Leopard activity provided some of the most consistent and rewarding tracking during the month. Early on, a female was tracked from the airstrip road towards Nxaraga Pan. Fresh spoor was followed for close to an hour before she was located moving steadily towards Rra Dinare, remaining visible for a further forty-five minutes before disappearing into thicker cover.
One of the more productive days saw three separate leopard sightings in different areas between the camps. The first was located resting in a tree between Mma Dinare and Rra Dinare before descending and moving along the road. Further along, another male was followed for over an hour while showing interest in impala, although the hunt was unsuccessful. Later that afternoon, a third leopard was encountered on the return to camp.
Mid-month, a female with a cub was located feeding on an impala along the Maun Road. The same female was seen again later in the month crossing the airstrip, suggesting she remained active in the area with a dependent cub.
Lions along the Moremi boundary
Lion activity built steadily through the month, particularly along the boundary between Dinare Private Reserve and Moremi.
Early sightings included three lionesses located near the Rra Dinare firebreak, remaining in the area into the following morning. Further tracking into Moremi led to a large pride feeding on a buffalo carcass near Black Pool. Tracks were followed for approximately thirty minutes before the pride was located, numbering over twenty individuals including cubs and three dominant males.
On another drive along the same boundary, distant calling again led guides towards Black Pool, where another large pride was located resting in the same area.
Towards the end of the month, a pride of eight was encountered near Second Crossing. The group was initially resting before becoming active when a dominant male approached. The pride moved along the road, with the male following a lioness in oestrus before chasing a subadult male away from the group.
Cheetahs holding ground
Cheetah sightings remained a consistent highlight, with multiple groups moving through the concession.
The coalition of four brothers was the most frequently encountered, with fresh tracks often picked up along the Malalakgaka Road before they were located feeding on a zebra foal. Their movements covered large areas, and they remained active across different parts of the concession.
On another morning, a single male was followed while calling along the road. Continued tracking led to another group, where a female with three subadult cubs was located nearby. The interaction between these individuals reflected the overlap in territories and the regular movement of cheetahs through the area.
African wild dogs moving through & after hour movements
African wild dog activity remained strong, with multiple packs using the concession.
Early in the month, a pack of 19 was located between Mma Dinare and Rra Dinare and followed as they hunted and successfully brought down an impala. Between the middle of the month, a smaller pack of five was seen consistently over several days, often hunting close to camp.
Towards the end of the month, a group of three was encountered moving through the Rra Dinare area, continuing the pattern of packs moving in and out of the concession.
Spotted hyenas were frequently encountered, particularly during evening drives. Groups of two to four were regularly seen moving along the roads, while one notable sighting involved four individuals feeding on the remains of a kudu after being drawn in by vultures.
Night drives also produced good sightings of smaller mammals, including African wild cat, civet, genet, porcupine and bat-eared fox. One of the more notable sightings involved a female African wild cat moving with two cubs along the firebreak close to camp.
Game across the floodplains
General game remained strong across the concession, with giraffe, zebra, tsessebe, kudu, red lechwe, waterbuck and impala seen regularly.
Buffalo numbers remained good earlier in the month, including a herd estimated at around three hundred individuals, although movement patterns shifted as water became more widely available. Elephant sightings varied, with bulls seen more frequently, alongside occasional breeding herds.
Birdlife remained active, supported by increased insect and amphibian activity across the pans and floodplains.
Mokoro excursions were possible in parts of the concession, allowing access into channels that had previously been dry, while nature walks continued to focus on tracking, spoor interpretation and plant use.
