Ranger Diary

The western kill

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The afternoon sun was still high on the horizon at 15:30 and we were planning to go west looking for lions. As we turned down Tlou drive from Kgabo drive, standing in the road about 50 meters down were 2 female lions. The excitement rose on the vehicle as we al kept silent and slowly rolled down the road closer towards them. As we neared the 2 females we were in for another surprise. The Western pride were all next to the road on both sides. what a feeling being surrounded by 16 lions!!

We got some awesome viewing and pictures of the lions sleeping, yawning, rubbing up against each other and walking up and down alongside the vehicle. As the pride started walking away the guests shared their pictures with each other and talked excitedly about the experience. little did we know that the excitement was not nearly over. We lost visual of the pride as they headed into a riverine. A few minutes after that a Blue Wildebeest (Gnu) came running out of the tree line and then came to a halt. Assuming it had seen or heard the lions we stayed on to watch what would happen next. The hunt had begun.

A lioness came back out of the riverine to the Wildebeest's right. She started jogging towards it, but the Wildebeest didn't notice, and started running with the lioness right behind her, the Wildebeest tripped and that was the end of it, the lioness pounced on it, the wildebeest fighting back in vain, and actually almost got the lioness with its horns!

Luckily the lioness was too fast for it and bit it in the throat, both animals rolling around in the dust and at that point the rest of the pride joined the kill, with two other lionesses pouncing on the animals back keeping it down. The Blue Wildebeest never stood a chance against the 16 lions! The pride eagerly feasted on the Wildebeest leaving hardly anything behind.

What remarkable predators that allowed us excellent viewing and then dismissed the myth that lions sleep all day and only hunt at night!!

Guide: Joy