Monthly Archive for December, 2009

Lion Cubs on the Hunt: Video


Christmas Day has come and gone, I spent the day with family in Mutare and enjoyed the sunset in the hills.

Mutare Sunset

In case you’re wondering, there was no Chanel No. 5 to celebrate our anniversary, but a little form was shown with a sunset cruise on Malilangwe Dam where we spotted an Osprey having an argument with a Marabou Stork, the Marabou ended up with the fish, but the Osprey looked pretty determined to teach the Marabou some table manners.

Osprey vs Marabou

Banyini Pan has been drying up with the intense heat, but half a kilometer to the south is natural pan teaming with life. This is where I found a secretary bird for the first time in our stay at Malilangwe - graceful birds, always a great sighting.

Secretary Bird, Malilangwe

I also managed to catch up with the lions on Banyini one evening. Magwaza’s three cubs are out and about, they are joining the hunt now and outdoing the adults at times - when they can stop playing about and focus on the task at hand of course. One of the cubs pulled down an Impala calf, interestingly enough, the lionesses left the cubs to fight over the small impala on their own without interfering. There are so many young impala around it’s difficult not to run into them around every corner.

Impala Day Care

Holiday season will soon fade away, but for the baboons every day is a swing in the trees.

Tarzan Baboon

Happy New Year, rich blessings, stay safe!

Hippo Sundowners, Malilangwe Dam

Mopane Shredders: Video


After a week away from Malilangwe one is already home sick, the bush has a tendency to do that to a person, besides the concrete jungle has little to offer me these days.

Growing Hyaena Cub

I arrived back only to head straight to my hyenas to spend the morning chilling taking photos around a natural pan they’ve discovered. The light was amazing and it gave me a chance to try out the new lens I purchased (one of the benefits of the concrete jungle).

Glass Water

The mopane worms have come up out of the ground to feast on the healthy looking mopane leaves.

Mopane Ninja Warrior

You can always tell which trees have them in by the collection of droppings on the ground around the tree. It’s like guano, I wander it has any value as a fertilizer? Maybe one could make guano bowls out of it at least - then collect the whole set!

Mopane Worm Cluster

The bush is looking like a pasture, green and colourful. While the grass is still short it makes it easy to spot animals against the green background, like the two black rhinos we saw as we did the loop around the khayeni area, which I’ve been neglecting for a long time.

Black Rhino Stare Down

Christmas is around the bend and I did a little shop myself, but I can’t disclose whether I have actually come away with a gift yet. My wife and I will have been married three whole years on the 17 December, which I can thankfully say have been three great years!

Wild Flower, Striga Elegans

Maybe I’ll collect some wild flowers as a unique gift, which is also within the budget… or maybe I did manage to find a romantic streak and choose a Chanelle no.5 to complement the fresh smell of the falling rain.

Hyena Dunkers: Video


The clan has moved to the very first den that we found them at nine months ago, I’ve been catching the sunsets at the den with the cubs emerging for their late afternoon suckle.

Roll over Rover

I spent a few late nights at the den, but the hyenas were pretty unproductive. The one morning they carried a baboon carcass back to the den there was a tug of war over who was going to get to rip the limbs off it, but the mothers are very protective over their carrion and only let their own cubs nibble on the carcass.

Baboon Carcass

I did manage to catch up with two playful males at Manuchi Pan though.

Dunking

I must say, the water sports got a little rough with the one trying to dunk the other - all in the name of a little fun though.

Bubbles

All sorts of creatures emerge after a little wet weather, I’ve seen plenty of toads just plodding around the den area, along with five water monitors in the Manuchi/Sosigi area.

Water Monitor

In between the light showers during the last few days we get to see the wild flowers emerging, not to mention the grass shooting to provide the grazing for the next season.

Xerophyta Retinervis-Monkey's Tail