Night drives yielded some exciting sightings, including four honey badgers digging for food and two porcupines walking along the road. A serval was also spotted on Riverine Road.
Crocodile sightings were frequent, especially along the Gomoti River, where large groups could be seen basking on the riverbanks or swimming in the water. A highlight was observing a group of 15 crocodiles feeding on a dead hippo near Paradise. Other reptiles included a water monitor lizard that was being mobbed by blacksmith lapwings in Paradise and rock monitor lizards found both in trees and on the ground.
Lions Roar, Leopards Lurk, Cheetahs Chase
Lion sightings were frequent this month, especially with the Gomoti Pride displaying frequent activity. One morning, two lions from the pride were spotted with a baboon kill. However, they quickly dragged it into the thickets, preventing us from observing them further.
Lions were seen near the Gomoti River, three lions were casually walking and could be viewed from Mma Dinare’s main area. We also watched five subadult lions playing along the Mma Dinare firebreak. We also watched a pair of lionesses with cubs resting, and the cubs entertained guests by briefly playing before napping in thick fever berry bushes.
The resident male leopard, known as Rralebodu, made several appearances. One evening, he was spotted lounging in a tree along Maporota Road. A few days later, he was observed resting in the shade near the Rra Dinare workshop. The resident female leopard was also seen at Mma Dinare camp, perched high on a knob thorn acacia tree after rainfall, providing a great photo opportunity for guests.
Cheetah sightings were trickier in the tall grass, but our skilled trackers and guides located a coalition of four brothers near Malalakgaka, along the Rra Dinare airstrip road. They also found a mother cheetah with three cubs (estimated at five or six months old) drinking at a waterhole before resting in the shade.
During another game drive, the coalition of four cheetahs was found stalking warthogs. They successfully caught a baby warthog, but a dramatic struggle ensued when the mother attempted to intervene, forcing the cheetahs to abandon their pursuit of the adult warthog.
African wild dogs were a little less active during the month. On one of the morning game drives fresh tracks were picked up around the Dibatana area. The African wild dogs were tracked along the road towards Maun, and the pack of 32 was found near Elephant Pan. Though they appeared well-fed, they were still on the move, likely disturbed by something, which kept them restless despite the heat.
Spotted hyenas were often seen near the camps, including two that were spotted running along the road during a morning game drive. On one of the drives, a hyena was observed sitting in a waterhole, with only its head and neck visible above the water, creating an interesting and unusual sighting.
Bat-eared foxes were observed near Grass Road and Malalakgaka in the evenings, feeding on emerging termites. Black-backed jackals were also spotted in large numbers, around Cat’s Pan and several around Nxaraga Pan. Troops of banded and dwarf mongooses were frequently seen around Mma Dinare firebreak and the main area.
Birds, Butterflies and Beauty in the Delta
The landscape transformed dramatically due to recent rains. Vegetation flourished, with trees turning bright green and grass reaching impressive heights. Waterholes away from the river filled with water, and the Gomoti River itself saw a significant increase in water levels, making the region especially lush and beautiful.The general game was in excellent condition, with red lechwe frequently spotted near the roads as the floodwaters spread into the floodplains. The sight of these elegant antelopes darting across the plains added a stunning element to mokoro trips, offering guests magnificent views of the wildlife in the Okavango Delta.
Following the rains, various butterfly species, including the brown-veined white, African monarch, and blue pansy, thrived among the abundant flowers.
The birdlife was diverse and plentiful, with many summer migrant species recorded. Noteworthy sightings included southern carmine bee-eaters, broad-billed rollers, and woolly-necked storks. Raptors were also abundant, with sightings of martial eagles, tawny eagles, steppe eagles, and fish eagles, among others.
(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 includes 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!)
