Wild4 African Photographic Safaris: LIONS & LEOPARDS of Mala Mala July 2013 trip "A"

The first of the July photo safaris to the Big Cat Reserve, Kruger Park and Mala Mala has just ended and here are a selection of photos.

Many thanks to all the staff at all the lodges and thanks again to Doug our ranger at the Big Cat Reserve and to Matt who looked after us at Mala Mala.

A few of the highlights at the Big Cat Reserve were the two Caracals, Lions and the Cheetah brothers Floppy and Hunters !!

Jabula the Leopard again performed his tricks in the Marula tree and we left with some great images of these animals.

The Kruger Park section provided good elephant, hippo, crocodile and other general game. The highlights were a lioness dragging her zebra kill to the safety of a nearby bush to shelter it from the vultures and the Hyaena den on the Nwanetsi road where we were treated to great close views of the new cubs.

Mala Mala provided good sightings of all the big 5, a big herd of buffalo drank from the sand river. Both Lion prides were seen, the Styx and the Eyrefield !! as well as three of the dominant males Lions in the area.

There were also two excellent Leopard sightings, our first afternoon produced the West street male up in a tree guarding the remains of an Nyala kill, killed by the Dudley female Leopard. Hyaenas were present too and the Male leopard was stuck up the tree. After a number of hours he managed to get down without the Hyaenas hassling him. He moved away from the kill when a troop of Baboons passed by and then the Dudley female reappeared and tried to get up the tree to reclaim her kill, however the Hyaenas were not having it and chased her off. Later the final part of the story unfolded where the female Leopard did make it up the tree and ate what she could. The remains then fell out the tree and provided the patient hyaenas with a meal too.

The second Leopard sighting was of the Airstrip Male on a bushbuck kill. After eating some of the bushbuck he moved away and performed his ritual territorial marking and drank from the river.

A great trip once again and look out for the July "B" trip starting in a few days time.

Many thanks to Murray, Jeanette, Lesley and Stephen for joining wild4 on the "Lions & Leopards of Mala Mala" Photo safari, it was great to spend 11 days with you all !!

Best wishes from the Wild4 team