Category: Lebala

Our headline news from Lebala? Families can overcome their differences and make up! 

As winter closed a few months ago, the Wapuka pride split up following the disappearance of the former pride males, Old Gun and Sebastian. The younger males (The Golden Boys) took over in their months of absence. Their inexperience in governing a growing pride would have been contributing factors in the breaking down of relations and led to the split of the five lionesses into smaller prides of two and three with six and nine cubs, respectively. 

We followed the adventures of these splinter groups, but they have since set aside their differences and are back together!

Alongside the three Golden Boys, five lionesses and nine cubs total a pride of 23 lions in a formidable grouping. Some cubs are still young, and we watched them regularly as they gained hunting practice with the plentiful herbivores that covered the grassy plains around Lebala. 

We monitored a handful of unsuccessful hunts during daylight activities, but at night the lions reigned supreme, and sunrise game drives brought superb sightings of the pride on their successful nocturnal kills. 

The life and times of the Lebala leopards

If something works, then why change it? This was the motto of one female leopard hanging out at Norman Pan. Over four days, she killed two wildebeest calves in almost precisely the same circumstances. We watched her hunting in the Motswiri Pan area, where she tried and failed several times. As such, she moved her focus and settled in to play the long game at Norman Pan where a small herd of wildebeest came to drink; a mix of adults, subadults (probably born the previous year) and the newest additions to the herd. 

Having selected her prey, she charged into the open and the herd scattered. Did you know? The collective noun for these grazers is ‘a confusion of wildebeest’. The leopard took a young animal down in the kerfuffle and applied a terminal bite to the throat before dragging it into the undergrowth. This scenario played out in an almost identical fashion two days later. It was also interesting that she didn’t drag her precious carcass into a tree. Many of the pans have filled with water, and newborns populate the plains, so typical enemies such as the lions and hyenas have easier hunting chances, which boosted her confidence in taking time over her meal.

She was not the only relaxed resident of Lebala. We frequently enjoyed time with a brown hyena as it happily went about its business near to the den. 

Spotted hyena den update

The spotted hyenas were also roaming within reach of their burrow, and the cubs were about six months old. They can eat solid food, but still rely on their mother for milk until they are 12 months. 

Large numbers of elephants and eland moved through the Kwando Private Reserve, but what staggered us was the sheer number of giraffes that appeared to be hiding (not very well) around each corner. There were also dozens and dozens of giraffes in the vicinity of Lebala Camp. 

While smaller in number, a family of seven Ground hornbills also drew attention this month. Three of them often wandered very near to the game drive vehicle providing wonderful photographic opportunities. 

Other birdlife sighted during December include Carmine bee-eaters, European rollers, Woodland kingfishers, Broad-billed rollers and many others, adding a fantastic splash of colour to this beautiful corner of Botswana, while Marsh owls and Verraux’s eagle owls were sighted on night drives.

(Please note: For the safety of the animals, we do not disclose the 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!)

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It has been a month of rain, hunts, and newborns. Sometimes all at the same time. 

Despite all the astonishing sightings this month, it was a wildebeest that stole the show and our hearts. 

One afternoon we happened upon a Blue wildebeest giving birth and we settled into the game drive vehicle to witness a live nature documentary. The calf spent twenty minutes trying to stand, falling over, trying again and generally getting its legs all mixed up. Eventually, with encouragement from the mother, it made it to its feet and started walking. We stayed with them for much of the afternoon and gave quiet encouragement as it went from tripping to stumbling to a confident stride. Finally, it was time to leave the mother and calf to meet the herd, and guides and guests enjoyed sundowners feeling very much like proud parents. 

Foxes and hyenas getting along?

Another unique sighting this month involved two subadult Spotted hyenas. We located them at Rhino Pan in the company of four bat-eared foxes. Seeing these animals is always special, but they appeared to be playing together with no sign of the fight or flight reaction that a smaller animal would have when faced with one of the larger predator species. Truly amazing!

What will you see on a walking safari at Lebala Camp?

Walking remains one of our favourite activities because it allows guests to get to grips with the smaller and more intimate side of the bush. One day, on a nature walk near camp we observed a Southern ground hornbill nest (at a respectful distance). Southern ground hornbills nest in the hollows of large old trees and only breed approximately once every three years (if the chicks survive). On another walk, we found three baby aardwolves in their burrow just a few weeks old. This was a fortunate sighting because the aardwolf can have multiple burrows across an area so that doting parents can hide their offspring. 

Lebala transformed into a lovely landscape of swaying green grasses and open plains. We watched leopards lolling about this sublime scenery before setting off on several successful hunts, taking advantage of the inexperience of the new impala lambs. We also located a male leopard chasing a warthog and its piglets. The family made it to the apparent safety of an aardvark hole with metres to spare, but that didn’t discourage the leopard. It only had to dig for a few minutes to uncover the hapless warthog before snatching a piglet and climbing a tree. Two days later, we found him in the company of a female leopard while she fed on the carcass of a young impala. As we watched the scene, he slowly got up and walked into the bushes. Curious, we drove around to inspect the object of his attention and found that he had ambushed a baby wildebeest. Ever the showman, he dragged the carcass out into the open (brave behaviour given the other predators who would happily relieve him of it) and ate his fill before returning to the female. 

The lions followed suit, and we discovered them on carcasses throughout the month. The split of the Wapuka pride meant we regularly saw two lionesses with their six cubs and three lionesses with nine cubs. 

Brown hyena den update

We have been aware of a brown hyena den near camp. However, following some fantastic tracking one morning, we followed brown hyena tracks to a second yet unknown den. The presence of two subadult brown hyenas mentioned above was the reward for a long morning of shifting forwards and tracking backwards through the bush. A true testament to the skills of the guide and tracker. 

We also saw a large variety of the smaller predators, with civets, serval, black-backed and side-striped jackals, and African wild cats featuring on both day and night drive expeditions. 

Elands, zebras, and wildebeest framed the landscape throughout the month, as have the large herds of elephants moving from the woodlands in the west, to the Kwando River in the east and then back again.

(Please note: For the safety of the animals, we do not disclose the 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!)

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We thought we were seeing things when we came across an enormous crocodile walking along the road. 

Crocodiles will wander surprisingly far from water and are ectotherms, meaning they rely on the outside environment to regulate their body temperature. Although October is usually the hottest month of the year in Botswana, access to water on the Kwando Private Reserve means crocodiles regulate their body heat effectively using cool waters. They also have very high levels of lactic acid in their blood (which would be almost toxic for a mammal), which helps them remain motionless for long periods. 

A pride divided

The soap opera of the Wapuka lion pride presented a plot twist: it has now split into two. The lions are divided into groups of two and three females, each having six cubs. One half of the pride made a base near Lebala camp, while the other has headquarters a few kilometres away. 

We enjoyed almost daily sightings of the pride near camp hunting on the floodplains. They had little daytime success, however, nighttime proved productive, and we frequently saw cubs licking the blood of some unfortunate prey off their mother’s nose come morning. A massive bonus for the camp pride was an elephant’s (natural) death to the east of Lebala Camp, which granted several days of feasting. The young cubs spent much of the time using the skeleton as a climbing frame and playground.

This month, five leopards, including a mating couple, were seen on various occasions. One day, we followed the sounds of furious baboons to find a leopard high up in the tree above a large troop. A big male baboon is a formidable adversary, and they have been known to kill leopards. While the baboons were, perhaps understandably, not keen to go up into the tree, the leopard spent an hour uncomfortably perched in her hiding place. As soon as the baboons started to move away, she leapt down and vanished at pace into the bush. The next day we watched a different female leopard stalking three male impalas. As she crept closer and tensions ballooned, three large male warthogs exploded from the bush and charged her. Caught completely by surprise, and with the three impalas now heading at speed in the opposite direction, she had to retreat and nurse her wounded pride.

Two male cheetahs roamed the reserve, and we frequently tracked them to their favourite resting perch at a termite mound with full bellies. 

Brown hyena den at Lebala Camp is still active

The brown hyena den was still active, but we only caught fleeting glimpses during the day due to sunny temperatures. The spotted hyena den was still in use too, despite attempts by the lions to dig out the pups last month. The lions revisited the site, so the cautious hyenas spent less time there, but we saw them periodically.

Like last month, we enjoyed large herds of elephants, buffalos and zebras, kudus, tsessebes, giraffes and wildebeests crossing the floodplains. Roan and sable also gathered in small herds, and we had the pleasure of sharing the bush with Crowned cranes, Southern ground hornbills and Secretarybirds.

(Please note: For the safety of the animals, we do not disclose the 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!)

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Maybe it was the increasing heat, but the inter-species rivalry and search for food boiled over into cinematic-level sightings for guests at Lebala Camp. 

During morning drives, we noticed more active reptiles as the season shifts, including a Southern African python sprawled across the road and monitor lizards digging for food. A coalition of two full-bellied male cheetahs was also seen strolling across the open plains at midday until they found a patch shade to rest.

What do you call a baby porcupine? (other than adorable)

A resident porcupine has had young! She lives not far from camp and has kept the little ones (cutely known as porcupettes) safe and away from the world’s prying eyes, but they seem to be about four weeks old.

Other youngsters we regularly saw were ostriches (who loved running on the airstrip) and three brown hyena cubs! The cubs curiously peeked at the game drive vehicles while the mother rested by the den entrance.

Young elephants moved across the landscape with their large herds and had to work hard to keep up with the long treks from food to water and back again in the heat. The lioness that was hiding her cubs finally introduced them to the pride. She had hidden them in front of camp, so we got a superb view of her introducing them to the family. The older cubs immediately started to play with the newcomers, and the mother had to step in as the older siblings were in danger of hurting them with their rough play.

The lions of Lebala hunt hippos

Last month, we reported on the hippo-hunting lions of Lebala, and they refined their technique in the past few weeks. We saw them on the carcasses of no less than three hippos. Hippos are not an easy prospect with multiple tusks, some reaching over 40cm in length, a bite force of 1800psi and a nasty attitude. Each time we came across a carcass, the broken landscape surrounding it evidenced that the flight to bring it down was wide-ranging and demanding.

The lions didn’t stop at hippos. A bachelor herd of 11 buffalos caught their eye and only four now remain. The lions didn’t always get their way, however. One day three lionesses attacked a porcupine that was racing to its den. Having cornered it, the lions swatted cautiously while the porcupine attacked with its quill-covered back. The lionesses finally managed to kill the porcupine, but the two came away with multiple punctures to their paws. These quills have sharp tips and overlapping scales (that act as barbs), making them difficult to remove once stuck in noses. They are in for an uncomfortable few days!

The Golden Boys of the Wapuka Pride were still in charge, although we heard a challenge to their authority one evening. There was a horrendous row in the darkness, and we came across the two dominant male lions battered and bleeding the next day, but the intruders were seen off. While not lethal, their injuries were severe, and they boast more scars they will carry with them for years.

Two other subadult male lions took the fight to the local spotted hyenas. We found two lions trying to dig out cubs at the local hyena den. The female alpha hyena arrived on the scene and furiously attacked the felines. Clearly taken aback by the fierce onslaught, the lions decided that the risk of injury wasn’t worth taking further scuffle.

Wild dogs vs the wild

A few days later, the den was besieged by a pack of African wild dogs. A few hyenas again defended the youngsters, and the den remained unassailable for another day.

The wild dogs, not content with attacking the hyenas, then turned their sights on the leopards. We’ve had great leopard sightings and were excited to find two mating. As we watched their courtship, eight wild dogs appeared on the scene and cornered the two big cats! As the leopards spun and swiped at the dogs, the female darted up the nearest tree. The course of love does not always run smooth!

(Please note: For the safety of the animals, we do not disclose the 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!)

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The Lebala landscape has taken on a sepia filter, but birds delivered a welcome paint of colour. Carmine bee-eaters have migrated back to Botswana from their winter “holidays” in the equatorial savannahs of Central Africa. 

They weren’t the only birds seizing attention. We have had some splendid ostrich sightings on the floodplains. With the breeding season falling mostly between June and October, we started to see the chicks emerging and even saw them appearing to have races on the airstrip! 

African wild dogs visit Lebala Camp

The African wild dogs had mixed hunting success, although, on one occasion, we caught up with them just as they had taken down an Impala and feasted in a frenzy. These lean animals need to eat quickly, clearly illustrated when half a dozen hyenas arrived on the scene. The wild dogs abandoned the antelope, having managed to feed on most of their kill and opted for a conflict-free escape. 

As is often the case, one sometimes never has to leave camp. Vehicles departed to track the wild dogs one day after reports that they had moved south, only to have the pack dutifully trot straight into camp and rest in the wide-open firebreak for two hours.

Lions of Lebala: an update

As mentioned last month, the dynamic of the Wapuka Pride has been interrupted by the Golden Boys taking the mantle from Old Gun and Sebastian, and these old lions continued a semi-nomadic existence. 

The rest of the pride remained a strong and collaborative unit in the hunt and were triumphant, but we detected a fractured relationship between the lions. They ate three buffalos and two hippos this month. The area close to the hippo carcass looked like a war zone with the fodder ploughed up, broken trees and general destruction all around. The teamwork it must have taken to bring down this behemoth shows that the pride is still formidable. However, tempers quickly frayed. The pride subdued a buffalo on Tsessebe Island, but an enormous fight broke out between the lionesses as they came to feed, and two were chased off into the bush, not to return. Despite this fractious family make-up, the twelve cubs are healthy.

Resident leopards had a terrific month of hunting, and we’ve enjoyed watching them lift Impalas and Red lechwes into the trees. This feat of strength always defies belief! 

A mating pair has taken up territory near Lebala Camp, and with the gestation period of a leopard being approximately 100 days, we are hoping this gives us new cubs at the start of December. With the influx of newborn antelope, it would be perfect timing for a new leopard to be born. 

Speaking of pitter-pattering paws, the Spotted hyena den now has eight cubs. 

An awesome owl hunt

As the African sun intensified, the withering grass (helped along by the considerable elephant and buffalo numbers) opened up the flood plains to reveal Honey badgers digging in search of scorpions and worms, Serval, Aardwolf dens, and African wild cats taking advantage of limited coverage of their prey species. Raptors also kept a keen eye on the situation. Owls, for example, can easily spot a small mammal almost a mile away and even further in the dark when their eyesight really comes into its own. 

This was the case for an unfortunate Scrub hare as we watched a Verreaux’s Eagle Owl swoop in from a distance at sunset and, in an explosion of dust and feathers, crash straight into the hare, killing it instantly. Content with its prize, the owl began feeding there and then on the ground! 

(Please note: For the safety of the animals, we do not disclose the 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!)

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There were plenty of excellent sightings of Aardwolf, Serval, Nile Crocodiles and Civets, but the sighting of the month must go to the Honey badger.

Honey badger defeats a Black mamba

One late afternoon game drive, we came across the ultimate confrontation: Honey badger versus Black mamba. The badger had caught the mamba in open ground, and the mamba (which is often likely to move away from confrontation) decided that it had to make a stand.

A dance across the sands ensued with the mamba trying to strike the Honey badger while its tormentor risked a lethal bite. This went backwards and forwards, and the mamba scored a couple of direct hits, which did not deter the maddened badger. The creature suddenly took his opportunity and grabbed the mamba behind the head. A moment later, the contest was over, and the victor tucked into his evening meal of mamba.

This fascinating question immediately arose: why is the badger not dead, having clearly been bitten at least twice? Recent studies show that the Honey badger, like the mongoose, hedgehog and (surprisingly) wild pig, appears to have evolved a natural defence against the potent venom. In an evolutionary arms race, the badgers are in a cycle of one-upmanship with the venomous snakes.

Sebastian and Old Gun return

It has been a month of soap opera relationships around Lebala Camp. Firstly, Old Gun and Sebastian re-emerged. These two male lions once dominated the Wapoka pride and have been missing for several months. They look healthy and well-fed and have clearly been successful on their recent travels. Will the three Golden Boys, who seem to have recently claimed their mantle, be in for a power struggle? Only time will tell!

The Wapoka pride females have been moving apart and then coming together again. They appear to have twelve cubs and youngsters amongst them. While this bodes well for a healthy future pride, the various male lions we have seen in the area could still threaten them if there is a new play for dominance.

Not only have the lions caused confusion. The den of four African wild dogs seems to have been abandoned, and there is no evidence of puppies. It is highly likely that the wild dogs sensed a threat in the area and moved to a new den site. We have been fortunate to watch this small pack hunt on several occasions. While attempting to hunt an impala, a new pack of eight wild dogs appeared and the smaller pack broke off the hunt and made haste to put some distance between them and the newcomers. The eight scent-marked the area and then moved off without a second glance. We are still to find out their agenda in the area, but we suspect this tale has some way to go.

The recent disjointed nature of the Wapoka pride has made the leopards more confident, and guests enjoyed watching five different individuals throughout the month: two males and three females.

Spotted hyena cubs delight

Cheetahs have been scarce this month, with only tracks found south of the Kwando Private Reserve, but the same cannot be said for the Spotted hyenas. Their den is now home to four cubs addicted to their new playground.

While the hyena den has been a firm favourite, elephants have regularly made the camp their home this month. Guests merely had to step out onto the room verandah to see these four-ton roadblocks silently crisscrossing the paths to the tents.

Species such as rollers, storks and geese were common, and then there were our beloved cleaners of the environment, the vultures. White-backed and Hooded vultures flew from one carcass to another. These birds were rarely without the company of the morose-looking Marabou storks, which salvage the last remains of lion kills.

(Please note: For the safety of the animals, we do not disclose the 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. Still, we felt it was worthy of a feature alongside this month’s Sightings Report!)

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A pack of five African wild dogs has moved into the Kwando Private Reserve and chosen the abundant Lebala plains for denning. 

Sitting northwest of Lebala Camp on the western fringe of the aptly-named Wild Dog Pan, the den was located by our guides after dedicated tracking. It is a very sensitive time for the pack, and we have given them lots of space, observing their habits and progress from a considered distance as they prepare for life with pups. Evidence shows that the Brown hyena den is still active because its tracks were observed daily, but this special species proved elusive to the eye. 

New males in charge of the pride?

The Wapoka pride is still alive and well, but with the absence of Old Gun and his brother Sebastian the strength is significantly down.

We suspect these males might have moved to a new area because we haven’t seen them in two months. Instead, the Golden Boys have taken over their legacy. Cub numbers have increased to twelve, and the pride is intensifying its family bonds. The lionesses have been incredibly successful and taken down buffalos, warthogs, Red lechwe, and of recent Eland, too, thanks to the added brawn of the three dominant Golden Boys.

Our beloved cleaners of the environment accompanied the lions and often alerted us to their movements as Whited-backed and Hooded vultures flew from one carcass to another. These birds were rarely alone and kept the company of Marabou storks and Black-backed jackals that all fought to salvage the last remains.

The increase in lion numbers has seen the leopards grow stealthier. However, we delightedly followed a male leopard patrolling the marshlands. He was understandably cautious in his movements and avoided the fringes where lions called frequently.

Elephants crossing

There has been an increased number of general game along the riversides and floodplains as the natural waterholes (such as Nari Pan, Steve’s Pan and Norman’s Pan) dried up in the surrounding savanna woodland. More elephant groups assembled at the river to drink, and as they returned to the woodlands for the night, they frequently funnelled through Lebala Camp, taking their sweet time and sometimes blocking traffic to the guest rooms. It has become very normal, and we simply wait for them to clear off, and then life goes on!

Under the safety of experienced Kwando guides, our guests approached several general game species on foot, including Greater kudus, Blue wildebeest, Impalas and Red lechwe. On foot, we also noticed how African elephants have already started shaping the environment due to their increasing feeding in the area. They frequently break down trees and tree branches. During this season, Fever berry trees have been the most affected, losing plenty of their scrumptious leaves to the elephants.

The foliage that hasn’t been foraged by animals has been plucked off by colder, westerly winds which blew through the trees. All of this prepares for the next season and aids in reopening the landscape. Soon the coming heat will completely dry it up.

I’ll have a civet with my coffee, please

Spotted hyenas relished the feeding opportunity presented by an elephant carcass north of the camp. Some of our best nocturnal sightings were African wild cats, Civets, genets, and porcupines. An Aardwolf was spotted twice this month, and one morning, we spotted a Civet strolling near the swimming pool as we enjoyed morning coffee at the fire.

An African Rock python was spotted before dinner, heading toward the river and crossing the path just before room eight. 

(Please note: For the safety of the animals, we do not disclose the 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!)

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Our star activity this month has been the night drives, and we had the pleasure of glimpsing Aardwolf various times. African civets have also been very active and we commonly saw more than five on a single evening. 

You’ll need a strong stomach 

When thinking about predators, we often focus on their strength, stamina, and speed in the hunt. If an Aardwolf were to take a medal, it would probably be for the most impressive stomach. An elusive creature at the best of times, these termite-guzzling members of the hyena family can eat up to a kilogram of termites every night. Their muscular stomach can grind up 250,000 termites at a sitting and occupy a unique niche amongst the Hyaenidae by avoiding the competition for the hunt their brown and spotted cousins share with the felines and canids.

Feline family ties and successful Lebala lion hunts

One afternoon, we encountered three leopards and spent 45 minutes with the romantic trio as the two males tried to mate with the female. 

The coalition of three dominant male lions has been moving around the area near Lebala Camp, and it was wonderful to witness the bonds with their families. The three lions would greet all the pride females and patiently put up with the rough, tumble, ear pulling and nibbling the youngsters put them through. Their strong family ties paid dividends as they had tremendous success hunting wildebeests (guides have noted that lions have been killing more wildebeests than any other prey).

One of these hunts happened right in front of camp just as post-dinner drinks were being taken to the fire. A thunder of hooves in the darkness gave way as a wildebeest burst into the dim light from the camp, followed by the pride at a flat-out sprint. While wildebeests are fast (they can reach up to 80km an hour), the lions had sprung their trap to perfection. The wildebeest went down in a flurry of dust and hooves, and the lions quickly completed the job. This led to an evening of crunching and calling, and dawn found some content and full-bellied lions huffing and puffing near the camp, keeping a keen eye on the remains of their night’s work.

Enormous herds in the Kwando Private Reserve 

Away from the camp, we found a herd of almost 70 impressive Elands on the flood plains. The distinct clicking noise of the elands’ hooves can be heard from some distance, especially when there are so many of them! They were very relaxed around the game drive vehicle, and we almost became part of the herd with the correct car positioning. 

Large elephant herds have been seen with plenty of youngsters on the floodplains, and we enjoyed frequent sightings of a beautiful bird that occupies a special place in myth and legend. The Southern Ground hornbill is known as Lehututu in Setswana. Many tribes throughout Southern Africa associate them with death, but some associate them as bringers of rain, breakers of drought and protection against lightning. 

There has been a sprinkling of Carmine bee-eater sightings, a very early arrival as we usually only expect them in August and September. 

(Please note: For the safety of the animals, we do not disclose the 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!)

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The massive rainfalls have left us with a dark green landscape and tall grasses even away from the river’s system. Thanks to these late rains, we have also experienced an intense winter onset this year. Mornings are exceptionally wet from the morning dew, and an icy chill has already settled into the air.

Migrant species such as Carmine Bee-eaters and European Rollers (which would have typically left our area already) were still lurking about. This is likely due to the unseasonal surplus of their food source, tasty insects.

Elephants returned in thriving herd numbers on their local migration route this month. These incredible animals disperse during the rainy season, crisscrossing the Kwando Private Reserve to explore Namibia and possibly roam onward into Angola along ancient elephant highways to seek out the most nutritious feeding grounds. 

Conversely, we noticed smaller buffalo numbers. We predominantly saw bachelor groups and expect to see the larger migratory breeding herds by mid-winter when they gather in their hundreds and thousands, kicking up a cloud of dust in their wake. Giraffes, zebras and other regular antelope species, such as lechwe, roamed the Lebala Camp vicinity in their herds. All seemed in good shape after a rich summer of plentiful food.

Shifting lion dynamics

Lion sightings have likewise been generous, thanks to some exciting pride dynamics. There have been many breaks and separations between the two dominant prides and new female lions in the area. A highlight was observing the Golden Boys attempting to court one such lioness, which already had two-month-old cubs. They valiantly pursued her for two days until she submitted to their appeals. The mating continued for several days, and she was forced to abandon her new cubs for the whole week. Fortunately, another female from her pride (a fellow feline mother to three cubs of the same age) adopted her litter and suckled them until the engaged mother returned. Late last year, the Golden boys took over the Wapoka pride from Old Gun and Sebastian. We thought these new males would kill the cubs because they realized that they were not the genetic fathers, but the Golden Boys let these little ones live to our surprise.

The resident pack of three wild dogs was seen chasing Red lechwe antelopes in front of the camp, but they were unsuccessful in their hunt. We encountered four different leopards in one trip during a pick-up transfer from the Lagoon Camp airstrip! This included a male, a cub and a pair of mating leopards. 

An Aardwolf on foot!

We discovered two Aardwolf dens. One was occupied by a mother and her two precious pups. During one of our nature walks, an Aardwolf was spotted in an extraordinary encounter at very close range. These animals are typically nocturnal and emerge from their den at six weeks old. At about one year old, both male and female aardwolves leave their mother and establish their own territory. 

During night drives, porcupines, springhares, and African wild cats were all encountered. Late one afternoon, one very happy hyena was spotted finishing up a wildebeest carcass early in the morning.  

We also had two snake sightings of the infamous Black mamba and watched enthralled as one snake made its way inside the tunnels of mole rats in search of supper. 

(Please note: For the safety of the animals, we do not disclose the 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!)

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March is one of the hottest months in the Kwando Private Reserve, so elephants arrived in herds of hundreds to drink and mud bathe, especially on the eastern side of the reserve. The ground was also soft and malleable following good rains, making it easy for Damaraland Mole Rats to excavate their tunnels, which they do with their very impressive front teeth. These near-blind creatures are rarely found above ground, so are highly unusual to see, but we were lucky enough to find one digging out in the open. We encountered a Black mamba snake following one of these rodents around the Skimmer Pan area in yet another remarkable sighting!

These odd-looking creatures tend to emerge from the earth when it is cooler, and the soil might succumb more quickly to the diggings. Did you know? A true mole is an insect-eating animal, but these mole-rats only eat vegetable matter and favour bulbs and roots.

A much bigger rodent, the porcupine, was often seen around Lebala Camp in the early mornings, and we frequently found a Water monitor lizard worshipping the sun on the bridge at the entrance.

The ebb and flow of predator species

Lions are the largest terrestrial carnivores of the African wild and dominant over sympatric (occurring within the same or overlapping geographical areas) apex predators, such as leopards, cheetah, Spotted hyenas and African wild dogs. The Kwando Safaris guides have noticed increased lion numbers across the Kwando Private Reserve. This inevitably affected other predator numbers.

The wild dogs have been fairly scarce, but we did have several sightings of a small pack of three. We located just one full-bellied female cheetah at Motama Pan, resting in a deep sandy area below Kalahari apple-leaf trees. Our expert guide Barcos noted that “They are more than enough leopards around the Lebala area, but these cats are shyer. It is their survival skill”. We witnessed this typically ‘shyer’ spotted cat species, the leopard, more often this month and especially to the north of camp.  

The Wapoka Pride, dominated by Old Gun and Sebastian, was rarely seen in the north (their typical territory) and Barcos reckons this is because of a second coalition, the Golden Boys. “The Golden Boys have started fighting with the sub-adult male lions of Wapoka. Another war is burning between these young males and the Golden Boys from the south. Let’s wait and see!”

The Wapoka Pride has split into two smaller groups, and two lionesses of this pride have been seen with three cubs of about two weeks old cubs. We have witnessed the mothers drinking water and then disappearing into the bushes to feed their hidden cubs. The Golden Boys have made their mark as they are now in the company of these two lionesses (one of them is the elderly lioness of Wapoka).

The underrated sounds of safari

Water levels have increased in the Kwando River, and the pans were still full, attracting a variety of birdlife, including storks, herons and ducks.

There were several nocturnal sightings of African wild cats and African civets, Servals and Honey badgers. One evening we found a Spotted hyena enjoying the leg of a buffalo and carrying the comically big bone in its strong jaws while running. We hear these hyenas calling each evening from camp. Speaking of sounds, guests were treated to the amazing audio of a lion roaring in the distance one morning during a walking safari.

A reminder that stepping down from the game drive vehicle provides a far more intimate experience of the African wilderness.

(Note: Accompanying picture of the mole rat was taken by Kate Nelson and others 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!)

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