Mostly Ruaha, July 2015

[michael-ibk]

Leopardpalooza indeed, fantastic sightings. I am really enyoying your report, thank you for sharing.

[FlyTraveler]

Wow, three consecutive leopard sightings in Ruaha, isn't that something! Great safari and trip report, thanks for sharing your experiences with us!

[wildcatzoo]

We were certainly blown away by the awesome leopard sightings, we expected this to be more of a lion park - which proved true the next few days!

 

From other vehicles we knew of mating lions nearby so we go there and spend time with the honeymoon couple, who conveniently parked themselves next to the road in the open. A jackal nearby was hopeful for scraps, no luck. After 3 mating sessions they head into the trees for some privacy, and we go back on cheetah hunt, unsuccessful again.

 

We think this is one of the 4 females from the other day

[wildcatzoo]

The milkweed flowers (I think Calotropis procera) were heavy in some areas. We had lunch at Mbuni again, some kids on another vehicle were cute when they asked if we had seen Zebra! or Crocodile!

[wildcatzoo]

After lunch we ended up at the Mwagasu river, J4 reversed to check if something he spotted was a dikdik or??? It was a lioness with small cubs, we saw 5 cubs (two 10 weeks old three 14ish weeks old). We watched for a while as they played, very comfortable with the vehicle close by. An impala and fawn came close by but the lions didn't care. Momma lion then headed down the riverbank, we drove to the bridge nearby and could see the whole pride far off in the shade - 1 big male, 3 adult lionesses 5 cubs. Sorry for the photo overload, they were just too cute!

[wildcatzoo]

Next we stopped at the breakfast picnic spot, seeing an elephant enjoying a mud bath. Then J4 saw a stationary vehicle across the riverbed, we went down to a crossing and went across with another vehicle. The lions in Ruaha are known for being giraffe hunting specialists, and here we found a large pride on a dead giraffe. There were at least 11 lions around, mostly adult females and older male cubs 4-5 years. There was a dead fetus/baby giraffe too, maybe they got her while she was giving birth. Lions would walk down to the river and drink, and then greet each other on return.

[wildcatzoo]

A few more cute sightings on the way back in to another great dinner. We spotlight a civet in the riverbed that night, they show up on the trail camera often. We also attempt star trail photos and painting the baobab with light, should have practiced at home first!

[Tom Kellie]

 

~ @@wildcatzoo

 

The seven lionesses in the shade is delightful!

The vulture's eye is unlike any other photo I've seen.

I like the mongoose and hamerkop image.

Thank you for posting these, and the other images in your trip report.

Tom K.

[Marks]

Those are incredibly endearing lion cubs!

[FlyTraveler]

Fabulous lion sightings - mating lions, cute lion cubs, lions eating an adult and a baby giraffe, you've been very lucky!

[Africalover]

Great to be back in Ruaha - great trip you had.

thanks.

[wildcatzoo]

Monday morning we find 2 hyena at the productive river area, they are shy in this park. Driving through the hills Eric spots a lioness, which turns into 7 lions - 3 youngish adult males and 4 females, with some mating observed at a distance. Then back to cheetah searching, with nicely posing zebra and LBRs found instead.

 

 

 

[wildcatzoo]

Along the river another vehicle alerts us to a momma lion deep in a bush with 3 tiny cubs, maybe 10 days old.


Nearby more banded mongoose, posing for once. A herd of buffalo is seen in the river.

[wildcatzoo]

Further along the river we find more lion, 11 or 12, 3 males one young cub, lying on the sand and in the reeds. A male with a huge belly drinks from the river. 4 of them take off upriver and a fight is heard in the reeds, then lions run across the river far off. Left on the beach are the fat males, one female, and a young cub we hadn't noticed earlier. We follow, noticing one male buffalo in the reeds. Back on the road farther from the river we see 2 lionesses run across into a forested area, and we wait there as the buffalo herd approaches cautiously. Obviously we chose wrong, as in the meantime the single buffalo in the river got killed by the lions we had been watching! One thinner adult male, 8-9 lionesses and the cub were feeding.

[Game Warden]

@@wildcatzoo off topic, can I ask you to upload an avatar image to your profile. Thanks, Matt

[SafariChick]

Fantastic sightings! No need to apologize for the lion cubs, they are really adorable and I think we all appreciate them!

[Marks]

That LBR sequence is easily among the best I've seen. You've caught them in a number of amusing poses, all with great detail.

[wildcatzoo]

Still on the same day - It was about 4 when we left the buffalo kill, too hot to go to leopard alley yet, J4 took us to the dysfunctional rope bridge and then we returned to the giraffe carcass and watched more action there.




The fetus/baby giraffe

[wildcatzoo]

On our way home it was Eric who spotted a male leopard posing beautifully on a rock. Back at camp we heard a pair of mating leopards nearby, then they split up as one roared on each side of camp. Overnight we heard lions & hyena.

[Marks]

Really nice bateleur; I've still never seen a mature one in person.

A beautiful leopard, too.

[wildcatzoo]

Tuesday we had to pack up to leave. For our morning drive we spent time at the Ruaha River bridge again, watching a croc check out a young hippo on its own (it seemed injured) and another huge croc leave the river with impala legs sticking out of its mouth. Then we went to the airstrip for our flight to the Northern Serengeti.

[Marks]

The croc carrying the impala while climbing from the water is a remarkable shot.

Excited to see what your next destination had in store for you.

[pault]

Raw lion, elegant leopard and very unusual crocodile sightings to end with. Excellent stuff on this page and sorry that you have to go home.

[wildcatzoo]

Ruaha certainly exceeded my expectations, with fantastic lion and incredible leopards.

3 hours in a small Cessna is a long time! Ruaha's baobabs stood out, then there was a long uninhabited dry stretch with some fires, then towns & villages were more common, then we reached the Serengeti. It got greener as we went north, and then we reached the Mara River and landed at Kogatende.

 

Michael from Shah Tours was there to meet us, I guess Authentic Tanzania subcontracted us out. We took a short drive near the river and then just headed to our lodge, Lemala Kuria Hills. This is a luxury place with large individual villas with indoor & outdoor shower and big tub and plunge pool, very nice after a week of chemical toilets and bucket showers! Dinners were fabulous and drinks around the fire pit were nice.

[wildcatzoo]

Wednesday morning we found the wildebeest herds - several of them, from hundreds to thousands of animals. Over 20 vehicles were waiting at the river with one herd hoping to see a crossing; that wasn't something we were interested in sitting around for hours for. We went off across the plains, but only 2 lions were found for our cat count. Unfortunately we also found some tsetse fly areas, plus our first klipspringer of the trip and a nice waterbuck. The camp manager (Gary, nice guy, lots of stories) saw some leopards around camp, but not us.