The resident male lions are being found in the area almost every day now. In addition, the pride with the three young cubs are also seen often, but now that the cubs are a little older, the mother is moving them more regularly, still trying to avoid the risk of running in to the males. Towards the end of the month, the two males were resting closer to the pride, but spent time courting a sub-adult lioness in the area.
A wonderful day where we found a leopardess on a kill. Unbothered by our attention, she left the kill after a while, and went into the nearby clump of trees. Small mewing sounds could be heard, and a tiny leopard cub appeared under her watchful eye! The cub is probably only around four weeks old, but the mother is exceptionally relaxed around the vehicle, and is unconcerned about our presence. She has been seen several times with her cub, and also off alone hunting impala.
Elephant activity has increased, particularly in the camp, where some regular neighbourly bulls come in to the camp to feed on the marula fruits and camel thorn pods. Breeding herds concentrate near the water, mud bathing, drinking, and swimming in the deeper water. Bulls in mush follow some of the herds, in the hope of finding a female that is ready for mating.
And now the elephants are settling in, the first forays of the buffalo herds have been seen this month. Two herds of around 300 and 200 animals respectively, have been seen several times along the floodplains, but the numbers will increase as the out-lying areas dry up, and animals are forced closer to the river for water and good grazing.
The pack of 8 wild dogs were found several times in the southern part of the concession. They were also seen close to the river, resting up from their travels. Two dens of hyenas have been ‘reactivated’ with both clans having cubs.
More unusual sightings this month have been of a caracal, two young porcupines, and a second sighting of caracal killing a korhaan. The migrant birds that also visited us for the summer are about to depart… the call of the woodland kingfisher has quietened, and by mid month, they left us, to return only in late October.
The sky seems to be teeming with vultures, as they soar over areas looking for carrion, and diving down into areas that are flooded, and thus inaccessible by car. One wonders what they are have found, and what predator had good luck hunting in the days past.
