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Hi melph68 and melph's Dad,

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On the following thread you will find 15 polls for awards in 15 different categories for 2012. Please cast your vote for each of them before the winners will be announced on the Forum’s birthday on 27 November 2012!

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Mel, Lovely sightings after breakfast that is for sure.

Ellie is huge..... makes everything around it look so small.

Great pics Rhinos at the waterhole.

Queleas make such a nice show.....amazing that they don't collide with one another at the speed they fly.

Hi Mel!

Another great instalment - just love the rhino's, so many of them!
I also really love the picture of the ellies walking over to the water hole, they are so graceful and somehow you've managed to capture that perfectly in your photo.

In answer to your question: I have never been fortunate enough to see wild dogs, they are the one animal I would give by big left toe to see, I think they are just beautiful.

As always, I'm looking forward to more!!!

Soooooo, right in time to experience the last bits of KNP and to move
over to Karoo and later Addo with you. Good thing that you've
be doing this TR for 8 months now - otherwise you'd be done after my
two weeks in KTP.

Great sightings all around, but the chameleon is my favourite.
I so would like to see one myself!

Very nice to see so many Rhinos together , love the Satara Area....

Hello again!!

A busy life is really getting in the way of regular TR installments
Today I am heading off into the bush for the first trip of the lizard research season, so I thought I'd better get another episode done before I go

Thank you hilda, Meandering Mouse, barryels, Super Mongoose, Bushbuddies, Heksie, ruthp, Philip1, Pumbaa, Trrr-trrrrrrrr, Melrockson, Lionspoon and vinkie for hanging in there with me

So what had created the Kruger jam that morning??

A lion with his kill

As Dad and I pulled up to join the line of cars we saw the lion straight away
A lone male was trying to defend his buffalo kill from seemingly every vulture in Africa!!


Dad and I were so very excited
However, this was one of those sightings where you are happy and a bit sad at the same time

Even though he had a full tummy, this male looked to be in pretty poor condition


He also had bleeding wounds on both his shoulders. From the buffalo horns maybe?



In fact this sighting left me with a lot of questions
I‘d done some research on lions and knew that males mature at around 2-3 years of age, when they start to get their mane.
This lion didn’t have much of a mane showing yet so I guess he was still quite young.
So how did he manage to bring down a buff on his own?
Dad and I scanned the area far and wide for any other members of the pride, but couldn’t see any other lions.

I was just as perplexed as to why he was still trying to defend the kill, when he had obviously had a good feed?
He stood panting in the searing heat staring down the vultures.



Every now and again he headed towards the shade of a little tree.


But then the vultures swamped the kill so he turned back to fight them off


This happened time and time again and I just wished he would go and rest



This white-hooded vulture was the bravest of the lot, sneaking in to have a nibble while the lion's back was turned



Dad and I stayed with him for about an hour
I could have stayed there all day, but nature was calling....

Mel,

Another enthralling episode to your TR, wonderful sighting and super pics and video

Poor lion with those puncture wound.

Thanks for sharing Mel -

The Buff kill looks to be quite old and well feasted on - Did he bring the Buff down or is he scavaging the last remaing bits?

Hi Mel, sjoe I was wondering were you where...

For sure that is an old carcass that's why so many vultures and that lion was only scavenging on the remains. He is in very poor condition and I think he was kicked out of his pride, they don't do well on their own. Hopefully he finds a new pride soon!

Thanx for sharing and enjoy your trip into the bush and the lizards - I like lizards!

Like some of the other have said, it seems like the Lion was feeding on the remains of the carcass Melph68. I don't think he is in a state to bring down a Buffalo on his own. He looks very thin and sick to me, and with all those wounds!

What a lot of Vultures! What bothers me is, were they already busy eating from the carcass when the Lion came to chase them away? Is it possible for one Lion to chase so many Vultures away? Or was he left alone after the rest of the pride left, and then carried on eating before the Vultures came? I am always worried about so many things that I don't have answers for.

Awesome Vulture pictures!

Awesome photos and video

He realy look like "death warmed up" poor Lion .....maybe the Vultures is aware of his state

Say hi to your dad

Poor lion He really doesn't seem to be in a good state at all.
Wonder if the tummy is really full or maybe just bloated...
Hope, he'll recover.

The amount of vultures is stunning though!

What happened after satisfying Mother Nature's call?

He is indeed not looking very well but hope he will recover soon as Hilda said

Nevertheless to watch the interaction between lion and those masses of vultutes must have been amazing

Thanks Mel

Lot of things to ponder about Melph of which I also don't have any answers but I do know that nature take care of its own and that the strong will survive
I do like the kiekies that you took of the lion-buff-vulture triangle
A really educating sighting. We learn so much in the bush