10 replies to this topic

[Dallas]

Over the course of the week we haven't had to travel far from Little Bush Camp to get amazing sightings. The Southern Pride of Lions are currently resident in the area and as a result a lot of the smaller game has been scarce. This lioness was approximately 300m from camp when we came across her this morning. She has been kicked out of the pride and is looking very thin from not having eaten for a few days. Basically her options are limited in this regard; she either hunts small prey alone, builds up her strength and forms her own new pride, or she dies of starvation. Sad, but this is the way things happen in the African bush.



This image was shot on the Olympus OM-D EM-5 using a Panasonic Lumix 45-175mm X series zoom. I have not edited this image in any way, it's a small JPG straight out of camera (no editing software for RAW files on my netbook).

[pluton]

The lighting gods were very cooperative that day. Nice shot.

[Anthony]

Do the rangers have any ideas as to why she was expelled from her pride?

[Dallas]

Anthony, I will have to get either Richard or Rika to respond to that. I was probably not attentive when they explained the reason for it.

[DougB]

Such a beautiful animal & very nicely captured.

[Dallas]

Thanks Doug. This particular lioness is about 2 years old, so it is likely the offspring of one of the pregnant lions we saw on our last visit. We came across her on our first drive (when this image was taken) and then again on one of our last drives. The difference a week without feeding made to her appearance was quite shocking. When I get all my images processed I will post some comparisons.

Shortly after I took this shot she caught sight of a wildebeest and we watched her first stalking it and then making an attempt to kill it. The wildebeest got away. I videoed this episode on the OM-D, but my skills are not quite up there. It was also impossible to stay focused on her while she moved between the bushes - a sure fire way to confuse any autofocus system!

[Ann]

The Southern Pride, with 18 members, is an unusually large one: more normal numbers would be five or six lions in a Pride.
This lot are a "Where's the Beef?" crowd and specialise in Buffalo.

We were lucky enough to be able to see a great deal of them and to observe them over many hours both during the day and at night.

Dawn Awakening:

The King of the Southern Pride


Wake-up Call


Some of his Family


Dinner Time. The Lion eats first and the Cubs eat last … on what remains of the feast.


Tomorrow's Dinner — still on-the-hoof!

[Dallas]

I just read on Sabi Sabi's Facebook feed that the lioness in my shot has now been re-united with her pride.

[Ann]

This is great news but it leaves me wanting to know why she left in the first place; and why the Pride allowed her to re-join them again; and what conditions may have been imposed concerning her return!

Alas, these are mysteries that we are never privileged to share!

Edited by Ann, 17 October 2012 - 20:13 .

[Luc de Schepper]

Great images from Dallas and Ann. Nice story also, with a happy end :-)

[JeCeH]

Can I just say: WOW ?