Roaring melodies of lions east and south of Splash camp, seemingly from Moremi Game Reserve, led us to discover the Mma Leitlho female with two males atop a termite mound.
Boineelo and Boago, these males, arrived in February 2023, and their vigilant presence suggests protection for cubs. Mma Leitlho’s daughter seems to have her cubs hidden within Tau Island. These males have now assumed control of Mma Leitlho’s pride, last seen two months ago, with the young female lioness taking the lead in mating activities.
Nights around the Kwara Camp fire echoed with the spotted hyena calls. A relentless chorus to the east hinted at nocturnal affairs. We hopped into the vehicles and located an unexpected battle — a buffalo bull under siege from the cunning hyenas. The rear, tail and genitals of the buffalo were already eaten. Still, the animal put up a tremendous fight, even retreating to the (relative) safety of the water, but eventually succumbed to its wounds and was devoured by the hyenas.
At the break of one beautiful dawn, we saw the grand silhouette of three male lions from the Kwara pride indulging in a feat — a giraffe, a fallen giant from the moonlit hunt. The rest of the pride remained hard to pin down, prompting a trip toward the far reaches of the reserve, Last Mabala beckoning. Yet, under the spotlight’s glow the next night, an abandoned feast greeted us — vultures and hyenas performing nature’s cleanup. The pride had ventured into the deep mopane woodland, leaving only tracks.
Tracking the creatures of Kwara
A force to be reckoned with in the region, tracking led us to a formidable pack of 22 wild dogs at Kelvin Crossing. This pack of 22, once part of a larger group of 27, demonstrates a remarkable ability to dominate various species in the area. Later that day, the pack successfully hunted a common reedbuck. Another pack of six indulged in a more stationary feast in Willie’s Valley.
The search for resident cheetahs fanned guests onto both southern and eastern safari expeditions. Tracking male lions, our team intercepted signs of a female cheetah from the previous night. This cheetah, known for favouring marshes and mopane woodlands, was found with her three to four-month-old cubs concealed under mopane shrubs near Splash Camp. Vultures perched on the sidelines of their impala kill on another day, a concern in case hyenas or lions lurked in the vicinity. Yet, relief embraced us as the family enjoyed their banquet.
The male cheetah, Mr. Special, was tracked from north to south. His recent feat included chasing and capturing a heavily pregnant female impala, a poignant scene in the lambing season.
Another male graced Motswiri Pan, claiming his territory with a young warthog kill.
A lovely leopardess and her cubs
Under the warm midday sun one day, we encountered a female leopardess with her cub nestled beneath the magic guarri shrubs near a massive termite mound east of Kwara airstrip. On another nearby island, squirrels chattered madly, leading our vigilant trackers to a mother leopard resting on a lower branch of a sausage tree, her two cubs concealed in the shadows. Shyness veiled the cubs, denying us their playful antics. Hours later, hunger drove the mother alone, a solitary figure navigating the marshes in search of sustenance for her hidden offspring.
We clocked eyes on an aardwolf on the eastern side of the Kwara Private Reserve. Aardwolves are generally shy and elusive, making them challenging to spot in the wild. They often rely on their cryptic colouration, which helps them blend into their grassland habitats.
Springhares also appeared in the evening’s spotlight; their nocturnal hops are always a delight. Genets, silent and elusive, completed the cast of twilight mysteries.
Giants sought refuge in wooded shades. Elephants and buffaloes emerged in the cooler hours, their massive herds a spectacle of life amidst the heat. Plains game added to the summer landscape with newborn impalas, tsessebes, and wildebeests.
Banded mongooses paraded through the rejuvenated landscape. Dung beetles and long-horned beetles emerged post-rain. Millipedes ventured forth on their miniature march through the dampened earth. The tawny and Wahlberg’s eagles made precise dives for the flush of flying ants and harvester termites. Summer migrants included lesser grey shrikes, woodland kingfishers, red-chested cuckoos, and yellow-billed kites. Breeding sites like Xobega and Godikwe enjoyed successful fledging of chicks, including marabou storks, yellow-billed storks, spoonbills, sacred ibises, and more joined by hamerkops.
(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!)