The week of carnivores - Madikwe Hills

Hi Guys! It was the week of carnivores.

In this week, we had a lot of sightings of dogs, lions and even a leopard sighting. We just couldn?t get a photo of the leopard, but the time will come for that one!

It is a privilege to start this week?s photos and updates with a beautiful sunrise and the Rhinos just made it extraordinary.
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Oh yes, if there is a male that can stand his ground against one female, he is brave. But three! I think I would also stand to the side like this male did.
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Just look at the pups. All just waiting for the adults to bring back some food for them.
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What is that I hear? Can it be?
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It was a false alarm, let us be pups and do what we do the best: Investigate things!
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After a long day of feeding and walking – a refreshing drink will do. It was such a sight about 100 ? 180 buffalo moving out of the bush to the dam. The dust trail that followed them was incredible.
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That evening we had a male female lion making a kill in front of the vehicle. We just miss the pull down, but saw the suffocating of the wildebeest. It was about 8minutes before the female started to eat. We decided that we will come back to the carcass the next morning. On arrival the next morning, we saw that the cousin of the male has joined the male and female. All there was to see is how the male was grooming himself.
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Now I wonder why Samuel is not looking at the Elephants drinking water.
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What a sighting! Wild dogs in the heat of the afternoon, lying in the shade of a tree, not worried by the Elephants coming to drink.
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We tracked these lions that morning and did not get a great view as they lay in the thickets. Samuel told the guest that we would see if we could find them in the afternoon. Just like he said it! We tracked them that afternoon and to our surprise we did not even had to track them. They were lying in the middle of the road.What a pleasure!
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Like father like son?
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We got these two honeymooners early in the morning. The male is doing what we call ?Fleming?! It is the testing of air particles throughan organ that is called the Jacobsen?s organ. The male lion would wet his lips with the female?surine. He would then inhale and if the air particles go over the Jacobsen?s organ, he would know if the female is in estrous or not. It is also displayed when coming across another male?s sent marks while doing territorial walks.
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On our way back to the lodge we saw our first baby springbok.
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The next morning we went straight to one of the water holes. We had word that the dogs were in that area the night before. On our arrival we saw that all the pups and some of the adults were there.I am telling you guys it was amazing! You did not know if you need to take photos on the left side, in the front, the right sideor the back! They were all over the place!
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Well let?s see if you agree with me: Is this ?Bravery or Stupidity??It just shows you what chances Jackals will take.
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?Ooh? the day I got myself into doing a game drive with a bowtie on. Now that was fun! Just would like to say thanks to Ezelle (our Assistant Lodge Manager) and Berdine (our Spa Therapist / Front Office Assistant) for the setting up of the sundowners – thanks a mill.
<%LightBox2(1533/460.JPG|Image Title|Photo Group 1)%>Ezelle is on the right and Berdine on the left in the front on the photo.

After sharing all the exciting sighting, we say goodbye.
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Till next time.
Dwayne
Photos taken by Dwayne de Lange