9 September
AM
This morning we started nicely on the east side of Bush Lodge by a big herd of Buffaloes that were drinking water in front of the Lodge. The was also a large number of zebras waiting on the side, we then left and headed east to three in a raw pan, where there was some elephants drinking. While we were waiting at the pan we had a call about mother leopard and two cubs that were walking west of Dolerite road. We then started making a way in that direction, on the eastern side of second rock, there were plenty vultures. We went in the Bush to check around and we found two female lions from Skuthane feeding on the Buffalo, there was also a Hyena waiting on the site. Every body decided not to go anywhere else; we stayed until the lions finish eating and left. Vultures started coming down, where we couldn't be able to count because they were too many: e.g. white backed vultures, hooded vultures, cape vultures and two lapped faced vultures. On our way back to the Lodge we saw small number of Waterbuck walking in the direction of water hole.

PM
Mother leopard and her two cubs were laying on the western site Buffelshoek dam. She didn't show any interest of hunting while we were still there. We left them and headed to Buffelshoek dam for sundowner. There were two big bulls having a fight in the water. One male lion (Manyeleti lion) was laying on the east site of Gowrie gate. He finally went to take a drink at the Frankel's dam. On the way back to the Lodge we saw bush babies, white tailed mongoose and the large sported genet. When we got to the Lodge there was two big bull Elephants drinking in front of the Lodge.

10 September
AM
Big herd of Buffaloes plus or minus 500(five hundred) were walking west along Gowrie main from Djuma entrance sign. The main road was completely covered with the big cloud of dust from those animals. Four male lions of the age of about four years old were following the other big herd of Buffaloes on the south site of Djuma Dam but nothing happened. There was also a young male leopard (Ncila) that came from three in raw pan and he finally got very close to where the lions were laying/resting, and he also took a rest where he was. At one stage Ncila came to lay down in the shade of the game viewer, where he didn't show any fear to the vehicles. Four Elephant Bulls were drinking water at Bush Lodge's water hole.

PM
We started off with a large herd of Buffaloes at the Bush Braai site east of Bush Lodge and they were feeding in the easterly direction, at one stage they got spooked by the spell of the lions when the wind change the direction, and this was because the lions were laying quite close to the buffaloes. These were still the same four males. We left them and we went to relocate the leopard where we found him laying in the drainage line. He also got a bit of fright and run out of the bush because we were tracking on foot. We got to follow him by the vehicle for about half an hour. Then left him and went back to follow the lions and the Buffaloes. The rest of the herd went more to the east and three old bulls were standing behind. Lions got too close then chase, and one Lion jumped on the buffalo's back and fell-off, then the buffalo run away. The rest of the herd come back and chased the lions to get them away. Lions run away and went to lie down to take a rest.

11 September
AM
Breeding herd of the Buffaloes were all laying down on the southern site of Rhino pen. they looked like they were not relaxed. When we check around to see why they were not relaxed, we saw some Lion tracks that were heading north from where the buffaloes were, but we didn't follow the tracks because the was a male leopard at Kudu corner. Everyone went in that direction but the leopard was so close to the boundary to Kruger Park.
The Hyenas have got a new den inside the western Gowrie on the western site of Lead wood road. All the puppies are still there and they are still behaving the same. One male Lion (Manyeleti male) was located on the east site of Djuma dam. He was looking for the females but no luck.

PM
One male Lion (Manyeleti Lion) was still laying at the same spot where he was found in the morning, he looked very hungry. Big herd of Buffaloes feeding on the southern site of Three in Row pan. They looked like they had just finished drinking. After watching them, we went northeast to Kudu corner and they were four Elephant Bulls feeding off the trees. Mafufunyana and Jordaan's male were having an argument about the territory. They ended not fighting. Mafufunyana ended walking south along Zoë's road all the way to Gowrie Main. We left him and drove back along the same road and there were three Rhinos walking along the same road to the south. On our way back we saw two white-tailed mongoose on the road before the Lodge.

12 September
AM
The morning was fantastic. We saw one Hippo Bull outside the water and we followed him walking parallel Gowrie Main, He was absolutely relaxed with the vehicle. He went across the main road, then we left him and we located a large herd of Buffaloes crossing Chitwa Cutline to the west.
Hyena den was also very active, all the young stars and some adults came closer to the vehicle and they were even trying to chew vehicle's tyres. We stayed with them for easily twenty minute to half an hour. We left the den and drove to Buffelshoek Dam for our morning tea and coffee. There were two Hippo Bulls fighting inside the water.

PM
There were two big Elephant Bulls with a very big and hang tasks drinking water at the Nkorho pan. After that they headed north and we followed them away from the water. Later on we were watching Zebras, Wildebeests and some Impalas. A big Rhino Bull (short ear) came out of KNP and headed in the direction of Milkberry dam for a drink. We followed him and watched him drinking in front of the Lodge. After that we went to stop for sundowners and we were joined by the Zebras. We left the sundowners spot and headed back south where we located seven Rhinos at Three in a Row pen. When we got to the front of the lodge, the Elephant Bulls had pulled out one of the water pipe and they were drinking out of the pipe. We tried to chase them but it never worked, there were also Buffaloes drinking at the concrete pan.

13 September
AM
As we left the Lodge this morning, we decided to work on the Eastern part of the reserve. We find some lion tracks that were heading in the direction of Jacobin camp, which is the neighbouring camp. As we were coming into the clearing, my tracker sported a lioness that was laying in the clearing feeding off the eight months old young Buffalo. This was the Skuthane pride and they were two females. In such a short time, one big male Lion came from the Northern part of the clearing and run straight towards the females and stole the meat from them. Instead of sharing the meat with them he took the meat away from them and headed back to the Northern part of the clearing then started eating from there. This male wasn't relaxed to the vehicles at all, he was growling all the time. In that same area there was a troop of baboons sitting in the trees, one black backed Jackal, one side striped jackal, one hyena busy cleaning off the left over. On the western site of the same clearing there was a breading head of Buffaloes and three big Elephant bulls. There was also one other big male Lion laying on the Gowrie Dam wall .

PM
The two female Lionesses that we got to see in the morning were laying on the Northern part of the open area. When we got them at the first time they were not that relax until we spent some time with them, then they got very relax. When we left them went more to the Easterly direction and we got some Elephant bulls that were busy doing their own things. One of those four bulls pushed one of the fair size big tree and ate a little beet of the leaves then left the hole tree like that. From that time the wind started blowing quiet heavy, then we decided to make our way back to the Lodge slowly were we got to see the Zebras, Kudus, Wildebeests, Impalas and some Baboons playing. In front of the Lodge there was four Buffalo bulls laying down. This was such a wonderful drive in the wind and cold.

14 September
AM
The weather this morning was also a little beet cold when we headed out on drive. We got two Elephant bulls feeding on the Eastern site of lead wood road. After this we went to check the Hyena den and the puppies were not out because of the cold. We left them then went to watch the Hippos at Buffelshoek Dam. While we were there one of our other Guides called in the four Rhinos then we left the waterhole and headed west to where the Rhinos were. We also saw some Impalas and some Zebras.

PM
The afternoon drive was completely covered with the Elephant bulls, they were everywhere in the area. There was also plenty Buffaloes everywhere. We discovered three different heads of Buffaloes. One of this head was drinking at the Frankel's Dam at the gate, two female lion came from the west and started hunting those Buffaloes but nothing happened at that time. In one of this big heads there was plenty Zebras plus or minus fifty of them together with the wildebeests. Two Giraffes were also seen in a different area. On our way back to the Lodge we saw a Bushbaby, Whitetail mongoose and one Civet.

The Ranger's diary is updated weekly

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