Highlights of the week
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September 7th.
Lions: the Eyrefield lionesses and their 4 cubs where in the company of the 2 Matshapiri males at Confluence Crossing. 5 leopards: the Accipiter male is on an impala kill at Pat’s Drift Koppies. The Treehouse male is mating with the Island female just south of Main Camp. The DOKF 3:3 has an impala kill on the eastern bank of the Sand River opposite Main Camp. The Kikilezi female was viewed west of Main Camp. A herd of buffalo drank from the Sand River in front of Main Camp. Many elephants were also viewed today.
September 6th. 3 lion sightings: the 3 Styx lionesses and their 6 cubs were viewed east of the northern reaches of the Mlowathi River. 2 of the lionesses from the Marthly pride and their 5 cubs were near Matumi Rocks. The Eyrefield pride and both Matshapiri males were at Maurice’s Pan. 5 leopards: 2 unidentified female leopards were viewed today- 1 in front of Main Camp and the other is on an impala kill along Sibuye Drive on the south. The West Street male and Toulon female were also seen in the south at Trollip’s Hippo Pools. The Treehouse male was viewed in Marthly. Many elephant and buffalo bull sightings were also recorded today.
September 5th. 2 lion sightings: the 3 Styx lionesses and 6 cubs are still feeding off their buffalo kill in the northern parts of the reserve. The Eyrefield pride and both Matshapiri males were viewed at Confluence Crossing. 6 leopards: the Kikilezi female and her two cubs crossed north over the Sand River and are now at Manyelethi Crossing. The Island female was south of Main Camp. The Tamboti female was at Maxim’s Lookout. The Treehouse male was seen on Terminalia Road as he continues to take over territory formally owned by the late Airstrip male. Many herds of elephants were viewed including several very large herds.
September 4th. 2 lion sightings: the Styx pride killed a buffalo in the northern parts of the reserve. The 2 Matshapiri males were in central Flockfield. 6 leopards: the Treehouse male and Tamboti female are mating and were viewed near our airstrip. The Island female has an impala kill south of Main Camp. The Kikilezi female and her 2 cubs were seen west of Main Camp. Many elephant and buffalo sightings were also recorded today.
September 2nd. 2 lion sightings: the 2 Matshapiri males spent the day at Confluence Crossing. The Fourways pride were viewed in Flockfield. 9 leopards: the Kikilezi female and her 2 cubs were found with a kill west of Main Camp – another female (Nkoveni) came into the area and treed the cubs. She was in turn treed by the Kikilezi female. An unidentified female leopard and 2 cubs were seen at Clarendon Open Area. The Lookout female and her cub were along Piccadilly Road- great news as we had suspected that the cub may have died. A herd of buffalo was viewed in the south and many elephant sightings were recorded.
September 1st. 2 lion sightings: the 2 Matshapiri males were found together with the Fourways pride this morning in eastern Flockfield. The Eyrefield pride were at Hyena Waterhole. 5 leopards: the Kikilezi female and her 2 cubs found near Jeremiah’s Loop. The Son of the Ostrich Koppies female was viewed at Buffalo Bush Dam. An unidentified male leopard was seen south and west of Rattray’s Camp. Cheetah: a male cheetah was seen in Marthly of all places! Not typical ‘cheetah territory’. Many elephants and buffalo were viewed today as well as 2 honey badgers and a civet.
August 30th. Lions: the 3 Eyrefield lionesses and their 4 cubs were viewed along Tshabala Road. 7 leopards: the West Street male was seen mating with the Lookout female for the first time near Ingwe Donga- unfortunately, it looks more certain now that her cub is no more. The Kikileze female was in south western Marthly. The DOKF 3:3 was seen near Main Camp. The Island female is on an impala kill at Wildebeest Crossing. The Treehouse male was viewed just south of Main Camp. The Tamboti female was at Maxim’s Lookout. Cape hunting dogs: 2 packs of Africa’s second most endangered carnivore were viewed! Many elephant and buffalo sightings were recorded today.
August 29th. Lions: the Eyrefield pride and both Matshapiri males finished off their buffalo kill from yesterday and then killed an impala. 9 leopards: the Kikilezi female has finally reunited with her 2 cubs and they were all viewed at Manyelethi Crossing. The West Street male is mating with the Teardrop female in the south. The Esagweni female was found on Terminalia Road. 2 unidentified female leopards were seen separately and on opposite ends of the property- 1 was north of Mlowathi Dam and the other was in the southwest. Cape hunting dogs: the pack of 23 was viewed in the south. A herd of buffalo and many elephant sightings were also recorded today.