January saw some fascinating lion sightings, with the Holi Pride breaking up into several splinter prides due to the increasing number of cubs and the competitive nature of food sources.
Three lionesses from this pride with different litter sizes were seen denning near the plateau. A single lioness with her subadult female cub was seen regularly near the camp and Tsessebe Pan. The last sighting of this lioness near the cutline road was exciting as she appeared heavily pregnant.
Splintering Prides
The Pale Pride, including the lioness Mmamosetha, were still in the concession despite spending more time to the north of the area. Mmamosetha had been denning with three cubs. This pride also consisted of two old males, known as Ralebante, who the Golden Boys displaced from the Lebala area. These males lost their dominant member, Sebina, and were pushed further north, forcing the Raithwane Coalition of three males to move into unexplored territories.
An old lioness from the Holi Pride, along with six subadults (two females and four males), was tracked and located several times, with sightings of them hunting on the islands in front of Lagoon Camp. The older siblings, three subadult females and a young male, were also spotted on the periphery of the camp.
A younger male from the same pride was seen further north along Leopard Road. He had successfully killed an eland bull, but after two days, the young male abandoned the kill, likely disturbed by the hyenas, as we found numerous tracks around the area.
Leopard sightings were great throughout January despite heavy rains. Multiple times, a female leopard was observed with her two subadult male cubs, teaching them how to hunt. They were successful on several occasions and, on one occasion, killed an impala lamb within a 3km radius of the camp.
Another female leopard was also seen regularly, spending time south of the camp hunting and patrolling her territory. A relaxed young male hunted a few times to the west and south of the airstrip.
An old male leopard known as Rradijeje, “the mighty one,” was sighted multiple times patrolling towards the floodplains. Sadly, we found his carcass a few days later, we believe lions in the area killed him.
The resident coalition of two male cheetahs continued to patrol their established routes throughout the month, which included Cutline Road, Zebra Pan, Maheke Mosheshe, and the 2nd Lagoon. They were often observed resting after making kills, although many of their hunting attempts were unsuccessful.
A female cheetah with two subadult cubs was also spotted in the same area, moving north in the Sepache area. Although the cubs were initially shy, they eventually became more settled. Two days later, the family was seen hunting along Mokhutsum Road during the afternoon rains, with two lactating lionesses about 300 meters away, also hunting.
Pack Power! African wild dogs and Hyenas
The resident pack of six African wild dogs was seen regularly this month, mostly resting during the day but also hunting successfully—impala lambs, kudu, and even digging warthogs out from their burrows. Another pack of 15, which included a limping member, spent a lot of time south of the area, resting under the shade of Kalahari apple leaf trees.
There was a lot of excitement this month with two active dens located at Grass Pan and west of Maheke in the mixed woodland. Both dens are home to many puppies, including some newborns. We encountered some clashes with spotted hyenas and African wild dogs, which included an invasion of a hyena den in Grass Pan during the second week of the month.
A young male lion was observed killing an eland along Leopard Road, while hyenas were seen approaching the site of the kill. They were also observed near a buffalo carcass, scavenging at waterholes and cooling themselves throughout the day.
The elusive brown hyena, a shyer species, was frequently spotted on patrol in the evening and early morning. Recently, it was seen close to a buffalo carcass at Grass Pan, which had been claimed by the Golden Boys—four male lions that had taken over a large chunk of territory in the north.
The transformative power of rain
The region experienced heavy rains throughout January, flooding many waterholes and natural pans. The grass grew thick and lush, and the landscape recovered dramatically. Despite the challenges posed by the dense vegetation, the rains brought a significant influx of animals, including antelopes, zebras, elephants, and other species, all benefiting from the abundant water and food sources. The water level in the river rose considerably, covering most of the sandbanks along the lagoons and main channels.
Elephants were particularly attracted to wild cucumber creepers and fruits, which had a sedative effect on them, making them more docile. Bull elephants were observed in bachelor herds and family groups, with many young calves spotted near the river. The elephants frequently visited waterholes like Grass Pan, Cutline Pan, Zebra Pan, 1st and 2nd Lagoon, Upper Kwando, and the plains along Sepache. Many family groups were seen mud bathing in the midday heat, a truly special event for guests to witness.
Bachelor herds of buffalo were frequently seen in the mixed woodland, near prominent waterholes. These bulls were often seen interacting with predators, such as lions and hyenas, especially around Tsessebe Pan. Breeding herds moved toward Movumbi Valley with the second downpour, which was heavier than expected, driving most of the buffalo out of the area.
Bat-eared fox dens and other delights
Small mammal sightings included rodents such as spring hares, porcupines, and mice, which were frequently observed in the evening. Scrub hares were also seen, along with various mongoose species— dwarf, slender, banded and yellow. Small spotted genets, African wildcats, and jackals were additionally noted, feeding on insects and relaxing in their territories. Bat-eared foxes were commonly sighted, with kits now old enough to join adults in foraging for insects. Several den sites for both bat-eared foxes and aardwolves were confirmed during their denning periods, including sites near the 1st Lagoon, east of camp, and at Grass Pan.
General game viewing was excellent this month, with large herds of zebras, wildebeest, and eland spread across the area. At one point, a herd of eland numbered around 600, including many calves. Impalas were observed in large numbers, particularly in their nursery herds, while the birthing season spurred an increase in scavenging activity. Jackals, hyenas, raptors, and vultures gathered to feed on placentas. Although sable and roan antelopes were spotted, they were not seen as regularly during the dry season.
Hippos also gathered in large groups, competing for space and mating rights. The heavy downpours eased some of the tension, sending the losers to search for waterholes inland.
Reptiles were active, with several pythons, bush snakes, and leopard tortoises spotted. Pythons, in particular, were seen near the water, as they are known to frequent those areas. Crocodiles were also observed basking in the sun and feeding on carcasses along the river. Frog activity peaked, with many species mating and laying eggs in the stagnant waters. Tadpoles were abundant, and fish and frogs were seen in the river and lagoon, signalling active breeding in the water-residing areas.
There was abundant insect activity, with dung beetles, termites, and various butterflies and moths present throughout the area. Hornbills were seen foraging in the dung piles for beetles, while ladybugs, stink bugs, and cicadas contributed to the diverse insect life.
A variety of waterfowl, including Egyptian geese, spur-winged geese, and white-faced whistling ducks, were frequently spotted around the waterholes. Migratory raptors graced our skies alongside resident birds such as tawny eagles, bateleur eagles, and lesser-spotted eagles. Vultures and other scavengers gathered at carcasses, with over 10 bird species observed feeding and scrapping for food. We also saw numerous bee-eaters, kingfishers, and rollers.
(Please note: For the safety of the animals, we do not disclose the precise location of either rhino or pangolin sightings. Accompanying pictures are from our Kwando Photo Library which consists of all your great photo submissions over the years, it may not be the most up to date, but we felt it was worthy of a feature alongside this month’s Sightings Report!)
