Nature is sometimes so raw, that it can get really hard to watch.
This is one of those times. “On the 10th of June, we arrived at a sighting at around 6:34 am where lions had just taken down a Giraffe, the giraffe was off the road in the perfect position for a great view, and never changed throughout the day.”
52 year old, Lodge owner, Mark, from Foxy Crocodile Bush Retreat told newonlinenews.com about this unfortunate sighting that he captured 6.3km W of the Hippo pools junction on the S25, in the Kruger National Park this past week.
“It was one of those sightings that you knew you would have to sit it out for the day, fortunately, there was a good viewing spot where we could park that would not affect traffic flow or limit anybody else’s view of the sighting. It was interesting to watch the 7 male lions as they all seemed to be taking turns in the early morning to eat on the giraffe.”
“This was not the usual feeding, like a buffalo for instance, or the kind of sighting where the lionesses are around, the males seemed to be content with eating as they pleased. Because, eventually, the 2 dominant males arrived.”
“There had been hyenas gathering all through the morning and they would get close and scatter off and come back again, then a young bull elephant arrived and chased all the hyenas off and we did not see them again that day. Apart from the chatter in the bush, we heard lions contact calling in the distance from early in the morning and, at about 10 am, out of nowhere, the 2 dominant males came running down to the site, almost missed it as a young male was taking his turn at feasting on the giraffe.”
“The 2 males very quickly dominated and asserted their authority, and then controlled the feeding. We have seen the young male consortium on the S25 numerous times before, and believe that it was their fathers that had just joined the sighting and therefore, no bloodshed between the lions as a whole, just a few scratches and bruised egos.”
“Throughout the day, they continued to slowly eat on the giraffe and at some of the times, there were 2 or 3 lions but never the whole pride together, they all seemed very relaxed with all the cars around. At one point, you could see the legs of a calf protruding from the giraffe’s half eaten body, which meant that she was pregnant at the time!”
“All told, it was a wonderful day and we took some very long videos and lots of pictures but the memory of the sighting will always remain as the male lion took the fetus from the giraffe and strutted off into the bush to eat on his prize! A sighting like this requires patience so be prepared to sit and absorb the day’s events.”
“Eventually, there were a few hooded vultures and eventually some white-backed vultures, but the day was dragging on and as the gates close at 5-30pm in winter we eventually had to leave the sighting.”
