It was a very quiet time for cheetahs and lions, with only lion tracks being seen until towards the end of the month when the Island pride (two adult females with four sub-adults) were finally found at grass pan, looking fit, fat and healthy. They were feeding on a young giraffe at the time – a trick catch, that not all lions will attempt.
Leopards, however, were more prevalent than the lions and there were several sightings each week of males and females.
The wild dogs were seen often, the Lagoon pack of 21, and also a few sightings of the Southern pack. The Lagoon pack seems to have begun hunting a lot of warthog of late, and this is the kills that they have been most frequently seen with this month – a change to the normal diet of impala.
The breeding herds of elephants are now moving back into the area in large numbers, and this will continue to grow throughout the season. Its only for a month or two each year after the first rains have started that they move off to other areas to feed on the diverse vegetation. The attraction of plentiful water and abundant trees keeps them in our areas in large numbers during the winter months.
Lots of general game, and good sightings of roan and sable antelopes. Like last month, there was also a very lucky sighting of an aardvark on one night drive!