One subadult male showcased the leopard’s exceptional hunting skills at Motama Pan, securing a water monitor lizard and providing a three-hour filming spectacle.
Another male and a stray female leopard were located west of Kubu Pan. Although the female sought refuge in the bushes, the male remained relaxed under the shade of a blue bush. We also found another sizeable male drinking by Python Pan, leading us to an impala carcass. On yet another game drive, we watched a dominant male leopard along Baobab Road on a lengthy journey of scent-marking and patrolling. Unperturbed by our presence, he even sought shade under our vehicle.
A brown hyena carrying a piece of meat was spotted heading north of Lebala Camp at full speed into the marshes. 15 spotted hyenas were photographed diving in and out of the rib cage of an elephant carcass, creating joyous chuckles among our guests. Tawny eagles, yellow-billed kites, and various vultures — white-headed, lappet-faced, white-backed, and hooded — were also observed and photographed near this carcass.
Serval Surprises and Wild Dog Dramas
Nocturnal explorations unveiled some intriguing smaller mammals. One memorable moment was seeing an aardwolf engaged in scent marking and insect hunting. Other frequent stars of the night drives included both sleek black-backed jackals and side-striped jackals, African wild cats, a lively gathering of bat-eared foxes at Sunset Pan and the playful antics of springhares reminiscent of kangaroos, which delighted all observers. One appearance by a serval cat along the fire break sparked joy, and it was affectionately dubbed “baby cheetah” by our guests.
A highly-spirited pack of ten African wild dogs, consisting of nine adults and one subadult, thrived in the area. Fresh tracks led to an exhilarating hour-and-a-half tracking session during one morning game drive. We eventually found them at a natural waterhole, where they were drinking. The atmosphere changed suddenly as the pack spotted a herd of impalas and set off on a thrilling chase. They successfully took down a male impala.
Later in the month, on another game drive, a pack of African wild dogs shot out from the bushes at a swift pace. Notably well-fed, it became evident they had recently been chased by lions, causing them to retreat to the shade under Kalahari apple-leaf trees. We spent two hours observing their contented demeanour, leaving the guests spellbound by the display of their post-hunt activities.
One day, during a bird-watching expedition along Crane Road, we chanced upon the Scarface pride — two lionesses escorted by nine subadults of varying ages. Following them back to camp, they passed the lounge area of Lebala Camp and headed south toward the airstrip, eventually finding shade under Kalahari apple-leaf trees. In the afternoon, we ventured north, discovering two lionesses at Lechwe Corner on an unsuccessful hunting mission. However, they later led us to their hidden treasure — four lively cubs, approximately three months old!
During a transfer to Lagoon Camp led to the sighting of three dominant males, two lionesses, and their playful cubs strolling the floodplain by Lechwe Corner. As the day waned, they sought shade under an African mangosteen tree, with the cubs amusing themselves by playing with the male lions’ tails. Two wounded male subadults were also discovered near Twin Pools, hinting at their recent struggles. The Stricker Pride, consisting of two lionesses and five subadults, was found moving along Old Hippo Pool, heading south toward Boundary Road. We encountered the Holly Pride along the cutline road — four lionesses and five cubs feasting on two buffalo carcasses.
We tracked a female cheetah north of Motswiri Pan, where she engaged in three hunting attempts. Despite two failures, the third chase resulted in the successful capture of a female impala. The graphic feeding scene under a small blue bush gave guests captivating footage. Additionally, two dominant male cheetahs were found feasting on a female common reedbuck, following the alarm calls of a troop of baboons by Wild Dog Pan. A subsequent day trip allowed us to track and locate these well-fed males heading west.
Elephant and eland herds
The area teemed with vast herds of diverse animal species. Large elephant herds drank at the natural waterholes before bathing in mud and dust. A mesmerising moment occurred when elephants, with their calves, gracefully crossed the islands in a single-file formation.
Witnessing over sixty elands, dazzling numbers of zebras, and adorable impalas with their lambs added to the wildlife experience. Towering giraffes also graced the plains, while different natural waterholes and lagoons hosted lively congregations of hippos. Even within our camp, elephants appeared, emerging from the woodland and marching into the marshes with audible stomach rumbles. Dung beetles meticulously moulded and buried their precious dung balls.
We found Nile crocodiles basking on sandbanks and water monitor lizards at the edges of the waterholes. The air was alive with the graceful dance of net-winged beetles, grasshoppers, damsels, dragonflies, groundlings, and butterflies, creating a colourful spectacle.
The skies also teeming with large flocks of birds. Among the residents, marabou storks, abdims stork, saddle-billed storks, and yellow-billed storks were photographed, often with their juveniles around natural waterholes feeding on toad frogs, rubber-banded frogs, and bullfrogs. Migratory birds such as southern carmine bee-eaters, broad-billed rollers, amur falcons, and woodland kingfishers added to the songs of the sky.
(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!)