The Gomoti Boys defend their ground – July began with a serious territorial challenge for the Gomoti Boys when an intruding male moved into their territory.
The confrontation escalated from roaring and posturing into a physical fight between the three males. The two Gomoti Boys eventually drove the intruder away, retaining control of the area.
Their month did not become any quieter. Less than half an hour after leaving camp one morning, guides received word that the males had tackled a Cape buffalo. Guests reached the scene in time to watch the hunt through to the kill, and the lions fed on the carcass for three days.
Spotted hyenas repeatedly gathered around the feeding lions, using their strength in numbers to test the males and look for opportunities to steal pieces of the carcass.
Four different lion prides used the Dinare Private Reserve during July, with the territories of other prides overlapping its boundaries. The mosaic of floodplain, riverine habitat and mopane woodland provided plenty of space for these different groups to move through the area.
Impala alarm calls lead to Rra Labodo
Rra Labodo, one of Dinare’s dominant male leopards, was active between Mma Dinare and Rra Dinare during July and was seen mating.
On another afternoon, impala alarm calls drew the guides’ attention. They followed the calls and found Rra Labodo dragging an impala kill into the shade beneath a tree.
A female leopard with two young cubs was also seen regularly around the BDF area. The cubs appeared healthy and remained closely associated with their mother.
Guests also followed another leopard as it stalked an impala. The hunt was unsuccessful, but watching the cat work its way towards its prey offered the full build-up of a leopard hunt rather than simply arriving at the aftermath.
African wild dogs reveal their den
The Dinare guiding teams identified an African wild dog den during July, although its position within thick mopane woodland made access difficult.
Away from the den, the pack was encountered several times while hunting. One sighting came with a complete change of plan: guides were following one of the four cheetah brothers when three African wild dogs suddenly raced past the vehicle in pursuit of an impala. Attention promptly switched from one predator to another as the chase disappeared ahead.
The dogs’ highly mobile hunting trips away from the den gave guests opportunities to see the pack without putting unnecessary pressure on the den site itself.
A spotted hyena den was also located around Hyena Pan. The cubs were already approaching the subadult stage and were confident enough to investigate the safari vehicles at close range.
Night drives added another dimension to hyena encounters. One spotted hyena produced an impressive range of vocalisations, including the characteristic giggling calls used during social interactions.
Four cheetah brothers still going strong
The familiar coalition of four male cheetahs remained together and active across the reserve.
The brothers regularly moved through their territory scent-marking and hunting. Zebra featured among their prey during July, and guests were able to watch the coalition both on hunts and feeding after successful kills.
Having four males together gives the coalition considerable advantages. Working as a group allows them to defend a larger territory and tackle prey that would be considerably more challenging for a solitary cheetah.
The Gomoti River spreads into the floodplains
This year’s flood brought particularly high water to the Dinare Private Reserve. The Gomoti River and its surrounding floodplains filled extensively, covering some of the usual game-drive routes along the riverfront and changing how guides moved through the area.
The high water also made boating and mokoro excursions an important part of the Dinare experience. From a mokoro, guests moved quietly through the flooded channels among aquatic plants and birdlife, while boating along the Gomoti brought sightings of basking crocodiles and water monitor lizards.
Dragonflies were abundant around the reeds, and aquatic birdlife gathered wherever the flood provided suitable feeding habitat. African jacanas walked across floating lily pads, hamerkops searched the shallows for frogs, and malachite kingfishers worked the waterways. African fish eagles were regularly seen along the river, together with saddle-billed storks, ibises and great white egrets.
Winter opens up the woodland
By July, the vegetation was beginning to show the effects of winter. Many deciduous trees had shed their leaves and the grasses had turned golden, opening longer views through areas that had been considerably thicker earlier in the year.
Black-backed jackals were particularly common, while night drives produced aardwolves and caracals. Honey badgers, African wild cats, African civets, genets, porcupines, steenbok, springhares and duikers added to the smaller mammal sightings.
Nature walks offered time to concentrate on the details easily missed from a vehicle. With local guides leading the way, guests could examine tracks and plants at ground level and learn how different species used the reserve.
A small fire was recorded around Cats Pan during the month and was successfully brought under control.
Between the high flood, increasingly open winter vegetation and predator activity around both camps, July showed just how varied the Dinare Private Reserve could be – from lion fights and hunting African wild dogs to the quieter waterways of the Gomoti River.
