The Lionesses Hunt
After an amazing dinner around the campfire, we had a little Braai, we all went to bed. The bed was so nice! Super comfortable, warm (no need for sleeping bags) and the pillow was also very good.
In the morning, we woke up, went to the kitchen and had breakfast. I was too excited to be back in the bush, so I almost didn’t eat. All the other volunteers were eating and talking. Some happier than others. The safari is a great way to find out who is an early bird and who is a late owl. I am a late owl, but for the bush I love being an early bird.
Finally, we hear the car arriving and we walk to the pick-up point. Our instructor Rad, was waiting for us. He’s a very tall South African guy but very skinny, unlike the normal rugby South African players with massive shoulders and always with an injury. Everyone got on the car and I decided to seat at the passenger’s seat. The car had no tracker seat, so this was the closer one to the front.
We left the volunteer area into the buffalo area. Sadly, no buffalo to say welcome us. Then we crossed the road to the main reserve. We drove around seeing the typical game (impalas, waterbucks, kudus) and then I started to see new animals, the Springbok, for example. The national animal of South Africa, this was the first time seeing this animal in the wild. Very cute and gorgeous with their colours.
As we are driving, I start to look around. The vegetation was so different from the last reserve. The last reserve was a Savanna biome, here it was more of Albany Thicket. So, I knew the grasses, trees, rocks, birds, reptiles and mammals were going to be different from those I knew. In the distance I saw oryx. Also, a new species for my list. They are graceful animals, very majestic. We then drove around more, and I start to see new birds as well. The jackal buzzard was a very cool one. A big buzzard with a call that sounds like a jackal, hence the name.
The cheetah boys resting and looking for prey.
We drove for around an hour and then in the opening we see a tree. It was starting to get hot, so the shade of the tree would be the perfect spot for a cat to rest. Rad stopped the car and grabbed the binoculars. I also grabbed my binoculars. We looked at each other and smiled. Cheetahs! We drove to them, two male cheetahs probably brothers, resting and scanning the land. The advantage point they had was beautiful. We were in the part of the reserve where it was more open and not so dense. The perfect territory for the cheetahs.
We stayed with the two boys for a long time. Then we decided that they were going to continue their nap for the rest of the day. We travelled along the road, always between the open grassland and the thickets. Two giraffes caught our attention. Both were staring to one place. Normally when a giraffe is staring at one place for a long time, without moving or looking away, and the ears are pointing forward, that means something is around.
The giraffes keeping an eye on the lionesses
2 minutes later and we see two lionesses walking. They were walking with a good pace, which meant that they were on a mission. They didn’t give much attention to the giraffes. The giraffes know that two lionesses aren’t dangerous enough to bring them down, but maybe they are just bait, to get them distracted so the rest of the pride can catch the giraffes. So the giraffes decided to stay with their eyes on the lionesses and only run when its safe.
On the other side of the road, Rad spots a warthog. We look at the lioness and they go low on the grass.
– They are hunting – Rad says.
– The warthog has no idea that there are two lionesses 80 meters from him – I say.
The warthog continues to walk, minding his own business when he stops on the road. The lionesses are getting closer, using the tall grass to their advantage. They crawl to get close enough for a pounce. Warthog tail goes up. Like an antenna catching a signal, the warthog knew something was wrong. Almost like the giraffes were waiving at him to run. The lionesses start to rush, they know that the warthog is aware of the danger now. Then the warthog sprints for his life in the opposite direction of the lionesses.
– Lucky guy – Rad said.
The lionesses got up and continued their patrol. Since they were hunting, we decided to follow them. 10 minutes passed, the giraffes already ran away and we lost the lionesses in the thickets. We know where they are, kind of, but we have no eyes on them. Then in front of us a family of warthogs, the mother and 4 piglets, passed running, straight to the lionesses. I grabbed my camera and got ready to photograph. Quickly we see the whole family running with the lioness behind them. The lioness decided to go for the mother and is running like crazy to catch her. The mother, now not knowing where the piglets are, is running for her life. It chooses the road where it can get more speed. The lioness goes behind but slowly slowing down the pace.
The lioness starts the chase
Momma warthog runs for it’s life
The young princess caught one!
We turn the car back on, and we are driving to see where they are. Then we see one of the lionesses with a piglet in her mouth. A successful hunt! We followed this young female that took her kill to a shade. It was very hot now in the day. She also used the shade to hide it from vultures. This way she can eat in peace.
It was very hard to watch because this young lioness still had no killing skills. So, we watched her trying to kill the exhausted piglet for around 30 minutes. Finally, the older lioness returned and killed the piglet. Then left again. We decided to follow this older lioness now and found out that she also got a piglet. So, she just returned to teach her daughter how you kill the prey.
The princess with her price!
We went back home for lunch. The afternoon was going to be classroom day. What an amazing way to start my new adventure in this new reserve!
2 Comments
S.H. Ens
Hi Joao,
In your weblog about the piglets I would like “piece” to be replaced with “peace”, hope you agree.
Keep up with your nice and funny blogs,
My best greetings, also to Bea,
Sicco
Bea & João
Hi Sicco,
Thank you so much for your comment.
I already did the replacement.
Best regards,
Bea & João