It eventually happened — winter arrived at Tanda Tula Safari Camp. The mornings became chilly, and the trees began to lose their leaves, transforming the Timbavati into a landscape of golden-brown hues — the real Africa look.
Water remained plentiful across the reserve, with the larger natural pans still holding significant volumes, and the surrounding grazing areas were in good condition. This is not shaping up to be a tough winter for our four-legged friends — which also means it won’t be a tough one for us two-legged onlookers either!
This month once again belonged to — you guessed it — the lions. That said, the buffalos and elephants gave them some serious competition, moving into this part of the Greater Kruger in impressive numbers, making for yet another spectacular month of game viewing.
Some Mammoth Meals
This month, our lions got very lucky when it came to filling their bellies — and without much effort! It began with a rather bizarre sighting: all five Vuyela males, the nine members of the River Pride, and half a dozen Sark Breakaway lions were seen feasting somewhat peacefully on a dead male giraffe they discovered. Remarkably, juveniles from the different prides were even seen playing together!
Fast-forward a couple of weeks, and a lone Vuyela male came across a young adolescent elephant that had died of unknown causes. Not one to waste an opportunity, he began feeding — and didn’t stop for three days. Eventually, 17 members of the Sark Breakaways arrived at the carcass, and he had to share. Even with so many lions, it still took another two days before they moved on, finally giving the patiently waiting scavengers their chance.
Mayambula Pride Becomes More Active
It was pleasing to see members of the Mayambula Pride becoming more active in our concession. Three lionesses pushed deeper into our area than they have in almost two years, and it looks as though they may be hiding new cubs along the banks of the Machaton Riverbed — a promising sign.
We also found three younger members of the pride feasting on scraps from one of their kills. It’s good to see that, despite having been displaced by the Vuyela males, these youngsters seem to be finding their footing.
The Residents
Both the River Pride and Sark Breakaway Pride were seen regularly throughout June. The River Pride appeared to be finding their stride and hunting more successfully — but sadly, it seems they clashed with the Sark Breakaways, resulting in a temporary split. Upon reuniting, one cub was missing, taking the pride total down to eight. One injured lioness continues to struggle, but is hanging in there. The sub-adults are becoming more proficient hunters, and as their experience grows, so too should the pride’s fortunes.
The Sark Breakaways remain a near-permanent presence in the area and are all in good condition. The young Sark males are growing noticeably each month. We still wait to see when the Vuyela males will issue an eviction notice and send them off on their own. For now, it may be in the pride’s best interest to keep them around — especially with new males starting to appear in the area.
A New Threat
Or at least, the potential for one.
Tracks of two male lions led us to a pair of unknown males hot on the trail of a Sark Breakaway lioness and her cubs. Thankfully, they never found her. The next day, their tracks headed back into the Klaserie to the northwest. These Nkombo males could destabilize the region’s fragile balance, but only time will tell if they return.
The Sark Breakaways won’t welcome new males easily, and should the Vuyela males patrol that side of their territory again, the young Nkombo males could be in trouble. The issue is, the Vuyelas remain too preoccupied in the eastern reaches of Tanda Tula to notice what threats may be creeping in from the west.
We did, however, see the Vuyela males more frequently this month than in recent times, with groupings of three, four, and even all five males seen together. They are a powerful force — but that means little if they only patrol half their domain.
Elusive
The leopards made us work hard for sightings this month. Dzindza was our most frequently spotted leopard, though even she made herself scarce compared to usual.
Nyeleti was the queen of elusiveness — only seen a couple of times before vanishing. Her movements — ranging far to the north and involving altercations with other females and courtship with males — suggest something may have happened to her latest cub. While I’ve been wrong before, I fear this time I may not be.
We also had two new and surprisingly relaxed male leopards appear. The first was a young male in the east, spotted drinking at Machaton Dam while dodging a herd of elephants. Later in the month, a larger, confident male spent a week in the central region — clearly comfortable around vehicles. Time will tell whether he’s just passing through or looking to establish himself.
The Bachelors
This month, the mystery of the wild dog pac* was solved. After returning from Kruger, their numbers dropped from 17 to just 8 — all males. It appears a hostile male takeover led to the females joining new males, leaving the bachelor group roaming in search of mates. This search has made their movements erratic and sightings more infrequent — we only saw them a handful of times this month.
The Herds
Winter’s arrival brought with it the start of the great elephant and buffalo movements. Some mornings at Machaton Dam saw over 100 elephants congregating for a late-morning drink. Activity fluctuated slightly, but overall, the herds were present throughout most of June.
We were also treated to sightings of two massive buffalo herds, estimated at 500–600 animals, along with a smaller group of 100. Watching these enormous herds traverse the landscape en route to water is a memory that stays with you.
The Supporting Cast
A true African safari is never just about the big names. June delivered a wonderful array of other wildlife:
* A resident hippo in the camp dam
* A large crocodile in the western waterholes
* The winter return of ostriches in the east
* And the exciting arrival of a newborn rhino calf
The plains game was also out in force. One morning, over 30 giraffes and 50 zebras were seen crossing into Timbavati from the Klaserie — and they stuck around! With knobthorn trees about to bloom (a giraffe favourite), we expect even more of these giants in the coming months.
Wildebeest, warthogs, impalas, kudus, nyalas, bushbuck, steenbuck and countless other species are becoming easier to spot as the bush thins out — promising an exciting winter of game viewing ahead.
Be sure to check back next month for more highlight blogs and updates. Until then, keep well!
Chad
