The dry winter months always provide good game viewing opportunities and July did not disappoint as this was our most productive game viewing month ever.

The 2 male cheetahs that made their appearance last month decided to stay a bit longer and we had another 8 sightings of them this month. They were also seen at kills and were seen feeding on an impala, young zebra and a steenbuck.



Lions were seen daily and I will give a quick report of the most interesting sightings;

On the 2nd we saw the York pride following the scent trail of the Kajima pride. They were obviously in a foul mood and with saliva dripping from their mouths a fight seem eminent. They lost the trail or got tired after about 4 kilometers of going at breakneck speed and settled down for the day.

On the 1st guests encountered the York pride feasting on a waterbuck during a bush walk.

The York pride was seen on a warthog kill on the 3rd.

Three cubs of the York pride were seen stalking a bull rhino at ravine east on the 5th of July.

Later during the drive we also saw 3 lionesses hunting and chasing a group of 40 buffaloes. To have 40 buffaloes stampeding past the vehicle followed by 3 hungry lions was both terrifying and exhilarating and for the guests on the vehicle it was something never to be forgotten.

Mazinyo, the territorial male, was found at a buffalo kill on the 7th at Impala dam.

The Kajima pride was also found on a giraffe kill on the same day.

That evening the Kajima pride came back and a huge fight broke out with the York pride ending up the victors and chasing the Kajima pride away.

On the 11th when the lions left the giraffe carcass, we saw hyena, jackal and vultures fighting over the remains.

We saw the Kajima pride on the same day feasting on a huge kudu bull.

On the 12th we saw the York pride on a kudu kill.

On the 13th saw the York pride catching and killing a wildebeest only 15 meters from the car.

The York pride was also found on the 26th on Nguluve North where they had killed 2 giraffes, a mother and baby.

The 2 big males, Big Boy and Mazinyo, were found at a buffalo kill on the 27th.

And lastly the York pride was seen on a warthog kill on the 29th. This, combined with regular sightings of all the Big 5 made July one of our best gameviewing months ever. All photographs were taken by Robbie Prehn during July 2008 while on game drive with guests.