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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 December
PM
2 Male Lions (Zambezi Males) were found to the west of Brown Ivory Clearing.
A "raft" of Hippos was found at Nyala Dam.
The Beacon Female Leopard and her 2 cubs were found at Sussen's Dam.

12 December
AM
A large Bull Elephant was found on the Sussen's Clearing feeding.
4 Leopards (The Jordaan's Male and the Beacon Female with her 2 cubs, were found feeding on a Duiker Carcass south of Sussen's dam. Seeing the 2 cubs playing around their father was a real treat and a scene seldom seen in the bush.

PM
4 Lions (Western Pride) were found on Mvubu Road laying down where they had fed on a Baboon earlier in the day.
1 Male Rhino (Short Horn) was found on the Vuyatela entrance road walking west.

13 December
AM
1 Male Lion (Old Eastern Male) was found at 3 Pan laying down.
7 sub-adult Lion, thought to be a split off from the 19 strong Kruger Pride were found at Green Pan. They were very playful and were climbing trees and chasing each other whilst moving northeast towards the Kruger Boundary. It's exciting seeing new Lions in the area and these young Lions could possibly move into the vacant space that the depleted Skuthane pride have left open.
2 Male Lions (Zambezi Males) were found at Khaya Manzi Dam, laying down.
4 Lion (the Western Pride) were found laying down at Sidney's Dam.
2 Leopard cubs (Beacon Female's) were found behind Sussen's Dam.

PM
1 Male Leopard (Mafufunyana) was found on the Vuyatela Driveway moving slowly east, scent marking as he walked.
2 Male Lions (Zambezi Males) were found at Big dam moving slowly North.
A large Elephant Bull in Muskth was found at umbrella clearing
7 Buffalo Bulls were found on Weavers nest Road.

14 December
AM
1 Male Leopard was found at Djuma Bush Lodge moving slowly towards Djuma Dam.
2 Male Cheetahs were found at Cheetah plain pan moving slowly to the north.

PM
The White Cloth Female was found at 3 Pan where she was busy drinking. After she finished she led us straight to where she had killed and hoisted a Steenbok into a Marula Tree.
1 Male Lion (The Old Eastern Male) was found at Rhino Pan laying down.
A breeding herd of Elephants was found on the Kruger Boundary near Milkberry.

15 December
AM
The White cloth female was still feeding on the steenbok up in the Marula tree and there was also a Hyena present in the area feeding on the scraps dropped from above. After some time the Leopard jumped out of the tree and led us straight to where she had another kill (this time a juvenile Warthog) hoisted in a Jackalberry tree.
There was a herd of Buffalo Drinking at Green Pan.

PM
1 Male Rhino was found on the Galago open Clearing.
3 Leopards (Bacon female and 2 cubs) were found feeding on a Steenbok kill off Aubrey's Road.
1 Female Leopard (White Cloth) was found still feeding on the kills at 3 pan.

16 December
AM
The Beacon Female Leopard and her 2 cubs were found relaxing in a Zebra wood thicket west of Tamboti dam.
2 "Dhaka" boys were found at Chela pan laying down.

PM
The 2 cubs of the Beacon Female were found at Tamboti Dam where there were also 2 Buffalo Bulls.

17 December AM
A very Large herd of Buffalo was found on Chitwa Cutline laying down. Lurking just 50 meters from the herd was a Large Male Lion keeping a close watch on the herd for any opportunities.
The Sandy Patch Pride and 2 cubs were found at Jordaan's dam laying down.

PM
1 Male Lion (The Old Eastern Male) was found at Buffelshoek Dam laying down. He had been following the Breeding herd of Buffalo that had just past through the dam for a drink.
3 Leopards (Beacon female and 2 cubs) were found at Buffelshoek dam. She killed a banded mongoose that was stolen from her shortly after by a Hyena. They were last seen South of Buffelshoek dam heading south.
A Rhino Bull was found at Nyala dam.

18 December
AM
An Elephant bull was found feeding at Khaya Manzi Dam. He was a large bull and in Muskth.
The drag marks of a hyena were followed to a den near Treehouse dam, where a female and 3 cubs were found feeding on the carcass.

PM
1 Male Lion(Old Eastern Male) was found on the clearing in front of Bush Lodge. He moved southwards and was left crossing the boundary to the South of the reserve.
The Sandy patch pride and the Manyeleti male were found south of Bushbuck dam. They were moving north whilst having to stop every so often for the 3 month old cubs to catch up.
1 female leopard was found at twin dams (possibly the white cloth female.)

19 December
AM
1 male Leopard (Newington male) was found resting in a large Ebony tree at Kudu Corner dam. He looked well fed and rested there the whole morning.
1 female Leopard (Karula) who is one of the Safari Female's independent cubs was found at Sandy Patch. She was cent marking heavily and it looked as though she was following the trail of another Leopard.
2 Male Lions (The Zambezi boys) were found at Sandy patch before left heading south.
2 female Lions (the Skuthane females) were found at Champagne pan laying down with full bellies.

PM
The 2 Skuthane females were found laying down in the same spot near champagne pan with no sign of them moving anytime soon.

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