Week 331 (25th - 31st December 2009 )
Another week in paradise – Cathay and 327 reunited
Cathay started her day in the deep shade of the grove and paid little heed to my arrival (or departure for that matter). In the afternoon she had shifted to the shade at the trough and was chewing on a scrap of wildebeest skin. Once she had eaten all she could off it she wandered around in search of something else, I then produced the blesbuck leg and she fell on it like she had never in her entire life seen food and immediately carried it back to her camp to dispose of in the shade. Judging by this behaviour, it would appear that she has recovered from the loss of her cub. Who knows – maybe she has been sending covert massages to 327. Later in the afternoon he was pacing back and forth along Ripples fence hoping to attract Cathay’s attention. When that didn’t work he tried rolling around in the dust. He then got up and furtively looked around to see if anybody had been witness to the temporary loss of his marbles.
A day or so later Cathay must have had an inkling that she was to be reunited with 327 and whilst I was unlocking the interconnecting gate she galloped over to where he was already waiting, she squeezed through the opening (which was barely big enough) amidst much chuffing from 327. Once she was properly in the camp she answered his chuffs with as many of her own and then they bounced around together like excited teenagers. After this had been worn out they patted one another on the head and Cathay set off to explore with 327 hot on her heels. Cathay sprayed all the bushes on her journey and 327 had the opportunity to pull funny faces. Later in the afternoon they were lying together in the shade rubbing heads and licking each others faces.