The love of and “love in” the Bush. 

It had been a long day in the Pilanesberg, the family was on its way back to Egoli, the city of Gold, and we decided that rather than hunting for the next shot, we were going to the Malatse hide to let the bush come to us for a change.
Driving into the parking area we were greeted by a larger than usual contingency of vehicles, but we made nothing of it, it was a Saturday afternoon, on a long weekend, after all. We should have sensed the palpable excitement in the air, but it only hit us as we walked in, in that usual, quite, shhh…  it’s a hide kind of way. It was packed and everyone was looking left and as if on command, they turned to us in unison with that expectant look, waiting for us to realize what it was that they were so focused on, wanting to see the excitement on our faces as we spot the beasts that were awaiting.

The pure joy and excitement on everyone’s faces as they spot our reaction the second we saw this stunning feline couple, just on the other side of one of the dam’s inlets, was infectious. This camaraderie and joy was expressed time and time again that afternoon, as family after family walked into the hide. One big surprise after another. The buzz in the hide was electric, the love of the Bush took Centre stage while we were watching “love in the bush”. Youngsters jumping up, offering up their ringside seats, so that we could sit with our gear, everyone more worried than the next about whether the person next to or behind them could see rather than trying to jostle for position.

We spent the rest of the afternoon in the hide, exitement levels going through the roof every time the couple moved. Seeing mating lions was a first for many of people and seeing the fierceness of their interactions had people chuckling in awe. Then suddenly, the show was over and they were gone and with them the hide emptied as with people raced for their cars trying to anticipate the couple’s route. The quiet peace of the bush returned while we stayed and chatted to Dominic, of Pilanesberg Photo Tours, learning about the park, the Pilanes Royal family and just having an all round fascinating conversation with an interesting soul about life and the bush while we waited for the next reveal.

Enquiring if a young family, that had just arrived, had spotted the lions on the road, the answer was clearly visible by the disappointment written all over their faces, but, the bush had us fooled again! Chrissy had wandered off to the car park while this little American lass was taking pictures, of the images on the back of my camera, for her classroom show and tell. I was busy having to explain what these Lions were doing, when a hyperventilating Chrissy came storming back exclaiming excitedly that the Lions had just walked past and were on their way to the road.  And with that, the family was gone, please let them see them we hoped and we settled in to a peaceful Malatse hide sunset again.

With time and light running out, and us contemplating the route back to camp, the female came screaming across the ridge infront of us in full flight, making a dash from her lover, and in a second she was gone and so was our time. We packed up and headed back to camp satisfied by a beautiful afternoon in the park. But it was not over yet, rounding a bend not far from the hide, the American family came past us, ecstatic at their sighting and the show and tell material they had gathered, but the lions were gone they said waving goodbye as they made a dash for their camp.

It was then, as we rounded the next bend, that we saw him, standing there in all his forlorn glory, staring into the hills across the dam. What a sight to see, this black maned Kalahari Lion in the last light the day. He was searching for his mate, but she was gone and he had lost the trail. Wondering around, sniffing every rock and blade of grass he searched for her, but alas, she had left him.It had been a hard days work for this lover and resigning himself to his loss he settled down for a long drink at a pool of water, looking up expectantly every now and then, hoping she may be back, but she was gone.

With a lonely, defeated stride he wondered off into the bush glancing back here and there and with that, he disappeared too. We were elated! What more could we have asked for, besides of course the broken fender from hitting a rock while trying to navigate the Pilanesberg berg roads in revers to get the shots.

But it was totally worth it. For the love of and love in the bush…