When I beefed that my tank of readers’ photos was low, reader Russ Collins came through in spades, with a bunch of lovely Big Cat pictures from Africa.
I’ve often thought of contributing to your reader’s wildlife photos series, but never seem to get around to doing it. Your mentioning that the ‘tank was low’ earlier today has finally spurred me into action. Attached are some photos of felids taken during an overland trip from Cape Town to Victoria Falls in the autumn of 2010.The photos of the cheetahs [Acinonyx jubatus] are from the Otjitotongwe Cheetah Park in Namibia, a cheetah rescue centre that works with local farmers to capture, rather than kill, animals that are attacking livestock. After getting an up-close look at some ‘tame’, hand-reared cheetahs (the one in the green grass) we were taken out to the reserve for the feeding of the wild cats. The competition for chunks of goat created a bit of tension between these normally solitary animals.
The next few photos are of a lioness [Panthera leo] chasing a zebra [Equus zebra] in Etosha National Park. The zebra escaped unharmed. This time.
The last few photos are from a lion reintroduction project. They raise cubs by hand for eventual release in a fenced reserve where they are expected hunt and fend for themselves, and to give birth to the next generation. Their progeny, who will never have contact with humans, can then be released into the wild. In exchange for a donation you can walk with the cubs, although in our case I’m not sure ‘cubs’ was right word, they were well on their way to being full grown lions. Still, it was a great experience to walk with and pet (briefly) these amazing animals.
By the way, these we’re taken with a Pentax Km with a 55-300mm zoom. Not high end kit for sure, but it’s hard to beat its price to performance ratio.
Oh, as a bonus I’ve added a photo of my rescue ‘whisky’ kitties [Felis silvestris catus]: mother Talisker (tortoiseshell) and daughter Oban.
Very nice photos. I dream of an African photo safari, but fishing trips always seem to get in the way.
Wonderful photos! The photographer even caught the saliva trailing off the fangs in pic 3! Even though I know that big cats have to eat other animals, I don’t like to think about it, so I’m very glad the zebra got away….this time. Mama and daughter kitties are lovely! I love torties & had a very sweet tortie in the past (RIP Lily).
Wow, wonderful! I love the beautiful eyes in the second last lion photo.
Outstanding images!
Lovely big kittehs!
Notice the bystander ungulate-type animals in the background of the 4th lion vs. zebra photo. They’re watching the lion chasing the zebra in a sort of “huh!” way.
I also noticed the watchers. I find myself wondering if they are “learning”.
Also the little antelope running to get out of the way. ‘Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!’
It’s wasn’t about running fast, just faster than the zebra!
Fantastic pics – enjoyed them very much.
Especially the white-faced one with the sticking-out ears…”whoah”
Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis)? I’m not up on my artiodactyla identification. Not that I’m good at the perissodactyla either. Any clarification on the different Zebra species/subspecies, all I remember is my local animal prison (zoo) used to have a butt-guide to different zebra species.
Looking around to learn new stuff, it seems the zebra might be a Burchell’s zebra, identified by the two-toned stripes with the stripes extending under the belly. This is a sub-species of the plains zebra Equus quagga.
I’m thinking Impala, Nyala (white-marked one in back), and possibly a Gnu! 😀 (Dark one in back.)
Nix that–you’re absolutely right with the springbok!
Beautiful kittehs, all🐯
Oban and Talisker? I think I know what you like!
Jerry, it would of course be a Good Thing if you visited here.
The sequence of the lioness hunting is stunning! I love the diversity of animals in the background in the second to last photo in the sequence.
Yes, indeed.
Oh, yes!
Outstanding!
Ooh, Big Caturday! Paws raised!
Thanks for making my day.
Amazing photos!
Thank you for all the kind compliments, I’m glad you enjoyed the photos.
When I told they girls that they’re now famous they replied, unsurprisingly,“of course we are, now where’s our dinner.”
Following in Hili’s pawsteps, they are. 😀
I probably should know this, but what do you mean by “whisky” kitties?
Wonderful shots, all! Very cool how in the first of the stalking series, the zebra is not yet aware of the cat!
The springbok must be, though; probably waiting to see which way to run.
Thanks for submitting these!
They’re named after two of my favourite Scotch Whiskies. 😉
Great series of photos today!!! Stunning felids I must say.
Perhaps your next cat will be named Dalwhinnie…that’s my fave. 🙂
Which reminds me of something I “learned” a long time ago (I don’t remember the source; for me, a long time ago could possibly mean I got it from the creationists, in which case it’s probably just stuff they made up), but which I’d really like to have verified (if true). It was a collection of two related “facts”:
1) That a lion chasing a zebra is only success about once in every 20 tries.
2) The zebra, as the lion is closing in, has a last-ditch defense mechanism of kicking out with its hind legs. In doing so it will occasionally break the lion’s jaw. Then not only does the zebra get away, but the lion, unable to eat, starves to death.
Can anyone verify or debunk this? Thanks in advance!
1) may as well be true. They often fail. I had heard somewhere that hyenas have a higher percentage since they do not run as fast but run for a long time, driving their prey into exhaustion.
2) is true on occasion. I do not think it is a constant defense, but it does happen sometimes, according to a nature documentary that showed it.
Thanks!
There are very few places where you could see that these days in Africa…
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