4:30 AM wake-up call from the male lion looking for his mate.
Iris: "Barbara, are you awake? Did you hear that?"
Barb: "Yes, sounds like an elephant."
Iris: "I think it's a male lion."
Barb: "I'm going to take a look. I can't see anything because our thatched roof is covering everything."
Iris: "I'm glad I didn't end up with the single supplement. I'd be afraid to be alone in a tent hearing that."
Barb: "I hope the Lees (Georgia and Don) are OK. Things are pretty quiet near their tent."
Turns out the Lees slept right through all the excitement, but others were awakened as well. Mike, one our guides, told Pam and Shelly (whose tent was located somewhere in the north forty - it was so far away from the lodge) that, "there's lions everywhere, but it's safe to walk." Really made you want to sleep with one eye open.
During breakfast, a group of eland were drinking from our watering hole (this was considered a royal sighting - I think because it had not happened for many years).
The "royal" eland visit the watering hole.
Animals sighted during the morning safari drive included eland, steenbok, wildebeest (which Victor told us was an animal made out of leftovers on a Friday afternoon), hippo, a baby waterbuck nursing (these are the common waterbuck who have the Target circle logo on their butt. Victor said they didn't wait for the toilet lid to dry. ha ha! We also saw kudu, elephants, Southern giraffe babies, the black-backed or silver-backed jackal (AKA the BBJ), martial eagle, crowned crane and white-back vulture. We also saw the largest termite mound so far, which Victor stood on for a photo shoot.
Wildebeest engaging in gang warfare.
Playful hippos taking bites out of each other.
Mother and nursing baby waterbucks.
Two young giraffes.
Black-backed jackals (BBJs).
Martial eagle in flight.
Victor atop the largest termite mound we found.
The monitor lizard demonstrates
amazing camouflage capability.
The beautiful sable antelope.
A very pregnant zebra.
Mike was our guide for the evening safari. Of the 3 guides, only he spotted the 2 female lions not even 2 minutes upon leaving the camp. They were obviously full from a recent kill and were resting near a small pond of water, trying to quench their thirst. We sat and watched them for a long time, hoping they would lead us back to the male (who we heard earlier this morning) and the cubs. The good news was that we did eventually find them all, but the bad thing was that it was dark and very difficult to get good photos. That evening we also spotted red-billed francolion, side-striped jackal (AKA SSJ), bat-eared fox and ostrich.
Two lions sleeping off the effects of a recent, big dinner.
Anxiously listening for her mate and her cubs.
Heading home to the husband and children.
The bat-eared fox - the animal on the Chobe National Park sign.
Male ostrich in heat (showing pink legs and neck).
Lilac-breasted roller (our favorite colorful bird).
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