Morning Safari Surprise: Bloody Lion !

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Geo: -12.895, 31.9228

Managed to get up and get ready in spite of the fact it was so nice and cool inside the tent and it sure did feel like a day for sleeping rather than getting up and going on safari but knew that was going to be fun as well.

Our safari guide for today was Joseph, who has been a guide for 4 years and is another interesting character. We were joined in the morning safari by Stuart and Lorna who had lived for the past twenty years in Llongwe, Malawi. One of the things they do there is operate a bar/ restaurant called Chameleons. They were much like us and seemed to think anything we saw was going to be great!

Did the usual checking in at the park entrance and then crossed the river. While we were waiting to be signed in, a group of fishermen came walking up the bank with a double handful of fish they had caught. The river is getting lower and lower each day

We first stopped to look at some impalas. Joseph told us to look at the M on their rear. It said that was for McDonald's and their are considered the fast food for the leopard! HaHa

We spotted a bird up in the tree and it was determined it was a Western Banded Snake Eagle. One of the characteristics to look for is the rounded head. They are also not considered true eagles because they do not have feathers on their legs. I guess these area what we would call trousers.

We drove to the lagoon near the Mfuwe Lodge and watched as a large adult hippo appeared to be threatening a crocodile. It appeared to lunge at the croc and we saw the reason why............there was the cutest baby hippo! Joseph said it was probably just a couple of days old. Don't know for sure if the crocodile was really threatening it but we thought it might be.

While we were watching this, heard the sounds of a francolin. Was the Swainson's Francolin but it quickly disappeared into the bush.

Thornicroft giraffe-

We were told that this was one of the first wildlife preserves created in 1904 by a man named Thornicroft and this is where the Thornicroft giraffe gets its name. This is a sub-species that is only found in this national park.

We got to see a gray hornbill for the first time. In years past, they have really been thick on the ground but are not as common this year as in the past.

Someone remarked that there was no radio on the safari vehicle. Joseph said they no longer call each other on the radio when there is a sighting. Joseph loved to ask us questions and see if we could answer them. He asked if we could tell us why they did not call each other anymore. The answer was to keep from causing congestion around the animals. Of course he did call a friend or another guide when we spotted the lion!

We came upon a buffalo head with some flesh still left on with some white backed vultures busily eating on what was left. Joseph asked us if we could guess what had happened to the buffalo. He said it most likely got stuck in mud and could not get out and the hyenas or lions got it.

Came across one of the "little five", the buffalo weaver. Care to know what the other four are? Here they are...the leopard tortoise, elephant shrew, rhinoceros beetle, and the lion ant.

Stopped for our morning tea break and saw many of the shore birds we had seen on the other safari. Added one more for this trip, the squacco heron.

How the water buck got its circle on its rear

Back into the vehicle and we driving along when we came upon some water buck. When Noah built his ark, he painted the inside of the ark everywhere. When the water buck came on board, it needed to go to the bathroom and did not read the sign about wet paint and sat down on the toilet seat and got a circle on his rear. Some of them have a totally white rear and they sat on the toilet seat. So now you know the story!

Where are the babies or is it the pride?

We were driving along and came around the corner where there was a thick brush blocking the view on the right hand side of the road when suddenly there was a large female lion. She was walking along calling, calling. She walked right behind our vehicle to the point you could not see her at all! Wow! Glad she didn't come jump in the vehicle! She had blood on her legs and it looked like some nicks on her head as well. Had she been in a fight?

Was she nursing young? Who was she crying for? She went down to the water and had several nice drinks. Was a pretty sight getting the water but she kept crying, crying.

We all came up with some possible scenarios...she forgot where she hid her young, another, the hyenas had taken her young, or even possibly some adult male lions had taken then. Whatever the story she kept walking making the grunting call and did not seem to have found what she was looking for.

Joseph told us there were 16 prides of lions in the safari area of the park. This information was given to him by the Carnivore Project. Joseph was not able to help us with the answer to what was going on. We drove for awhile longer looking to see if we could find an answer but to no avail.

Who is the timekeeper in the park?

Another fact we learned was the fish eagle is also called the "timekeeper" Calls out on the half hour, etc. The fish eagle did call out at the half hour but have not checked to see if this is absolutely regular or not. Another fact is they fish eagle does mate for life and they have what is know as a duet call. From what I understand about
this call is that both birds are calling but it sounds like only one bird.

As we drove back past the Mfuwe Lodge lagoon we saw a huge crocodile slide off into the water. Joseph told us there was a new owner of the Mfuwe Lodge was an American, Paul Allen who was associated with Bill Gates.

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Photos

Game Drives !
stopping for a spot of tea mid morning