3rd December 2000
Not having had Tjololo yesterday as we were away, it took us some time to eventually find him. We eventually found his tracks right up in the north. They left the road close to a herd of impala. We knew he was probably already stalking them and didn’t want to disturb the situation. Cautiously we approached searching the long grass for him. The impala by now had slowly been moving off and we spotted him trotting after them. Again with his bombastic hunting technique he charged into the herd from a distance causing mass disturbance and catching a youngster lost in the confusion.
Looking well fed already he treed the carcass and just lay on it, luckily. Not even 10 minutes later 3 lions walked by. The one sniffed around the tree and the surrounds. Tjololo didn’t move a whisker. Not having fed on the carcass yet there was also no smell. The lioness didn’t stay long and moved on. Only some 30m away all 3 lions roared. We could just feel the fear in Tjololo as he had to contain himself and remain motionless.
The lions moved on and Tjololo fed. Leaving about half the carcass in the tree he rested up nearby. Again luckily as the carcass dropped out the tree. He moved on further west with it and soon treed it as a hyaena came charging in on his heels. Again luckily the hyaena moved off, ‘cos Tjololo again dropped the carcass. He moved it again to another tree. But trying to solve his problem of dropping it he tried to consume it all but there was too much. Eventually he treed the remains and rested up nearby.
A while later Tjololo took off as a lioness arrived. She eventually saw the carcass in the tree and climbed, if one can call it that. On numerous occasions she nearly fell out the tree but managed to hold on, often dead branches breaking under her weight. Eventually after climbing/falling around for about 10 minutes she got to the remaining skin and bones and finished it off.
Tjololo was on the move south and we soon lost him disappearing into the river.
A great first night for Darel and Simon who are getting to grips with everything in a hurry.
0 Response to “Tjololo 3rd December 2000”