Harriet Smith Photography

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"For The Love of Africa"

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Country:              Botswana                                            
Location:              Okavango Delta               
Reserve:              Moremi Game Reserve 
Camp:                   Duba Plains 

This picture shows  four of the seven lionesses herding 100+ buffalo off the plain and into the small trees and dense shrubs. Their plan is to isolate and trap one for the kill. As the buffalo stampede into the brush, clouds of dust rise into the crystal clear blue sky.   The pride hunting methods are ruthless and scientific. Hunts are well organized and lion communication during the hunt is truly amazing.  Lions are not as fast as most of their prey so they rely heavily on the element of surprise when hunting. They don’t have the inclination for a long chase and will not pursue their prey very far if the first attack fails.  In this case the lionesses were successful, but had to bring in the male to finally kill the 1500 pound buffalo.  The male then ate first.  The lionesses were not allowed near the carcass until the male finished.
 
This picture was taken on the Okavango Delta. The Okavango Delta is rightly considered one of the most incredible wildlife and wilderness sanctuaries in Africa.  It is the largest inland delta system in the world, an area of about 6000 square miles, a mosaic of grasslands, floodplains, palm-tree islets, forests, lily lagoons and winding water channels, all combined into a perfectly constructed puzzle, in which animals wander as they please.  What makes this area most remarkable is that it is a wetland paradise located deep within the arid Kalahari Desert.   The Okavango is Africa's largest and most beautiful oasis. The water of the Okavango literally floats on a saturated sea of sand.

Duba Plains is one of the Okavango Delta's most remote camps and is located in the furthermost reaches, north of the Moremi Wildlife Reserve. The camp is built on an island shaded by large ebony, fig and mangosteen trees and surrounded by expansive plains which are seasonally flooded.

Dereck and Beverly Joubert, the world renowned husband and wife wildlife documentary team, spent two years among the prides of lions and a large buffalo herds at Duba Plains Camp filming  Relentless Enemies: Lions and Buffalo, for  National Geographic.

Photographed and Copyrighted ©2005 - 2011 All Right Reserved By: Harriet Smith

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