Amber Valley Game Area - Blesbok Lamb

Amber Valley Game Area
Zebra steals Blesbok lamb
5 November 2021

Edith Dempster
and grandchildren
Ryan and Rachel Sheard

Photography copyright
Rachel Sheard
Rachel's article for the School Newspaper

Amber Valley Game Area - Blesbok Lamb


A blesbok ewe gave birth in the game area in front of 9 Tawny Lane on 5 November. Mother and lamb seemed to be healthy and the baby was suckling. The next day around midday, I noticed a commotion amongst the game on the hillside opposite Tawny Lane. Then I saw the lamb accompanied by a zebra, who seemed to be guarding it.

Later I walked up the hillside with Ryan and Rachel and we watched from the pathway. I took some videos with my cellphone and Rachel took photos with Rob?s camera. We saw the zebra guarding the lamb from other zebras and from blesbok. The mother tried repeatedly to reach the lamb, but she was being chased away by another blesbok and the zebra. Every time the lamb tried to get away, the zebra headed it off.

On 7 November, Rob and I walked up the hillside. The zebras and blesbok were still there, but there was no sign of the lamb. We found a fresh hindquarter of a small antelope on the path and assume the jackals got the exhausted lamb during the night.


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The Blesbok lamb
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