Lagoon’s resident pack of six African wild dogs kept guides guessing during June as the heavily pregnant alpha female prepared to den.
The pack was seen investigating potential den sites and digging around an aardvark burrow. During the month, guides followed their tracks south of camp and found five members of the pack resting, but the alpha female was missing. The alpha male repeatedly moved towards the burrow, raising hopes that she was already tucked safely inside.
With puppies potentially on the way, there was plenty of anticipation about what the following weeks might bring.
A leopardess makes three successful impala kills
A female leopard with two subadults became one of Lagoon’s most frequently followed cats during June, and guides were able to track her through several hunts.
On three separate occasions, guests watched her successfully catch impala, with the hunts taking place around Impala Road, Badisa Road and Mosema-wa-Diphiri Road.
Other sightings revealed the next stage of the story. After hunting alone, the female was seen heading back to collect her youngsters and lead them towards her kills.
Two cheetah brothers hunt the northern floodplains
Two male cheetahs began the month around Fallen Baobab and John’s Pan before spending several weeks in the northern part of the area.
The brothers successfully hunted red lechwe and were followed on other hunts during the month, sometimes later found resting with full bellies.
Their movements took them between the northern and southern areas, although they tended to spend more time north of camp when lion activity increased further south.
Lions gather around the lagoons
Both the Holi Pride and Mma Mosetlha Pride were active around Lagoon during June.
A Holi Pride lioness with four subadults, estimated at seven to eight months old, was seen around God Road and Cutline. Further south, the Leadwood Pride, also described by the guides as part of the Holi Pride, concentrated much of its activity south of camp and was associated with the three Golden Boys males.
The Mma Mosetlha Pride included two young cubs of around four and a half months old. The pride was repeatedly found around the airstrip and First and Second Lagoon, which appeared to be important drinking areas for the lions.
Feeding sightings included the Mma Mosetlha Pride on an eland near Maheke and, on another occasion, a wildebeest. Two large males were also found resting with full bellies along Moshete Road.
Guides located a spotted hyena den while following the Holi Pride. Although hyenas themselves were generally encountered singly or in pairs during June, numerous resting sites around the den indicated regular activity.
Elephants and hippos gather around the remaining water
Water Affairs Island and First and Second Lagoon attracted plenty of activity during the dry winter conditions.
Large numbers of hippos and elephants were seen around the water, while giraffe, Cape buffalo, zebra and eland moved through the surrounding country. Sable and roan antelope were also encountered in good numbers.
Some sizeable crocodiles occupied the waterways around First Lagoon, Muddy Waters and Water Affairs Island. Water monitor lizards were also seen, while an African rock python was located around Cheetah Marking Route.
Night drives and the cooler hours produced African wild cats, aardwolves, servals, African civets, springhares, scrub hares, bat-eared foxes, steenbok, banded mongooses and jackals.
Waiting for the floodwaters
Water levels remained low through June, leaving a mixture of dry waterholes and areas that still held water. The landscape varied between thicker vegetation and open country, with patches of green remaining despite the dry conditions.
With July traditionally bringing the arrival of floodwater into more parts of the area, guides were watching the waterways closely for the first changes.
Birdlife included white-fronted bee-eaters, tawny eagles, brown snake eagles, martial eagles, bateleurs, secretarybirds and ostriches.
After dark, clear winter skies revealed the Southern Cross, Scorpius, Canis Major and Orion’s Belt, with Venus also prominent above the Kwando wilderness.
