Guests at Londolozi recently saw the two Majingilane Males being chased off by a herd of buffalo. The guests were watching the buffalo when suddenly the wind changed direction and the buffalo picked up on their scent as they moved through the long grass. One of the buffalo made a move towards the lions and the rest of the herd followed. Realising that they were out numbered, the Majingilane Males made a run for it! Quite a close call as well!
This sighting reminds me of the epic movie made by Derek and Beverly Joubert – called Relentless Enemies. It focuses on the almost daily lion-buffalo interaction on a remote island in the Okavango Delta. An area called Duba Plains.
I have been lucky enough to visit the camp before and it is one of Botswana’s most remote safari destinations. Although I saw the Tsaro Pride (numbering 32 individuals at the time), feeding on a buffalo kill, I did not see the kill happen.
Duba Plains and the series of islands around Duba are cut off from the rest of the Okavango Delta. Although there are lechwe, tsessebe, some wildebeest, some kudu and baboons and a few other animals like leopard and hyena, the area is dominated by the lions and buffalo.
The buffalo move in a set pattern around the islands and which constantly gets interrupted by the three lion prides in the area. On average there are 15 kills a month and there is a trend to the kills. On witnessing hundreds of kills and attempts, Derek and Beverly Joubert noticed that lions are the great communicators of the bush. They reach a level of knowingness without seeming to communicate vocally. I witnessed two lionesses hunting an impala herd in the Timbavati once. I witnessed the stalk, the ambush and then finally the kill. What amazed me the most was how the lionesses were quite clearly communicating to each other, or were so in tune with each other, that the one knew where to position herself once the herd of impala took fright and ran away from the other lioness that ambushed them. It was incredible to watch.
Although all three prides in the Duba Plains area have different strategies for hunting buffalo, the Tsaro Pride has been the most successful. It is confrontational and relentless hunting. The lion’s strategy is to walk in exposed – full of confidence – and push the herd, and then avoid the counterattack. They then move back in, push the herd again and avoid the counter. This can continue for hours on end. All the time however, the lions are looking for weaknesses and stragglers, or until someone makes a mistake. It could be a weak calf falling behind, or if the herd is split, a cow realising she is split from her calf, and leaves to reunite with her calf and is so exposed. Once the herd splinters, panic sets in, and the lions move in for the kill.
It’s a fascinating duel of these “Relentless Enemies” and I highly recommend that you watch the DVD and buy the book. As Derek Joubert says:
“I believe that people who are interested in learning more about themselves and finding a solution to being must attempt, at least once in their lives, to be in the presence of the wild and in isolation from the clutter of modern society.”
You can read more about them here, Wildlife Conservation Films, and if you are looking for assistance in going on a safari to Duba Plains, get in touch with Sun Safaris.
