Daily Archive for January 26th, 2009

I started my day again with the normal ritual. Another puncture!
Luckily the dogs were still chilling out when I got there later than usual. They had no plans on moving for a while, all looking really well fed. They must have killed twice last night, and so there was no need, no urge to go hunting.
They sauntered off east a while later before resting up in the main road for some time. Then continued on east resting up near a small pan.

Dogs done, we headed north to Chiloveka dam. Arriving there we saw huge croc swimming across the dam. Thinking nothing of it we continued. On the northern bank we suddenly realised what was happening. Lions had killed and were feeding on a young zebra on the shores of the dam and the croc was heading that way.

Alas he didn’t have it in him to chase the lions off and lurked nearby all the while, while the lions finished off the kill. These 5 lions are the youngsters that broke away from the Nduna pride with Manyari.
The lions went to drink at the dam after feeding but were not happy with that big croc lurking and hissed their displeasures at it before resting in the shade.
At the same time lone elephant bull arrived on the far side of the dam to drink and bathe.
It sure was all happening in this one small spot.
Of course I was hoping for full on action, wanting the croc to challenge the lions and then the elephant breaking up the whole party. Nobody’s been reading the script again!
Back with the dogs, they were back to their normal afternoon routine. 5pm – greeting ceremony. 6pm – head off hunting.

Heading east they were soon along the fenceline that forms the border with Gona-Re-Zhou National Park. I always get nervous seeing them along any fence, just not wanting them to move out. The pups were curious with fence but thankfully Puzzles soon moved them away, when suddenly the chase was on. We of course couldn’t keep up but eventually did find the pack on the remains of an eland calf. It would appear that the pups had killed it. It was still small, and had probably been stashed in the long grass by its mother when the dogs surprised it.

Puzzles wasn’t at the kill but arrived some time later with bloodstains on her face. She didn’t feed, but once the eland carcass was finished she led the pack north to her kill.
Another good evening’s hunting for the pack.