Four lion cubs captured on video 😍 | Download the WildEarth App

Published: Tue, 12/13/22

Four Lion Cubs Born on Amakhala

Recently, four lion cubs were born in a dense riverine area, the first litter of our newest lioness that was introduced on Amakhala Game Reserve a year ago. She is a young, graceful, golden lioness who was successfully released early in 2021 to increase the genetic diversity of the reserve’s lion pride. Her cubs include one male and three females.

The gestation period for a lioness is about 110 days. She will give birth in a secret lair to two to six cubs, staying with them at all times – except to hunt - to ensure their survival, which is threatened by various predators, including hyenas and martial eagles. She must also hunt to maintain her health and milk supply, so the cubs are left alone at times. She finds the safest hiding places she can, and picks up each cub in her mouth, one by one, to move them to safety. For the first eight weeks, our new Amakhala cubs stayed hidden until they were strong enough to follow their mother around. This week, we witnessed the cubs trying meat for the first time. They grow up so fast!

International Cheetah Day
04 December

Image credit: Donovan Hulett

International Cheetah Day (#IntlCheetahDay) - observed worldwide annually on 4 December - was extra special at Amakhala Game Reserve this year, because the two cheetah cubs born here last year are already around 14 months old! Soon, they will be independent, and hunt alone. We also celebrated the more than 20 Amakhala-born cheetah redistributed to other game reserves across Africa and the progress made in saving this iconic species (#savethecheetah).The cheetah is Africa’s most endangered big cat and a protected species. Already 90% of the world’s wild cheetah population has been lost, leaving just 7,100 cheetahs in the wild, one third of which are in southern Africa.

Here at Amakhala, we take pride in our role in cheetah conservation in southern Africa, including the historic reintroduction of wild cheetah back into areas where the species became extinct.Since the reintroduction of cheetah to the reserve in 2003, Amakhala’s cheetah population has shown exciting growth and the reserve has become a source of wild, hardy and healthy cheetah for the South African Cheetah Metapopulation Project managed by the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT). This project aims to strengthen the gene pool, secure a viable cheetah metapopulation in South Africa and implement a more co-ordinated relocation strategy to prevent further decline of cheetah numbers in the wild. Awarded Protected Area Status, we also provide a safe place for our most recent-born cheetah, who will soon hunt on their own. Their mother is catching smaller prey, allowing them to practice taking down prey, crucial for their independence when she leaves them at around 16 months to hunt alone, which will also provide our guests with amazing opportunities to appreciate these iconic animals.

Watch Amakhala Wildlife
on WildEarth App

You can now watch Amakhala Game Reserve’s wildlife anywhere and anytime with the WildEarth app https://wildearth.tv/app/ that is free to download in all app stores. It brings you 14 hours of fresh LIVE content daily from seven wilderness hotspots across Africa, including Amakhala. You can also watch repeats of the LIVE shows or just catch up on highlights if you only have time to watch the best bits. If you subscribe as a WildEarth Explorer, there are lots of extra behind-the-scenes content, along with three amazing water holes in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa that you can watch LIVE 24 hours a day.

For over a decade, WildEarth has been broadcasting LIVE and interactive virtual safaris from some of Africa’s most iconic wildlife destinations to a dedicated global community. The LIVE broadcasts focus on making viewers feel like they are actually on a safari vehicle bouncing around in far-away Africa. WildEarth is a 24/7 LIVE TV television channel and app that reaches 5 million people globally every month on multiple traditional and streaming platforms such as Samsung TV Plus, LG, DSTV, Xumo, Canal +, Plex and more. It has 1039184 followers across all social media platforms and 66483 registered users.

Amakhala Game Reserve Lodge News

Quatermain's 1920's Safari Camp

Overnight in a cave at Quatermain's 1920's Safari Camp. Guests that book a stay in Quatermain's camp for three nights or more, can now swap one of their nights in camp for a wild hike across the stunning Amakhala Game Reserve, traversing through five biomes of pristine Eastern Cape ‘Big 5’ wilderness on foot and spending the night in an equipped cave overlooking the Bushman’s River valley, where tasty bush fare will be prepared for you as you relax and enjoy the view. An adventure truly not to be missed! There is no extra charge for this activity. Please email Julie at [email protected] for more info or to book.

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Bukela Lodge

To refine and highlight the unique and world-class safari experience offered to guests, Bukela Game Lodge is entering an exciting season of change. The transformation included the appointment of a new General Manager, Silma Mostert, and a new Executive Chef, Paul Zacks, who has transformed kitchens throughout Southern Africa. Together, this power pair has introduced and implemented a 5-star menu, featuring innovative new dishes showcasing the flavoursome culinary delights our malaria-free game lodge is known for. These changes have seen the team on the ground revitalised and ready to take on a bumper Festive Season!

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Hlosi Game Lodge

Our recent menu relaunch at Hlosi Lodge offers guests a fresh take on the best-loved classics: a wonderful taste adventure for young and old to enjoy! With her strong background in food and beverage management, General Manager Sanet Potgieter has set our family-friendly lodge apart from the rest with fresh flavours paired perfectly with the culinary delights guests love. Sanet and her team joined forces with a well-known Executive Chef to create fresh dishes for a menu designed to wow our guests. The outstanding new breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus will allow for a truly memorable dining experience at our beautiful lodge.

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Safari Lodge

Welcome to our newest team members! Bradley Links, Vuyelwa Dayiman,Vuvu, Soni Ndindwa (Back) and Kim Gallant, Maya Jewel (Front). Friendly and well-trained, these wonderful people have joined our team to look after all your needs when you visit us at Amakhala Game Reserve’s Safari Lodge. On average, our lodge employs two staff members for every guest, and now that we are welcoming ever-more visitors after the Covid travel restrictions have been lifted, we are delighted to grow our team. We are very proud that our Fair Trade certification means that we employ local people and also that our procurement is done locally.

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Bush Lodge

We are excited to announce that our Whisper Room at the Bush Lodge is open again! At this peaceful retreat, you can enjoy a range of therapeutic and pamper spa treatments offered by our qualified spa therapist. After an exhilarating day on African safari, searching for amazing wildlife across the magnificent Amakhala Game Reserve, a relaxing spa treatment is an incredibly luxurious experience. Surrounded by the beautiful bush, this is an ideal place to relax and unwind under big open sky views, while still being able to watch in comfort the animals, including our resident warthogs, drinking from the watering hole.

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Woodbury Lodge

Four bathrooms have been upgraded in our sleeping units at Woodbury Lodge, lending fresh style and elegance to your en-suite experience! Enjoy the breath-taking views over the plains at your leisure from the comfort of a free-standing bath, or make use of the hand-made wooden counter piece with “his and hers” sinks.

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Woodbury Tented Camp

Over at Woodbury Tented Camp, we recently hosted Roddy & Kate Fox, who are some of our most loyal guests and have enjoyed several visits to the Camp over the years. As usual Roddy kindly shared his exquisite photos from their time with us!

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Amakhala Foundation Stories

Bavumeleni Pre-School Visit

In November, 22 learners between 2 and 5 years old from local surrounding pre-schools in Paterson came to visit Amakhala Conservation Centre. The theme for the visit was “Spekboom” to introduce the kids to the special Spekboom/Pork bush plant. The visit was also to allow them to enjoy themselves, as they were visiting a nature reserve for the first time! Thanks to Amakhala Foundation staff, the school teachers and school caretaker, and Amakhala Volunteer Masixole Ntsele, the fun activities included making paper hats, some muddy gardening, a tour of the Harold Trollip museum, and a fun race to end the day.

World Animal Day - 04 October 2022

On World Animal Day 2022, Amakhala Conservation Centre hosted 16 pre-school children from Masakhane pre-school in Paterson. The theme of the day was “The Big 5”, with the aim to introduce the children to these iconic animals on their very first visit to a nature reserve. During the day, organised by Amakhala Foundation staff and volunteers, and the pre-school teachers, the kids learnt about the names, behaviour, looks and diets of the iconic “Big 5” wild animals, made animal masks of a Big 5 animal of their choice and created a poster celebrating World Animal Day.

National Reptile Awareness Day
21 October 2022

Amakhala Conservation Centre celebrated this year’s National Reptile Awareness Day by hosting 26 learners, aged 1-3 years, from Masakhane pre-school from Paterson. Because tortoises are the most common reptiles the children often see in Paterson, the theme was “Love Tortoises”. Amakhala Foundation staff and volunteers, and two Masakhane teachers, showed the children how to love and respect the tortoises, and also how to protect them, most importantly by never picking them up unless it is an emergency. Other fun activities included making tortoise hats, painting a poster for National Reptile Awareness Day and a fun racing game to end the day.