Last Game drive
And it was really special! Marvin somehow spotted a kill in a tree as we were driving along. How he saw it, I will never know. A very fresh Impala kill. So fresh that the leopard was laying near by huffing and puffing mightily. They knew she had a cub somewhere in the area, and sure enough, she started walking off from the kill safely nestled up the tree. Going to get the cub to come back here for dinner.
What follows below is the tracking of her and her cub to and from the kill.
First sighting, she was really huffing and puffing so we think it had just happened.
The long walk back to where she left her cub. I think in total it was over 2 miles that she walked each way.
Yes, she did get close to us. That bar is the structure of the Land Rover seating. She is 3′ away at the most. Glad she was not so hungry now.
After a long walk, she stops at this watering hole. The cub is near as she is calling it. Not a meow but a guttural sound. Eerie, and very noticeable. Sher did not start it until she got here so we know the cub is close by.
A close up of her drinking. Just like Sugar Ray at home.
Sure enough, the little cub came bounding out of the bush about 500′ away and ran directly to mom. This was really exciting to watch! The greeting is so affectionate.
I wondered if she would lead it to drink before they took off, and sure enough, she did. Only she knew how long the walk was going to be.
Now they are ready to start the long walk back to dinner in that far away tree.
And, 30 minutes later when we all got back to the tree, (mom, cub, and us) there is this wild dog waiting. This is a lone dog, collared and from far away that somehow was in this area. We think she sensed that it was alone, and thus not a huge threat so she kept walking to the tree and they both climbed it pretty much right in front of the dog.
Not a great shot by any means, but you can see both mom and cub are in the tree with dinner waiting.
A very special last shot from Londolozi. The full moon rising above the African savannah.