Leopard sightings suggested an exciting new development: a female leopard and her cub were spotted along Mokoro Road, indicating that the resident female may be denning. Fresh tracks found in the area further support the likelihood that she is keeping a low profile while caring for her young.
Lion sightings were consistent and rewarding throughout the month. The resident pride, comprising two females with six cubs, remained active on the western side of camp.
Mma Matswee, a well-known lioness in the area, was frequently spotted hunting red lechwe in the Paradise floodplains alongside her two sub-adult offspring and two smaller cubs.
Meanwhile, the southern pride — made up of 17 lions — was also seen on several occasions. This group was observed feeding on kills of zebra, buffalo, and impala. The Kwara males, which dominated the southeastern section of the 4 Rivers range, regularly accompanied this pride and defended their territory.
The male cheetah, often seen at Last Mabala, was occasionally seen in the open plains of Paradise. He spent time scent-marking and scanning the area from elevated tree trunks. On one occasion, he was seen stalking and successfully taking down a male impala — a clear display of his continuing strength and hunting skill despite operating alone.
African wild dog sightings were interesting! One morning, guides tracked the pack moving from the western boundary towards the camp and found them feeding on an impala kill right in front of Room 9 near the elephant crossing.
The pack’s numbers suddenly decreased from 27 to approximately 17 over the course of 24 hours.
Although it is common for younger adult dogs to disperse to form new packs, some of the remaining pack showed injuries, which led our guides to believe that there could have been a fatal encounter with lions. At times when there are higher water levels, the predators are concentrated more on small islands, which increases competition.
The landscape underwent significant change during April. The floodplains became inundated, while the grasslands were grazed heavily by large herds of buffalo and groups of zebra. Woodland areas were increasingly opened up as elephants moved through, migrating from north to south in search of water and fresh vegetation.
Guests encountered large herds of buffalo numbering from several hundred to over a thousand individuals, alongside groups of up to a hundred elephants. Red lechwe were regularly seen in the floodplain areas, and sightings of sable and roan antelope added to the diversity. Impalas were abundant throughout the concession, while large troops of baboons moved in and out of the woodland and open plains.
A variety of smaller animals were observed, including springhares, white-tailed mongooses, banded mongooses, tree squirrels, and leopard tortoises. Reptile sightings included black mambas and pythons.
With the grasses beginning to break down after the rains, harvester termites and ants were actively collecting grass seeds and stalks across the wetter floodplain regions. Sap-feeding beetles were also encountered clinging to the stems of turpentine and thatching grasses, particularly during nature walks.
