Highlights From Photo Safaris

South Luangwa

FROM PHOTO SAFARIS WITH EDWARD SELFE In this series, we publish extracts from trip reports of photo safaris led by Edward Selfe in the South Luangwa. The full reports, with many more photos, can be found at www.edwardselfephotosafaris.comHighlights The following is an extract from a photo safari at Lion Camp in the peak of the dry season.

Picking up the sight of vultures dropping onto the ground in the distance, we headed towards them, hoping that perhaps the resident Mwamba Pride had killed something the night before. Indeed, they had—we found all 19 of the pride (including two males) feeding on a fresh buffalo carcass which they’d killed just an hour earlier. The pride is well known for preying on buffalo and has many battle scars to show for it. The lions had killed the buffalo in a large area of long grass so it was hard to see the individuals, but we eventually accounted for all 19.

Suddenly, while most were feeding, several of the pride stood up and stared intently across the river. We followed their gaze with binoculars and couldn’t see anything initially, but eventually resolved two male lions from a neighbouring pride walking along the top of the opposite river bank. They appeared interested in the buffalo kill and the females feeding on it. But they looked young and we assumed that they were aware of how unevenly matched they would be if they challenged the males with the large pride.

Someofthepridebegantocalltoaffirm territorial claim and the young males on the opposite bank lay down, apparently thinking again about approaching. The pride on our side continued to feed. Soon enough though, one of the young males began to move again and descended the river bank and waded across the river towards us. This drew considerable attention from the whole pride who stopped feeding and watched his approach carefully. At this point, the intruder was still 400 metres from the buffalo carcass. After reaching dry land, the youngster pranced along the bank, feigning indifference at the 19 pairs of eyes glowering at him. Such indifference is a well-recognised method of showing lack of fear of your adversary.

About 300 metres from the main pride, he lay down on the sand close to the water and waited. One of the pride males started to walk towards him, but approaching from behind, apparently stalking the younger lion. Of course, the youngster was more than aware of his presence but chose to lie still. Barely