June roared to life as two male lions claimed their territory along Bee Eaters Road, their calls echoing through the early morning air.
Not far from Lagoon Camp, a group of lionesses soaked up the sun’s warmth, their regal forms a contrast to the chaos that would soon unfold. The Holy Pride lived up to its formidable reputation, making an unforgettable appearance right by the workshop, bringing down an impala. Tensions escalated when the pride clashed with a lone lioness fiercely defending her cubs, a reminder that survival is often a battle of will in the wild.
With pride sizes fluctuating between 8 and 18 members, these apex predators ensured every safari left guests in awe. Throughout the month, lions were spotted across various locations — Muddy Waters, Main Road, Airstrip Road, and Marsh Road — feasting on an elephant carcass or skillfully taking down a red lechwe.
Each leopard sighting was more captivating than the last. Morning and afternoon drives regularly rewarded guests with glimpses of leopards along Main Road, Dithakadu Road, and 1st Lagoon. One especially unforgettable encounter featured a subadult female leopard elegantly perched in a tree, scanning her surroundings. Early in the month, two subadult leopards finished off an impala kill along the riverbank, a meal their mother had caught. These elusive cats were also spotted feeding on an elephant carcass.
However, the month ended on a sombre note with the tragic loss of Mma Mazabuka, a beloved leopard, who was killed by a lion. Her cubs, still too young to survive alone, were discovered nearby, along with a carcass secured in a tree. It was a heart-wrenching end to an otherwise exciting month of leopard encounters and a haunting reminder of the unforgiving nature of the wild.
Colourful bee-eaters and swift cheetahs
Martial eagles, vultures, secretary birds, tawny eagles, and brown snake eagles soared through the skies. Meanwhile, ostriches strutted through the plains around Muddy Waters and 1st Lagoon. In their vibrant hues, Bee-eaters flitted through the trees, adding splashes of colour and delighting novice and experienced birders.
June began with a fleeting encounter with a shy male cheetah on Ipelege Road, who melted into the surrounding bush as quickly as he appeared. But as the days passed, cheetah sightings grew more exciting. Two well-fed males were spotted near Fallen Baobab, having successfully taken down an impala. A mother with two six-month-old cubs was observed sharing a meal, an impala kill. A pair of brother cheetahs, seen at the junction of Maheke and Zebra Road, rounded out an impressive month of cheetah encounters, proving that Lagoon Camp is as much their domain as it is the lions’.
African wild dog sightings were limited, with only one sighting of a pair along Beetsha Road. However, tracks suggest a much larger pack, possibly 15 to 30 dogs, moving through Maheke Road from the woodland areas to hunt before retreating back into the Mopane.
So much to see at Lagoon Camp
Elephants, giraffes, and hippos dominated the landscape around Lagoon Camp, with herds of elephants making their majestic trek to the Kwando River, often passing by during brunch. Elands graced Main Road, while side-striped jackals became familiar near the camp firebreak. Water Affairs became a bustling hub of hippo activity, while zebra herds frequented Bothapa Tlou Pan and nearby areas. Pythons, water monitors, rock woodland lizards, and crocodiles regularly, particularly around 1st Lagoon, Muddy Waters, and Water Affairs Island. Basking in the winter sun, these reptiles took full advantage of the cooler temperatures.
Night drives revealed the hidden world of smaller mammals — civets, bat-eared foxes, porcupines, genets, aardwolves, and even the endangered pangolin. Frequent sightings of steenboks and springhares added to the rich tapestry of nocturnal life that makes the Kwando Private Concession such a magical place.
(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!)
