Overnight we have heard a lion roar on numerous occasions but this morning all is quiet.
Today we have decided to do a half day game drive and then return to camp for lunch and spend the afternoon here.
We leave camp and almost immediately see 2 dikdiks and a Spotted Thick Knee.
Having heard the lion last night Alladini is pretty sure it is still close by and sure enough we soon find a female, and after having a drink, she leads us to some other members of the pride who are sleeping in some bushes. We don’t get a great a view so we move on.
As we drive we see 2 hooded vultures land and start pecking at a pile of poo. Immediately they do this a whole group of marabou storks land, they clearly think the vultures have found a kill. It shows how the storks watch the vultures in the hope of finding food. The vultures quickly move on leaving the storks with the poo!!
About 2km down the road we find 2 male lions asleep out in the open. We think these are part of the pride we saw earlier and are probably the ones we heard overnight. While we watch a car from “Lion Research and Conservation” turns up and takes some photos and make some notes.
Next we have a nice surprise when Alladini spots 2 bat eared foxes. Then shortly after we see 2 new birds for us.
Common Fiscal
Our next sighting is a cheetah in the distance. We watch as she stalks a gazelle, slowly getting closer and closer. After about 45 minutes she makes an attempt at a kill but the gazelle gets away.
She has a bit of a rest and then gets another opportunity. A lone gazelle approaches the others and thinks its safe so starts to run towards them, straight into the path of the cheetah. Luckily for the gazelle but sadly for the cheetah, she goes to early and the gazelle gets away.
At this point she gives up and sits down in a bush allowing us to get a bit closer. Alladini thinks she is probably under 2 years old so quite inexperienced. We stay with her a bit longer and then watch as she walks off towards another group of gazelles, maybe she will have more luck next time.
It’s now late morning and we head back in the direction of our camp taking a few general photos of the scenery and wildlife as we go.
We go back past the 2 male lions who are still asleep but see that the area is now full of animals.
We get back to camp and enjoy a very good lunch. We sit outside our tent and catchup on emails from home etc. Our tent here is very nice and spacious. This is a mobile camp so by the end of March it will all be dismantled and moved to the north of the Serengeti.
Alladini also manages to relax this afternoon which is good as we have a long drive tomorrow
This evening we have dinner with Alladini. There is now only 1 other couple and their guide staying at the camp. At the end of our meal Shahoza, the camp manager and the rest of the staff bring us a kwaheri (goodbye) cake and sing the Jambo song!! This is the favourite song that is sung to tourists!! Having not spent much time in tourist areas until now this is the first time we have heard it this trip!! I am presented with the cake and asked to cut it up for everyone to share. Another good day.
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