South Luangwa (Zambia) - Lions & Leopards
Lions were there all four days of our stay. Along the Luangwa river around the Mechenya bush camp and later on also around the Nsolo and Luwi bush camps. All lion scenes were pretty peaceful with pride adults sleepy at rest or having family time. Only once was there some action around a lioness that earlier had made an antilope (waterbuck) kill in a wide and open swampy area cut through by some shallow channels. Some other lioness pride members tried to move in on that kill but got stopped short by these channels. Not just the water was holding them back but more to their fear for the couple of actively patrolling croccodiles that we could clearly see from the distance. It was interesting to watch this stalemate and to see how some lionesses tried a wide go-around to try their luck from the far side of the field.
Leopards on the hunt we saw on three of the four days on evening drives. Thanks to the excellent skills of our guides spotting and following them while on the move through the bush. The suspense of observing their intermittents prawls and temporary halts was fascinating enough not to have missed an actual kill. A leopard and kill we saw finally just a few hours before leaving the park. The leopard had pulled up its puku kill into a tree where we could barely see (and photograph) them in between dense leaf cover.
A big pride of at least eight lions in a dry sandy riverbed. Matriarch mom in the back (right) is carrying a radio collar.
Daddy in deep sleep ......not to be disturbed!
Mom's yawn is impressive, to say the least.
She is sleepy too but, as a caring mom, ....still willing to endure the kids playfulness.
If only they could give me a break for once .......
Only these playfull youngsters are awake. Getting bored by the lack of action.
Brown-eyed beaming look.
With everybody else sleeping at last .........you just have to entertain yourself.
Or just give up yourself as well
Radio-collar Mom. Some past clashing has left her with some cuts in the ear and on the nose.
Caring loving sisters
A young puku's life just terminated by a leopard.
Eye-to-eye,..... with nearly perfect mimicry. Spotted nonetheless!