Selinda, a ten years' love story

[Geoff]

Looks like a juvenile Black-shouldered kite to me.

[madaboutcheetah]

Geoff and Mike, what is the title to the film that you talk about?

 

Mike, during those years - 98/99 - did you venture across the border to Lebala? I would guess that's around the inception of the Kwando concession from a photographic stand point ....... Loving your report.

 

PS - met up with JM over a lovely cup of coffee a couple of weeks ago in Adelaide.

[Geoff]

@madaboutcheetah

 

Hari, it's mentioned back in post #54 but I've copied and pasted the title in here for you..

 

"In broad day light, the daytime hunters of Africa". I'm fairly sure that Wayne Hinde won an award for that documentary too.

 

As an aside, Wayne's father Gerald is an accomplished photographer as well. He has had a few books published. I have one of them in my book shelf "Leopard" published in 1992, it details the lives of a number of leopards at Mala Mala.

Edited March 3, 2015 by Geoff

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks, Geoff.

Sorry, missed that post. Sadly, I missed the documentary. Looks a gem! Let me know if the DVD is available someplace.

[Geoff]

@@Game Warden

 

As @@Bush dog describes, the Bowling Green was the classic ambush site. As the Zib lagoon receded this area of predominantly flat ground produced green shoots of grass, many antelope species enjoyed grazing this area, on either side were thick, high reed beds. With the lagoon at one end there was only one way in and out. Once past the termite mounds the ambush was set and antelope had to run the gauntlet to get back out.

 

Most of the pride would keep in cover near the mounds whilst other pride members would hide in the reedbeds deeper into the cul de sac and then charge the prey into a mad stampede back past the termite mounds.

[CDL111]

It's so enjoyable to read this report and take in all the pics. Also people's reminiscences and comparisons to the present day camps and sightings. Looking forward to the next installment.

[Bush dog]

@@madaboutcheetah

 

Hari, I went several times in the Twin Pools area, but never venture across the border. In those days, there was no pools, only two large grassy open spaces, where one could see herds of wildebeests and zebras.

 

Since I began this thread, some e-mails were exchanged between John and myself.

[Bush dog]

@@Geoff

 

Thanks for your opinion on the raptor.

 

I do have some books to which Gerald Hinde contributes, "Images of a Timeless Wilderness" and "Africa's Big Five" (both with Richard du Toit).

 

Thank you also for the further information on the Bowling Green.

[Bush dog]

1999

 

Continued

 

One more lions’ family picture. I was with Kanawe. He knew that the cubs were somewhere in the reeds. So when the lioness entered the area, we followed it until it came in a small open space where the cubs were waiting for their mother.

 

 

The gorgeous late afternoon’s light through flowers, plants and wild dagga.

 

 

 

To be continued

[Big_Dog]

The elephant kill is awesome; love the jackals and vultures too. All pictures just great.
Looked like a big calf...Selinda is quite close to Savuti if I'm not mistaken? Could be some dispersers from the quite famous elephant hunting pride there.

Bowling Green hunts sound like a strategic spectacle to witness. You mentioned Lionesses being hurt by charging prey...did they hunt buffalo a lot at Selinda? (hard to imagine a wildebeest or antelope doing very serious damage!) Hinde's film makes me wish it was on DVD!

@@Geoff - I too, have Hinde's leopard book. One of the best picture book's on them I'd say. Like father, like son I guess!

[Bush dog]

@@Big_Dog

 

 

Selinda is quite close to Savuti if I'm not mistaken? Could be some dispersers from the quite famous elephant hunting pride there.

 

It is said that those males came from the north. Savute is indeed not too far but east of the Selinda. Anyhow, I do not think so!

You mentioned Lionesses being hurt by charging prey...did they hunt buffalo a lot at Selinda? (hard to imagine a wildebeest or antelope doing very serious damage!)

 

A male impala is enough. An antelope of 30 kilos arriving at a speed of 60 kilometers/hour is like receiving something of the same weight from a height of a bit more than 14 meters? Can you imagine that?

 

[madaboutcheetah]

@@madaboutcheetah

 

Hari, I went several times in the Twin Pools area, but never venture across the border. In those days, there was no pools, only two large grassy open spaces, where one could see herds of wildebeests and zebras.

 

Since I began this thread, some e-mails were exchanged between John and myself.

True - I remember the herds and grassy plains with big termite mounds. That area was a hot bed for cheetah too

[Bush dog]

@@madaboutcheetah

 

Yes, Hari, there was an island with some mounts and a tree that was one of the favorite spot of the 3 brothers (pictures in due time).

[Bush dog]

1999

 

Continued

 

I am slowly arriving to the end of the 1999 chapter with cheetahs, girafe , Senegal coucal and elephants.

 

 

 

To be continued

[CDL111]

Great pictures of the cheetah, and the ellie's in a row.

 

Leopard by Gerald Hinde is available through Amazon (USA).

In broad daylight : (daytime hunters in Africa) http://www.worldcat.org/title/in-broad-daylight-daytime-hunters-in-africa/oclc/049530673 ONLY VHS

[Bush dog]

@@CDL111

 

Thanks for your comments and the information on the film

[Bush dog]

1999

 

Continued

 

Last chapter of 1999

 

Once again, lions drinking.

 

 

Last pictures to show that Selinda is not only lions, cheetahs or elephants.

 

 

 

[Geoff]

The elephant kill is awesome;

Looked like a big calf...Selinda is quite close to Savuti if I'm not mistaken? Could be some dispersers from the quite famous elephant hunting pride there.

 

Bowling Green hunts sound like a strategic spectacle to witness. You mentioned Lionesses being hurt by charging prey...did they hunt buffalo a lot at Selinda?

 

Big_Dog

 

From my recollections & looking at friends images of Selinda's lions from the late 1990's to early 2000's, elephant was an extremely common food and perhaps a staple of their diet. I have no doubt that young calves may have been killed by the prides but more often than not the elephants had died from other causes and those carcasses were a windfall for the prides. This makes sense when you consider the huge elephant population in the concession at that period of time.

 

Where as buffalo were hardly ever sighted in Selinda in that period. I saw very few in my visits though to me they were more noticeable from 2002 onwards. Of course the lions would hunt buffalo but interestingly I know of two of Selinda's lions that came off second best hunting buffalo, one was gored right through the thigh and thrown around like a rag doll, she later died from that injury. The other had a huge flap of flesh removed from her stomach. Amazingly she survived.

[madaboutcheetah]

I also think, with the progress of each dry season the Elephants (especially the young) tend to get weaker and are susceptible to Lion attacks. I've seen Lions feeding on young elephant the last two trips at Lebala.

[Bush dog]

@Geoff@madaboutcheetah

 

Geoff, Hari,

 

Thanks a lot for those interesting additional information.

[Bush dog]

2000

 

The Selinda pride was at its height : three remaining powerful big males, about ten females and eleven cubs. Then a very sad event took place. As a consequence of an important bush fire, a huge misfortune falled on the Selinda pride in September. This event has been made known by John Milbank. The detailed narration can be found at the following address :

 

http://www.naturephotographers.net/jm0601-1.html

 

John and his wife escorted by one of the three remaining big males

 

 

 

Continued

[Bush dog]

2000

 

Continued

 

While John was escorted to the airstrip by one of the big males, the pride was feeding on a zebra on one side of the road in the tall grass, two lionesses were on the road with some cubs and another big male was on the other side of the road, probably digesting.

 

 

Hyenas were very present, at least it’s what I think, saw them a lot.

 

 

 

To be continued

[marg]

@@Bush dog...I do hope that you will take this trip report and photos and make a book for yourself. It would be wonderful!

[Game Warden]

@@marg It would make a nice coffee table type book and who knows, raise a few bob for conservation?

[TonyQ]

@@Bush dog

I am only part way through - but I have just got to your wonderful sighting of the serval - beautiful!