Back from a lengthy stay at MalaMala
Aug 23rd, 2010, 06:19 PM
#1
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Back from a lengthy stay at MalaMala
Hi everyone
Back about a week now from my stay at MalaMala - fantastic as I would expect with some exceptional gameviewing - a real highlight, two sightings of a leopard cub around 1 month old, one of the sightings was very good! Am working on photos now, so will be putting them up on facebook but think I can get a link for here as well!
Kind regards
Kaye
Back about a week now from my stay at MalaMala - fantastic as I would expect with some exceptional gameviewing - a real highlight, two sightings of a leopard cub around 1 month old, one of the sightings was very good! Am working on photos now, so will be putting them up on facebook but think I can get a link for here as well!
Kind regards
Kaye
Aug 23rd, 2010, 07:20 PM
#3
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Hey, been wondering about you at MM. Thanks for checking back in here. I've seen leopard cub that young only once. What's the lion pride situation there now? Any truth to the rumor about personnel changes in upper management? Camp full as usual? Any and all info about MM is interesting, please do tell (and show) more!!!
regards - tom
regards - tom
Aug 23rd, 2010, 10:36 PM
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Thanks Lynn, the leopard cub was so sweet! This trip I was there from 16 July to 16 August - could be there longer really! Of course, I left at 5am and on that morning gamedrive they had their first cheetah sighting in over a month! 4 brothers!!!
Hi Tom - the lions are very tricky at the moment! with the death of one of the mlowathi males, and the other heading back west, that has allowed 4 young males from kruger to start their takeover, was originally 6 i am told, then one killed by the mwolathi males and then the 4 killed one of them! these 4 males are fairly aggressive and have killed older cubs of both sexes and adult females, so also a bit thick! they have been seen mating with the styx pride females, mainly dominance display. the styx pride are down in numbers and live mainly north of MM. eyrefield pride also come and go, and are in two groups - one adult female, with an young male and then 7 subadults and the other group is 2 females with 3 young cubs - they also move between MM and to the west. did see the selati pride and a new pride in the south called the sand river pride. some days we didn't really see lions.
camp was pretty full - school hols doesn't help!
camp management has changed a bit with tom going and nils going next month. new general manager, gavin seems very nice! no real difference in the way things are done that i can really tell!
as usual, i had a fantastic time with some really awesome gameviewing and will try and put photos up this time!
Kind regards
Kaye
Hi Tom - the lions are very tricky at the moment! with the death of one of the mlowathi males, and the other heading back west, that has allowed 4 young males from kruger to start their takeover, was originally 6 i am told, then one killed by the mwolathi males and then the 4 killed one of them! these 4 males are fairly aggressive and have killed older cubs of both sexes and adult females, so also a bit thick! they have been seen mating with the styx pride females, mainly dominance display. the styx pride are down in numbers and live mainly north of MM. eyrefield pride also come and go, and are in two groups - one adult female, with an young male and then 7 subadults and the other group is 2 females with 3 young cubs - they also move between MM and to the west. did see the selati pride and a new pride in the south called the sand river pride. some days we didn't really see lions.
camp was pretty full - school hols doesn't help!
camp management has changed a bit with tom going and nils going next month. new general manager, gavin seems very nice! no real difference in the way things are done that i can really tell!
as usual, i had a fantastic time with some really awesome gameviewing and will try and put photos up this time!
Kind regards
Kaye
Aug 24th, 2010, 05:33 AM
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Welcome back! I was going to try and make it over to main camp to say hello, but I had my hands filled with all of my guests over at Rattray's. I took over the camp, which was a nice way of doing it.
Perhaps next time.....
Perhaps next time.....
Aug 24th, 2010, 09:18 AM
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Heard Tom was leaving for more family time. Nils??? Really?? He's been there like 20 years!!! Perhaps to spend more time with a lady friend in England?? Do tell!!!
And Andy, know you're super busy, but hope you have a few words about photography on that safari, either here or on our web site. Yes??
regards - tom
And Andy, know you're super busy, but hope you have a few words about photography on that safari, either here or on our web site. Yes??
regards - tom
Aug 24th, 2010, 05:42 PM
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Thanks Andy. So you had many leopard sightings at MM. Who woulda thought 
. I've just started reading your daily blog with snaps, great stuff. For anyone else, here's link -
http://www.theglobalphotographer.com/
regards - tom
. I've just started reading your daily blog with snaps, great stuff. For anyone else, here's link -http://www.theglobalphotographer.com/
regards - tom
Aug 24th, 2010, 08:51 PM
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Hi Lillipets
It was so like going to heaven, I am doing it again in jan/feb! I am already wishing I was back there!
Thanks Andy! That would have been nice, but understand you would have been very busy - saw some of your troups during gamedrives but I am guessing you were with Matt and never saw him in that time. Always a next time! Many, many great sightings and on this trip, 25 different leopards! MM never disappoints! Needless to say in my time there, a lot of guests come and go, but I am hoping I didn't ignore you if you were at a sighting!
Tom, I understood that Nils is undecided what to do other than some R&R - it is a long time for a job and maybe just needs a break!
Andy, I shall have a look at your blog and see what you saw while there! At the end of a month and by the time I get home, it always comes as a surprise as to what I saw at the beginning of the trip!
Kind regards
Kaye
It was so like going to heaven, I am doing it again in jan/feb! I am already wishing I was back there!
Thanks Andy! That would have been nice, but understand you would have been very busy - saw some of your troups during gamedrives but I am guessing you were with Matt and never saw him in that time. Always a next time! Many, many great sightings and on this trip, 25 different leopards! MM never disappoints! Needless to say in my time there, a lot of guests come and go, but I am hoping I didn't ignore you if you were at a sighting!
Tom, I understood that Nils is undecided what to do other than some R&R - it is a long time for a job and maybe just needs a break!
Andy, I shall have a look at your blog and see what you saw while there! At the end of a month and by the time I get home, it always comes as a surprise as to what I saw at the beginning of the trip!
Kind regards
Kaye
Aug 25th, 2010, 04:00 AM
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Kaye, you had more leopards, for sure. I think we had 9 sightings in 4 days. All 9 were good sightings, and were great for photography.
Nils told me that he is leaving to just move on and do something else. 22 years at MM and it is time for a new chapter.
Nils told me that he is leaving to just move on and do something else. 22 years at MM and it is time for a new chapter.
Aug 26th, 2010, 04:43 AM
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Hi Andy
Pleased you had such great leopard photography moments - all of my sightings were great, not all great photography sightings though! Next time! Yep, that is pretty much what Nils told me, though he seems unsure of what the next chapter shall be!
Hi Lynn
I know it is hard even though I am currently working on photos, I am still wondering what they are seeing and I should be seeing it as well! Another, next time I guess!
Kind regards
Kaye
Pleased you had such great leopard photography moments - all of my sightings were great, not all great photography sightings though! Next time! Yep, that is pretty much what Nils told me, though he seems unsure of what the next chapter shall be!
Hi Lynn
I know it is hard even though I am currently working on photos, I am still wondering what they are seeing and I should be seeing it as well! Another, next time I guess!
Kind regards
Kaye
Aug 26th, 2010, 06:46 AM
#14
Kaye, I'm happy for you having such a great trip. 25 leopards! Even if they weren't all photo opps, who cares - it's 25 leopards! And all the other great stuff. Especially that sweet baby leopard. And rhino. AND you have another trip to look forward to soon. Good for you!
Aug 27th, 2010, 12:00 AM
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Aaactuaaally, at MM I would expect to see (and have seen) a leopard - or two- on almost ever game drive!!! So like Andy's group had 9 sightings in 4 days, if there for 30 days you should have (math time . . . .) 67.5 sightings!!! You came up rather short there Kaye!!! But don't fret, you can make up for in a few months
regards - tom
regards - tom
Aug 27th, 2010, 06:09 AM
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Hi Cindy
I did have a great trip! And, I was very lucky to have so many great sightings, probably not 100% luck, of course, as I had a very good ranger!
Tom, gamedrives I see 4 different leopards and some I see none, so I consider myself lucky to keep seeing these leopards and of course, to keep seeing new ones I have not seen before! Yep, it will be a fairly short time before I return, so don't worry, Tom, I will not be fretting too much!
Wildwings, I would disagree that you would see that leopard number anywhere in the Sabi Sand, as MM has a large area so of course would have more leopard territories than a much smaller property!
Kind regards
Kaye
I did have a great trip! And, I was very lucky to have so many great sightings, probably not 100% luck, of course, as I had a very good ranger!
Tom, gamedrives I see 4 different leopards and some I see none, so I consider myself lucky to keep seeing these leopards and of course, to keep seeing new ones I have not seen before! Yep, it will be a fairly short time before I return, so don't worry, Tom, I will not be fretting too much!
Wildwings, I would disagree that you would see that leopard number anywhere in the Sabi Sand, as MM has a large area so of course would have more leopard territories than a much smaller property!
Kind regards
Kaye
Aug 27th, 2010, 08:28 AM
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very sorry that Nils is going. I always worry when senior management and rangers leave that MM will not be same on the next visit. However we have now been back three times and enjoyed it just as much despite our favourite rangers and the trackers leaving. Please don't tell me Gordon has left!
regards
Barb
regards
Barb
