One pride of three lions, often seen around the camp, exhibited the unique behaviour of catching African wild dogs in Moremi Crossing camp this month.
Further to these crazy sightings, we tracked African wild dogs hunting near the water hole. As the wild dogs were about to snatch up an impala, the antelope took refuge in the waterhole with its tenantry of grumpy hippos. The hippos confronted the impala, who chased it out as it splashed into the water.
Locating lions on game drives at Moremi Crossing
Various prides of lions were spotted in the concession, likely due to summer’s gift of abundant food. The Moremi boys, two male lions who were previously absent, returned to the area, and unfortunately, one lion from the pride of three fell victim to a warthog attack and passed away.
Following the dry spell of the Boro River, the focus shifted from water activities to thrilling game drives. One day, as the sun began to set over the Okavango Delta, guests were treated to a remarkable sight near Moremi Crossing Camp when a mother leopard with her cub was located feasting on a freshly caught kill.
Guests were mesmerised as they watched these majestic predators in their natural habitat and could observe the intricate details, from the leopard’s powerful jaws and razor-sharp claws to how their spotted coats blended perfectly into the surrounding environment at Gunn’s Private Concession. The mother carefully guarded her cub as they enjoyed their meal.
As the rains commenced, the elephants dispersed with the surplus of food available. Still, the great buffalo numbers remained stable, and the concession continued to be rich in kudu, zebras, common reedbuck, impala, and more. Small mammals sighted included scrub hares, springhares, ground squirrels, and various rodent species. Banded mongooses were frequently encountered foraging in the area, which bloomed with fantastical flowers and plants, including devil’s claw, grapple plants, and pink water orchids. Wattled cranes, southern ground hornbills, Southern yellow-billed hornbills and various other bird species were logged.
Water lizards and crocodiles frequented the waterholes, but the hot January weather conditions caused these ponds to slowly dry up at the edges. This situation became challenging as these creatures were displaced by territorial hippos concentrating in the remaining water.
Two more African wild dog sightings marked this month, capturing the excitement of our guests. The wild dogs passed by the main area in one particularly thrilling event. No denning activity was recorded.
Distinctive hyena calls echoed throughout the night at Moremi Crossing, and exceptional sightings were noted, especially with young ones. Night skies offered their usual celestial spectacle with visible galaxies, the Milky Way, the Southern Cross, and Orion’s Belt.
(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!)