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Trust that you are all doing fine.

My son and I had an amazing morning in Addo on Saturday (15 March 2008). We again got up early to be at the gates just before it opened. This gave us time for a coffee and rusk bf. The park was very quiet - not even a warthog or a kudu in sight. About 20 minute (with no sightings) we got fresh lion tracks (big ones) Just around the corner we first got Nossob and Bitterbal (the one male coalition of the park) walking down the road. Facing away from us unfortunately, but was fantastic to just freewheel behind these beasts at dusk. It was slightly chilly so they were still breathing vapour.



At some point they turned into a firebreak to the left. They were about 50 meters from the road when we just heard this noise and the next moment a buffalo were charging them away - the buffalo won.



After this they disappeared into the bush, walking in the direction of Marion Baree waterhole. We drove past Marion Baree to Spekboom with the plan to return to see if they come to drink water at Marion Baree.

We sat there for a while when Dave, the lion researcher in the park, joint us. He scanned for collar signals and then picked up Kamqua (the oldest lioness) - in less than a minute she and Gina (her daughter) came to drink water.







At some point a microlight circled above the waterhole and Kamqua started to roar - not sure if it was because of the plane or if she was calling the males.



They laid around in the shade and moved around the waterhole. It was nice to look at the interaction between the two.





Kamqua rolled with her neck in elephant dung and they whispered in each others ears a few times - or were the gossipping?








They then moved up a hill, into an old firebreak, on the other side of the waterhole and took cover on either side of the firebreak. It was below the slight breeze and it was obvious that they were hunting. We prepared ourselves for a long sitting (did this once in Ethosha for three hours with amazing results).

Part Two.


After a while Bitterbal arrived - went passed the waterhole and then got the females. He just greeted and carried on walking towards Spekboom.



About 15 minutes later Nossob arrived and run passed the waterhole straight to where the females were hiding. He chased Kamqua all over the place. It was in the bush and a bit to far for photos. When he realised that she was obviously not interested in his morning glory, he started to roar followed by the two females joined in. He also left in the direction of Spekboom.



Their cover was blown so the ladies disappeared in the bush. We then started driving in the direction of Spekboom and got Bitterbal again at the top of the hill.





This time he was very close - so close that I couldn't frame him at stages. He didn't stay still and walked into the bush.



We got to Spekboom and he could later be seen in the firebreak, about 800 meters to the south of the waterhole, where he settled down in the shade for the day.

Only had my first warthog sighting at 9:00 and when we got to the main camp at about 10:30 we had seen plenty lion, 3 BBJ's, only 1 ellie, 4 kudus and a few warthogs. My son enjoyed the moment when he put the light blue markers on the board at reception.

We got some refreshments and started driving the Woodlands route to Zuurkop. The clouds came in fast and it started raining. We saw plenty elephants around the plains at the Ghorah loop and some Zebra on the Woodlands drive. The light was very dark and it was raining so unfortunately no photos. We were back home for lunch again.

What a precursor to our KTP trip in two weeks time. Hope you all enjoy the report. Till next time.

Stunning pics and report! You sure deserved the sightings lirritma!!!

Why not ask Megan to have a look here and confirm your IDs? Be great for all of us to know who is who in the lion family of Addo.

Thanks SpottedCat and Dalene.



Megan gave us a great post with information on ID's here http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopi ... 47&start=0 . It's however not so easy to ID them on sightings when you are all exited and taking photos.