Kaye's MalaMala report
Dec 18th, 2007, 12:14 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 993
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Kaye's MalaMala report
Hi everyone,
This will be very quick, as many people are breathing down my neck waiting for the internet!
Dreadful weather and I am sure the Sand River has risen one metre overnight!
Have finally seen the 9 Eyrefield Pride cubs and they looked wonderful! Hopefully got some good photos, as the sun was out for a few minutes. Have seen the Styx Pride but not with cubs and saw the poor Rollercoaster Male this morning curled up in heavy rain.
No dogs or cheetah, but have already had some excellent gameviewing in my 4 drives so far!
Had better go!
Kind regards
Kaye
This will be very quick, as many people are breathing down my neck waiting for the internet!
Dreadful weather and I am sure the Sand River has risen one metre overnight!
Have finally seen the 9 Eyrefield Pride cubs and they looked wonderful! Hopefully got some good photos, as the sun was out for a few minutes. Have seen the Styx Pride but not with cubs and saw the poor Rollercoaster Male this morning curled up in heavy rain.
No dogs or cheetah, but have already had some excellent gameviewing in my 4 drives so far!
Had better go!
Kind regards
Kaye
Dec 18th, 2007, 03:00 PM
#8
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the update, Kaye. We had 4 days of constant rain earlier this month on my trip to Londolozi and MM (Dec 5-9th). Sure it was challenging for photography but us die-hards still got in some wonderful game drives. Any sign of the Ngoboswan female and her cubs? I wouldn't be surprised if she has moved her den site after some unwanted attention from a very persistant hyena. HFV (Happy Festive Viewing),Rob.
Dec 18th, 2007, 06:17 PM
#9
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hello Kaye! What a great start to your trip. My top 3 "wish list sightings" on your first report 
Thank you for checking in "live". Will also be reading the cyberdiary.
Hoping for sunny days for you.
Dec 19th, 2007, 07:32 AM
#10
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Kaye,
Glad you finally got to see the Eyrefield Pride cubs, hopefully you'll get to see the Styx Pride cubs soon. I hope the Rollercoaster Male improves, there are too many cubs depending on his continued health.
I hope you see some cheetahs soon (they're the only major signting we missed when we were there in July). Enjoy the gameviewing, I am so envious!
Happy Holidays,
Bob
Glad you finally got to see the Eyrefield Pride cubs, hopefully you'll get to see the Styx Pride cubs soon. I hope the Rollercoaster Male improves, there are too many cubs depending on his continued health.
I hope you see some cheetahs soon (they're the only major signting we missed when we were there in July). Enjoy the gameviewing, I am so envious!
Happy Holidays,
Bob
Dec 22nd, 2007, 12:24 AM
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 993
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi everyone,
Thanks everyone for all your kind words - I am having a wonderful time and seeing many wonderful things!
Finally a sunny day today, so hopefully the ground will begin to dry out a bit!
Wild dog was seen a few days ago, and my ranger/tracker went out to try and find them after breakfast. I went with them and we saw plenty of wildlife, unfortunately no wild dog! But they are somewhere around! Have had some great leopard viewing and lion viewing!
One of the daughters of the Campbell Koppies Female was attempting to mate with an older small male from Gowrie, and he had chased her up a tree. Then he moved off and we followed him to where the Campbell Koppies Female was with her 6 month old cub. He is not thought to be the father. While she tried to move the other direction to distract the older male, the cub bolted in the other direction. The old male got his scent and followed it, but seemed to get distracted by the remains of a kill! Thank goodness! In the meantime, the young female came into the picture and her and her mother had a brief physical fight with the older female chasing the young female off her territory! It was a wonderful sighting!
Have yet to see the cubs of the Styx Pride lioness and the Ngoboswan Female, but luckily have quite a few more gamedrives for this to happen!
Merry Xmas to all!
Kind regards
Kaye
Thanks everyone for all your kind words - I am having a wonderful time and seeing many wonderful things!
Finally a sunny day today, so hopefully the ground will begin to dry out a bit!
Wild dog was seen a few days ago, and my ranger/tracker went out to try and find them after breakfast. I went with them and we saw plenty of wildlife, unfortunately no wild dog! But they are somewhere around! Have had some great leopard viewing and lion viewing!
One of the daughters of the Campbell Koppies Female was attempting to mate with an older small male from Gowrie, and he had chased her up a tree. Then he moved off and we followed him to where the Campbell Koppies Female was with her 6 month old cub. He is not thought to be the father. While she tried to move the other direction to distract the older male, the cub bolted in the other direction. The old male got his scent and followed it, but seemed to get distracted by the remains of a kill! Thank goodness! In the meantime, the young female came into the picture and her and her mother had a brief physical fight with the older female chasing the young female off her territory! It was a wonderful sighting!
Have yet to see the cubs of the Styx Pride lioness and the Ngoboswan Female, but luckily have quite a few more gamedrives for this to happen!
Merry Xmas to all!
Kind regards
Kaye
Dec 23rd, 2007, 09:07 AM
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 993
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi everyone,
Another quick update.
This morning I have finally seen some of the cubs of the oldest Styx Pride lioness. Only saw 2 out of 4, but from a distance, but still good to see them.
Then this afternoon, for a short time we followed the small pack of wild dog - a female and her two offspring about 6 months old.
It was a great day!
Thanks again for all your good wishes and I wish you all a Merry Xmas and safe and healthy holidays!
Kind regards
Kaye
Another quick update.
This morning I have finally seen some of the cubs of the oldest Styx Pride lioness. Only saw 2 out of 4, but from a distance, but still good to see them.
Then this afternoon, for a short time we followed the small pack of wild dog - a female and her two offspring about 6 months old.
It was a great day!
Thanks again for all your good wishes and I wish you all a Merry Xmas and safe and healthy holidays!
Kind regards
Kaye
Dec 23rd, 2007, 05:56 PM
#16
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
=D> =D> =D> Excellent Kaye!
Who is your Ranger/Guide for this trip? Have the rains subsided? Must be a beautiful sight with the full moon over the very full flowing Sand River. Thanks for popping in with the latest.
Merry Christmas to you!
Carla <)
Who is your Ranger/Guide for this trip? Have the rains subsided? Must be a beautiful sight with the full moon over the very full flowing Sand River. Thanks for popping in with the latest.
Merry Christmas to you!
Carla <)
Dec 25th, 2007, 11:56 PM
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 993
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi everyone
Yes Hari, the river rising was amazing, but really back to the usual now and we are back driving on nearly every road.
Carla, so far I have had Andrew and Johnson as my team, absolutely fantastic. Everything we have gone looking for we have usually found, except for this morning when we went looking for the Ngoboswan Female with her cubs and never found her. We saw her on the way home last night and hoped she would be around her cubs, but not to be. Also saw this morning one of the older males from the Selati Pride, now called the Golf Course Males.
Yesterday was fantastic - mating lions and sitting with the Eyrefield Cubs for quite a few hours in anticipation of the adults returning and they did which is a wonderful greeting to watch! The lionesses are in need of a good meal so hoping that happens soon, as nothing last night! The Rollercoaster Male looks pretty dreadful!
Hari, still no sign of cheetah, which makes it one day closer to seeing cheetah!
Kind regards
Kaye
Yes Hari, the river rising was amazing, but really back to the usual now and we are back driving on nearly every road.
Carla, so far I have had Andrew and Johnson as my team, absolutely fantastic. Everything we have gone looking for we have usually found, except for this morning when we went looking for the Ngoboswan Female with her cubs and never found her. We saw her on the way home last night and hoped she would be around her cubs, but not to be. Also saw this morning one of the older males from the Selati Pride, now called the Golf Course Males.
Yesterday was fantastic - mating lions and sitting with the Eyrefield Cubs for quite a few hours in anticipation of the adults returning and they did which is a wonderful greeting to watch! The lionesses are in need of a good meal so hoping that happens soon, as nothing last night! The Rollercoaster Male looks pretty dreadful!
Hari, still no sign of cheetah, which makes it one day closer to seeing cheetah!
Kind regards
Kaye
Dec 26th, 2007, 01:18 AM
#18
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,528
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Kaye,
Thanks ...... good that the weather seems to have settled down a bit.
Cheetah, yes let's keep our fingers crossed .... but, even otherwise it looks like there's plenty of great gameviewing at the moment from all your updates.
Rgds
Hari
Thanks ...... good that the weather seems to have settled down a bit.
Cheetah, yes let's keep our fingers crossed .... but, even otherwise it looks like there's plenty of great gameviewing at the moment from all your updates.
Rgds
Hari
Dec 30th, 2007, 02:09 AM
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 993
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi everyone,
Hari, still no cheetah and some really cold windy weather, but thankfully warmer today.
Sonali - thanks, and I also hope that the lions got a good meal, but they moved over to Londo about 4 days ago and haven't returned as yet!
Have again had some more fabulous gameviewing - plenty of leopard and have now seen 2 of the 6 Eyrefield Males, the youngest 2. Last night one was by himself, and roared as he headed north over Gowrie! He looked fantastic, so I understand what a force the males are together! Apparently the first time they have been heard roaring on MalaMala. I have seen 3 new leopards that I haven't seen before including a new territorial male - a good looking leopard.
We had a lovely 3 nights at Rattray's and are now back in Main Camp so I still have a bit more gameviewing to be done! I am hoping that the cooler and overcast conditions are now gone. Until I go through the photos, it is hard to remember the good sightings I have had, but know I will have a few more before I am done!
WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY AND HEALTHY 2008!
Kind regards
Kaye
Hari, still no cheetah and some really cold windy weather, but thankfully warmer today.
Sonali - thanks, and I also hope that the lions got a good meal, but they moved over to Londo about 4 days ago and haven't returned as yet!
Have again had some more fabulous gameviewing - plenty of leopard and have now seen 2 of the 6 Eyrefield Males, the youngest 2. Last night one was by himself, and roared as he headed north over Gowrie! He looked fantastic, so I understand what a force the males are together! Apparently the first time they have been heard roaring on MalaMala. I have seen 3 new leopards that I haven't seen before including a new territorial male - a good looking leopard.
We had a lovely 3 nights at Rattray's and are now back in Main Camp so I still have a bit more gameviewing to be done! I am hoping that the cooler and overcast conditions are now gone. Until I go through the photos, it is hard to remember the good sightings I have had, but know I will have a few more before I am done!
WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY AND HEALTHY 2008!
Kind regards
Kaye
