October 2017 – Hillfamily dot net

Vultures

Vultures brought me a lot of enjoyment during the safari. They gathered in sinister-looking trees just like you’d expect and their heads bobbed up and down exactly like the Beatles-type vultures in Disney’s The Jungle Book.

We first saw them trying to get in on the remains of a Cape buffalo taken down by lions. The lions were so full they could barely walk, but they still chased the birds away a few times before giving in. The second group was waiting for a larger group of lions to finish with a zebra. The vultures fought over lion scat and gathered in a nearby tree for their turn with the meal.

Here are a few clips set to “That’s What Friends are For” from The Jungle Book.

And some photos –

Vultures work on buffalo

Vultures fight over lion scat

Vultures work on buffalo

White-backed vultures

Vultures – cape buffalo

Hooded Vulture

Vultures in tree

Vultures wait for their turn at the zebra

White-backed vultures

Safari

I’m waist deep in footage from the South African photo safari we went on last week at MalaMala Game Reserve next to Kruger National Park. Here are a few videos and some of my favorite photos so far –

Elephant and rhinoceros mud bath (safe for all stomachs) –

Lions vs. vultures (warning: a little bit of raw meat) –

Overstuffed lions try to protect the leftovers of a Cape buffalo meal from hungry and persistent vultures.

Zebra feast (warning: medium graphic but super interesting. Noisy eaters!) –

Another Land Rover pulled up behind us and a woman said, “Wait, what are they doing?! Are they eating a zebra?! I do NOT want to see that. I thought they were just hanging out!”