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Bulletin 43
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25 May 2008
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A Brief Encounter!
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"A roaring lion kills no game.." - African proverb |
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| Greetings everyone! I hope you are all well. I arrived back on Friday (from a very, very long trip) and have started weeding through stacks and stacks of images. As you know (those on the mailing list and visitors to this site) I ventured into the Kgalagadi Park, partly as I wanted to visit a different location and also to see the Lions of the Kalahari sporting their black manes. My wish was granted, though only briefly.
Upon arrival in the park (with all border crossing formalities behind us, we set out on the long drive from Mata Mata to Twee Rivieren (long as the roads are awful, and my “Beast” took a battering on this trip). At one of the waterholes, we were informed that a pride of lions had been seen not far up the road. We promptly continued on up the road, but unfortunately found nothing. Having been driving for two days I decided to head to the camp, rest and resume my search the following morning. |
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| At dawn we joined a long throng of cars cueing to head out into the park. Twenty minutes down the road we made up the rear end of probably 10 vehicles all parked in an untidy heap on the road. Off in the distance we spotted a lioness lying in the grass, cautiously being eyed by a group of Gemsbok (Oryx) and Hartebeest from the opposite side of the road. The congregation of Antelope scattered and I turned to find a male lion, walking straight down the verge of the road not three meters from my open window (sparking off a mass reshuffle of parked vehicles………..) he looked straight at me and gave me a gruff growl and I responded by managing to take a few frames (very much torn between taking some images and wanting to close the window). | |||||||||||||||||||
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| The lioness casually got up and also crossed the road. Naturally everyone was expecting them to hunt, and for a while it did seem like this was their intention, as they fanned out (having been joined by a second female) and moved towards a very nervous group of Gemsbok. The Gemsbok wisely decided to make their way over the nearest dune and disappeared. One lioness lay down under a bush a short distance from the male and remaining female.
The big male made his way over to the female and quite abruptly began mating. Once again cars roared to life and the “Game Park Shuffle” was on with plenty of cameras snapping and hands pointing. Within 30 seconds the action was over with a snarl and a snap. The male flopped down and most of the cars left. Finally I could position my vehicle without disturbing any one who had gotten there first or the lions. I knew the mating wasn’t over yet, and within 20 minutes they were at it again. |
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Over the next four hours I sat patiently (and virtually alone for most of the time) photographing the lions. Most people would stop and see the three lions lying down and continue on. Some would witness one mating session, and thinking it was all over they continued on their way. By midday I happily made my way back to the camp. Unfortunately this was to be my only sighting of lions and any big cats up close. I hope you enjoy the images. |
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All Images, Content and Website are Copyright of Karl Andre Terblanche 2005-2008
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