When we were just getting our knickers in a twist about the sensational week of lion sightings we’ve had (ending in the possible new alliance of 3 lionesses on our traverse), we stumbled upon the original Ross Pride! There have been lion tracks causing excitement all over the show, from the 2 big Trilogy males, to the Ross pride breakaway girls, to a single lioness, and then to 4 Ross Pride lions, all coming into very close range of each other. We’ve also heard the Hercules lions calling from within their territory; so Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp guests are pretty much surrounded by these king cats!
We located the 4 Ross pride lions just in front of the Africa on Foot treehouse yesterday morning, where they were lying up in the grass only 100m from a pair of dagha-boys and showing keen interest. These 2 burly bovines are heavyweights and would have outweighed the 3 sub-adults and 1 adult lioness easily, so the lions lay low and passed on the opportunity to take on the buffalo this time.
One of the last times we laid eyes on the Ross pride, there were 7 members and they were looking worryingly hungry. Filmmaker, Kevin MacLaughlin, set up a camera and filmed their 4 hour struggle against a pair of warthogs.
This time the lions look in good condition, but they could do with a meal. Last night, guests caught up with the 4 lions again and they had barely moved, keeping close to the massive buffalo herd that had moved into the area. There we were, seeing Africa on Foot’s treehouse straight ahead, on the left we could hear buffalo bellowing as they munched on the vegetation, and on the right the 4 Ross pride members lay basking in the last of the day’s sunlight. As the sun set they engaged in the typical grooming and stretching behaviour before rising and strolling right passed the vehicle in the direction of the buffalo herd!
Spotlights came out and we viewed the 3 youngsters and their mother as they disappeared and reappeared through the thicket. Eventually they crossed into a neighbouring property and we were all reminded of the fire-roasted dinner that was waiting for us back at camp.
This morning we were woken by the high pitched yelping of a pair of side-striped jackals near Africa on Foot, and game drive began headed in that direction. As we arrived in exactly the same spot we had left the Ross pride last night, we saw a large herd of impala standing dead still and staring determinedly into the bush. Buffalo moved behind us, and as we followed the impala’s gaze, we laid our eyes on the threat: Ross pride! All 4 lions were making a move in the direction of the buffalo. They were so focused that even the presence of a spotted hyena didn’t bother them.
As the lions disappeared into the bush, buffalo were alerted to their presence and were sent bellowing and thundering through the early morning haze in an attempt to avoid the cats. We are not sure of the outcome of the attempted hunt this morning, but the lions are most certainly trying to bring a buffalo down!
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