The Manyeleti has been really rewarding lately. We are seeing some good work starting to bare the fruits of success.

 

 

Lion

 

Sizanani males and Koppies females

 

 

It has been a little quiet with these Lions for a while! We finally found the Koppies females on a young Buffalo kill, on Konkoni road close to Zebra pan quarry. They were seen feeding on the Buffalo for two days. It’s remarkable how these females have relaxed with the vehicles ever since the Sizanani males took over the pride.

 

 

So we got wondering, where were the males? One morning on our way to check on the Koppies girls and their kill, we found both Sizanani males walking from the Lodge towards Zebra pan, right towards the females. We followed the males and they settled about 200 meters from the kill, completely unaware of it. During the day, the females left what little meat was left. That afternoon we found the stronger male with the older Koppies female at Zebra pan quarry. No need to explain what they were up to!
 

 

 

The other male moved off with the other two Koppies females. Their tracks went up Tamboti road.

 

Sizanani Males

 

Koppies Females

 

 

Matimba males

 

The first sighting we had of these males was on Ntzaka loop. This area seems to be a favourite of the two Matimba’s that ventures this far north into the Manyeleti. They were just lying on a big open area, so nothing out of the ordinary. The strange thing about these Lions is that they dominate a large portion of land, but are hardly seen with females. The Mbhiri females also frequent this area but it doesn’t seem like the Matimba’s have managed to settle them down yet.

 

 

A few days later, we found four Matimba’s together on S6 cutline not far from Tamboti road. Our concern was that this was where the Sizanani male and two Koppies females were. If the Matimba’s got any clue of them, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill the male and they have a reputation for killing females too. Luckily they went east towards Main dam.

 

 

 

 Nkuhuma females

 

 

 

We had one sighting of these females with a young male at S8 dam. We didn’t see the young Mungana male with them. This was a dangerous place to be, especially for the young male, as it is a favourite area of the Matimba males. The drama continues to play itself out with these Lions.

 

 

 

The new pride

 

We had one sighting of these nervous Lions on a Buffalo kill on Lomfane pan. After the Beacon male Leopard fed on the kill, they returned to the carcass and fed. These Lions are still a work in progress and we are doing everything to help these Lion relax and call the Manyeleti their home.

 

 

 

Leopard

 

Beacon male

 

The Leopard male that we wrote about in the blog on 7 November, has been identified as the Beacon male from the Sabi Sands. He was seen again a few times and is definitely setting up territory in the Manyeleti. He was first seen at the airstrip, then on Ingwe Manzi and lastly at Lomfane pan. The sighting at Lomfane pan just highlighted the confidence of this male Leopard. The new pride of Lion from the Kruger National Park (the skittish pride also written about on 7 November), pulled down a male Buffalo at Lomfane pan. When Eric found the kill, these Lions ran away from the vehicle. Without knowing it, the Beacon male had been watching the Lions from the nearby treeline. He didn’t pass up the opportunity for a free meal and wittingly fed on the Buffalo kill for about five minutes, always keeping an a watchful eye for the Lion. He then casually moved south towards Tamboti road and into the drainage line. The audacity of this cat surprises me!

 

 

Main dam female

All the sensitivity with this cat is starting to show results! If we compare her to six months ago you might think that this is a different cat! What is even more exciting is that this is still a young cat. She must be only about three or four years old. Her distinctive markings are a heart shaped spot pattern under her right eye and a notch in her left ear.

We had a great sighting of her! We were having sundowners at Mantwaan Mphisi pan when we heard a pair of Side Striped Jackal alarm calling towards the S6 area. When we found the Jackal, they pointed us straight to her. She was lying on a termite mound and as always we approached with care. She started moving and we followed at a respectable distance. Soon she stopped and so did we. She then did the unthinkable. She approached the vehicle! She came around sniffing about ten meters or so from us and then moved again. When she came across an unidentified male Leopard, she tore into him. He did not see it comin!. He took off with a flash and we have not seen him since. She then proudly settled down and we watched her from fifteen meters away.

 

 

The one concern we have is that she doesn’t seem to be lactating anymore and the last we knew she had cubs. This might be the reason for her aggression towards the male Leopard.

 

 

 

 

Other views from the Bush

 

Spotted Hyena 

 Leopard Tortoise

 

Plains Zebra

 

 

 

 

Darren Roberts-York

 

 

 

All photos and videos taken with a Nikon Coolpix P510
Video taken and edited by Darren Roberts-York
Photographs edited by Darren Roberts-York