It’s a spectacular sunrise this morning at Zuka Lodge in Phinda Private Game Reserve.
We have early success in the morning game drive, when Bruce (Hedges) spots the female cheetah and 3 cubs from the sightings on the 8th of September. All four are relaxing on the road, and the cubs are full of energy and start an energetic game of chase among themselves. Their mother joins in at times and they also spend time grooming each other.
Sitting quietly in the vehicle, all three cubs take turns to approach our vehicle, sniffing the guard and looking inquisitively at us. They are quite fearless and relaxed in their mother’s presence. Some elephant dung makes a good substitute for a ball of string for a couple of the cubs.
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The two lionesses that we saw yesterday have managed to catch and kill a zebra, and have brought the three cubs down from their mountain hiding place to feed on it. We catch sight of them after their feed on the carcass down by the waterhole, but they quickly move back into the thicket near the carcass.
During the afternoon game drive, on the way to a report of elephants swimming in the dam, this male kudoo stops long enough to pose for a portrait, as does a pretty little beeeater.
There are indeed elephants swimming in the dam! A bachelor group of a large older male and three young bull elephants are playing in the water – dominance mounting and snorkelling. It’s a cooler, overcast day – must be a good day for elephants to go swimming, much to the disgust of the hippos further down the dam who roar their disapproval, but don’t dare to engage the 12 tonnes of elephants frolicking.
Unfortunately the video is all grey tones – dark grey elephants in grey water against a grey sky, but the weather didn’t seem to deter the elephants one bit.
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