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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.
 

11 November
PM
1 Female Cheetah was found at Vrystaat clearing, laying down.
3 Lions (Sandy Patch Females and the Manyeleti Male) were found at 3 in a row pan clearing, still feeding on the Buffalo carcass.
A group of male Buffalo was found at Tree House Dam.

12 November
AM
A large herd of Buffalo was found at 3 Pan drinking. They later moved eastwards to graze.
1 Female Lion (Sandy Patch) and her 2 small cubs were found at the den, near 3 in a row pan.
2 Cheetah (1 young Male and 1 female) were found at Paul Kruger's camp. They were on the hunt and it wasn't long before they took off into the bush after a young Duiker. When they were found again the Duiker was hanging from the Female Cheetahs mouth and they soon began to feed before devouring it in less than 40 minutes.

PM
1 Male Leopard (Mafufunyana) was found at Tree House Dam. He was followed for some time as he scent marked his way through the bush, until he was left in very thick bush near Zoë's Road.
1 Male Lion (Manyeleti) and 1 Female (Sandy Patch) were found still feeding on the Buffalo Carcass.
2 Cheetah (The same individuals from the morning drive.) were found at Vrystaat Clearing sleeping with full bellies.
A breeding herd of Elephants were found at Gowrie Gate moving east.

13 November
AM
2 Rhino were found at Cheetah Plain Pan.
A breeding herd of Buffalo was found at Kaalkol open area.
1 Cheetah at Hunters Clearing laying down.

PM
A breeding herd of Buffalo were found at 2nd Rock, drinking the crystal clear water collected in the natural rock pools from a thunder-shower earlier in the afternoon.
There was quite a bit of Hyena activity around the Hippo carcass at Buffelshoek dam and a fair amount of Vultures too.
A young female Serval was found near Torchwood Camp devouring a vine snake. She was very relaxed and allowed us to follow after she had finished feeding for some time. She made another kill right in front of the vehicle, this time a Multi-mammate Mouse, and played with it for sometime before being disturbed by a nosey Hyena.

14 November
AM
2 Lions (Manyeleti Male and Sandy Patch Female) were found at Nyala dam resting in shade with very full stomachs.
1 Female Lion (sandy patch) and her 2 cubs were found at the den site.
1 Female Leopard (White Cloth) was found at 2nd Rock and she moved South into the riverbed to rest on a granite outcrop in some shade.

PM
An afternoon rain shower seemed to dampen the larger animals spirits and none of them made an appearance on drive, except for the 2 Lions found previously that day.
There were plenty of smaller, interesting animals and birds out feeding on the insects.

15 November
AM
4 Lions (Western pride) were found at Djuma Bush Lodge. It is the furthest east we have ever seen this pride of 2 females and 2 sub-adult males and they put on quite a show. They posed on top of a few termite mounds, which provided great photo opportunities; and ended off with a very exciting kill attempt on a group of unsuspecting Zebra.
A female Leopard (Safari) was found feeding on a male Impala, which she had hoisted high into a Marula tree near Impala Plains.

The Ranger's diary is updated weekly

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