As <strong>the</strong> pair approached <strong>the</strong>ir target he rose to meet <strong>the</strong>m, but what k<strong>in</strong>d of reaction were <strong>the</strong>y go<strong>in</strong>g to get? It turns out that our girls, Phyre and A<strong>the</strong>na, were quite def<strong>in</strong>itely on heat. They flirted for all <strong>the</strong>y were worth before roll<strong>in</strong>g around <strong>in</strong> front of Milo try<strong>in</strong>g to look allur<strong>in</strong>g. Milo simply stepped to <strong>the</strong> side and ur<strong>in</strong>ated on his own feet. Then he found a bail of cut grass which seemed less <strong>in</strong>timidat<strong>in</strong>g than two over eager females and made friends with that. But still, <strong>the</strong>re were two pairs of eyes watch<strong>in</strong>g his every move... Early on <strong>the</strong> morn<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> 18 th <strong>the</strong> different herds of zebra were located, but <strong>the</strong> comb<strong>in</strong>ed total of which <strong>in</strong>dicated that one was miss<strong>in</strong>g! However, technical problems with telemetry meant that f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> lions who were <strong>the</strong> presumed source of <strong>the</strong> absentee zebra was challeng<strong>in</strong>g. The first breakthrough was Milo who was <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> same location as <strong>the</strong> previous even<strong>in</strong>g, flanked ei<strong>the</strong>r side by A<strong>the</strong>na and Phyre. But <strong>the</strong>re was no sign, or signal still, for <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r five females, although two important observations were made from A<strong>the</strong>na. The first th<strong>in</strong>g was that she had been sport<strong>in</strong>g a bad limp for <strong>the</strong> previous few days, most likely caused by a pulled muscle dur<strong>in</strong>g a hunt. The cont<strong>in</strong>ual follow<strong>in</strong>g of Milo around <strong>the</strong> site had done noth<strong>in</strong>g to improve its condition. But under her ch<strong>in</strong> was <strong>the</strong> tell-tale red smudge; blood. Her stomach also looked slightly distended. But not Milo's, and Phyre was partly obscured from sight. The logical conclusion was that somewhere <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> site <strong>the</strong>re was a dead zebra, which <strong>the</strong>se girls had fed from (<strong>the</strong>y usually get to eat first) but had left to rejo<strong>in</strong> Milo, who at this po<strong>in</strong>t was seem<strong>in</strong>gly completely unaware of <strong>the</strong> available meal. And most likely that <strong>the</strong> kill was made after sunset ra<strong>the</strong>r than before dawn so <strong>the</strong> girls had time to feed, lie around a bit and <strong>the</strong>n return to Milo. All <strong>the</strong>se assumptions however were frustrat<strong>in</strong>g ra<strong>the</strong>r than helpful, given that <strong>the</strong> telemetry was tak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> morn<strong>in</strong>g off. Patience however is a virtue, and after some wait, Phyre got up and started walk<strong>in</strong>g off, shortly followed by A<strong>the</strong>na. Their route diverted away from <strong>the</strong> waterhole and straight <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> middle of a herd of impala; which Phyre (despite hav<strong>in</strong>g clearly eaten) attempted to stalk, but <strong>the</strong> hunt was ru<strong>in</strong>ed by a limp<strong>in</strong>g A<strong>the</strong>na who ambled <strong>in</strong>to pla<strong>in</strong> view. Their march cont<strong>in</strong>ued towards <strong>the</strong> Grasslands area of <strong>the</strong> site, an extremely open area of grass just over <strong>the</strong> height of <strong>the</strong> lions, but has been popular with zebra for <strong>the</strong> last week. If <strong>the</strong>y had <strong>in</strong>deed made a kill here it must have been one of <strong>the</strong>ir most difficult yet. Draw<strong>in</strong>g closer, a head appeared above <strong>the</strong> grass. And <strong>the</strong>n one by one <strong>the</strong>y came out to greet <strong>the</strong> arriv<strong>in</strong>g Phyre who had left <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>jured A<strong>the</strong>na trail<strong>in</strong>g beh<strong>in</strong>d. All of <strong>the</strong>m except Nala that is, who was ra<strong>the</strong>r preoccupied. As Phyre stepped <strong>in</strong> to nibble on <strong>the</strong> rema<strong>in</strong>s all of <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs headed off <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> direction of <strong>the</strong> closest waterhole. The rest of <strong>the</strong> girls had a dr<strong>in</strong>k, teamed up with A<strong>the</strong>na and started a very heavy snooze. Based on stomach sizes it is likely that Kenge with Nala and Narnia were present at <strong>the</strong> time of <strong>the</strong> kill, ate a fair portion of it and <strong>the</strong>n all <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r girls arrived at various po<strong>in</strong>ts. Phyre rejo<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>the</strong>m a little while later and <strong>the</strong>y all went to sleep. Milo arrived some time later. Maybe he will notice <strong>the</strong> next time his pride makes a kill. <strong>African</strong> <strong>Lion</strong> & <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>Trust</strong> 10
Kwali <strong>African</strong> <strong>Lion</strong> & <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Research</strong> <strong>Trust</strong> 11