I thought I’d get to the buffalo carcass at dawn and find the lions there, but they had already ducked. Their tracks went south down the road.
I was sure they’d be headed to Nyamasikana pan to drink.
There was no sign of them at the pan when I got there. I waited for some time having my early morning peanut butter and honey sandwich and tea. They never arrived.
I quickly scooted back to the kill, no lions, and back to the pan. I must have been away no more than 15mins, and when I arrived at the pan the lions had downed another buffalo bull. He was still very much alive as 2 lions fed from his rear end making no attempt to strangle him as he bellowed in pain. (there weren’t even any signs of them having made any attempt to go for his head or throat.)
And so they ate him alive pulling out his intestines. This went on for about 20mins and then it was all over. Thankfully.
The fear of death in his eye was a hard one for me to watch. I had never seen it so real. I thought I was toughened to this sort of stuff, but this really bored deep down into my soul. What a way to go. AND all at the hands of those WE call the King of the Jungle. I sometimes wonder. What makes them so regal?
I was amazed that the lions even took on this bull, as they were already so well fed. He must have had something wrong with him and was an easy target.
There were only the 2 lions feeding on him when I arrived and 2 others lying around. I wonder where the other 4 were.
Back at the carcass from yesterday, the vultures had moved in in force and totally taken over. The lions were obviously staying with their fresh kill, which was now near water too. No doubt they’ll have food for another 3 days or more.
This activity somewhat distracted my search for the dogs, but I did fine tracks near Manyuchi, which is always encouraging. They’re still in the area!
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