Week 326 ( 20th - 26th November 2009 )
Madonna’s cubs have an opportunity for learning and the boys have some serious fun
Madonna was persuaded into the Quarantine Camp in preparation to sending her kids into Tigers’ Roars alone to continue their training. This is to confirm whether or not they are willing and/or able to initiate a hunt. The trick now awaiting me is to get them into Tiger’s Roars, perhaps they will react to the whistle and a bribe…….there is nothing like a bribe!!!!! The following day it appeared as if she doesn’t miss her cubs at all – the same however, cannot be said of her kids – who made frequent trips to the fence searching for company. If they couldn’t have their mum ANYBODY would do even Hulooo and the gang. A day later there were two new arrivals in the Camp; a blesbuck and the springbuck have both given birth during the night. By the afternoon the kids had made no attempt to hunt – begging at the fence instead. A day later there were another two blesbuck additions to the herd and one adult female has disappeared. It is possible that the cubs have hunted but it is also possible that the buck died during birthing and the cubs came across the carcass – providing an easy meal. Neither of the cubs was visible in the morning proving that they had eaten. By the end of the week they were still not asking for food and for most of the time, not even company.
During the week I was visiting the boys, I yanked out the camera and disaster struck – the lens hood fell off and landed in their camp. I watched helpless as JenB walked over and carefully picked it up and waltzed off to the river with it held securely in his mouth. Hulooo realised that he had something and also wanted some and they bickered in the reeds over it, growling and snapping. Of course, as soon as JenB snapped at Hulooo he dropped the hood and quick as lightning Hulooo snapped it up and that was the end of the hood. Whilst Hulooo and JenB were tussling over the “toy” Coco paced the fence – totally disinterested in his brother’s antics.