MALA MALA March 2013 Photo Safari

Just back from a quick 3 night photo safari to Mala Mala and we were treated to some fantastic sightings. It was also great to catch up with some of the animals that make Mala Mala the special place that it is.

Many of you will recognize some of the characters of this real life, real time documentary and it is always such a privilege to spend some time with these animals.

Anyway, here are a few photos and some updates.

Enjoy,

Best wishes,

Stu

First up a short Video from the tour

The Tamboti female with her Impala carcass.

It was incredible to watch this beautiful cat take her kill up a tree, at night. The power is just immense and although we did not witness her kill the Impala, the show she put on taking it high up into a tree was a very special way to start the trip.

Tamboti Female with her kill safely stashed. The next morning they were both back on the ground, perhaps it had fallen out of the tree during the night.

The next character some of you will know is this awesome male Leopard known as the Airstrip male. I think he is my favourite Male Leopard on the reserve, chunky, confident and a real treat to see. Here he was heading down to cross the causeway in front of Main Camp

Tamboti female

Airstrip Male in the Sand River in front of Main Camp

Female Kudu

We were very lucky to see some White Rhino 

Members of the Styx pride, doing quite well. The small cubs photographed on the October safari are now full of beans and giving the younger males a hard time 

 Zebra, Mala Mala

 Styx pride cubs

 The Styx Pride resting in a dry river bed

The Bicycle Crossing Male (Father of the Airstrip Male) 

 Bicycle Crossing Male

 Male Elephant

 We have been very lucky with our visits to Mala Mala and always seem to see a pair of these most beautiful Saddlebilled Storks

Giraffe - Mala Mala

 Zebras - Mala Mala

Cheetah female with two cubs. This female has now lost two of the original 4 cubs and it seemed she had just lost the second one, possible to the Styx pride who had moved through the area she had been in during our 2nd night.

Cheetah and Zebra 

 Male Elephant

 Team Photo - many thanks to Yuri our ranger for looking after us

 Green Pigeon - Mala Mala

 Cape Buffalo herd - Mala Mala

 Cape Buffalo

 Spotted Eagle Owl

 This sighting of one of the sub adult males from the fourways pride was my first sighting of this pride on Mala Mala - he is a handsome boy !!

 Some more members of the Styx pride

 Some of you will be pleased and amazed to know that the old female from the Styx pride is still following the rest of the pride at the age of 17 yrs !!

Wildebeest baby - Mala Mala