Cheetah tracking featured strongly throughout the month. Fresh tracks around Malalakgaka were followed across Grass’s Road and led to Bafana, the resident coalition of four, moving while scanning for prey but without success during that follow.
On another morning, the coalition was picked up before reaching their marking posts. They showed interest in a lone tsessebe and stalked to close range before initiating a chase. The tsessebe crossed a dried waterhole, and the footing appeared to work against the cheetahs on the hardened mud, causing them to abandon the attempt.
A female cheetah with three subadult cubs was also seen inside Moremi Game Reserve attempting to hunt impala without success. The coalition of four was later found around Roan Pan with full bellies. During an afternoon check, a female cheetah was located resting in shade nearby, while the males shifted only slightly.
Several tracking attempts involved spoor disappearing into dense mopane and grass. In these cases, the team repositioned around likely marking trees, which led to the coalition being located resting close to a shepherd tree. Another follow began near the river just before Rra Dinare camp, where tracks suggested the cheetahs had come down to drink. The coalition was found resting roughly 100 metres from the water.
On one morning, fresh wet urine at a marking post indicated the cheetahs were nearby. The coalition was found seated at the base of a mound near the Rra Dinare airstrip road, and shortly afterwards a female cheetah was also located resting nearby. On a separate occasion, one male from the coalition was found separated, calling before settling into shade.
African wild dogs were recorded from multiple packs moving between the camps and Moremi. Early in the month, the large pack, numbering approximately 29–30 individuals, was found near Rra Dinare camp already fed and playing before settling close to tent 9. They were checked again later in the day and remained in the area. The following morning, the same pack was encountered in the Mma Dinare area chasing impala without making a kill.
A separate pack of 13 was followed hunting in the Paradise area until fading light ended the follow. The large pack was later found again at Kubu Pan, largely inactive during the heat but engaging in a greeting ceremony before lying up.
The pack of 13 was later tracked from Mma Dinare as they passed Rra Dinare and was found hungry around Rramochine. After an initial unsuccessful chase, the pack spread along the river. A female impala entered the water and then turned back out rather than swimming across, running directly into the dogs and being caught immediately in front of the vehicle. Four dogs fed initially, while a second kill appeared to have been made in nearby thickets, confirmed when one dog arrived carrying an impala head and others showed heavy blood staining.
Three wild dogs were also seen in Moremi Game Reserve resting along the river edge.
Lions were vocal around camp early in the morning, with several mornings beginning to the sound of roars close by. After breakfast, fresh tracks were picked up along the firebreak and followed briefly before three subadults from Gomoti Pride were located near water close to the staff village. The lions attempted to hunt red lechwe, but the prey entered deeper water and escaped. Later the same day, the subadults were found lying on the road, joined by their father.
Soon after, lion spoor was picked up again on the eastern side of camp. Tracks along the boat station road were followed for roughly twenty minutes before the lions left the road. The team went off-road and located an unfamiliar pride of three lionesses with three cubs. The cubs were shy and remained in cover, and the pride moved off shortly after being found.
Mid-month, lion activity settled into a steady pattern along the riverine corridor. The Gomoti Pride was found on the Mma Dinare firebreak with eight individuals showing full bellies, indicating a recent kill. The pride remained in the area into the afternoon, shifting into shade as temperatures rose, and were heard roaring again that night. The following morning they were located moving between the two camps along the river.
Vulture activity often helped lead guides and trackers to predators or recent kills. At Mokolwane 5, birds perched in trees prompted a closer check and led to part of Tee’s Pride — four lionesses with five large cubs — feeding on a zebra carcass that appeared to have been killed the previous day. During the sighting, two adult males that did not belong to the pride approached and attempted to pressure the cubs. The lionesses intervened immediately and a brief confrontation followed, allowing the cubs to move off safely. After the disturbance, the males fed on the remaining carcass. The following morning, Tee’s Pride was located again, now joined by their dominant male, with the cubs active and playing around a nearby termite mound.
Adult male movement remained noticeable through the middle of the month. The Gomoti boys were seen after Rra Dinare camp walking with full bellies down to the river, where they drank and then settled in blue bush shade close to the water. A single lioness was also seen drinking at Rramochine before moving back into thick cover, suggesting other pride members were nearby.
Mating activity was recorded repeatedly. Following a radio call from the Rra Dinare team, one of the Gomoti boys was located mating with an unknown lioness close to camp. The pair was checked again the following morning along the Rra Dinare firebreak and later that same afternoon, with mating continuing throughout this period.
Fresh tracks picked up near GT’s Pan led quickly to four lionesses from Santawani Pride resting in shade. The following morning, the same pride was located near the Mma Dinare airstrip before Nxaraga Pan. They showed interest in nearby impala but abandoned the approach due to the openness of the area.
A new adult male, unfamiliar to the guides, was tracked from the firebreak to the Mma Dinare water tanks and followed as he walked along the river edge. He paused briefly in shallow water before crossing to the Gomoti side, indicating continued movement through the concession.
Late in the month, feeding sightings continued. Lion tracks crossing Roan Road were followed for nearly two hours before Gomoti Pride was located close to Rra Dinare camp feeding on a freshly killed warthog. The carcass was consumed quickly and was insufficient for the full group. On another occasion, Gomoti Pride and their dominant male were found feeding on a buffalo calf with the herd still present. The buffalo attempted to push in and drive the lions off, but the pride held their ground and remained on the carcass.
Leopard activity remained consistent and was often revealed by alarm calls from squirrels, francolins and impala. Early in the month, a young male leopard was found in the BDF forest finishing an impala kill. Later, fresh female tracks were followed along Maporota Road for approximately twenty minutes before tree squirrel alarm calls revealed her position up in a rain tree.
A resident pregnant female was seen at night walking directly along the road as guides returned to camp before moving back into cover. Another young male was first seen near the airstrip resting on a branch and later found again in the same area, this time on the ground.
A male leopard was tracked from Rra Dinare camp towards the mokoro station and located moving while scent-marking. He roared twice during the follow. A different young male was later found with a very fresh impala kill near the BDF forest and dragged the carcass into thick cover. When the area was checked the following morning, the kill had been taken by hyenas.
Later in the month, roaring around Rramochine drew vehicles into a careful off-road follow. The resident male, Ralebodu, was located calling and moving steadily through thickets. A receptive female appeared shortly afterwards and mating began. When the area was revisited, the pair had shifted closer to the mokoro station, where they were relocated by another guide.
Hyenas were encountered most often after dark and around feeding sites. Eight spotted hyenas were found feeding on an old elephant carcass along the boat station road. Individuals were also seen during the day lying in water or resting in shade, including sightings within Moremi. Around five hyenas were recorded at buffalo calf remains between the camps, associated with a Gomoti Pride kill.
Black-backed jackals were seen regularly, including groups with puppies at Cat’s Pan. Bat-eared foxes were recorded along Grass Road, including a pair with four puppies, and several dens were noted. An aardwolf was seen once around Roan Pan.
Night drives produced regular sightings of serval, including a sighting with kittens, honey badger, wild cat, genets (including a female with three kittens in a tree), spring hare, owls and nightjars. The standout small carnivore sighting of the month was a female caracal with two kittens found close to Grass’s Road. The female remained relaxed while the kittens stayed in.
General game remained abundant along the Gomoti River and adjacent floodplains, supporting sustained predator activity. Daily drives recorded large herds of elephant, giraffe, buffalo, kudu, hippo, wildebeest, impala, lechwe and zebra, with regular sightings of steenbok and waterbuck. Crocodiles were seen frequently along riverine routes, and water monitor lizards were recorded several times.
Birding remained productive, with consistent sightings of fish eagles, bateleurs, tawny eagles, brown snake eagles, egrets, herons, cormorants, lapwings, ducks, geese, ibis, larks and shrikes. Summer migrants continued to arrive, including broad-billed roller, southern carmine bee-eater, yellow-billed kite, Wahlberg’s eagle, steppe eagles and cuckoos. A long-crested eagle was recorded as a highlight.
Water levels remained suitable for mokoro activity, with waterlilies in flower and good concentrations of waterbirds along the channels. Bush walks focused on spoor interpretation, shrubs, termite activity and droppings, with general game encountered on foot under appropriate conditions. Across the concession, Kalahari apple leaf and rain tree flowered earlier in the month, and mopane showed the first flush of new leaf.
