time and didn’t allow me a peak at her teats.

As the dawn light started creeping in so a silly rain crept in with it. It was enough to wet everything and with the lions now in the hills we called it a night.

The bush was lovely and fresh this morning after our first main rains of the season, and over the next few days we can really expect to see things greening up.
The wild dogs have moved across the Chiredzi River so I wasn’t able to see them this morning but we’ll be working with the Nyari pride for the next few months now and seriously hoping Manyari will have cubs again soon AND they’ll survive.
I found the lions east of Nyari pan this morning with the remains of a zebra kill. The males moved off when I approached but Manyari and Magwaza had no plans on moving.

I haven’t seen the lions for a few months now, so they were a little nervous of my initial approach. And even Manyari gave me a little growl and rev but soon settled down totally when she saw me up to my usual antics.

With their full tummies and still a little carcass left they will no doubt still be here this evening when we follow after them again on our nightly sojourns.

Well I obviously didn’t make it back in time to get the blog up yesterday. I was on a marathon drive, marathon wait on a death run.
I left White River, South Africa, at midnight in order to get to the border by 6am. Then the long wait while they processed my papers to export the filming vehicle I was towing. Midday I was done there, crossed onto the Zimbabwe side and that ended up in another 6 hour wait in queues and just waiting. To pass the time I found myself directing traffic at the border in that confined area, which is pure chaos. My traffic skills aren’t the best but I did manage to get some order into the place, which made my escape a lot faster when I finally got my papers.
I left the border post at 6pm and was again driving into the night. But now the roads were a lot narrower. Only 2 lanes, one each way, and with no shoulder. Twice I was pushed off the road by oncoming trucks! Not fun when you’re towing something.
Eventually I made it back to the reserve in one piece after having been on the road for 22hours. Not something one does for fun, well I don’t anyway.

But I was greeted to the most awesome sound on my arrival at home. Lions were roaring in the valley below the house where the dam is, and the echo from the surrounding hills was just wild! Almost made the whole drive worth it.
Today didn’t get much life out of me as I’d been up for 42hrs and was now trying to catch up. I’m nearly there.
This evening we had our first rains of the season. A magical thunderstorm, impressive lightening and probably about half an inch of rain.

Well I obviously didn’t make it back in time to get the blog up yesterday. I was on a marathon drive, marathon wait on a death run.
I left White River, South Africa, at midnight in order to get to the border by 6am. Then the long wait while they processed my papers to export the filming vehicle I was towing. Midday I was done there, crossed onto the Zimbabwe side and that ended up in another 6 hour wait in queues and just waiting. To pass the time I found myself directing traffic at the border in that confined area, which is pure chaos. My traffic skills aren’t the best but I did manage to get some order into the place, which made my escape a lot faster when I finally got my papers.
I left the border post at 6pm and was again driving into the night. But now the roads were a lot narrower. Only 2 lanes, one each way, and with no shoulder. Twice I was pushed off the road by oncoming trucks! Not fun when you’re towing something.
Eventually I made it back to the reserve in one piece after having been on the road for 22hours. Not something one does for fun, well I don’t anyway.

But I was greeted to the most awesome sound on my arrival at home. Lions were roaring in the valley below the house where the dam is, and the echo from the surrounding hills was just wild! Almost made the whole drive worth it.
Today didn’t get much life out of me as I’d been up for 42hrs and was now trying to catch up. I’m nearly there.
This evening we had our first rains of the season. A magical thunderstorm, impressive lightening and probably about half an inch of rain.

Oh the joys of shopping! If only I did find it a happy pastime.

Now for the big haul as I plan to leave at midnight to arrive at the border early and have the whole day to clear the vehicle. And then back on the road for another 4 hours.
If it goes that smoothly I’ll be back in the bush by midnight!