Aardwolves were a common sight this month. We observed two aardwolves courting just five minutes east of Lagoon Camp, although one was later killed by the Holi pride.
Another aardwolf was seen marking its den site at the second lagoon.
The first week in the bush was dominated by the imposing presence of the Holi pride, a formidable group of over 26 lions, including the last two males from the Ralebante coalition. Their most dramatic display came when they took down a hippo along the main road, a rare event that disrupted the usual peace in the area. Two days later, the remaining two lionesses from the Mma D splinter pride made their own successful hunt, taking down a waterbuck east of camp.
The Holi pride was seen along Diolo, finishing off a tsessebe kill, with another male joining later to finish the meal. The Holi pride spent much of the week around camp, leading to some dramatic moments. One evening, as we were having dinner, we witnessed a commotion east of camp and saw three males running through the camp to escape the resident males. One male was severely injured and spent the next week recovering east of camp.
Buffalo bonanza
The start of winter brought cooler temperatures, altering animal movements. General game was abundant, with hotspots like Muddy Waters, 1st and 2nd Lagoon, Bee Eater’s Island, and areas in front of camp teeming with wildlife. Zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, roans, sables, elands, and hippos were frequently seen basking in the sun until late evening.
Buffalo sightings were abundant, with 12 bulls regularly seen around Rakgolo Mogobe, Firewood Pan, Pan Road, Xokotshaa Oasis, and in front of camp. A large breeding herd was also spotted moving north through the mopane woodland, a behaviour often observed during the dry season when they search for better grazing areas.
The splintered lion pride
A splinter group from the Holi Pride, consisting of five lionesses and nine cubs, was found resting at Phuwas in their corner of the Kwando Private Concession. They moved towards the river for a drink before retreating into the Terminalia bushes to rest. This successful establishment of a new pride contributes to the overall lion population in the area. Another pride with five cubs was located near the Munhumutapa islands. The coalition of two males was locating resting and calling south of camp, adding to the lion-heavy start of our month.
Continued lion activity included two lionesses hunting along Middle Road, while another pair with a young cub hunted warthogs at Water Cut but failed. Meanwhile, the smaller Mma Mosethla pride of four was seen on an impala kill, with a female leopard nearby, likely having lost its kill to the lions. Vultures were commonly seen at kill sites, including the rare white-headed vulture, white-backed vultures, lappet-faced, and hooded vultures.
Resident male cheetahs, Boiki and Boy Boy, were frequently seen patrolling west of the cutline. They were also observed courting a female cheetah. A female cheetah with two young cubs, about three months old, was located hunting at John’s Pan. They were seen again the next day, resting and well-fed.
A busy Spotted hyena den
Spotted hyenas were frequently located at Zebra Pan and other areas. After several sightings, we tracked them to a large den west of the pan, housing over 12 young ones and numerous adults. This den is a key social hub for the hyenas, where they interact, play, and learn important social skills. At one point, 21 hyenas were counted at the den!
A female leopard, Mma Mazabuka, was seen several times with her two subadults along the main road. We spotted another female leopard near Zebra Pan, initially on a hunt, but later found her with a kill hidden in a nearby tree. A young male leopard was seen hunting near the river east of camp but aborted the hunt. Mma Mazabuka and her subadults often patrolled Marapo a Thuthwa, moving towards Rakgolo Road. Less than 100 meters from where they rested, her older sibling, Mazabuka, was seen patrolling from the second lagoon past the airstrip to Muddy Waters and as far west as Zebra Pan. The young female from the previous litter was also spotted several times on hunts. Along Pan Road, we witnessed two male leopards, known as “the twins” Mazabuka and Raboyi, feeding on a warthog, taking turns to eat. A shy male leopard was seen at Pan Road, while another lactating female became a regular sight and was witnessed hunting several times west of the airstrip.
Though there were no direct sightings of wild dogs, we found tracks of three separate packs at different locations.
Small mammal safari
The area teemed with small mammals, including spring hares, porcupines, honey badgers, various mongoose species (yellow, dwarf, slender, banded, white-tailed), bush babies, steenbok, scrub hares, bat-eared foxes, and both black-backed and side-striped jackals.
Birdwatching was excellent, with sightings of marabou and yellow-billed storks, open-billed storks, and various raptors, including long-crested eagles, near Phuwas.
The lower Kwando River water levels created feeding frenzies for aquatic birds like herons, egrets, and snake eagles. Large flocks of pelicans frequented the drying pools and lagoons. We also spotted African rock pythons and water monitor lizards along the riverside and crocodiles basking in the sun during drives. Puff adders were common sightings, especially after dark, when clear night skies offered beautiful stargazing opportunities, with prominent constellations and stars visible.
(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!)