I’m sitting listening to the sound of thunder and the rain pelleting the corrugated roof. Early rains help squelch the penetrating heat and this is always a blessing when people are screaming El Nino from all corners of the globe. The direct sunlight can really tire you out when you’re working in it everyday, it feels as if someone opened the fridge door to bring relief to the scorching heat. I attempted to track down the lions, but was unsuccessful; however, Kim caught them at Nduna Dam on a kill. What a surprise to find Manyari with cubs! She has been AWOL for months now, this would explain her keeping a low profile, and the cubs are already around four months old.
I managed to run into a nice herd of Buffalo at what is left of Bandama Pan. Again this heat dries up the pans very quickly, but the Buffalo don’t seem to mind doing the mud wading thing to lap up what little water remains. The only problem is that invariably one of the youngsters get themselves stuck in the mud.
This time the little guy was rescued out of the brown glue by Chitimela the research technician, but not all are as lucky. On the way back to base camp I came across a crash of eight white rhino, they were looking like they’d also braved the muddy Bandama waters.
Two hyenas were lying around on the edge of Manyuchi at first light catching the cool morning breeze. It was not long before they returned to the communal den and collected all the little guys except the youngest and marched single file back past Manyuchi and into the hills. These guys are moving around now, I wonder what they’re up to. The ellies had trampled their way past the den a few nights back according to the tracks I found, maybe this spooked them. I was pleased to find all six of the older cubs as I was beginning to think that Chops was missing. So all is well in hyena land, while the wild dogs are showing signs of itchy feat and are exploring a little more East of Nyamasikana Pan, if they end up at Nduna looking for the lion’s share of the Impala, they could be in for a surprise. However, for now they seem to be returning to the fence line where they funnel the impala in between the fences and make light work of what would normally be a strenuous hunt.
Back at Manyuchi pan I caught the sunset with a few cubs in the water and as I was sitting on the ground reviewing my photos, I heard some breathing other side the vehicle. When I looked up I noticed a young black rhino challenging “Dozer”. What an awesome time, the young rhino spent fifteen minutes playing around the vehicle, charging and exploring the metal lump! One older hyena cub was still around and tentatively came to test the prehistoric looking creature. Black rhinos have so much character, I had to wait till dark to see if he would drink. After he crept up to the water I let him drink and then flooded the pan with light to catch him on camera, he was spooked and ran off.
What is that bird in the last photo? Quite a frizzy looking thing!
Nice video. I was in Kenya until a week ago and was unable to ever see a Black Rhino.
Even in the sanctuary. I hope next time I have better luck!
Iva
Nice video. Good name for the title is see! What IS that type of bird if you happen to know? I like the way the warthog just stood there, with his back facing towards you after drinking, it was if he were saying “Who’s out there?” and standing in complete stillness! Do you know when Kim will be posting again?
That little Green Backed Heron was sitting in a dead stump in the middle of Malilangwe Dam waiting for it’s mother to come back with the food, I was thinking of regurgitating for the youngster.
Hello there,
Great video again, it must be wonderful to be out there.
This autumn, my wife, my sun and myself visited friends (yes, I have friends) in Scotland. We went to the Cairngorns National Parc. I thougth it must be wonderfull that bears and wolves roam the area again.
How you are doing with the movies?
knd regards,
Douwe
Yaaaaaaaaaaaay, Manyari!!!!! Made my Holiday season, let me tell you!
Love the “sleight of film” that turns a little hyena (drinking alone, at night…yikes) spiffo into a warthog with a splendid mane and then the very nervous rhino.
Hmmm. Regurgitating for the wee heron, working with the flu are you?
Again, thanks for a great video and the superb news of Manyari and her little ones!
Douwe, never for a second doubted you have friends! Ms. ‘Nova, great to hear from you! So glad I could work in at least a couple of periods at the ends of sentences….!
b.
Thank you for posting back to my comment, Mark!
Like, bonnytexas, I’ve never seen a video of Manyari, but it’s nice to spot her once in a while, right?
Harriet, have seen lots of Manyari in the past. Believe it was Nov., ‘07 when she terribly wounded herself while hunting and caused everyone to be on tenterhooks thru the holidays. Kim did day after day entries in the early part of 2008. She is a very, very special lady, who has had a devil of a time keeping the cubs sired by these two young males. They killed their cubs of hers for the past two years. Am more than happy that she now has four-month old cubs! Yipee!! Now, if those ‘lil darlings can just make it to adulthood, but Manyari has been very, very successful raising families in the past.
To get to see her again would be frabjous!
b.
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