Lions on the Marsh

Savute holds many surprises. Its flat and can sometime look incredibly stark. However there is one section of Savute that constantly keeps surprising you. On morning game drive we had driven around the outskirts of the Marsh looking at the bird parties and ticking off species after species. While watching a kori bustard waks slowly through the grass while tipping its head from one side to the other we noticed a mass lying in the long grass not to far from the vehicle out in the open. The kori bustard stopped suddenly and cockked its head left to right. Moving off to the side away from the mound. Taking out our binoculars we were thrilled to discover the mound a a lioness lying at the base of a termite mound. The kori bustard took off and what a sight in itself. The heaviest flying bird of Africa and does so with such grace. Flying over the termite mound we watched as the lioness raised her head as if to see what had brought her out of slumber. She stood up and strechted out her back. Arching down and legs out in front. It was then that we saw what else had been lying with her around the mound. Three cubs only a few months old and out in the open. She started to move off towards the thickets with her youngters follwing the black tip of her tail. Once reaching the thickets she wriggled herself under the bush and licked her offspring as they cuddled into her. We watched for some time while the mother cleaned her yound and they in turn bit her and each others ears and tails. Pouncing at each otehr. After sometime the lioness lost patience and snapped a growl at the cubs signaling an end to their play and her patience.

Posted: Savute Under Canvas by Savute Under Canvas Botswana, Date: 25 August 2009