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In the Ranger's Diary we tend to concentrate on the "Big Five" or rather the "Big Seven" since these are the most popular animals. The "Big Seven" includes lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo, cheetah and wild dog. The term "Big Five" (the first five animals listed) was historically used to denote the five most dangerous animals to hunt in Africa. Fortunately the term is now used to describe the most popular animals.
 

25 September
PM
We returned to where we had left the beacon female and her cubs on our morning drive. When we returned we found the female cub laying in an African Milkberry tree. After a while she decided to climb down which gave us a great opportunity for photographs.
We left her as it was starting to get dark.
A large herd of Buffalo was found moving towards torchwood dam where they later had an afternoon drink.
The large male lion that had been left at rhino pan in the morning was found in the same position as in the morning. He remained fast asleep for most of the evening, occasionally lifting his head to scan the bush.

26 September
AM
The Beacon female leopard and her cubs were successfully tracked towards the Cheetah Pan area of Buffelshoek. It was discovered that the female had made a kill (Grey Duiker) and the cubs were taking it in turns to feed on it.
A small breeding herd of Elephants was found at 3 pans having a drink and a mud bath.
2 female Lions (Skuthane Pride) were found laying down at Green Pan. They were looking well fed and relaxed under a large Guarri bush in the middle of the clearing.

PM
The afternoon started with the tracks of a large male lion being found and followed until he was located near the pump house on torchwood. It was the same old male that has been seen over the past few weeks around the Eastern part of the reserve. With his bottom canines being absent and some characteristic scars on his body, he is easy to identify, and it is thought that he has been pushed out of his territory and made his home here in the East of the reserve, where the density of male lions has been much less of late.
The Beacon female and her cubs were found at the same location as the morning. The Leopards were still feeding on the Duiker carcass, but between feeds the cubs were providing much entertainment by climbing termite mounds and fallen trees.
A large female Leopard (White Cloth) was found at Torchwood waterhole drinking. After she finished she moved westwards and made a few failed attempts at hunting a Scrub Hare.

27 September
AM
A large Rhino bull was found in the Weavers Nest area. He had some fresh wounds on his side and it looked as though he had been involved in a territorial scrap with another bull.
There were a number of Elephant bulls found throughout the drive.
A large herd of Buffalo was found drinking at 3 Pan.

PM
2 young Rhino bulls were found on Cheetah Plains, grazing slowly towards the waterhole for an evening drink.
1 Bull, 1 Cow and 1 Calf Rhino were found drinking at 3 in a Row Pan.
There was a large herd of Buffalo at Bush Lodge. They moved quickly westwards in front of the lodge and looked to be fairly nervous of something. Back tracking the Buffalo it was found that there was a large male Lion who had obviously "spooked" the herd. We spent some time with him in the hope that he might follow the herd but instead he walked south towards Djuma dam.

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