I’m glad we didn’t see them kill the buffalo, but watching them picking at it and lollygagging around the carcass was super interesting.
We were alerted to the possibility of a fresh kill by a group of very anxious hyenas in the distance. A bit further on, we came upon a lion pride consisting of one male, 3 females and 3 cubs. The center piece in the clearing was the carcass of a buffalo.
All of the lions seemed quite satisfied, with round bellies. The male was right next to the carcass and it seemed to me that the females who came up to nibble were very solicitous of his permission. It appeared that the cubs had also had a good meal but came up carefully, with an eye on dad, for a few more tidbits.
One female was on her back, open to nursing as long as no one woke her. The entire time we were there she never moved nor opened her eyes. Lions will nurse cubs from any of the mothers in the pride, not just their biological cubs. This helps keeps them all very close as a unit. It was impossible to tell which of the females had given birth to which of the cubs.
The clearing was surrounded by hyenas and a single, watchful White-headed Vulture.
Let’s start with a look at the male.
One of the females came up for a tender moment and then dug in for a second (or third) helping before another female joined her.
Video from Jackie’s cell
Meanwhile, the hyenas were keeping a respectable distance,
and the vulture was also staying alert.
But, of course, we all love the cubs. Warning: covered in blood, they aren’t as snuggly as we like to think of them.
Here they seem to be waiting for permission from one of the adult females to go in to eat.
And here they are in the middle of the carcass
Getting cleaned up.
One-on-one with mom or auntie.
Nursing
Jackie laughed at how often I would be taking a picture of an animal which then began peeing. This time it went on for a solid minute.
Finally the hyenas came in a little too close for the male lion’s tolerance level and he chased them off. He then disappeared and didn’t return and we left soon after.
