With the recent fires ravaging the Pilanesberg, safaris were at an all time high.
Leaving Ivory Tree Game Lodge a little earlier than usual, my guests and I were excited for a good safari not knowing that tonight would be life changing. With a relatively slow start to the game drive, general game was seen in large numbers but the big 5 were a little hard to come by.
Deciding on an earlier stop to stretch legs and have a sundowner, we gave ourselves time to strategize for the second half of the safari. With the setting sun at our backs we headed east. Darkness closing in fast I was in desperate need of a Big 5 sighting. Crossing drainage lines and thickets we moved into Motlobo Plains. Here again were hoards of general game but something was different, they were alert, they knew something was around but what was it!
Scanning the plains with a powerful spotlight I picked up 3 ghostly images. LIONS!!! They were tentatively watching a herd of 40+ Wildebeest, knowing the pride as the Central Pride there was a missing female. Deciding to do a last scan we spotted her. She had flanked the Wildebeest herd and was in a perfect position for an assault.
Closing in quickly, she was spotted and chaos erupted. The Wildebeest headed straight to the kopje (hill) for safety, which would have been ideal if not for 2 White Rhino frightening them back down the hill towards our vehicle. Not wanting to move the game drive vehicle, we split the herd and we now knew we were right in the thick of it!
For one wildebeest it was too late, she had been taken down by the 3 lions we had seen first. The struggle did not last long.
Getting into a better position we witnessed a big male lion ripping a fetus from its dead mother. Making sure my guests were all alright after this life altering experience. We watched in silence until it was time to head back to Ivory Tree.
To my guests, the Pilanesberg will never be seen in the same light again.
Ranger Michael Malan
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