It’s remained cloudy and wet since our initial downpour 3 days ago, although the subsequent rains have been scattered light drizzles. All enough to make off road travel almost impossible.
The continuing rains have meant, that each time it shows signs of drying up the flying ants come pouring out in force. It seems the birds and animals are getting more than a double feed on these ultra high protein packages of flying ants. Even the baboons were having an absolute feast.
We didn’t get around much, as just when the coast looked clear, suddenly a dark cloud is towering over us and soon the speckles on the bonnet turn to running water. The roads remain passable in most places but off road travel is risky all round.
Yesterday we had the most amazing action, and all of it from a lion, believe it or not!
In the cool overcast afternoon, Manyari seemed restless and was on the move. She focussed on some impala on Banyini but the open area didn’t provide her with enough cover. Moving on north is her ladylike lion way…………..that being pretty slow by the way. Suddenly her body language changed and the expression on her face was serious. A way up ahead were a couple of wildebeest cows and their tiny calves. Manyari had locked in the calves.
Anticipating her actions, we moved around to the other side. I had just got the camera on the tripod when Manyari launched her attack from about 200m. This is a long chase for a lion, but it didn’t seem to phase Manyari as she closed in on the wildebeest like a cheetah in action. Just missing the spots. She chased the calf over 200m before ankle tapping it and immediately clamped those fatal jaws around its neck. The mother came back with head slung low, trying to see off Manyari but she stayed clamped to her prize, and then swatted the wildebeest when it got within range. The wildebeest soon gave up and.
Manyari took her prize into the mopanie woodland. When we found her today she still hadn’t even started feeding on the carcass.
But what a kill it was to happen right in front of us. Of course the girls loved it, except Penny’s comment was “Shame daddy, why did they have to kill the baby. Why not the adult?”
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