One day, Tau Pan guests were treated with an extraordinary encounter as their game drive met with a brown hyena heading eastward.
Another morning, a puff adder and a Mozambique spitting cobra engaged in a fierce battle over a mouse. We later found the puff adder amusing itself with a tortoise’s intriguing behaviour in the Passarge Valley.
The cunning cheetahs of the Central Kalahari
During a delightful afternoon game drive, guides located a satiated male cheetah leisurely heading eastward. Another male cheetah marked his territory near the pan, exuding plenty of confidence. Near Makgowa Pan, we witnessed an exhilarating chase as he pursued a duiker!
A timid male leopard frequented Phukwi Pan, while another male was seen gracefully perched on a tree savouring a steenbok feast. Meanwhile, the female leopard was spotted indulging in a black-backed jackal meal.
The Tau Pan lion pride
Another memorable morning, we discovered the Tau Pan lion pride, fully satisfied, and they sought refuge southwest of the pan. They also paid the camp a surprise visit, quenching their thirst at the swimming pool before resting in front! We often heard their calls echo through the air as they lingered west of the fire break.
The Tau Pan pride stealthily stalked oryx and springboks throughout April. Along the Aardvark road, the Airstrip pride playfully frolicked before making their way to Makgowa Pan. As the Kalahari sun intensified, they sought shelter under shade to rest. North of camp, near the workshop, we stumbled upon the Tau Pan pride with their adorable cubs, engaging in playful antics before retreating into the thickets.
Most autumn mornings, we witnessed a tapestry of general game and bird species spread across the Tau Pan area. Bat-eared foxes, oryx, springboks, jackals, wildebeests, giraffes, and energetic ground squirrels dotted the landscape. Majestic tawny eagles soared above, joined by the impressive bateleurs. Vultures swooped down, feasting on the smaller creatures, adding to the avian spectacle.
(Please note: For the safety of the animals, we do not disclose the precise location of either rhino or pangolin sightings. 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!)