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Month: December 2021

Moremi Crossing Camp, December 2021

Moremi Crossing Game Drive

We received plenty of rainfall in the Ntswi Reserve that filled the winding channels at Moremi Crossing Camp during the festive season. It may not have been enough for us to ease the motorboats back out onto the waters of the Boro River, but there was an abundance of wildlife to see during walking safaris and game drives. 

“Our big game did not disappoint”, reported Titus. “We managed to spot many big cats this month. Most of our sightings were in the flood open plains because of the clear view of animals from a distance”. 

A coalition of four male lions was seen on a few occasions, and we encountered a leopard attempting an ambush on a breeding herd of impalas. We watched with rapt anticipation for almost an hour, but it was unsuccessful in landing prey. 

We often found Small spotted genets on the hunt during the night drives. These pretty pock-marked carnivores generally forage on the ground for scorpions, spiders and small mammals (such as moles) rushing in to pounce on finding something much as a cat would.  

On one beautiful morning, we found a cheetah marking its territory in an exceptional sighting and later bumped into four Spotted hyenas walking along the road. 

The Ntswi Reserve is blessed with various birds that make each morning special with their sweet calls. Seagull-like cries alerted us to African Skimmers that graced us with their acrobatics this month. They flew low over the waters to the backdrop of a golden evening sky, undeterred by the pods of hippos. We also noted a healthy flock of pelicans, Giant eagle owls, Saddle-billed storks ambushing fish in the streams while Wattled cranes waded gracefully through the water. 

One day, the guides counted a float of 13 crocodiles basking in the sun on the banks of the Boro River, and we also came across a southern African python (formerly known as the African rock python). The plains proved productive for general game, and we saw elephant herds, pairs of common reedbuck grazing, lots of buffalo, plus journeys of giraffe and tsessebe herds. 

Though many of our guests are usually interested in the big five sightings, we loved sharing the secret lives of insects with our safari-goers this month. “We managed to spot insects like dragonflies, damselflies, ground beetles and stick insects”. 

(Note: Accompanying picture is from our Kwando Photo Library which consists of all your great photo submissions over the years, it may not be the most up to date, but we felt it was worthy of a feature alongside this month’s Sightings Report!)

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Dinare Camps, December 2021

Mma Dinare Camp Wildlife

Rains have fallen, the Kalahari dust has settled, and the Gomoti River has started flowing again. “The terrain in the Dinare Reserve has become our Eden”, NT reported. These waters also refreshed the pans too. 

When the sun rose at Mma Dinare Camp during December, it was common to be awakened by the roar of the Great Sankindi. This male lion rules the South East side of the camp with many dominating decibels. A pride of two female lions and two cubs was spotted on several occasions nearby, and the Santawani pride has also reunited into a total of nine lions (five lioness plus their cubs) frequently seen near Rra Mochine Pan. A fantastic sighting of lions mating on the road transfer sent guests back to Maun with a super safari under their belt. 

Most antelopes, such as impala and wildebeest, have dropped their young ones. One of the impala’s most successful tactics is its breeding strategy. All their lambs arrive in a flood that bets on outnumbering the amount that predators can eat. We also observed plenty of hide-and-seek played by mothers as they taught the babies how to survive in the Okavango Delta. 

A female leopard stole the show this month when we ended the year with sundowners on Mma Dinare road. The crafty leopardess killed an impala right in front of guests as they sipped on gin and tonics on 30 December. 

We found spotted hyenas on just about every evening game drive. Their unearthly shrieks and haunting whoops sure added to the mystery of nights in Mma Dinare. During the day, buffalos were a common sighting in front of the main area, under the tents and along the Gomoti River.

A pack of three wild dogs were seen feeding on an impala with five puppies next to Gomoti Crossing. 

This has been the best time to visit the Okavango Delta for birders. With their different shapes and colours of the feathers, migratory species beautified the trees and coloured the skies with melody.

(Note: Accompanying picture is from our Kwando Photo Library which consists of all your great photo submissions over the years, it may not be the most up to date, but we felt it was worthy of a feature alongside this month’s Sightings Report!)

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Tau Pan Camp, December 2021

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is astonishingly green, and we’ve seen many creatures this month, especially in the pans. With such excellent rainfall, animals congregated in large numbers to feed on the nutritious new shoots. One day, we encountered 67 giraffes at the nearby Phokoje Pan! It was amazing to see such high numbers of giraffes, especially since these lofty creatures are undergoing a silent extinction in other parts of Africa. 

Tau Pan has been productive and flush with herbivores, including gemsbok, springbok, red hartebeest and small groups of kudus. Many of these species had newly-born calves too, which attracted predators. We saw several lions from the Tau Pan pride at the water hole. This pride has one female mothering six cubs, four males and another two females. One day, the three males were located at Tau Pan, full-bellied at a carcass. Another male was seen on the second pan from Tau Pan, and the others were roaring ahead of him, urging him to join the feed. On 25 December, we saw the whole Tau Pan pride resting after a hunt – a lovely Christmas present for our guests. 

On a day trip to the Deception Valley, we came across members of the Deception Pride; three of them lay resting in the bushes. 

We did not see any leopard this month, but the staff noted several tracks around the camp. 

Also around Christmas Day, we saw different cheetahs in Tau Pan and San Pan: two cheetahs at San Pan were feeding on a springbok, the four cheetahs found at Tau Pan were hunting but unsuccessful in landing a meal. We saw this trio for two days (one adult female, two sub-adult females), and they were joined by a sub-adult male. Kwando Safaris guides noted that it was very shy. 

Insect activity flourished this month. Thanks to pools of water, we have logged sightings of rainwater scorpions and other exciting aquatic bugs. Even African jacanas have flown in to visit. The Dwarf bittern, Cattle egret, Little grebe, Black crakes and Common sandpiper were all witnessed enjoying the water too. 

Two jackals were seen feeding on a feast of termites after rains softened their mound. Other insects include the shimmering Giant jewel beetles, busy tok-tokkie beetles, and multiple kaleidoscopic butterfly flights; Yellow pansies, African jokers, African monarchs and Zebra whites have all coloured the desert skies.

A female Side-striped sand snake was seen sliding through the bushes, and a Black mamba crossed the road during a game drive.

A honey badger was briefly seen at San Pan before disappearing in a crash through the bushes in contrast to the relaxed caracal located east of the camp, making for fabulous photographs. An aardwolf was spotted to the west, and there were several steenbok and scrub hare sightings. Bat-eared foxes are always a delight, but arguably more so when sporting pups at their den. One pair was seen with a baby this month.

(Note: Accompanying picture is from our Kwando Photo Library which consists of all your great photo submissions over the years, it may not be the most up to date, but we felt it was worthy of a feature alongside this month’s Sightings Report!)

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Nxai Pan Camp, December 2021

The biggest show at Nxai Pan National Park has begun! The zebra numbers started climbing towards the end of the month in what will soon culminate as the second largest migration in Africa when these animals move south from the Savute area to make the most of our luscious landscapes.  

Every day our guides noted the zebra numbers improved, but they were not the only plains game that moved in to enjoy the feast of fresh grass. Many animals resettled to these pans and plains during December, including large herds of wildebeest. One day, we encountered a Black-backed jackal feeding on something that looked like a placenta. On another occasion, we located a zebra foal carcass on West Road, which looked like the tidy remains of a cheetah kill. Two Black-backed jackals were seen feeding on it, but interestingly, no raptors were noted in the area. 

Springboks were seen during every game drive, often nursing their lambs, but our guides on the ground noticed that the Blue wildebeest hadn’t dropped their calves just yet. As always, the waterhole in front of the camp was incredibly active. Breeding elephant herds, buffalo, giraffes, impala, and springbok all stopped past for a drink in the midday heat. 

With the presence of all the young animals, predators were never far behind. As guests had breakfast one morning, our guides heard a lion calling from an easterly direction. They soon located the solitary animal walking along the road as he roared. We followed it for some time, and although it seemed hungry, none of the nearby zebras interested him. We also noticed a tower of giraffes and a few ostriches in the area during this pursuit. Another day, we tracked a pride of eleven lions to West Road, feeding on a giraffe.

Being our rainy season, one afternoon, the clouds gathered into an impressive storm and buckets of rain transformed the camp. Bullfrogs hollered from newly-formed ponds and the central area enjoyed the acoustics of all the thrilled ephemeral insects enjoying renewed waters. Botswana becomes a photographer’s paradise in the green season, and we loved being able to get close to all the frogs! 

Three Grey crowned cranes were also seen at the waterhole in front of camp. Standing rather regally at over a metre high, we never take these sightings for granted as they are an endangered species. We also couldn’t help but wonder how many times they have visited before. Did you know? They can live for up to 22 years in the wild. Furthermore, these clever cranes co-opt with large herbivores (like our blossoming zebra herds) who flush out insects as they walk. 

Meanwhile, two White-headed and a hooded vulture were seen soaring the thermals while the Tawny eagles were ever-present. There was also a fabulous sighting of a pair of Verreaux’s eagle owl spot sitting in a big Purple pod Terminalia tree on the road to the airstrip. 

During a morning drive to Baines Baobabs, there was plenty of general game to be seen. We were beyond pleased to discover two breeding birds making use of the trees on arrival: a pair of pied crows roosting up high plus Southern yellow-billed hornbills nesting in the trunk of the famous sleeping baobab.

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Pom Pom Camp, December 2021

Leopard Tree Pom Pom Camp

This month, walking safaris have been a pleasure. The water has left our floodplains, leaving shorter grass lush and fertile from the floods attracting all manner of species. Guests were granted unique insights into nature, walking with giraffes, red lechwe, zebra and more in areas where vehicles cannot always reach. Ryder highly recommended them, calling this activity “a quiet, tranquil experience in vast wilderness area”.

There’s been an incredible number of general game in the area. Dazzles of zebra, red lechwe (shall we call a group of them a splash?), impala herds, rough and tough old buffalo bulls, elephant breeding herds, plus lonesome tuskers too. 

 Birdlife has been fantastic too. Most of the area is dry, so many birds gather at lagoons for fish trapped in the pools. Guests didn’t even need to leave camp to enjoy the bounty. There was plenty of serene bird watching in the mornings and afternoons in front of Pom Pom amp at the lagoon. We ticked off Wattled Cranes, African Fish eagles, egrets, geese, ibises and vultures awaiting their carrion meals. 

There were several lion sightings in Pom Pom Reserve this month, most of which belong to the aptly named the Pom Pom Pride. We saw one lioness with three cubs of about six months old resting along the road at Motswiri crossing, and another day we counted roughly eleven lions’ tracks heading to the East of our camp. Ryder described how they followed the tracks for almost two hours before locating them resting below a Sausage tree. With its mushroom-shaped canopy of dense foliage and flowers, this tree is a valuable source of shade in summer. The pride consisted of three big males, three lionesses and six cubs of approximately nine months old. One hot day, we saw three lionesses and a male lion mating, and another delivered a lioness hunting one afternoon. It chased a warthog piglet to its fate on the flood plains.

However, the lion sighting of the month award goes to this encounter. “One afternoons, we saw one sub-adult male and two sub-adult females resting by the airstrip. They were new to the area because they seemed nervous. These same lions moved from the airstrip towards camp. After dinner, we heard a lot of hyenas calling behind the staff housing. We found them feeding on a male red lechwe with ten hyenas trying to chase them away from the kill”. The lions managed to keep the kill, licking every last morsel from the bones.   

Pom Pom is renowned for its leopard sightings and this month did not disappoint. One afternoon we saw a female leopard in Mochimbamo Island stalking some stork and pelicans fishing in a waterhole. The hunt was unsuccessful because it was open, however. With no cover for subterfuge, the cat gave up, and we continued with our drive only to find another female with one cub resting on a termite mound at BG spot. One evening sitting around the camp fireplace with three guests, impalas started making alarm calls on the southwest of Pom Pom Lagoon. We invited the guests to accompany our investigation and found a young male leopard by the water. Another morning, we visited a female with two cubs feeding on an impala carcass that had been dragged up into a sausage tree. Leopards are known to prey on antelope that pass below the branches feeding on fallen flowers. 

A pack of two wild dogs has frequently been moving between the airstrip and the camp. At Ghxenega Lagoon, a pack of eleven (six adults and five puppies) delighted many guests during game drives to the northwest of the camp. One day, we saw a group of eleven on Rebecca’s field hunting red lechwe without success. 

The red lechwe is popular prey, but they have a suitable escape mechanism because it often retreats to the water. One morning. Ryder watched a spotted hyena running after red lechwe, but it failed to land the animal. Contrary to Disney films, hyenas are adept predators and often kill their food rather than scavenge.     

Small mammals were commonly seen on night drives, and this month guides recorded sightings of small spotted genet, African wild cat, scrub hares, civets, springhares, side-striped jackals and even banded mongoose, which is unusual. 

This month’s gorgeous photograph comes from Pom Pom Camp guest Simona Fenini-Leoni.

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Lebala Camp, December 2021

A green carpet has been rolled out for all life forms this month! Our landscape has completely transformed. There’s an abundance of fresh pastures. Shrubs are sprouting. The entire panorama shows life at last. 

With the rains intensifying, elephants numbers around the camp have significantly reduced. The abundance of water out in the natural catchment areas leaves little reason for them to venture towards the river for a drink. 

However, three buffalos have been common around Lebala Camp, seen predominantly in the early morning hours and later in the evening. They occupied the eastern side island (where the head guide and manager rooms are), spending their days along Monyumba area and coming to camp later in the evening. More recently, we have noted them roaming around the property even during the daytime. This could be due to fewer people in the camp (December saw the latest COVID-19 variant discovery, Omicron). 

Plenty of general game was seen, ranging from kudus, impalas and giraffes. One night, there was lots of galloping among wildebeests and buffalos at the fire break in front of the camp. The following day, we noticed lion tracks. 

One hot day, two lionesses with three subadults were observed, extremely relaxed under the shade. They headed south of the camp where we had heard male lions calling overnight. We picked up on their tracks following the Golden boys and caught up with them in the company of the lioness with their three cubs all full-bellied.

On New Year’s Eve, the successful killing of a buffalo by lions not far from camp drew the attention of White-backed vultures and Lappet-faced vultures. Guides also noted a Squacco heron, Yellow-billed kite and Yellow-billed stork on their way to investigate the night commotion. 

After a long dry spell of not seeing the male leopard, Mike called the radio with an excited voice to say, “He is still alive”. Fisherman (a resident male leopard) sat high up in a tree, relaxed and dangling his legs. This solitary cat seemed in good shape and looking massive. After months without seeing him, we thought nature might have taken its course, or he had moved to a different area. Good to see you, at last, Fisherman!

We had no sign of wild dogs this month, but we are sure they are still in the area; they have likely moved deeper into the Mopane woodlands. It has likewise been very quiet with cheetah sightings. 

One solitary hyena was spotted in front of the camp on three mornings during breakfast time. It liked to stroll along the fire break, perhaps scouring the plains for impala lambs. At night, we often heard their calls due west of the camp.

Warthogs, bushbucks and squirrels were common around the camp, and our resident porcupine had little ones! We have seen her with them foraging around the office area on a few occasions, but they spent most of their time hidden under the main area deck.

Lappet-faced vultures nested on the Rain tree in the guide’s quarters. These vultures have been seen around the camp for quite some time, and we believe they might have already had chicks. It’s been fascinating to watch them build their nest by collecting twigs around the camp.

The morning calls of Swamp boubou, Red-eyed doves and Black coucal marked the beginning of each summer day. On Christmas Day, we got a gift. A Verreaux’s eagle-owl had caught a mouse. Carmine bee-eaters have also been spectacular to watch. They often feasted on termites in the afternoon. Grey-hooded kingfishers, Striped kingfishers, and the Woodland kingfisher have all been common in the immediate wetland area and easily seen from the entry bridge, accompanied with Southern masked weavers fizzing about the reeds. A Dark-capped bulbul was always seen pitching around the main area, feeding on Fever berries in the company of Arrow-marked babblers. The Pearl-spotted owlet was also resident here, calling in the morning and afternoons. 

The common presence of buffalos around the camp has also brought oxpeckers. Their calls a reminder to be on the lookout for these dagga boys. Cattle egrets have followed them in as well.

(Note: Accompanying picture is from our Kwando Photo Library which consists of all your great photo submissions over the years, it may not be the most up to date, but we felt it was worthy of a feature alongside this month’s Sightings Report!)

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Lagoon Camp, December 2021

Cheetah Lagoon Camp

The area was exquisite this month. After lashings of rain, the vegetation was so green that we could almost taste the fresh smell of Northern Botswana’s beautiful flowers, such as the large Devil thorn, purple Common Barleria, and Wandering jew (Commelina benghalensis).  

Many of the natural waterholes were filled and refreshed from the rain. Driving in the afternoon, we could often hear the pleasing sounds of different frog species, such as the reed frogs and the bubbling kassina. Many leopard tortoises were seen during all game drives as they nibbled on plentiful fresh grass. However, we experienced low elephant numbers in the area. When good rains fill the natural water holes, they tend to linger in the Mopane woodlands.

During nature walks, we had time to appreciate the smaller summer creatures. Scarlet in colour, the velvet mites often emerged following afternoon showers, tok tokkies tapped the ground to attract their mates and baboon spiders sat upon their burrows, a simple hole covered with the newly-spun web. Harvester termites busily made hay with the sun shining and tucked grass into their hollows. Some of these termites were eaten by birds. We’ve noticed they are a favourite snack for Lilac-breasted rollers. It was amazing how we could approach animals on foot, such as zebras and wildebeest. Under correct conditions, we could often safely get as close as 40 meters before animals recognised our presence. The walking range was wonderfully productive and presented the opportunity to share our tracking techniques. Lagoon Camp guests saw the fresh paw prints of black-backed jackals, spotted hyenas, impalas, zebras, and many bird species. Did you know the hornbill hops about for insects leaving a banana-shaped imprint?

The resident coalition of two cheetah brothers was found on the road joining Cutline Road and Alison road, with full bellies. We tracked them again the following day and found them along Maheke Road on the hunt. After spending a morning with them, we left them sleeping.

There have been great sightings of different lion prides in the Lagoon area. We tracked the pride of 13 for about an hour and found them at Muddy Waters feeding on a wildebeest carcass. The Northern Pride (three males and one lioness) was seen at Second Lagoon heading north. Two lionesses with their six cubs were found several times around Grass Pan area, as they were lots of prey species around, such as impalas and zebra.

Guides followed the tracks of the resident pack of 12 wild dogs through the month, noting how they often disappeared into thick bushes. The pack was trying to avoid contact with the lions, which have called every night. One day, we found them crossing the runway and had a fantastic time viewing them in the open.

We also had an incredible sighting of an African rock python close to the airstrip. James located the giant snake as he saw something shining in the summer sun. We followed it as it was crawling slowly toward the runway. Spotted bush snakes were also seen. One even feeding on a house gecko!

A leopardess was seen at Firewood Pan on the hunt, and we followed her several unsuccessful hunting attempts, leaving her when she settled into a Sausage tree. Fresh male leopard tracks led from Second Lagoon north toward Kwena Lagoon, and we followed them until francolin alarm calls sounded. We found him on an impala carcass.

There have been frequent sightings of the rare roan and sable antelope. Many antelopes were accompanied by their young ones this month: impalas, tsessebe, waterbuck and reedbuck all gave birth.

Birdlife was impressive. Plenty of aquatic bird sightings included African fish eagles, wattled cranes, reed cormorants and heron species such as the Goliath, Purple, Grey and Black-crowned night herons. The resident scops and African barred owlets were often located hiding on the trees around the central area, waiting for the sun to set so that they could feed. One evening, a few Peters’s epauletted fruit bats perched low enough for us to observe easily. It was great to see the source of the standard evening call that rings through camp.

Night skies were stunning for stargazing because most of the Southern Hemisphere’s prominent constellations were visible. The brightest star in the entire sky, Sirius from the Canis Major constellation, was seen clearly. The Orion constellation, known as the hunter, also shone brightly on cloudless nights, together with Taurus.

(Note: Accompanying picture is from our Kwando Photo Library which consists of all your great photo submissions over the years, it may not be the most up to date, but we felt it was worthy of a feature alongside this month’s Sightings Report!)

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Splash/Kwara, December 2021

The Kwara Private Reserve sure felt like cat country this month! There were several memorable lion observations, serval sightings and cheetah tracking. 

During December, a pride of five lionesses and their five cubs were frequently encountered. Guests loved watching the happy cubs bounding about in the early morning hours under the watchful eye of the females. Though they appeared relaxed, they were always on high alert! One day, a troop of baboons in the vicinity sounded their brash alarm calls,  which forced the pride to move along. Later, we checked in on the pride and approached the area in time with a single warthog closing in on the sleeping cats. On realising his error, the warthog quickly dashed into an aardvark burrow, and the pride surrounded the hole and started digging. They eventually gave up since the terrain was too tricky.

We often found the five lioness mothers without their cubs, but they never seemed distressed. They are still relatively young, so we know they were likely stashed away somewhere safe during hunts. 

On 27 December, a lioness walked through Splash Camp looking for her pride members, making a contact call as she went along, and we found her the next day at Pelican Pan reunited with her pride and the cubs.

At the end of the month,  five females and four cubs sat at the Kwara airstrip. The pride seemed very hungry and was actively searching for a meal. We followed them until they came to a lagoon with a dead hippo floating in the water. There were dozens of crocodiles feeding on it. For the safety of their cubs, the mother lions decided not to risk it with the crocs and moved on. 

The Mmaleitho pride and the five resident males rested at Splash Enclave the following morning. They spent the whole morning dozing around the fireplace before drinking from the waterhole and proceeding to the other side of the camp, where they spent the afternoon in the shade between rooms 9 and 10.

The male cheetah, Mr Special, was located at Sethabana close to his marking post, but there was little action thanks to wet drizzling rain. Guides noticed that he genuinely did not like to get wet! Guides Josiah and See tracked the animal for eight kilometres one day, only to find him tucked into thick bushes, avoiding the weather. On another more action-packed day, he was seen hunting Tsessebe calves and some wildebeest calves but was unsuccessful in landing any.  

On 28 December, a cheetah and her subadult cub were located north of Wild Dog Pan, but the animals were slightly skittish because lions were calling a mere kilometre away. We followed them north towards the mopane woodland, where they chased some warthogs and managed to catch and kill a piglet. However, the duo could not enjoy their meal as their foe, a male lion, appeared and took over their kill. The following day the guides went to locate them again, finding them at Tau Island, where they were lucky to bring down a reedbuck which they feasted upon peacefully this time around.

A young leopard was located at Motswere pan with an impala kill, and the animal was very comfortable until dusk set in. The animal then started feeding quickly. We suspected the presence of another leopard created this anxious behaviour. Another male leopard was located in Tau Island east of Splash boat station. This big male was wonderfully relaxed, and the team followed him as he climbed trees to demarcate territory.

We also saw small cats throughout the month, especially serval and the African wild cat. Recent bush fires opened the grassland areas, making these secretive and elusive small cats easier to see.  

One day, we found a serval hunting on the edge of marshland along Xugana main road and on another night drive, guests spotted two Serval cats feeding on African bullfrogs that had erupted after the rains. On yet another occasion, there was a great sighting of a relaxed serval along hippo road, but the challenge here was photographing the animal hidden in the tall grass. 

In the aftermath of the aforementioned recent fires, those fresh grasses that revealed shy cats have attracted huge zebras and wildebeests, assembling with other antelopes like tsessebes and impalas, waterbucks and red lechwes, common reedbucks and kudus. Lechwe sightings were a daily sight in front of Kwara Camp. 

In early December, a pack of 18 wild dogs chased a herd of these Red lechwes into the water in front of Kwara Camp. Being unsuccessful, they moved off towards a shaded island and rested until another group of lechwes came through. They gave chase again and killed three animals.

One afternoon we were lucky enough to locate the pack as they started their haunting greeting ceremony before setting off to hunt. The target this time? Zebra and wildebeest calves. The pack tried their best, but the adult grazers kept a strong defence stowing their young safely in the middle of the herd.  

Another pack of 13 dogs were located feeding on an impala. Surprisingly, two male wild dogs arrived on the scene. Strangers to the pack kept their distance until the alpha pair approached the animals. As the alphas came close, the two males displayed submission. However, the rest of the group was unimpressed and left their meal to give chase. 

Another pack of 8 dogs was located in front of Splash Camp with full bellies and bloodied muzzles running towards the eastern side. On the last day of the year, yet another pack of wild dogs was located at Mabala-a-Dikgokong on the hunt. Guests were lucky to send off 2021 with the sighting of a kudu kill.

Three hyenas were located at Hippo Road chasing a young reedbuck into the water, successfully killing it. Our guides noted with interest that the third hyena was a young one, and the two older hyenas would not share the meal until only bone and skin were left. 

A clan of four hungry hyenas were also encountered at Double Crossing, trying to isolate a baby elephant but failed because the matriarchs were simply formidable in their defence. The commotion went on for quite some time until the hyenas gave up.

We witnessed big groups of breeding herds of elephants around and quite an astounding number of giraffes in the area. During a bush walk, guests saw a single elephant bull loping from a safe distance while nearby, plenty of Angolan reed frogs lay in the reeds. Guides also reported a few frogs hiding in the buildings, trying to get away from hungry egrets and herons. 

Common platannas sightings were, er, common. Especially on the roads in the early morning when we found them hopping along the road with hamerkops giving chase. Reptiles were also active this month. A Black Mamba was seen close to Tsum Tsum bridge. It seemed like the serpent was trying to escape the vibration of the oncoming vehicle. On returning from a drive, a bright Spotted bush snake was located at the Splash Camp entrance.

On 19 December, we had an incredible sighting of a female Sitatunga during a memorable boat cruise. The water level in the channels increased a bit thanks to the rain but not significantly.

Civets and genets were commonly spied during night drives, but sightings of White-tailed mongooses were rather notable! We located one close to New Bridge and another at Leadwood Island. An aardvark was also seen south of Splash camp. This strictly nocturnal animal was incredibly relaxed, and guests got some great shots of this rare creature. 

We were also fascinated to watch a Verreaux’s eagle owl swallowing a bullfrog and sat in awe at Kwara Camp when two African fish eagles fought over a barbel with their talons locked to each other until both fell to the ground.

(Note: Some of the accompanying pictures are from our Kwando Photo Library which consists of all your great photo submissions over the years, it may not be the most up to date, but we felt it was worthy of a feature alongside this month’s Sightings Report!)

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