We regularly encountered the coalition of four cheetah brothers, a well-known presence in the Dinare Private Reserve and witnessed a complete hunt from start to finish during one incredible game drive.
We headed directly to their known marking post, a sickle-leaf albizia tree called Molalakgaka in Setswana and picked up their tracks. We followed them for nearly two hours, gradually closing the distance until we sighted them. The cheetahs appeared on a hunting mission, their tummies flat, indicating they were focused on stalking prey. We kept a safe distance, ensuring we didn’t disrupt their hunt. Along the way, we spotted a zebra with a foal, which seemed to be their target. The cheetahs approached cautiously, moving slowly and deliberately. Then, in an instant, they sprang into action and successfully caught the foal.
The arrival of summer bird species, including the melodious woodland kingfisher, marked the start of the rainy season. Resident birds continued to delight, with frequent sightings of ground hornbills, yellow hornbills, red hornbills, grey hornbills, and even Bradfield hornbills. Various raptors graced the skies, including secretary birds, kori bustards, korhaans, and sandgrouse. Eagles, wattled cranes, and storks added to the diversity of birds spotted during our drives.
Abundant newborns and African wild dogs on the hunt
The Gomoti floodplains were filled with newborns from impalas, tsessebes, and wildebeests, all less than two weeks old. Herds of buffalo, numbering in the hundreds, were often seen near the Gomoti River. Elephants, zebras, impalas, wildebeests, tsessebes, and red lechwes were often spotted in the open grasslands and near the river. At Rra Dinare, the recent rains brought more water to the lagoons and attracted large numbers of hippos. These hippos and crocodiles gathered in lagoons like Paradise, creating a spectacular sight. We enjoyed several great encounters with crocodiles along the Gomoti River, including one particularly memorable sighting of a group of crocodiles feeding on an elephant carcass by the riverbank. Among the crocodiles, we spotted a massive 4-meter-long individual. Vegetation around both camps was rich and thick, providing ample food and shelter for wildlife.
One morning, as we drove along the Gomoti Channel south of the camp, we spotted a pack of four African wild dogs attempting to hunt a red lechwe. The dogs, known for their strategic hunting methods, were seen coordinating their movements to surround the lechwe. Unfortunately, their efforts were unsuccessful, and they also made several attempts to cross the Gomoti River, though they couldn’t make it across. We spent plenty of time with them, capturing great photos.
On other drives, we tracked and found a pack of 32 wild dogs that had been denning in the area. We followed them closely as they hunted, and at one point, we noticed a group of impalas running, signalling that the wild dogs were preparing for breakfast. While we missed the initial kill, we watched the pack finish off an impala. Additionally, we had another exciting sighting of a smaller pack of four, easily identifiable by a pale-coated individual.
The mighty lions of the Gomoti River
The resident Gomoti Pride of lions was frequently seen throughout the month, primarily due to two lionesses with their cubs having a den near the camp. One lioness had four cubs — three males and one female — approximately three months old, while the other had a single cub, around three weeks old. During one morning drive, we observed vultures perched in a tree, waiting for their opportunity to scavenge. We approached the area and, upon seeing lion tracks, suspected a nearby kill. As we got closer, the tracker spotted lions feeding, and we discovered Tee’s pride of 15 lions happily devouring a buffalo carcass.
We also had thrilling moments observing the three giant male lions of the Gomoti Pride, whose roars filled the air as they moved through the area. We followed them until they crossed the Gomoti Channel. Additionally, our local lioness, with her three nearly nine-month-old cubs, was seen several times. The Gomoti Pride, with its massive subadults, was often spotted near Tent 10 at Mma Dinare, with some sightings triggered by tracking or alarm calls from prey, especially impalas and kudus. On the final day of November, we spotted two lionesses feeding on a buffalo carcass. While we couldn’t identify them with certainty, we suspected they were part of the Santawani Pride, a well-known pride in the area with a history of successful hunts and territorial disputes.
At Rra Dinare, lion sightings were equally exciting, with lions frequently seen around the camp, drawn by the abundance of buffaloes in the area. On almost every game drive, we encountered lions, with three large male lions spotted repeatedly around the Matshwane area. These males were often seen without females, leaving us to wonder if they were nomadic or part of a pride. One evening, we observed one of the males limping on his front leg and with a fresh wound on his rear, likely from a fight with another male. The other two males were in excellent condition and very vocal, potentially marking their territory and making their presence known to any other nearby males.
During one of our morning drives, we spotted a clan of 12 spotted hyenas feeding on an elephant carcass. Towards the end of the month, we observed an increase in hyena activity. One afternoon, we witnessed a failed hunt attempt by a hungry hyena. It tried its luck on an impala but lacked the necessary skills to secure the kill.
At Mma Dinare, we regularly located our resident male leopard, Rra Lebodu, during both morning and afternoon drives. On several occasions, we tracked him with the help of a tower of giraffes staring intently at one spot. Their focused gaze and calm demeanour suggested they had spotted a predator. As we approached the area, we heard alarm calls from red-billed spurfowls, confirming that something exciting was nearby! As we closed in on the source of the alarm calls, one of the guests spotted the leopard — nestled in a tree between the two Dinare camps.
Rra Lebodu was also sighted on his extended patrols, though during his last sighting, he was limping on his left hind leg from an unknown injury. Despite the limp, he appeared to be in good health. We also encountered three different female leopards, two of which were accompanied by cubs. One morning, while driving towards the mokoro station, we encountered drag marks leading us to a female leopard and her cub, both feeding on an impala they had caught.
Guests enjoyed walking safaris and exploring the bush on foot with our expert guides. These walks provided an intimate experience of the landscape and a chance to see wildlife, including buffalo and elephants. Vibrant plants, such as flame lilies and fireball lilies, began to bloom, adding a burst of colour to the scenery. Monitor lizards were frequently seen in the open grasslands, feeding on termites and other insects. Dragonflies and butterflies also contributed to the area’s natural beauty.
Mokoro excursions provided an even more unique view of the Okavango Delta. Gliding through the waterways, we spotted water birds like ducks and geese, as well as red lechwes, zebras, and elephants.
Night game drives provided thrilling opportunities to spot nocturnal animals, including owls and predators on the hunt. We located a Verreaux’s eagle owl. Several times, we followed lions as they tailed a herd of buffalo. We also encountered scrub hares along the roads and spied their reflective eyes by spotlight as they hopped through the grass.
Black-backed jackals, honey badgers, African civets, African wild cats, servals, and small-spotted genets were seen regularly. As were banded mongooses, yellow mongooses, dwarf mongooses, with some sightings triggered by alarm calls from birds.
(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!)