There have been multiple sightings of lions throughout the concession, involving both resident and nomadic prides. The core pride, frequently observed in the western sections, included several lionesses with cubs of varying ages (approximately four to seven months).
One morning, tracks were discovered moving east near Sethabana. After an hour of tracking, the pride was located, finishing off a zebra carcass. Dominance displays and growling were evident among the individuals at the kill site. During this sighting, a distant male was heard roaring, likely unfamiliar to the pride, which caused noticeable agitation among the resident males.
A pride of lions was tracked from the Last Mabala floodplain, moving south. Later, alarm calls from vervet monkeys near Mopane trees led to the discovery of another pride, which included two lionesses and six cubs, all approximately four months old. On one afternoon, a sub-adult male from a pride of five was seen crossing the open area in front of the camp.
Leopard sightings were both frequent and varied. A well-known territorial male was often seen between Splash and Kwara, primarily hunting reedbuck and impala. During one of the game drives, he was observed stalking a steenbok but was interrupted by baboons, which alarm-called and chased him away.
While tracking for leopard northeast of camp, a relaxed female was found, guided by kudu alarm calls. She was later spotted again west of Splash, perched in a tree near the hippo area. A male leopard was located along River Road near the boat station, lying at the base of a jackalberry tree with a reedbuck kill stashed in the branches.
Cheetahs on the Move, African Wild dogs on the Hunt, and Hyenas on the Watch
Cheetah activity was strong in the area. The resident coalition of two males moved between Splash, Four Rivers, and occasionally beyond. One sighting occurred near Splash Hippos, where the cheetahs successfully hunted and brought down a female impala after actively stalking in the northeastern part of the area.
A solitary cheetah male was observed in the Last Mabala region. While resting on a termite mound, he seized an opportunity to hunt an impala that had just escaped from two black-backed jackals. After a successful chase, the cheetah suffocated the impala in full view.
A resident pack of 21 wild dogs was located near Willie’s Valley after we spent some time tracking them. They were observed hunting and successfully brought down an adult male impala. Later in the month, the same pack was spotted at Green Pan, they had been moving west from One Hippo Pool and were resting beside a waterhole after an unsuccessful attempt to catch a reedbuck.
In a separate sighting, a pack of 17 wild dogs was feeding on an impala when they were interrupted by three spotted hyenas. The dogs aggressively defended their kill and chased the hyenas into a nearby water channel.
Spotted hyenas were frequently observed throughout the concession. A clan of three was seen feeding on elephant bones north of the camp before they moved off into the bush. On Kwara Island, two spotted hyenas attempted to isolate and attack a young zebra; however, adult zebras quickly intervened and chased the predators away. On another occasion, during a stargazing stop after sundowners, a large spotted hyena approached and calmly walked past the vehicle.
Additionally, a brown hyena was sighted in the northern sector of the concession. It appeared extremely skittish and quickly vanished into the thicket.
From Daylight Browsers to Night-Time Movers
The concession continued to provide excellent game viewing. Regular sightings included large groups of giraffes, often numbering up to 50 individuals, as well as zebras, impalas, kudus, tsessebes, alongside elephants, which included both small breeding herds and older bulls.
Numerous Nile crocodiles, some exceeding four metres in length, were seen along the Moanachira River and in nearby waterholes. One of our night drives revealed a crocodile feeding on a fish in a shallow pan.
Nocturnal species observed included the African civet, serval, and large-spotted genet. An aardwolf was spotted to the south of the camp. Small-spotted genets were frequently seen near the main area, particularly during the evening hours. Jackals, including a pair of black-backed jackals, were observed hunting francolins.
Birdlife remained excellent throughout the month. Notable species included the martial eagle, brown snake eagle, wattled crane, and little bee-eaters. A ground hornbill was seen catching a striped skink and feeding it to its juvenile.
The landscape remained vibrant, with green grasses and trees still full of leaves. Flowering plants attracted a variety of insect species, creating a dynamic ecological scene despite the seasonal transition.
