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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.
 

29 October
PM
2 male Cheetah were seen this afternoon at Cheetah Plain Pan.
A breeding herd of Elephants were seen feeding at Buffalo Dam heading south.
5 Lions, 4 males and 1 female, were seen again just west of Cruse Camp. They were still on the Buffalo kill.
8 Buffalo were at 3 in a Row Pan drinking.
The Sandy Patch Pride, 1 female and 2 newborn cubs were seen to the south of Sussen's Dam.

PM
A breeding herd of Elephants were just west of Central Road.
3 Lions, 2 male and 1 female, were ling down south of 2nd Rock.
2 Cheetah, 1 female and 1 young male were at the Freestate Clearing moving north.

31 October
PM
2 bull Rhinos were heading west from Long Pole Road.
The 3 Lions, 2 males and 1 female, were still at 2nd Rock lying down due to some injuries.
Ncila, Leopard, was seen on Cheetah Cutline lying down.
At 3 in a Row Pan 1 Rhino was seen.
A breeding herd of Elephants were south of Cheetah Plain Pan.

1 November
AM
The 5 Lions at 2nd Rock were still there resting, they were limping and couldn't walk properly.
2 Male Cheetahs were lying down at Cheetah Plain Pan.
There was 1 Rhino at Long Pole Road heading south.
2 further Cheetahs, 1 female and 1 young male, were at Rubbing Post Dam lying down.

PM
A female Leopard was at Big Dam stalking an Impala.
A young male Leopard, Beacons cub, was at Khaya Manzi moving north.
3 Lions, the Buffelshoek Pride were still sleeping at 2nd Rock.
2 Honey Badgers were also seen at Khaya Manzi moving south in the river bed.

2 November
AM
The Buffelshoek Pride of Lions was still lying down at 2nd Rock. They hadn't appeared to have moved much due to their injuries.
2 Bull Rhinos were at Sussen's Clearing grazing south.
6 Buffalo bulls were drinking at Bush Lodge.
3 Ostriches were also spotted on the morning drive.

PM
A Leopard, male cub of Beacon, was at Khaya Manzi hunting Impala.
A female Leopard was at Big Dam. She was drinking and then she started to move north scent marking. Later on she started stalking Impala.
The Buffelshoek Pride, Lions were at 2nd Rock lying down and nursing their wounds.

3 November
AM

A breeding herd of Elephants were at Jordaan's Dam drinking.

PM
A breeding herd of Buffalo were at 3 in a Row Pan grazing in a southerly direction.
Whitecloth and her cub, Leopards, were seen at the Old Entrance to Djuma moving north. They were both chased up a tree by Hyenas.
2 Cheetah, a female and her cub, were at Khaya Manzi, feeding on a female Duiker. They were left as it was getting dark.
The Buffelshoek Pride, 3 Lions, was still lying down at 2nd Rock due to their wounds.

4 November
AM
1 Leopard, Whitecloth, was to the west of Buffelshoek Airstrip. She was following the scent of another Leopard and was heavily scent marking along the way.
The Buffelshoek Pride of 3 Lions were sleeping at 2nd Rock.

PM
1 Leopard, Beacon female, was at Hardekool Camp moving west towards Galago.
At Sour Plum area 5 bull Buffalos were seen feeding.
The Buffelshoek Pride of 3 Lions, were seen at Rhino Cutline now. They started to move later on to the north. The female Lioness was still walking on 3 legs.

5 November
AM
At 1st Rock, a breeding herd of Elephants, consisting of 14, were seen feeding slowly in a southerly direction.
3 Lions, 1 of the Sandy Patch Lionesses and her 2 cubs, were seen at Gowrie Dam feeding on Nyala.
2 very small Lion cubs were seen at Nyala Dam. They are approximately 4 weeks old and are most likely the cubs of the Sandy Patch female.
The 3 Lions from the Buffelshoek Pride were now lying down at Marula Dam.

PM
The Sandy Patch female and her 2 very small cubs, roughly 1 month old, were seen this afternoon. The mother was hiding her cubs in a drainage line near Nyala Dam.
2 Lions, Robson's males, were in the Jacobin area moving south.
3 Lions, Buffelshoek Pride, were seen at North Rock Clearing, moving to the southwest towards 1st Rock. The female and 1 of the males were still limping but at least they are moving now!!
At Nyala Dam, 1 Rhino bull was seen grazing.

6 November
AM
1 Elephant bull, with a collar, was seen feeding at Vuyatela.
1 Rhino bull was also seen by Vuyatela sleeping.

The Ranger's diary is updated weekly

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