The Roaring Lions of the Selous Game Reserve
The lions in the Selous Game Reserve in southern Tanzania are
present in huge numbers; an estimated four thousand lions. They
are common everywhere in the northern part of the Selous; and as
luck would have it this is where almost all the tourist camps
are to be found. If you plan to have a lion safari in the Selous
you will not be disappointed. However, they are not so easy to
spot in this reserve as they are in the open grass land of the
Serengeti in the north of Tanzania. The dense vegetation is the
perfect cover for the shy Selous lion to take shelter and hide
from the safari vehicles.
Along the mighty Rufiji River there are eleven prides of lions.
To stay in a tented lodge on the Rufiji River is an amazing
experience as you can hear the roar of the Selous lion over a
distance of eight kilometers. As you hear the roaring coming
closer and closer it can be quite frightening - which adds to
the safari experience. Lions are not afraid of open fires so do
not go wandering around at night. However, a closed tent is
quite safe even if the whole pride decides to settle around your
tent.
Lions may be popular with the tourist but they are less than
popular with the villages around the Selous. In a single year up
to forty villagers fall prey to lions. The lions will usually
attack anything from an impala to a buffalo; many of the attacks
are unsuccessful. However, when they succeed they pull the
victim down and bite into the throat and slowly strangle it.
The leopard is a solitary animal that is largely nocturnal. They
are rarely spotted by tourists and though to be a much rarer
animal. This is not the case; in fact the leopard out number the
lions by a large margin. As these animals are no longer killed
from their fur and so they are no longer an endangered species.
The leopard prefers the dense bush and thickets and is harder to
spot although they often live in close proximity to humans. The
Matamwe Game Post often looses chickens to the leopard. They are
proficient hunters and like to eat bush buck, fish, insects,
birds and monkeys are one of their favorite foods. Often they
will drag the kill into the branches of a tree, and so to look
out for scratches on the bark of a tree will indicate that
leopards are not far away.
The cheetah is a rare site in the Selous Game Reserve although
there have been more sightings in recent years. It is thought
that the lack of open grassland together with the high density
of other predators is not well suited for this animal.
The Selous Game Reserve has a high density of predators, the
highest numbers of Elephant in Tanzania and is one of the last
places to see the rare wild dog in large numbers. The Selous is
a incredible place to go on a safari. It is not as popular as
the Serengeti but it probably is a much better and quieter place
to experience Africa. With the Serengeti's park fee's doubling
on 1 January 2001 I can see the Selous becoming the Park to
visit in East Africa.