Third time Unlucky

On morning game drive we saw a pride of lion looking very lean and knew that they were going to be hunting tonight. So with the afternoon gamedrive planned, we left the lodge just to hear that there were two other females at the waterhole close to the lodge stalking. Plans changed quickly and after an hour of sitting at the dam watching the waterbuck, wildebeest that the lions were stalking with excitement, suddenly chaos broken out and animals were running in a hundred directions – MISS. Then we kept following them to see if the lactating female would go back to the cubs. They had different plans and split up again, stayed with the mother, lost her in a thicket and drove around, and saw her cross the road and drop down behind a bush. With wildebeest and waterbuck just off to the side the other female chased them straight to the one in front of us. The wildebeest made the luckiest turn of his life and the female missed once again this time right next to the vehicle. Then they disappeared. Decided to can drinkstop and go back to plan A the mornings lions. Followed them down the road, a female and young male broke away. Stayed with them 2, it was dark already so it was spotlights off when they went to stalking mode. We sat there quietly and hear the zebra hooves disappearing at high speed and still no sound of a successful kill. Unlucky for us and the lions, but lucky for the zebra, wildebeest and waterbuck.

Posted: Madikwe by J.P Harding, Date: 22 April 2008