7 PUPPIES GROWLING AT 18 CUBS

Last night we probably experienced one of the most unbelievable things I have ever seen in the bush. A pride of 24 lions had been found in the West of Ngala Private Game Reserve, consisting of 18 cubs and 6 lionesses. I will never forget the feeling of arriving in the sighting seeing all these animals lying in an open clearing. It was mind-blowing!

Shortly after we arrived, we heard a noise in the bushes on the outskirts of the clearing. It was impala being chased, which only meant one thing. Wild Dogs! Suddenly a lioness jumped up and started chasing the one impala that the dogs had been after. During all this commotion, the wild dogs aborted their hunt when they spotted the lions. The other lionesses gathered all of their cubs together while the 7 puppies from the pack congregated and started growling at the lions. After a few minutes both species went their own way.

We then followed the pride for a while longer because the lionesses had hungry cubs to feed. We left them moving from clearing to clearing looking for prey as night began to fall. With lightening on the horizon and a big storm brewing, it was going to be a long night for the zebra that were now alarmed in the area too.

What an evening… The fact that we had seen hippo mating prior to all this was now almost forgotten.

Posted: Ngala by Andrew Nicholson, Date: 21 November 2011