One of the standout sightings of the month came from the resident pack of five African wild dogs, which continued moving through the concession with impressive consistency. Early one morning guides picked up the pack near Rra Kgolo before following them on a hunt that eventually ended with a successful impala kill.
Several other packs also operated between Lagoon and Lebala during April, including packs of four, three and 11 individuals. The larger pack was frequently encountered moving between the floodplains and woodland edges, while the smaller groups appeared more regularly every few days as they travelled through the concession.
One particularly exciting sequence unfolded near the airstrip where the dogs hunted repeatedly through open grassland before finally bringing down an impala. The interaction between the packs and surrounding predators remained intense throughout the month, with lions and hyenas regularly moving through the same hunting areas.
Cubs hidden in the grasslands
The Mma Mosetlha Pride featured strongly during the month after guides and trackers spent over an hour tracking them before eventually locating the pride feeding on a zebra along Leopard Road. Not long afterwards, one of the Mma Mosetlha females introduced two cubs estimated at around three to four months old to the rest of the pride near Mosima wa Phiri. Guests watched as the cubs cautiously approached the older lionesses and subadults while the pride rested nearby.
Another memorable sighting involved the pride hunting successfully before bringing down a zebra in open grassland. The northern coalition males, Skomota and Commando, were later found nearby resting with full bellies after feeding.
Elsewhere, the Holy Pride continued operating across the concession. The pride, numbering more than 20 individuals before splitting into groups of 12 and eight, was regularly encountered moving between hunting areas and floodplain edges.
Male lions were also tracked repeatedly throughout the month around Fisherman’s Area, Wildebeest Plains and Shine Bridge, often scent-marking and moving steadily between territories.
Leopards in the sausage trees
Leopard sightings remained especially productive throughout April, with several relaxed individuals regularly encountered around Badisa Island, Pangolin Road and the woodland edges surrounding camp.
A female leopard crossing the airstrip with two very young cubs provided one of the highlights of the month. The cubs, estimated at around six to eight weeks old, remained close behind their mother before disappearing back into thicker cover.
Another excellent sighting unfolded near Pan Road where guides followed a resident female leopard as she moved through woodland before eventually leading them to a tree hollow where her cubs had been hidden. Later in the month, the same female was again encountered hunting through the area.
A younger male leopard was also located near First Lagoon after successfully catching a spurfowl, while another male was repeatedly encountered feeding and resting around the floodplain edges.
Several sightings featured leopards feeding from elevated kills in sausage trees and leadwoods, including a male feeding on impala near Rebecca’s Field.
Floodplains full of game
General game remained exceptional throughout the concession as the waterholes and floodplains continued attracting large concentrations of wildlife.
Big herds of elephant, wildebeest and hippo were spread widely through the area, while kudu and giraffe remained common around the woodland edges. Eland sightings also increased during the month and sable antelope slowly began reappearing in the concession.
Young animals continued featuring strongly throughout April, particularly impala, tsessebe and wildebeest calves, creating constant predator activity across the floodplains.
The two resident male cheetahs continued providing excellent sightings and were repeatedly encountered patrolling and scent-marking through open plains and floodplain edges. Several successful hunts on impala were also recorded during the month. Two female cheetahs also operated through the concession, including one female moving with a subadult male.
Night sounds around camp
Hyena activity remained productive throughout the month, particularly during evening and early morning drives. Several clans numbering between three and five individuals were regularly encountered moving between the waterholes and camp surroundings.
Night drives also continued producing excellent smaller mammal sightings including aardwolf, bat-eared foxes, African wild cats, spring hares and both black-backed and side-striped jackals.
Reptile sightings included crocodiles and water monitor lizards around First Lagoon and Water Affairs Island, while birdlife remained highly active throughout the concession. Summer migrants were still present in good numbers, including woodland kingfishers, blue-cheeked bee-eaters, European rollers and several raptor species.
As water levels slowly increased through sections of the Kwando system, the landscape remained green and particularly attractive for photography. Evening skies gradually cleared towards the end of the month, bringing back stronger star-gazing opportunities with Orion’s Belt, the Seven Sisters, Taurus and the Southern Cross visible above camp.
