Photos, Research, and Stories from Gombe, Tanzania (1974)
and the Okavango Delta, Botswana (1977-80), by Curt Busse
Photo Gallery of Okavango Baboons – Page 3
Lions, Hyenas, and Wild Dogs
Lions
We saw these lions, including an adult male, during an overnight trip to the top of Chief’s Island.
Say hello to the three lionesses who treed me one night at the baboon roost on White Island.
We saw these three ladies an average of once a month, sometimes while following the baboons on foot.
Spoor.
When you’re walking around and see this, it’s time to keep your head up and your eyes peeled.
Bonus photos (by Bill Busse): we took a safari to northern Botswana with legendary guide, Lloyd Wilmot. He got out of the Land Rover to attract this young male’s attention so that we could get better photos.
Eventually, the curious cat got a little too close for comfort – even for Lloyd – who scared it off by tossing a sandal in its direction.
Hyenas
A hyena bites into the leg of a giraffe.
An adult giraffe observes from afar while the hyena consumes the remains.
Hyenas will chew on just about anything, including our motorcycle. One night they bit through a tire and part of the seat. (At least they spared our tail light.)
Another night we accidentally left a case of cat food outside. Hyenas bit into every can and squeezed out all of the food.
Wild Dogs
I saw wild dogs an average of twice a year.
Here’s a good-sized pack of wild dogs resting at the dry crossing just north of Camp Island.
At the water hole formed after the collapse of Lloyd’s Bridge at the Camp Island water crossing.