This sub-adult lion seems quite happy to drink while this large southern African python Python natalensis emerges from the waterhole. It is likely that the snake went into the water to assist with sloughing its old skin. This individual is over 3m in length, and probably weighs over 30kg, more than a match for the lion!

One of the most common birds of prey seen at our waterholes is the African hawk eagle Aquila spilogaster. Here we see one that has successfully caught a helmeted guineafowl Numida meleagris – also by far the most common ground bird seen at our waterholes.

Once focused on their potential prey, lions will take the most direct route – including jumping over waterholes!

We have very few cheetah on Ongava, probably as a consequence of having high densities of lions in our plains habitat areas. Most individuals cross our northern boundary with Etosha National Park, stay for a while, then move back to Etosha.

Even though these sub-adult lions are over 2 years old, they don’t seem to have lost their playful instincts – in this case even extending that play into the waterhole…