We’re still on a high from our sighting of Rain the cheetah and her cubs when we turn from Nare Link into Sefara Drive in the Pilanesberg National Park, following the road uphill. Before we even crest the rise we become aware of the sound of thundering hooves moving at speed…
“Buffaloes!”
The Park’s buffaloes are so seldomly seen that they’re known as the “ghosts of the Pilanesberg”, and any encounter with them is a thrilling treat. Even more so these particular buffaloes, as they are in quite a rush to get away as quickly as possible, allowing only a few photos as they run past us, thankfully without smashing into our vehicle. Was it us who scared them?
As the buffaloes stampede down into the valley, we get back our composure and drive on. We don’t get very far however before Joubert yells out, again, “Lions!” Could it really be our third lion sighting of the morning!?
Indeed, there obscured behind some twigs and branches, are a pride of 5 lions wrestling with a buffalo cow on the ground! Now the stampeding herd of buffaloes we saw half-a-minute ago makes perfect sense!
As the bellowing of the cow dies down, no longer to be heard above the sound of raindrops on the car’s roof, and her feverish kicking stops, it’s clear that the fight is all over. In the excitement it takes a while for me to figure out that if I drive past the scene we’d have a much clearer view of it looking back. Just as the feeding starts one of the younger lionesses gets up and walks off, presumably to collect the pride’s cubs to join the feast. While we wait almost an hour for her to return, she doesn’t, so the cubs must’ve been quite some distance away. In the meantime the sights and sounds of the lions tearing the buffalo cow open and apart is as bone-chilling as you can imagine.
And to think we’re only half-way through our day in the Pilanesberg!
If you’d like to follow along as we explore the Pilanesberg, a map may come in handy (for a large format version click here)
Scene where we saw the buffaloes and lions on Sefara Drive
If you need to catch up on our drive through the Pilanesberg National Park, you can read all the previous posts here.
To be continued tomorrow.
DeWetsWild 
Well you don’t get much more dramatic than that. What an amazing if rather chilling sighting.
Scenes like this really brings home just how powerful these big cats are, and how little we humans would be able to do to protect ourselves against them if we couldn’t resort to our destructive technology.
Absolutely!
You not only saw a lot of lions, you saw them in situations many tourist will never see. Wonderful shots of lions doing what lions do!
We were very fortunate indeed, Siobhan, and what a privilege!
Wow what an experience and some great footage
Thanks, Cal. Yes, not something we’d soon forget.
Not so good for the buffalo, but what an amazing sighting! Just imagine me at the computer shaking my head in amazement. Thanks so much for sharing all of this.
janet
It really was amazing, Janet. And we’re grateful both for having the opportunity to visit places like these and the means of sharing it with appreciative people like you!
I’m certainly glad you can as well. I don’t remember how I originally found your blog but I’m happy I did.
Me too, Janet. I think many of our connections were made through WordPress’ Weekly Photo Challenge?
Did you follow Orna or Tom from Italy?
The names don’t sound familiar
Doesn’t matter. I found you. 😉
The feeling is mutual!
Wow, julle is omtrent gelukkig! En dit als in een dag!
My God, I know it’s nature’s way, but that is chilling….
My mond hang oop, de Wet!
Ons kon ook naderhand nie meer ons geluk glo nie, Una
De Wet, gaan lees my laaste post, asb. Het ek die regte ding gedoen deur hom aan te pass??? Wat is jou mening?
As jou hart rustig is dat sy nuwe blyplek vir hom beter is as by julle het jy beslis die regte ding gedoen, Una.
Vanoggend voel ek sommer baie beter, dis lekker om te weet hy is nou tussen maatjies.
Ek is bly om dit te hoor!
Think of the babies, Dries. What a drive!
It will take lots and lots of visits to our game reserves and national parks to top this particular day, Tracy, but we are looking forward to trying!
🙂