An Adventure through Botswana and Zimbabwe, September 2014 - by Safaridude and Game Warden Part 1 Botswana.

[Safaridude]

@@madaboutcheetah

 

"home sick" - haha. Yes, that is your home.

 

Yes, that was the Lebala pride hunting. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of the intruding male lions, as they were definitely running away from Blackie. I did have a decent look at one... blond mane... didn't strike me as a young lion.

 

I got that one of Spencer right after lunch. He is looking fit and energized.

[madaboutcheetah]

Oh - okay ....... I hope they stay away from Blackie and Blondie ....... Lagoon desperately needs a pride of Lion again.

[Safaridude]

http://www.kwando.com/pdfs/September%202014.pdf

 

It sounds like the two intruders and Blackie and Blondie have continued to wage battles. A sign of scuffle on the last day of September.

 

@@madaboutcheetah

Edited October 29, 2014 by Safaridude

[madaboutcheetah]

I just saw Spencer's pictures of the intruders on facebook - looks like quite big male Lions.

 

That's lots of male Lions in the area now - There are already two different groups of young Nomadic males additionally.........

 

Two of the old boys(cheetah) came back to the area from Muvumbi recently - not sure where the third guy is ....... not surprising, over the years he's vanished on his own (probably to find the girls)...... In 2012 they were seperated for several months.

Edited October 29, 2014 by madaboutcheetah

[pault]

@@Safaridude. You outdid yourself and Kwando outdid itself. What an amazing first few days there. Impala would look great in that light but you got the whole range of predators, and active ones too. I thought Hari had typed you had made him sick, rather than homesick... It could have been either. Midway through page 2 I was feeling a bit queasy myself - I am actually relieved it calmed down a little bit.

 

Great photographs. Despite all those wonderful predator pics, the lagoon with hippos pic is the one that I love. Mmmmmm.

[madaboutcheetah]

@@Safaridude - quick question .. forgot to ask the other day, who were the managers at Lagoon and Lebala during this trip?

 

The flood plain in front of Lebala camp (directly in front of the lounge) - was it dry this september or was it partially flooded? Thanks........

[Safaridude]

@@madaboutcheetah

 

Obie was the manager at Lagoon and Lesso (sp?) was the manager at Lebala. Lagoon seemed to have sorted whatever issues they have had.

 

The flood plain in front of Lebala… I don't recall 100% but I have some photos of elephants and leeches I took from the lounge and there is no ground water in the pictures. So, I think it was dry… though green.

[AKR1]

Lesso was the Manager at Little Kwara when I was there in 2012. Nice guy also interested in photography. I recall Hobbs radioing him when we saw six male lions walking very close to camp and Lesso took a spare vehicle and brought out about 8 of the staff to see them saying the staff never gets to go on game drives and this was so close that they could experience the "magnificent 7" (one was missing) for the first time without being out of camp for long.

Edited November 11, 2014 by AKR1

[madaboutcheetah]

Oh yes, OB is fabulous - She was out on leave when I was at Lagoon, unfortunately. Just came back when we were about to leave for Lebala.

 

Agree with both of you ....... Lesso is a terrific guy - I met him for the first time in July. He has not only been at the Kwando camps, but also at WS prior (Vumbura, and one of the Kwedi camps ..... he kept mentioning Leopards. Perhaps, Kwetsani? )

 

Wow - thanks ........ that's always fabulous when those plains in front of camp are dry. One year - I didn't have to game drive too far. A female cheetah was hunting right there and chased an impala across that plain (towards the garage side).

Edited November 11, 2014 by madaboutcheetah

[Safaridude]

@@AKR1 @@madaboutcheetah

 

Lesso is so cool. You would never know it because he looks so chilled out, but behind the scenes he works extremely hard. Hardly sleeps. Really makes that camp run well.

[madaboutcheetah]

@@AKR1 @@madaboutcheetah

 

Lesso is so cool. You would never know it because he looks so chilled out, but behind the scenes he works extremely hard. Hardly sleeps. Really makes that camp run well.

 

Plus one - so well said!!!

 

...... He is also a qualified guide. I think he used to guide before he turned to camp management. One of the guides had to leave to return to Maun for personal reasons, so he took over guiding chores for a day or two to add to all of the above ..........

[Atravelynn]

Part 1 is a gem. Kwando's inhabitants may be showing off, but your photos show off Kwando's showing off, if that makes sense. While you call the last 2 days "quiet" in comparison to the first 3, I am sure there were many special and unique safari moments.

[Nicholls Wildlife Art]

ah, another wonderful report Safaridude. Writing and photos are equally great as usual! And your report is made even more wonderful by the fact that I will be following in your trail this time next year! Just hoping to see as many dogs as you did - my sketchbooks have been empty of dogs in the last couple of years...

[Safaridude]

Latest from Kwando: http://www.kwando.com/pdfs/October%202014.pdf

 

The saga of Bondie and Blackie in the Lagoon section. @madaboutcheeetah They mention two of the three cheetah brothers.

[madaboutcheetah]

Yes, @@Safaridude - they don't know what happened to the third one. Just not seen - I think it's very irresponsible speculation on their part without any proof (unless they know something not published) simply because the third guy was not seen. How would they ever know what happened when the boys disappear up north to the Muvumbi grounds? No one ever gets up there........

 

In 2012, they were split for several months ..... reunited I think after 4 or 5 months from memory.

 

I'm hoping Blackie and Blondie can keep off the intruders (probably the ones you saw?) ......... the area at Lagoon badly needs a healthy Lion pride again.

 

The report from Kwara - Thomas the guide mentioned on facebook that it was a one on one cheetah confrontation (two unknown male cheetah) ........ and he has pictures of them too!

Edited December 6, 2014 by madaboutcheetah

[madaboutcheetah]

I've seen Spencer's pictures from maybe September? ..... The guy missing is the lead hunter (who always goes off on his own) ...... He's more energetic and the other two are often too slow to keep up with him(one of them has had a broken jaw for atleast 3 years). I've personally seen them split up atleast two times and I've heard of them being split up a few more times too ..........

[johan db]

Safaridude,

 

Great photos - looks like you were blessed with excellent sightings. Thanks for sharing.

 

Lebala and the people who worked there will always hold a special place in my heart.