Category: Tau Pan

We watched in awe as a mother honey badger spent a week teaching its subadult baby to hunt.

Yet, the lessons ended abruptly one day when the mother unexpectedly chased the baby away. The duo returned days later, with the mother brandishing a snake to keep the curious baby at bay. Playful bat-eared foxes and an African wildcat’s evening hunt were equally memorable moments from October. 

Brown hyena at the Tau Pan Camp waterhole

Then, there was the early morning drama as guests spotted a brown hyena at the Tau Pan Camp waterhole. It suddenly disappeared into the darkness, but to everyone’s delight, it returned during breakfast, offering splendid photo opportunities. 

Unlike their more socially oriented counterparts, spotted hyenas, brown hyenas tend to be more solitary, frequently foraging alone or in small family groups. Their opportunistic feeding behaviour encompasses skilled scavenging – they often feast on carcasses – and active hunting of small mammals, birds, and insects.

The great Kalahari black-maned lions of Tau pan

The resident Tau Pan Pride of eight lions showcased impressive ambush techniques during the enchanting golden hours of the morning at the camp waterhole. After several missed attempts, the lions retreated to the shade of the guest rooms for a day of leisure until trying again in the cool of dusk. Another notable highlight was seeing a mother and subadult male with two tiny cubs finding shade under an umbrella thorn acacia at San Pan. Witnessing two subadult lions attempting to take down a fully grown oryx added another thrilling encounter to our fantastic game drive log. 

In the afternoons, a small herd of six bachelor elephants became a daily spectacle at the camp waterhole, seeking relief from the heat with refreshing drinks and showers. The bone-dry start of the month attracted a plentiful congregation of general game around the waterhole besides. Greater kudus, giraffes, and wildebeests quenched their thirst. Springboks, red hartebeests, and prized desert antelope, herds of oryx, were seen out in the grasslands.  

A mother cheetah with three cubs, estimated to be five to six months old, graced us with their presence for a week. While we didn’t witness kills, the cubs’ bloodstains on their mouths and full tummies hinted at successful hunts.

Leopard tracks were visible around the camp, especially in the mornings, taunting us with their tantalizing proximity. One morning, we enjoyed a tranquil encounter with a female resting below a small umbrella thorn acacia. We then watched another leopard try to land a steenbok, but it missed. 

Summer brought avian guests like the yellow-billed kite, common buzzards, and red-necked falcon, complementing our resident birds, like the cattle egrets and ostriches. Raptors, including pale chanting goshawks and gabar goshawks in various morphs, also showcased their hunting prowess. 

(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!)

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September brought riveting lion sightings, with all three lion prides showcasing their vibrant health.

The eight-month-old cubs of the San Pan Pride were a particular sensation, their growth evident as they strength with each passing day.

In the sweltering summer, the Tau Pan Pride (the reigning rulers of the area) graced the camp frequently, taking respite by guest rooms after drinking from the waterhole. Tensions brewed between the Tau Pan and Airstrip Prides, marked by noisy nocturnal escapades around the edge of the camp.

A relaxed female leopard was located leisurely feasting on a steenbok carcass atop a tree, a scene repeated with another catch later. A brief post-dinner appearance by another male leopard added a thrill to the camp atmosphere.

A serene male cheetah graced the southern pan, offering a delicate balance of grace and power. Tracking this slinking creature proved challenging, especially in the presence of the formidable Tau Pan pride, known for chasing away competitors.

While brown hyenas remained elusive to the eyes, their tracks painted silent stories on roads and around the waterhole.

Springboks making a fuss and elephants at the camp waterhole

The landscape echoed the clashes of springbok horns as males engaged in spirited duels for the favour of the females. Two dominant gemsbok males engaged in a fifteen-minute photogenic battle, highlighting the intense dynamics of the animal kingdom. Other visitors to the waterhole included kudus and wildebeests, and siestas were often momentarily abandoned to witness the big male elephants drinking.

Small mammals sighted included yellow mongooses and slender mongooses scavenging for food, bat-eared foxes foraging for scorpion morsels, and ground squirrels leisurely basking in the shade. Black-backed jackals rested while honey badgers dug in energetic bouts, unearthing their feast of snakes, lizards, and skinks.

Pairs of vultures were spotted nesting on top of the camel thorn acacia trees. The Southern pale chanting goshawks also nested on top of the camel thorn acacia, and we were delighted to see their chicks tucked in safely.

(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!)

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A thrilling hunt took place this month near the water hole, where the Tau Pan pride attempted to stalk a small herd of springboks stealthily but were then given away by an alert shadow of kudus.

The pride re-coordinated and successfully took down two springboks, leaving the guests spellbound as they watched the lions sate their hunger.

During another morning drive, a surprising spectacle took place in the western expanse of Tau Pan. The air filled with urgency as several black-backed jackals raised alarm calls, their focus directed towards a specific location. The guides paused, observing for further signs of distress, and discovered a solitary female leopard perched regally atop a termite mound. The leopard had recently caught a jackal, which lay beneath her.

The guides, respecting the rules of nature, ensured a safe distance and time to allow the magnificent leopard to savour its catch without disruption.

A shy brown hyena darted across Tau Pan during the day, captivating attention as it vanished into the northwest terrain. These elusive hyenas are primarily nocturnal and generally more secretive than their spotted relatives. Brown hyenas have a broad diet, consuming anything from small mammals and insects to fruits and carrion.

The cheetahs of Tau Pan

One morning, a dedicated tracker and guide team located a magnificent male cheetah. The great cat, moving with purpose, was on a quest for sustenance, its lean form indicating a hunger for a successful hunt. The trackers observed with bated breath as the cheetah stalked its prey. The atmosphere was tense as the cheetah tried several times to catch its prey. With lightning-fast agility and grace, it attempted to pounce on potential targets, but luck seemed to be against it, and it could not secure a meal. However, the feline was not discouraged. Later in the month, it was seen marking its territory and healthily asserting its presence in the westerly region of Tau Pan.

Elephants, kudus, oryx, and springboks were sighted, especially around the Tau Pan Camp water hole. Daily scenes in the golden Central Kalahari Game Reserve grasslands included the playful antics of black-backed jackals, bat-eared foxes, yellow and slender mongooses, ground squirrels, and the solitary scrub hare. Ground agamas were common, too, and there were occasional sightings of the striking (fortunately, not literally) black mamba.

The avian ensemble for August featured impressive raptors, from the mighty martial eagles and tawny eagles to the charming African harrier hawks and enthusiastic passerines, such as the desert cisticola, fawn-coloured lark, and buffy pipit.

Splendid stargazing at Tau Pan Camp

Come nightfall, and the Tau Pan Camp deck provided an enchanting spectacle for stargazers. Under the vast expanse of the open Kalahari sky, guests had an unparalleled 360-degree celestial panorama. The Southern Cross, Scorpius, Sagittarius, and Corvus the Crow graced the heavens and were the most prominent constellations. As guests made their way to the fire in the early mornings, they witnessed the planetary parade with Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter, each adding its unique gleam to the tapestry of the sky before dawn broke.

(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!)

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Have you ever seen a cheetah trip? Turns out speed is only part of the picture.

One afternoon drive to Tau Pan, guests located a cheetah chasing a springbok, but a piece of stray limestone tripped up the predator. It was a lucky day for the sprightly springbok – and everything else. As the quarry ran away, all the other animals in the area were alerted, and alarm calls resonated through the valley.

A different cheetah in the company of three subadults was seen along the second pan from Tau Pan, and we enjoyed a fantastic sighting of a male on the hunt. Black-backed jackals started following him, and the male cheetah twisted about to chase the scavengers until they gave up. The predator proceeded with its quest but didn’t catch anything that day.

Strangely, we found a black-backed jackal feeding on a yellow mongoose for a while before picking it up and carrying it away to provide for the rest of the family. We also saw (living) slender mongooses, yellow mongooses, and bat-eared foxes. One day, we watched some of the foxes fleeing from a cheetah!

Kalahari birdlife in July

Birdlife was rich, especially at the camp waterhole. Watching from the deck, we logged a pale chanting goshawk feasting on a dead dove until a tawny eagle swooped in to steal it. Unfortunately, the meal was lost in the bush when the goshawk took off in surprise. A gabar Goshawk also killed a tiny red-billed quelea, and he enjoyed his dinner to the end. Elephants also came to drink at the water hole, chasing away other animals and dominating the area. Or so they thought… we observed plenty of dung beetles in their wake.

We frequently saw lions from the Tau Pan pride at the camp waterhole this winter. One day, they feasted on a young kudu and another occasion, we tracked a young male and female lion to the south of the pan, where we found them with a wildebeest.

We observed a female leopard in the west of the camp pursuing a little steenbok. However, the prey became alert and quickly spotted the predator, causing it to flee. Later, we spotted another female leopard at the airstrip crossing, eyeing a springbok as its next meal. Despite the predator’s attempts to hide in the bushes, the springbok herd heard their warning calls and evaded the attack. We also witnessed another female leopard hunting bat-eared foxes, but the black-backed jackals intervened, alerting the foxes to flee. In retaliation, the predator chased the jackals but ultimately failed to catch anyone and disappeared into the bush.

At Tau Pan and San Pan, we witnessed various animals and plains game. The grasslands were teeming with frolicking and fighting wildebeests. We watched as they challenged one another and rubbed their horns on tree branches, leaving the trunks almost ringbarked as a territorial display.

The grass species have dried up and moribund in a state of hibernation, waiting for the summer rains to spur new growth. However, the trees remained relatively green, particularly the acacias like the umbrella thorn, camelthorn, and shepherd’s tree.

Bushman walks and Milky Way moments at Tau Pan Camp

During nature walks in the Kalahari desert, experienced San trackers at Tau Pan taught guests about their cultural heritage. They demonstrated methods for obtaining water, creating traps for birds and animals, and starting a fire using friction.

We gazed at the stars in the evenings and learned about constellations such as Canis Major, Canis Minor, Scorpio, and the Seven Sisters. On the 28th and 29th, we observed a series of satellites moving in a line, likely part of Elon Musk’s Starlink program, a stirring counterpoint between the ancient San tracking and the most modern of technologies at Tau Pan.

(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!)

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A herd of four large male elephants visited the waterhole daily this month, although they sometimes drink at night. 

During these winter evenings, we often paused to appreciate the incredible night sky experience of the Central Kalahari, with its bright luminosity and plethora of stars. The Milky Way was clearly visible, along with constellations like the Southern Cross, Scorpio, and parts of Leo. The planets Venus, Mars, and Jupiter add to the enchantment, particularly in the early morning hours. 

Brown hyena at the Tau Pan Camp waterhole

The elusive brown hyena also appeared at the waterhole on three occasions. While they remained shy and quick to flee when approached, guests highly appreciated these sightings.

Both the Tau Pan and Airstrip prides were active in the area, offering incredible sightings. The Tau Pan pride was frequently spotted near the camp, even feeding on an oryx near the airstrip. The Airstrip pride, consisting of two lionesses and two cubs, was seen lying under bushes with full bellies after successful kills and a young male cub showed signs of developing a mane. Male lions, however, were absent throughout the month.

Two young female leopards were spotted in various locations. One frequently occupied the airstrip area, actively marking territory and we once caught her with a springbok kill up on an umbrella thorn tree. Male leopards also left their tracks near the camp, and there was a brief sighting at San Pan, before the big cat disappeared into the bush.

Two male cheetahs were also seen regularly, except when lions were present, as they tried to avoid potential conflicts.

The leaping lynx

One day trip to Deception Valley, guests relished an encounter with a caracal before it swiftly disappeared into the bushes. Caracals, also known as African lynxes, are medium-sized wild cats. These elusive and solitary felines are known for their distinct tufted ears and sleek, reddish-brown fur. Caracals are highly skilled hunters with remarkable agility and incredible jumping abilities. Their diet consists mainly of small mammals, such as rodents and hares, but they are also known to prey on birds and occasionally larger animals. They can leap and catch birds in mid-air thanks to their strong hind legs. 

Bat-eared foxes and black-backed jackals were spied at various open areas, while an African wildcat was logged stalking ground squirrels at Phukwi Pan. An aardwolf was located south of the pan in search of food and honey badgers were observed near San Pan. 

General game sightings have been impressive, with giraffes frequently visiting the Tau Pan waterhole. Oryx and springboks retreated to the thicker bushes due to the dry grass. The oryx, also known as the gemsbok, is a striking antelope species found in arid regions like the Kalahari Desert. Oryx can survive without water for long periods and can withstand extreme temperatures. They are agile runners, reaching up to 60 mph (97 km/h). Steenboks and duikers were also seen in the area. 

Birding has been remarkable

Cape vultures were nesting to the west of the airstrip with pale chanting goshawks, gabar goshawks, and great kestrels among the other species spotted. An African harrier hawk has been perching in the trees near the waterhole while bateleurs and tawny eagles made appearances. Kori bustards and korhaans have been spotted intermittently.

A black mamba was sighted crossing the road, disappearing into the trees. The dry vegetation has limited insect sightings, but antlion larvae with conical traps were observed. An intriguing ball biter ants, or balbyter in Afrikaans, around the camp provided an interesting sighting. As always, the bushmen walk allowed guests to tap into the ancient wisdom of a time-honoured Kalahari lifestyle with water collection and fire-making demonstrations.

(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!)

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One day, Tau Pan guests were treated with an extraordinary encounter as their game drive met with a brown hyena heading eastward.

Another morning, a puff adder and a Mozambique spitting cobra engaged in a fierce battle over a mouse. We later found the puff adder amusing itself with a tortoise’s intriguing behaviour in the Passarge Valley.

The cunning cheetahs of the Central Kalahari

During a delightful afternoon game drive,  guides located a satiated male cheetah leisurely heading eastward. Another male cheetah marked his territory near the pan, exuding plenty of confidence. Near Makgowa Pan, we witnessed an exhilarating chase as he pursued a duiker!

A timid male leopard frequented Phukwi Pan, while another male was seen gracefully perched on a tree savouring a steenbok feast. Meanwhile, the female leopard was spotted indulging in a black-backed jackal meal.

The Tau Pan lion pride

Another memorable morning, we discovered the Tau Pan lion pride, fully satisfied, and they sought refuge southwest of the pan. They also paid the camp a surprise visit, quenching their thirst at the swimming pool before resting in front! We often heard their calls echo through the air as they lingered west of the fire break.

The Tau Pan pride stealthily stalked oryx and springboks throughout April. Along the Aardvark road, the Airstrip pride playfully frolicked before making their way to Makgowa Pan. As the Kalahari sun intensified, they sought shelter under shade to rest. North of camp, near the workshop, we stumbled upon the Tau Pan pride with their adorable cubs, engaging in playful antics before retreating into the thickets.

Most autumn mornings, we witnessed a tapestry of general game and bird species spread across the Tau Pan area. Bat-eared foxes, oryx, springboks, jackals, wildebeests, giraffes, and energetic ground squirrels dotted the landscape. Majestic tawny eagles soared above, joined by the impressive bateleurs. Vultures swooped down, feasting on the smaller creatures, adding to the avian spectacle.

(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!)

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Despite sporadic rains and the odd spectacular thunderstorm, we enjoyed plenty of sunny days in the Central Kalahari. Between game drives and nature walks with the expert bushman trackers of Tau Pan Camp, there was still time to relax around the swimming pool, watching the world go by.

A leopard at the pool!

A resident leopard also shared this idea! Not content with the fresh water being pumped into the pan, she took a lazy stroll up to the pool, where she started drinking and sunning herself on the deck. She returned a few more times to drink and, on the third occasion, decided that she needed a towel. She wandered over a sun bed, pulled a towel off and played with it, rolling around and pulling it. Eventually, the sun became too warm, so she abandoned the toy and strolled into the bush. As you can imagine, the towel is no longer fit for use at the pool! We enjoyed several more leopard sightings from Phukwi Road to the airstrip to Litihau Valley.

Another animal wasn’t quite so congenial. A resident elephant bull demonstrated his abilities while in musth. Being in a heightened state, he broke some trees and trampled the bush around Tau Pan as we observed from a safe distance. Musth comes about when the testosterone levels in male elephants shoot up to over fifty (or more) times their typical level. This is characterised by an oily, foul-smelling urine-like secretion onto the back legs and the leaking of temporin from the temporal gland near the eye. At times of musth, the temporal gland swells up to the size of a tennis ball, and there is a theory that this may be painful, leading to an elephant’s stormy temper. Musth can last for days and up until several months. If you track an elephant and see droplets on top of the footprints emitting a nasty smell, this is one trail that is not worth following!

African wild dogs in the Central Kalahari

A pack of eight African wild dogs plied their trade around Passarge Pan, and we regularly visited the blossoming area to track them down. Passarge harboured grass and water, seducing various herbivores, including springbok, wildebeest, oryx and hartebeest.

Another small pack of two females and four male African wild dogs visited the Tau Pan Camp waterhole with full bellies – a sign of successful hunts in the local area.

Continuing from last month, we enjoyed fantastic cheetah sightings throughout December. A male and female were sharing the camp waterhole, and another group of three (female with sub-adult male and female) frequented the region around Passarge Pan. They focused on springbok prey and, in a wide-open area like Tau Pan where the cheetah can unleash its tremendous speed, the herds of springbok were continuously on the lookout.

Bustards, balls and butterflies

We saw many ground-dwelling birds, including ostriches, secretarybirds and Kori bustards. The Kori is the world’s heaviest flying bird and rightly holds its place as the national bird of Botswana. It was traditionally protected as the bird of the chief, or Kgosi, and is common in folklore.

Mongooses and ground squirrels entertained us daily, along with the black-backed jackals and bat-eared foxes foraging around the pan.

Dung beetles rolled their carefully crafted balls of harvested manure, and we noticed the Brown-veined white butterflies started to flit across the skies along with the Yellow pansy, Blue pansy, Broad-bordered grass yellow and African monarch butterflies.

(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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Summer is the time when the Kalahari really shines!

After months of dry heat, much of the game rushed to the Tau Pan waterhole or the nearest shady bush (or, in the case of the Tau Pan pride, using the camp as shade) and sepia-coloured topography, a rainbow kaleidoscope of colours returned. Plants like the Brandy Bush, Western Rhizome, Lavender Fever Berry and Worm Bark albizia added their tints and hues to the landscape ensemble. At the same time, Brunsvigia lilies, Scorpion’s Tail and Devils Claw carpeted the sands with their flowers. This reborn panorama provided fresh material for fascinating San-led bush walks and meandering game drives.

It’s also been an abundant month for cheetah and leopard sightings.

The spotted species of Tau Pan

One resident female leopard kept us entertained with her hunting, especially her fantastic tactic of snatching doves as they flew overhead. She was only sometimes successful, but it was always tremendous behaviour to witness. Meanwhile, the resident cheetahs hunted springbok across Tau Pan as the antelopes arrived for the new green grass. We had a group of four who took turns stalking the sprightly antelopes and hunted as a coalition.

They positioned themselves to take the springbok by surprise. Despite the limited bush cover, which granted prey a solid chance to steer clear of the predators, the cheetahs were successful, and we found the group on more than one occasion with their springbok quarry. This inevitably drew the attention of black-backed jackals. Despite their high numbers, these scavengers have yet to manage to steal the well-earned meal, and, for now, the cheetahs remain lords of Tau Pan.

Bull elephants visit the Central Kalahari

Solitary bull elephants were regular visitors to the waterhole. It’s easy to see where they emerged from, with the broken and stripped vegetation exhibiting their dietary requirements while they awaited a return of the grasses. Elephants are “preferential grazers”, meaning they will most likely choose grasses when possible.

Early rains and periodic heat punctuated the days, and elephants enjoyed bathing and drinking from the waterhole. One day, a big, drinking elephant gave the Tau Pan pride a warning glance before charging and sending the lions scampering off towards the airstrip. Big herds of gemsbok, hartebeest and springbok were also seen at the water hole and around Tau Pan, as have the majestic old bull giraffes. Different species of vultures, as well as Bateleur eagles and Secretarybirds, likewise visited the waterhole during the day when it became too hot to cool themselves without a splash or two.  

The Tau Pan pride relocated to an area nearer the airstrip. The lush new grasses began to grow in the pan, and the lions frequently visited to watch the herbivores coming to feed.

Reptiles return with the rains

Black mambas, snouted, and cape cobras were also logged in the area, especially around the burrows of ground squirrels. Both serrated and leopard tortoises were seen around the pans, where they feed on the soft fresh shoots. The lion cubs appeared strong and healthy, and on more than one occasion, we found them with their favourite toy – the leopard tortoise. Whether pure play or a genuine (attempted) feeding habit, the young cubs always struggle to crack that nut!

We tracked the lions to numerous oryx and springbok kills, so it seems that they won’t be switching their supper to tortoise just yet.

The lion kills provided a good meal for the side-striped jackals. We located their den on the border of Tau Pan and enjoyed many happy hours with the puppies. Spending time with the jackals is an amazing lesson in family bonding. Jackals (both black-backed and side-striped) form monogamous pairs for life, and young will stay with them for almost a year before forging (or should that be foraging?) their own future.

Bounty at the bar-eared fox dens!

Nearby we also located several bat-eared fox dens. Feeding almost exclusively on a diet of insects, they are not much of a threat to the nearby jackals. After heavy rains, lots of velvet mites, millipedes and centipedes, Matabele ants, dragonflies and cicada beetles joined the desert’s mammals, birds and reptiles.

The baby bat-eared foxes (known as pups or kits) will stay with the parents for six months, a promising prospect for photographers heading to Tau Pan in the coming season.

(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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Life slowed down with the mercury topping 40 degrees, but the Tau Pan camp waterhole became a veritable tick list. Lions, cheetahs, brown hyenas, leopards and all manner of mammals and birds frequented one of the last water sources in the area. 

We regularly saw the Tau Pan lion pride, although their hunting technique in the heat left much to be desired. They had some success in the cooler evening hours, and we often found them feeding on kudu and springbok. The pride was always alert to the possibility of a hunt. One day, we located them sprawled out at the airstrip with the small cubs suckling from their mother. The alarm call of a springbok sounded through the dry bush and the mother, thinking only of the prey, jumped up, sending the little cubs sprawling across the dirt, much to their dismay. 

Watching lions and more from Tau Pan Camp

Many guests took it easy watching the lion and animal activity from the comfort of the bar almost every day.  

Leopard, cheetah and brown hyena were all spotted at the waterhole this month but were acutely aware of the presence of the lions, so we often followed them further afield to where they relaxed. Further out in the bush, we watched cheetah hunt springbok, and the leopards posed obligingly in Camelthorn trees. Early one morning, we spied a brown hyena passing the waterhole, barely pausing for a drink. It’s always a joy to see these reclusive creatures.

The delights of desert bird life

The birdlife has been fantastic, especially the aerial battles around the waterhole. Yellow-billed kites and Temminck’s coursers have returned to the valleys and plains. Northern black korhaans, Goshawks, Tawny eagles, Steppe buzzards, Red-crested korhaans, Crimson-breasted shrikes, Yellow-billed hornbills, Pied crows, Kori bustards and Secretarybirds were just some of the other species we regularly identified.

In the middle of the month, we saw the first small clouds in the sky and within a few days, these built up to mountainous Cumulonimbus that dominated the sky. We could almost feel the sense of expectation from the wildlife. Late in October, rains finally arrived. And with the rain comes new life and a resurrection of reptiles. Two examples: a big puff adder crossed the road and a striped skink munched on a stick insect in camp. Insects have returned to the landscape too. Ground beetles, tok-tokkie beetles, hunting wasps and spiders, dragonflies, red ants, locusts, rose chafer beetles, and zebra white butterflies have joined the African monarchs. 

We have also glimpsed the first springbok baby. As the landscape rapidly changes from a parched desert to a lush green oasis, we look forward to welcoming many new additions to the extended Tau Pan family!

The lionesses that took over the San Bushmen shelter last month have vanished into the bush. This hopefully means that in the next six weeks or so (the approximate time a lioness will keep her new cubs hidden), we will have some fantastic holiday additions to tell you about!

(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 captivating nature walk with the Kalahari’s indigenous trackers, such as Majwagana “Scuppa” Tshururu, is often the highlight of a stay at Tau Pan Camp.

However, we had to make slight modifications to the activity this month. We found a novel sight in mid-September while checking the walking route to ensure it was safe. The walk includes a recreation of a San (also known as bushmen in Botswana) homestead, and one morning we found that the shelter was occupied. Two pregnant lionesses commandeered the shady, cool house in the October heat. Perhaps a new maternity wing to be?  

What is the Central Kalahari like in October?

The Central Kalahari Game Reserve got very dry. Grasses gave way to hardened dust, and wildlife turned their focus to the daily trial of getting from the last water sources to the remaining grasses, shrubs, leaves and fruit that comprise their desert diet.

The Tau Pan Camp waterhole was the focal point for multiple wildlife species. Kudus, blue wildebeests, giraffes and even an elephant (who are not common visitors) graced the reservoir throughout the day. The resident cheetah also bravely spent time at the waterhole. We say brave as the Tau Pan lion pride also spent considerable durations at the waterhole and around camp. They were well-fed, and guests enjoyed watching the cubs play and interacting with the adults for many days. The lions were most tolerant of the youngsters, although they didn’t hesitate to put them in their place with a swipe or two when antics became irritating.

We also noticed an unknown young male lion in the area playing a risky game. He seemed to know this and was constantly on guard, ready to bolt whenever the bush rustled or a bird called.

The Brown hyenas were also wary. We found plenty of tracks, but they darted to and from the waterhole in the quiet dark of dawn to avoid the presence of the lions. The same could not be said of the resident leopards. 

The lively leopards of Tau Pan Camp

Leopards were spotted throughout the month, and our curious friend from August again inspected the game drive vehicle. This time, she decided the vehicle could serve as an excellent sunshade in the late afternoon sunshine. The car could not move with her underneath, and the only thing we could do was quietly enjoy early sundowners aboard. It’s a tough life in Tau Pan! Another delight was watching two subadult females playing about and chasing ground squirrels without successfully swatting any. We also located a Cape cobra attempting to hunt these squirrels.

With the grasses low, it proved a wonderful time of year to spot the fantastic array of smaller creatures the Kalahari offers. Yellow and slender mongooses, bat-eared foxes, honey badgers, and black-backed jackals were regularly seen in the pans foraging for food on both game drives and when walking close to camp.

Some of the trees are green, especially Camelthorn, Confetti and Shepherds trees. We also noticed some blossoms have attracted insects as spring settles in.

(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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