Kruger National Park : Lockdown Day 109 - Monday 13 July

We had an awesome day in the Kruger Park.We only came across about 4 cars all day. There was so much game around. Zebra. Giraffe. Elephant. Buffalo. Wildebeest. Kudu. Waterbuck. Impala. Baboon. Hyena.

Driving north from Satara on the tar road we saw 2 male cheetah with an impala. They had just killed it and one was still biting the neck to suffocate it. After a few minutes they dragged it into the shade and began eating. We realised that they try to hide in the shadows so that vultures can't see them from above but within minutes the vultures started gathering in the nearby trees. Two cheeky jackals also ran in and started pulling bits off the carcass. The cheetahs ate as fast as they could but just like the last time they were eventually chased off by the vultures. We weren't able to get any photos. A little further along we came across a rather nervous group of zebra and impala at a waterhole. They were distress calling and aware of some sort of danger but we couldn't see anything. 

A few hundred metres along we came across the threat; a pride of lions lying in the shade quite near the road. There were 2 lionesses and maybe 6 sub- adults but we couldn't see the male anywhere. One lioness appeared to have a damaged front paw. Some more Impala and warthogs approached and the lions crouched down as if ready to pounce but the buck were aware of the predators' presence long before they posed any danger.

We couldn't believe our luck when a few minutes later we saw 3 more cheetah walking along the road; a mother with 2 sub adults. The male was missing his tale.

The youngsters charged at a steenbok without success and then a little further down the road the mother grabbed a rabbit right in the road. She gave it to her cubs to finish off and eat. Although she did come back to get herself a snack too.

It's a privilege to be in the Kruger with so few other tourists but it's also sad. The tourism sector in South Africa, a massive employer and forex generator has been hit harder than any other industry.