|
|
| Leaving Cape Town, we flew to Johannesburg
and then on to Hoedspruit near Kruger National Park. We stayed
at Kings Camp in the Timbavati private reserve adjacent to the
Park. Shortly after we arrived we hopped into the Land Rover
for a game drive with our guide, Patrick, and his tracker, Omega.
It wasn't too long before we spotted a pair of young male lions
on the prowl. The fences separating Timbavati and Kruger National
Park have been removed to form a 7 million acre World Heritage
Sight. |
|
|
|
|
Little
did we know that we would encounter these same two cats later
on that night in spectacular fashion. Read on.
|
| |
After leaving the lions, we drove past a solitary
Marabou Stork enjoying a dip in a tranquil pond before lifting
off into the tree tops to be silhouetted against the last rays
of the Timbavati sun.
|
|
|
Just before dark we stopped for high tea
in Timbavati
|
|
| After dark we encountered the same
two young male lions that we had seen earlier. They had brought
down a Cape Buffalo and were feasting. Note the claw marks on
the back of the kill. Omega, our tracker, lighted the scene for
us with a powerful spotlight. |
|
| Most of the time the lions had
their heads buried in the carcass but I got this shot just as
he lifted
his head. Our guide, Patrick, had told us earlier that these
lions were tracking a buffalo herd but he did not expect them
to strike until after dark. This kill happened just before dark.
We returned
the following morning but there was nothing left except for a
few white bones. |
|
|
