Tue, Dec 11, 2018

I’d always heard of the Big Five in Africa and I knew that the term referred to the five most coveted animals of the big game hunters.   My how times have changed as the only shooting I’d approve of is done with a camera.

The Big Five are the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo and I’d hoped to see them all.  But it was not to be as Botswana’s government has relocated the rhinos to protect them from poachers.  And all I have to say about the latter is that there’s a special place in Hell waiting for them.

Although we were not able to see a rhino, we did see plenty of lions, elephants, Cape buffalos and a leopard.

Here’s an early morning shot of the mating lions in the golden sunshine.  He’s a beautiful specimen in his prime whiles she’s a gorgeous lioness.  More on the randy couple in a separate X-rated post.

I didn’t think that we’d have an opportunity to see a leopard but our guides were very good!  This one was spotted and we tracked it for a while and I feel very fortunate to get such pictures of this beautiful animal.

Next up is a mother elephant with her infant.  S/he was the smallest elephant that we saw and mom was very protective.  They’re on their way to the watering hole where the elephants were having a party.

And finally a shot of a Cape buffalo.  No doubt he’s happy to have the birds picking ticks and other insects off of his back!