Big 5 Sightings 29 October – 04 Noveber 2012

The Big 5 highlight of the week was spending some time with the Styx pride of lions and their small cubs. We haven’t had small cubs like that in the area for a very long time. We really enjoy watching them interacting with the rest of the pride members.

Styx pride of lions - Willie Woest

Monday, 29 October 2012

(26 °C)

• Two buffalo bulls resting on Rhino Ring East, close to Rhino Ring North
• Two Nkuhuma lionesses with a juvenile buffalo kill on the western side of Simbambili Dam
• A breeding herd of about 25 elephants feeding on the eastern side of Boundary Pan.
• Tingana the male leopard approached the Nkuhuma lionesses with the kill, only to be chased away by them.
• Salayexe the female leopard resting on the sand north of Ntoma Crossing.

Tuesday, 30 October 2012

(32 ºC)

• The four young Tsalala Breakaway lionesses resting on MMM South, close to A-Main junction.
• Salayexe the female leopard and her cub with a juvenile bushbuck kill close to Tamboti Crossing.
• One wild dog running west towards Rhino Ring East.
• Three buffalo bulls feeding south of Zimba Bridge
• A breeding herd of about 15 elephants feeding close to Pommies Pan

Wednesday, 31 October 2012

(32 ºC)

• Three buffalo bulls drinking water at Rhino Pan.
• Two buffalo bulls resting in the water at Serengeti Pan.
• Four buffalo bulls feeding in the dry Manyeleti riverbed, south of Serengeti Manyeleti Crossing.
• Small breeding herd of about 10 elephants feeding close to 1st Windmill.
• Tingana the male leopard stalking impalas on the southern side of EP airstrip.

Elephant mother & baby - Louis Liversage

Thursday, 1 November 2012

(23 ºC)

• Three buffalo bulls feeding on A-main close to Leopard Drift
• A breeding herd of about 15 elephants feeding around Old Bushcamp
• Two buffalo bulls resting on Serengeti open area, close to Serengeti Pan

Friday, 2 November 2012

(27 ºC)

•  One wild dog contact calling around Pungwe Pan before moving south
• The Styx pride lionesses with the 4 sub-adults cubs and the 3 small cubs resting on the southwestern side of Ingwe open.
• One buffalo bull feeding on the eastern side of EP open area
• Two buffalo bulls resting south of Serengeti Manyeleti Crossing.
• One elephant bull feeding on Serengeti open area.
• Kurula the female leopard moving north on Little Gowrie driveway.
• Tingana the male leopard scent marking on Safari airstrip.
• Salayexe the female leopard stalking and killing an impala male on EP Shirley’s cutline but lost it that evening as hyena stole it.

Saturday, 3 November 2012

(27 ºC)

• A breeding herd of about 20 elephants feeding close to Josie’s Road
• The Styx pride lionesses with their 4 sub-adult cubs and the 3 small cubs resting south of Ingwe Pan
• Two buffalo bulls resting in the water at Treehouse Pan
• Another breeding herd of about 20 elephants feeding on Gowrie Main close to Little Gowrie driveway

Tiger snake - Morné Fouché

Sunday, 4 November 2012

(32 ºC)

• The Styx pride lionesses with the 4 sub-adults and 3 small cubs still resting south of Ingwe Pan.
• Four buffalo bulls feeding west of Shirley’s Crossing.
• A breeding herd of about 30 elephants drinking water at Leeukuil
• A pack of 11 wild dogs having a standoff with a few hyenas at Leeukuil