There was an uptick in African wild dog sightings compared to previous months; we saw them on several occasions.
The first sighting occurred during breakfast when a kudu herd ran past Tau Pan Camp. After a quick scan, one of our guests spotted an African wild dog. We followed the tracks and found a pack of 17 wild dogs resting in the shade.
On another thrilling day, we were on the trail of lions to the north when we stumbled upon fresh wild dog tracks on the main road. The chase led us to the pack of 17 resting under a tree. Our final sighting was equally exhilarating, as we located a pack of eight African wild dogs drinking at a waterhole during a day trip to Deception Valley.
Brown hyenas and more at the camp waterhole
This month, hyena sightings were also excellent, especially for the elusive brown hyena. We spotted brown hyenas four times, and all sightings occurred early in the morning near the camp waterhole, so we happily watched them during our breakfast.
Another early morning, after meeting at the campfire, we heard alarm calls from kudus. A shy female leopard appeared briefly at the waterhole to drink before retreating into the bush. The second sighting was a female leopard walking along the road north of the camp; she moved off-road after about 17 minutes. Finally, on an afternoon drive to the east, we located a male leopard feeding on a steenbok.
One day, we ventured northeast of camp and came across two black-maned lions, one lioness, and a subadult male lion, all being chased by two other black-maned males. They were heading north toward the airstrip. On December 2nd, we saw a single black-maned lion calling out to the others. Later in the month, one night, we heard lions roaring continuously. The following morning, we traced their calls south of Tau Pan. After following their tracks for about 30 minutes, we located four lionesses and one male lion.
The Green Season unfolds in the Kalahari
December brought a refreshing change to Tau Pan, with the arrival of the rains bringing new life to the landscape. We saw the offspring of springbok, plus common antelope species such as red hartebeest, oryx, common duiker, and kudu were frequently seen.
The weather varied between warm, partly cloudy days and occasional winds, creating a pleasant atmosphere ideal for game viewing and bush activities. The rains revitalized the environment, bringing cooler temperatures, particularly in the mornings and evenings.
With the arrival of the rains, the weather was perfect for Bushman walks, and we conducted more of these walks this month. With the lions moving further away from the camp, we could also explore the area without interruptions. The walks offered a unique opportunity to connect with nature in the heart of Tau Pan’s dynamic landscape. Guests enjoyed observing the growing vegetation and understanding their medicinal properties and could inspect beautiful flowers from close quarters. The once-bare dunes transformed into a lush green landscape, and various plants began to bloom, including trumpet thorns and acacia trees.
Ground squirrels, yellow mongooses, slender mongooses, honey badgers, and caracals were all logged. Birdlife in Tau Pan continued to impress, with a mix of Palearctic and intra-African migrant species arriving in the area. Notable sightings included European golden oriole, kites, falcons, bee-eaters, bustards, shrikes, goshawks, eagles, kestrels, and owls.
(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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