This one from Mala Mala cyber diary

Rollercoaster male lion – 25 November

Actual conversation between ranger and guest:

Guest: “Lion? Looks like a hairy clump of grass to me.”
Ranger: “It’s an adult male lion that’s sleeping.”
Guest: “Sleepin? That aint no sleepin lion. That’s a dead lion.”
Ranger: “I assure you he’s only sleeping.”
Guest: “Yeah, how do you know?”

(Both ranger and guest closely scrutinise the lion for several minutes when a slight vibration is heard from the grass below, followed by a much less subtle scent.)

Guest: “Sure smells like a dead lion to me.”

…such are the days that make our jobs so worth it!

Good for a laugh-thanks.

Finally...I know what FATUS means!!
Did Wesley write this weeks cyberdiary? It sure is entertaining &lt

It's usually the head ranger's job, and they've been like this for a few weeks now. I hope the good sightings are maintained when I'm there in January.

So who is the head ranger now that Rob is gone? Bruce?

Too funny, Indeed!!!

Hi Matt

Your little story made me rush to read last week's cyberdiary. That RC Male is one lazy old man!

Great gameviewing and I am so pleased all the cubs are doing well. Kirkman's Kamp seemed to be saying that an Eyrefield Pride cub was missing but not the case, still 9 cubs. Also interesting about the old female 3:4 - her success with cubs has been very poor, quite the opposite to her sister, Ngoboswan Female.

Wishing us both great gameviewing for January and also for me at the end of December!

Carla, not sure if they have named a headranger as yet, but I think a few of the senior rangers are now doing the cyberdiary. Don't all the cubs look so big now?

Kind regards

Kaye

I think it must be Wesley - its his sense of humour and I also notice that all the photos are his! Another clue is that a previous report suggested that whoever was writing it had been at MalaMala for 4 yrs.

The diary is certainly much more entertaining and has a much better writing style than the previous author. I like the additional info regarding other species seen. If you have never been to MalaMala you would imagine that it was only inhabited by Lion and Leopard.

Any Fodorites going next March?

regards

Barb

Matt, that is hysterical. And part sad, too. I see these kinds of comments more often that I would care to mention.

Hilarious. Reminds me of the woman at Kwetsani in Botswana who, when we came upon a pride of lions and an adult female got up, cried "Here kitty, kitty, kitty."
We asked to be put in another vehicle the next day...

Regarding the 3:4 female - the cub isn't her own. It's her daughter's (Dudley River Bank Female in Londolozi speak) who she 'adopted' about 15 months ago. The age estimate is out by a bit.

Anyone know happened to the leopard that was coming into Main Camp regularly last July? Seemed to be a real dilemna and I wondered how it got sorted out.

Hi Carla

That was the Newington Male that was coming into camp, maybe from pressure of the young territorial males.

Maybe now he has worked out how to avoid those territorial males which is what the Rock Drift Male had to do as well.

Kind regards

Kaye

Tanky's comments re 3:4 Female had me doing a bit of research as MM speak of Dudley Female's son + the new female to them 3:4 Female and male cub. Looking at Londo's records, I do think that MM are correct in saying it is the 3:4 Female's son as she had a male cub born Feb 2007 so probably still with the 3:4 Female while the Dudley Female had a son born October 2006 so probably now independant, so unless Londo's records are incorrect I think that there is a Son of the Dudley Female and a male cub with the 3:4 Female.

Kind regards

Kaye

KAye, I'll try and check to see what happened with the two cubs.

I think you're being a bit harsh about the 3:4 female being a poor mother compared to her sister - their only appears to one in it. However, I think she is slightly older than her sister and hasn't raised any cubs successfully (unless this last one is hers) since 1998.

Quite odd how she has spent most of her life firmly in Londolozi territory and appears in MM in what surely must be the final year or so of her life.

Hi Tanky

I do not mean to sound harsh as I understand what a difficult job it must be to raise a tiny little cub into an independant adult. The rangers at Londo mentioned to me that she was not successful in raising cubs to adulthood while I know that the Ngoboswan Female has raised 4 into adulthood with another one nearly there since I have been going to MalaMala. So it seems to me that the Ngoboswan Female has been a very successful leopard, while that hasn't been the case for the 3:4 Female.

Regarding them being sisters from the same litter, a ranger by the name of Maxine, who seemed extremely knowledgeable about the leopards of Londo, says they are from the same litter. Do you have reason to believe otherwise?

For 16 years of age, the Ngoboswan Leopard looks to be in her prime while the 3:4 Female looked an old female in 2006 when I last saw her.

Kind regards

Kaye