Photos : Mala Mala January 2010
 

All taken by DW. The weather was pretty lousy, but we had fun, and saw some cool stuff.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/...05%3A888409768

I've posted the hunting pictures on another site :D

Correction

It's a Mlowathi Male not Rollercoaster male (kinky tail).

<i>"Game viewing was okay. A combination of poor weather, long grass and Lion pride dynamics really gave us one of our worst trips."</i>

After viewing your photos, where you saw everything, I believe you might be fibbing.

The lions were doing the best to rectify any shortage with that species.

If this is Mala Mala at its worst, not bad.

Thanks Matt and your lovely Elke.
Nice photos of Main/Sable camp rooms. Good record here, seldom seen, for those interested. Main and Sable rooms are really interchangeable from what I've experienced. Nice shots of Rattray's also. I haven't been there :(

Glad you corrected name of male lion, -everybody- knows the Rollercoaster male died 1st of Jan!!!! http://www.malamala.com/rollercoaster-male.htm

Not many photos show sunny days, like you say. I found the site of your hunting photos, http://www.bigwhitehunters.do_not_look_SV.com/ - a scrub hare and a tiny impala fawn is all you could bring down??? But the heads -will- look nice in your family room!!! (Too bad no horns on the fawn).

regards - tom

LOL

Hey Matt - great photos! Especially of the leopards and raptors. Looks like you had some comfy digs on the trip. Are you from Napa??? That's my hometown, although I haven't lived there for many years now. Still drink the wines though :-)

Napa - not from here, but live here. My wife is a native napkin, I'm a transplant from England.

Great photos!!!

Matt - Great pictures, they remind me of why I need to get back to Mala Mala soon! You may have had "lousy" weather but you didn't let it stop you from getting some great pictures and drives in.

Bob

Nice photo set. Pretty much A to Z animals!

Nice photos Matt. Do they bring out all the birds when you visit Mala Mala? You got some fantastic bird photos. Looks like a lot of water shots, baby animals and have never seen that many wildebeest at Mala Mala. Makes me want to plan another trip to Mala Mala, has been since Summer 2007. Too long indeed.

Would like to take our 2 granddaughters (6 and 9 years old). The 18 and 19 room photos look nice and like the connecting sitting room.

Thanks for posting.
Granny Joan

We did French Polynesia this past October. Very hot and humid. Saw a few rare birds, but not many. Good place to scuba dive and snorkel. Lots of fish, shark, ray, etc

I learned what a Native Napkin is. That makes me a "Homegrown Hanky"--sort of.

Really, Mala Mala should market this as what to expect if you have poor luck on your visit.

Hey Matt and Elke
Great photos as usual, and this makes me think mine should be long up and running! Shame about the weather, especially when you are there for shorter periods of time, bad enough for me being there longer periods of time, but what can you do!!! The long grass was also a killer for me when we were there, but again, what can you do! Also had our share of rainy days, but maybe not one after another like you did, which gives dreadful road conditions. We also had Gordon at Rattrays, who was the ranger at MC/Sable? It will be very different without Tom there when I return in July - very different, although I must add, he never came with us on a gamedrive! Yes, those Mlowathi Males are not my favourites, very destructive in the lion situation and I really feel for the young male in the Styx Pride, his will be a hard road I am sure! Pleased to see the Styx Pride back and looking fairly good, and no sign of the Eyrefield Pride? I am constantly defending the beautiful Styx Pride - a beautiful pride and great mothers!!!
Was the hyena pregnant? One looked either very pregnant or had swallowed a baby buffalo at least!

Kind regard

Kaye