How’s that for symmetry on today’s date – 09 05 09? Anyway, last night I failed to take a picture of a violin spider on the path to our office/editing studio (which we walk barefoot), I couldn’t get the light right for it to expose properly. These spiders normally live under rocks and only come out after dark, which is why this fellow was out on the prowl. These are not the same species found in USA, which are apparently more venomous, but my friend was recently chomped on the back of his hand and he now has a crater as a battle scar. Sorry no photo, but this one will be easy enough to Google.
I was running on all cylinders this morning and headed for a Zebra that had died from a kick in the head, probably by another Zebra. I was hoping to catch a few Hyenas on the carcass, but the place was abandoned.
A lion had eaten away on the hind quarters and managed to go deep enough to pull out the foetus the female was carrying. There was no sign of the lion when I got there, but it had dragged the carcass about ten meters from where it was yesterday. With no action there, I headed for Mapanzani Weir and spent a bit of time in the area. There is still heavy cloud in the sky and the days are cool. The animals are not desperate to get to water so this affects my hit rate it would seem.
With nothing happening in the area, I headed past a dry Chibi Pan for home. I did a juggle between Banyini and Nyari pan via the airstrip the whole afternoon. Besides a large herd of buffalo and our dozen giraffe, I was left thinking that the weather really affects the game viewing. Kim is still very far on the western border with the wild dogs, the good news is, he will be filling you in on the happenings that side tomorrow.
Well, it looks like mom put her foot down about not letting the kids play outside today. I saw 3 cubs in the video, any sign of the missing fourth?
Mark, not being familiar with Hyenas, in the video was that a female or a male at the den?