The life of famous cheetahs (Porini Mara and Porini Lion camps)

[xelas]

@@bettel

 

The Fig photos, both on the evening (so finally you have decided not to post the bad ones ) and on the morning, are definitively wanting me to go back to Kgalagadi ASAP, to try and find one also myself!

Or maybe Etosha next year will be my lucky place?! In the meantime, I will return to your photos to enjoy the gracefulness of this big cat!

[bettel]

Oh, these leopard pictures of Fig and her cub are priceless!

Thank you, Fig and her cub were unforgettable. It was definitely one of my best leopard sightings ever.

 

@@bettel

 

The Fig photos, both on the evening (so finally you have decided not to post the bad ones ) and on the morning, are definitively wanting me to go back to Kgalagadi ASAP, to try and find one also myself!

Or maybe Etosha next year will be my lucky place?! In the meantime, I will return to your photos to enjoy the gracefulness of this big cat!

 

I know what you feel , what can be better than a bog cat or two

 

 

Day 9 (it is still about Fig )

 

- I remember, mom, I should come close...

 

 

...and try to grab...

 

 

...try to grab...

 

 

...ear!

 

 

 

 

Did I do it right, mom?

 

 

Oh, no, wait! I remembered! It should be throat!

 

 

It did not work that good, I think we are falling

 

 

Kid, we have to discuss this!

 

Edited March 3, 2016 by bettel

[Game Warden]

In response to some of the comments above: we can of course disagree and have differing opinions: let us think about the way such disagreements are handled and how we express different opinions/put forward strong viewpoints without the posts being considered as personal attacks and offensive.

 

As to the reason for the difference in opinion, that should be the basis for a new topic where the possible implications of such an interaction can be discussed in a well mannered way.

[bettel]

Thank you, @@Game Warden

 

 

 

 

 

Are you tired of Fig? Too bad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[amybatt]

Love the photos of Fig!! Even though I've now seen a few other leopards since I saw her, she's still my favorite. Quite the stunner!

[jeffb]

 

Are you tired of Fig? Too bad

Nope, not tired of Fig at all. As Tom Lehrer once said, on quite a different topic, "More, more, I'm still not satisfied."

[bettel]

Love the photos of Fig!! Even though I've now seen a few other leopards since I saw her, she's still my favorite. Quite the stunner!

She is a beautiful cat and a show star

 

 

Nope, not tired of Fig at all. As Tom Lehrer once said, on quite a different topic, "More, more, I'm still not satisfied."

 

Good! Because I have more

 

 

 

And little bit more of Fig's photos. It was an amazing experience: sun was rising, only us and nobody else around and two leopards enjoining themselves:

 

 

 

Short break to catch some breath (and to check manicure and pedicure):

 

 

And now we are moving to more active games

 

 

[madaboutcheetah]

@@bettel - lovely photos of Fig!!! Enjoyed those!

[bettel]

Thank you, @@madaboutcheetah

 

 

The last batch of Fig , I promise

 

 

These are my favorites:

 

 

 

 

This is one of my most favorite photos for the whole trip (he has huge paws, doesn't he ?):

 

 

 

After the play session was over, Fig went to have some snack:

 

 

 

And the cub was resting and watching a hyena browsing around:

 

Edited March 4, 2016 by bettel

[Alexander33]

Am I tired of Fig? Who could ever tire of Fig? That experience alone would "make" a safari, in my opinion. Just an unbelievably fantastic set of images. I'm up for even more!

 

(I am tired of the overly harsh attack that was launched on you. I hope that is done. Regardless of one's opinion, I think it is extremely ungracious to do something like that in someone's trip report. These reports require a great deal of effort and time, and I am thankful to anyone who is willing to make that sacrifice in an effort to share with and educate the rest of us. You are to be congratulated on the elegant tone and measured content of your response).

[wilddog]

@@Alexander33 I think you will find that @@Game Warden has dealt with the differing views and how they were expressed in post 110.

[jeffb]

@@bettel - Well, I did one of those stereotypical minibus safaris all over Kenya years ago, and did not have any interest whatsoever in returning to Kenya. You have convinced me otherwise!

[amybatt]

I will be sad when this TR ends, fabulous shots here!! Especially leopard!

Edited March 4, 2016 by amybatt

[offshorebirder]

In response to some of the comments above: we can of course disagree and have differing opinions: let us think about the way such disagreements are handled and how we express different opinions/put forward strong viewpoints without the posts being considered as personal attacks and offensive.

 

As to the reason for the difference in opinion, that should be the basis for a new topic where the possible implications of such an interaction can be discussed in a well mannered way.

 

* I hope someone lets me know when the new topic is created - I have things to say on the subject. I feel that temporarily tipping the balance in favor of endangered species (versus non-endangered ones) is not only justified, but morally required when easy or feasible. After all, we humans put things wrong and "endangered" the species in the first place.

[bettel]

@@Alexander33, thank you VERY much for your nice comment and the support. I enjoy Safaritalk a lot and it is a pleasure to contribute to it. I found that the overall atmosphere here is great. But you know, things happen sometimes

 

@@jeffb, I believe conservancies are worth to visit. And even when guides take you to the reserve they are doing all their best to make sure that you have a top notch wildlife experience. To prove that I really think what I say: I already have a September 2016 trip booked and I am thinking that maybe I don't want whales in February 2017, maybe I should go back to Kenya

 

@@amybatt, thank you for your so kind post !

 

* I hope someone lets me know when the new topic is created - I have things to say on the subject. I feel that temporarily tipping the balance in favor of endangered species (versus non-endangered ones) is not only justified, but morally required when easy or feasible. After all, we humans put things wrong and "endangered" the species in the first place.

 

I totally agree, we are discussing the topic little bit here: http://safaritalk.net/topic/15252-mara-cheetahs/page-6

 

Upd. You know, I think it will be better not to overload our Mara cheetah topic. I will create a new topic.

Edited March 4, 2016 by bettel

[bettel]

Here is the topic

 

http://safaritalk.net/topic/15906-should-we-help-wild-animals/

[TonyQ]

@@bettel

That is a wonderful leopard sequence - and I also really like the one showing the cub's big paws!

[bettel]

Thank you, @@TonyQ!

 

 

Day 9 (continuation).

 

As it was getting lighter and lighter we decided to go to cheetahs. Imani’s family, we were sure, was full and sleeping happily so we went to Musiara. We probably found her pretty quickly as I have no memories on the process . Cheetahs were very interested in food:

 

 

A stop to drink:

 

 

 

 

Soon Musiara came across a big herd of gazelles and there was a herd of impalas nearby too. But the position was not too good so Musiara decided to rest watching how they were moving. From time to time she was moving into hunting mode if something got her attention. E.g. one time an impala male almost ran into her, but there also were couple warthogs nearby so she decided not to try. We were parked on another hill (200 meter away from her). The cheetah project was parked also pretty far so everything was OK for some time.

 

After 4 p.m. people started to come and all of them were trying to park close to Musiara. “Cheetahs for ever” project had to go closer and was moving all those cars so that Musiara had her space. But it was constant traffic in and out. The project would chase one set of cars and another set would arrive. When one of leaving cars drove right through the herd of impalas that Musiara was hunting I asked Meshack to leave. I could not watch it. Meshack was hesitant as he was thinking that I would regret if we left and she hunted. But I told him that pretty much anything was better than to watch all these people driving around cheetahs.

 

Meshack suggested to go to Pretty Girl but knowing that she gathered a lot of crowds I was thinking that we might have another not so pleasant sighting. Meshack answered this even before I told it (he already knew what could drive me nuts), he told that this time of the day the majority of cars would have to start driving back to camps and only cars from conservancy might be there. On our way we stopped for zebras:

 

 

Actually leopards were safe , they were sleeping on a tree so people did not bother them at all. Can you see a leopard here?

 

 

Here he is. Meshack was sure that this was Pretty Girl’s son, but the leopard looked big for a cub. The daughter was also there but she was in much thicker branches:

 

 

We spent the rest of the day with them.

 

On our way back we stopped for a classic Mara shot:

 

 

The cheetah project sent us a message that Musiara never hunted so we decided to look for her on the next day.

[Alexander33]

A classic shot indeed. Lovely giraffe silhouette.

[xelas]

@@bettel

 

A classic shot indeed!

[bettel]

@@Alexander33, @@xelas, thank you , now I have my own giraffe-at-sunset shot

 

 

 

Day 10.

 

Well, I know that I am testing your patience and that I should have deleted 2/3 of photos below not to repeat but I could not! I mean I already deleted 70% of photos so … yes, I am weak . At least scrolling function is available to everybody

 

We started morning with finding Enkuyeni pride almost right near the Porini camp. And as the huge bonus there was a lioness with her little cubs. We met them well before the sunrise so photos are blurry and not that good, but cubs were very cute

 

 

 

 

The pride:

 

 

Back to cubs:

 

 

 

 

 

How could you resist ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is anybody is still here, with me ?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[amybatt]

@@bettel, I'm still here and want to see more!!!!! Nothing I love more than lion cubs! So happy for you!

[pomkiwi]

@@bettel A lovely sighting of the lions and beautiful photos - thank-you. I was disturbed your account of the behaviour of the guides to the cheetahs trying to hunt - I have seen similar but to a lesser degree in the Sabi Sands and it irritated me greatly.

Edited March 8, 2016 by pomkiwi

[xelas]

@@bettel

 

Those cubs photos are just so lovely!

 

I can totally feel your problem: "Which one to post and which one to skip??". Just post as many as you can! We love them all!

[TonyQ]

Beautiful photos of the lion cubs - wide eyed and innocent..