2024-08-13 Southern Africa and Madagascar: Sep 6 – Hwange National Park and a Lion Kill and a Leopard

Just before time to head out Bheki got a report from a colleague of a lion kill. So, we headed out on a “Ferrari Safari”…fast moving trip through the park to the reported kill. By the time we arrived the lions had eaten their fill and were napping in the shade of some bushes. They were close to the road and easy to see. They all looked pretty stuffed.

After watching them sleep for a while (not much action), we drove into the bush to see the kill. The eland was picked pretty clean. Not much left but a few bones.

Later in the morning drive we had sightings of some new animals for us. The first was the roan antelope. This is a large antelope and is fairly rare. There were a number of them near a waterhole near the camp’s air strip.

Later we had several sightings of sables, another large antelope with a gorgeous, dark coat. Our first sighting was of two large males in the bush. They kept circling each other…

and eventually started fighting. Fascinating to watch.

Later we saw more sables at a waterhole.

The afternoon drive was also special…another report, this one of a leopard sighting. So, we headed off again and soon were at the location (easily identified by the four or five parked safari vehicles.

We watched a while and followed for a while when she started moving around.

While waiting at one spot for her to move on we were treated to a performance by some lilac breasted rollers. There were three in a tall dead tree…two males and one female.

At one point the two mails started an aerial fight, working their way down the tree and along the ground.

And Tara captured a great video of the two males as the fought their way all the way down the tree and on to the ground. We never did figure out who one.

These birds have the most beautiful wings when they are spread are in flight.