Big 5 Sightings 14 – 20 January 2013

by | Jan 21, 2013 | Weekly Big 5 Sightings | 2 comments

The Big 5 highlight of the week was to see Salayexe, the leopard’s little female cub stalking two big buffalo bulls the one morning, not to make a kill of course but just to practice her technique. Everything went according to plan and she got really close to the buffaloes until the wind changed direction in the favor of the buffaloes. When the buffaloes got the scent of the leopard he swung around to face the danger head on. Salayexe knew this game of cat and mouse can go sour very quickly. She jumped up, walked to the cub and drew the attention away from the cub and the buffalo followed her and just gave her half a charge attempt. This wasn’t the last of this dangerous game. After the buffalo turned his back to chase Salayexe, the cub immediately resumed her position and started stalking these big animals again!

 

Salayexe, her cub and the buffalo - Morné Fouché

Salayexe, her cub and the buffalo - Morné Fouché

Monday, 14 January 2013

(24 ºC, 16mm rain)

  • A breeding herd of about ten elephants feeding on Robson’s Boundary
  • Another breeding herd of about fifteen elephants feeding on EP open area
  • Salayexe, the female leopard and her cub, resting on Shirley’s open area
  • Three buffalo bulls resting in the water at Big Dam

 

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

(25 ºC, 48mm rain)

  • A breeding herd of about twenty elephants drinking water at Serengeti Dam
  • Another breeding herd of about forty elephants feeding on Madash Road
  • One elephant bull feeding close to Boundary Pan

 

Wednesday, 16 January 2013

(27 ºC, 2,5mm rain)

  • Five buffalo bulls feeding on Ngala open area
  • A breeding herd of about forty elephants feeding on Safari airstrip
  • One sub adult lioness of the Tsalala pride resting on Tamboti open area
  • Tingana, the male leopard, scent marking on Rhino Ring North
  • One big elephant in musth moving north on Marula Bult South

 

Sunset - Morné Fouché

Sunset - Morné Fouché

Thursday, 17 January 2013

(32 ºC)

  • Salayexe, the female leopard and her cub, playing on the sand north of Eagle Owl Crossing
  • A breeding herd of about twenty elephants feeding on Safari/Shirley’s cutline
  • One buffalo bull resting in the water at Buff Pan

 

Friday, 18 January 2013

(33 ºC)

  • Three Breakaway Tsalala lionesses resting on the Northern side of EP airstrip
  • Salayexe, the female leopard, moving north from Wetpatch Road while her cub was stalking two buffalo bulls
  • One elephant bull feeding on Rhino Ring North
  • One sub adult Tsalala lioness having a standoff with one of the Styx pride lionesses

 

Saturday, 19 January 2013

(24 ºC, 190mm rain)

  • One buffalo bull resting close to Land Cruiser Crossing
  • A breeding herd of about fifteen elephants feeding on EP old driveway

 

Juvenile Martial eagle - Morné Fouché

Juvenile Martial eagle - Morné Fouché

Sunday, 20 January 2013

(22 ºC, 50mm rain)

  • One elephant bull feeding on EP old driveway
  • Three older Tsalala lionesses resting on EP airstrip

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This