Lagoon Lions, Lucky Impala, Unlucky Warthog

 

This newsletter has been rather too long in coming although the good news is that we have been super-busy with another excellent safari season and co-operative game viewing, particularly for leopards which this year have been even more phenomenal than in the past. We have also had lions eating buffalo, leopards eating impalas – herds of elephant crossing the Zambezi … amazing.

However, in case you didn’t know, Chiawa Camp is not only focused on the wildlife and to this end we actively support the communities that live outside the National Park by providing annually , with the help of Chiawa Camp guests, educational materials and school uniforms for 230 AIDS orphans in two local schools. Last month Chiawa delivered these much needed materials as well as a 26kg bumper pack of assorted medical supplies to the local clinic. Without the cooperation of the local communities, conservation of the wildlife and habitat would be impossible, as would be the amazing wildlife sightings we at Chiawa are privileged to see.

 

Back to game viewing, some of Chiawa’s lucky guests got to watch three lionesses frolicking in the morning sun near sunset strip, playing with a stick and then chasing each other and splashing through a small lagoon – the series of photos taken by Jenny Varley were some of the most unusual  I have seen.

 

 

 

Then some guests were recently watching a leopard sitting with a just-caught impala in its jaws when along came a hyena with typical aggressive intent on stealing a meal. The leopard released the impala and to our surprise the impala bounded off and escaped! Surely the luckiest impala of the month?

And then whilst out on a bush walk I saw with my guests a leopardess followed by her gorgeous cub slink down from a tree and into the bush – brilliant.

These past few months I have been commuting between camp and Lusaka, spending time in each as we are not quite yet ready for Scott to join us – mainly because building our more suitable dwelling is taking longer than hoped – it is difficult to build when camp and game viewing is busy. However I am hoping to get Lynsey & Scott out there very soon!

Anyway the other day we got to watch a young male leopard showing off and sunning himself in the afternoon sun, after which we encountered a large male warthog having a relaxing drink and which we stopped to photograph, when out of the bush dashed two lionesses and three cubs, who caught and drowned the unlucky warthog right in front of them – similar to an amazing encounter last year we witnessed and photographed. The young leopard is pictured here, photo by Christian Pellegrini.

 

Oh yes, I almost forgot about the wild dog kill our guests witnessed last week – the dogs had been spotted that morning after a walk and so we returned that afternoon in anticipation of a likely hunt. As if on cue out they came at dusk, chasing down an impala literally at the feet of a herd of elephants who trumpeted in protest at the disturbance to their afternoon R&R. Oh well, another afternoon in Africa … and but a small sampling of all that’s been going on at Chiawa!

 

 

Next year is already looking busy so please book asap if you want to share in the excitement and renowned service at Chiawa Camp in 2007.

Until next time, all the best

Grant & the Chiawa Team