September at Lagoon saw heightened predator activity and a sense of movement across the Kwando River system as the water gradually receded and animals gathered along the channels. Lion sightings were excellent throughout the month. Early on, two lionesses were found resting in the shade near the airstrip road, and after watching them for a while, we followed as they began stalking a group of impala. Their hunt was interrupted when two males arrived and took over the carcass shortly after the kill.
The Mma Tsebe Pride was a common sight along the river, and mid-month, we found three members finishing a reedbuck kill at Muddy Waters. A few days later, the Holi Pride, comprising two lionesses and five subadults, was seen resting along Maheke Road under a stand of silver cluster-leaf. The larger pride structure in the area included two big males, two adult females, two subadults, and younger cubs, all moving between the river and the woodlands depending on feeding opportunities.
Leopard viewing was also dependable. A resident female with her two subadult sons spent much of the month on the northern side of the camp. One morning, we tracked them for nearly an hour before finding them on the western edge of Second Lagoon, feeding on an impala carcass. A few days later, a young subadult was seen along Pangolin Road trying to hunt — first a steenbok and then bat-eared foxes — although without success. Later in the month, another female was observed feeding on a steenbok, confirming healthy leopard activity across the concession.
African wild dog sightings were also notable. The smaller Lagoon pack was joined by four males dispersing from the Selinda area. Initially, six puppies remained in the pack earlier in the season, but by September, only two pups had survived, along with seven adults. Despite the decline in pup numbers, the pack remained cohesive and lively during encounters.
Patrolling cheetahs and denning hyenas
The two resident male cheetahs continued to patrol the territory north of the camp. We often tracked them by following their spoor to familiar marking posts, where they scent-marked regularly and surveyed the open plains.
Spotted hyena activity increased significantly, especially around waterholes where individuals spent the hottest part of the day playing or cooling down. Two dens were active during the month—one near Marapo a Tlhutlwaand another alongMaporota Road—while sightings of clan members moving between the dens and feeding areas were frequent.
Smaller carnivores also featured prominently. Night drives revealed sightings of white-tailed mongoose, porcupine, andspringhares, while honey badgerswere encountered twice during morning drives. Bat-eared foxes were seen regularly near their burrows as the evenings grew cooler.
Birds, crocs and a sky full of stories
Birding along the riverbanks proved rewarding. Wattled cranes with chicks and groups of ostriches with their young moved across the grasslands. Purple rollers were frequently seen, and southern carmine bee-eaters nested on both the eastern and western sides of camp. The lowering water levels attracted flocks of herons, kingfishers, and other water birds.
Crocodiles—large and small—were seen consistently, especially around Water Affairs Island, while water monitors patrolled the banks during the warmer parts of the day.
The landscape showed clear signs of the advancing dry season. Many trees had shed their leaves, though species such as the sausage tree, shepherd’s tree, and Kalahari apple-leaf retained or flushed patches of green. The river continued to fall steadily, exposing wide stretches of sand and mud along its bends. Across the concession, the bush felt open and sun-bleached, typical of September in northern Botswana.
Clear night skies enhanced the experience. Early in the month, we observed the moon in close conjunction with the Pleiades star cluster, and on the 12th, guests saw Venus appear to pass behind the moon. Saturn remained bright and easily visible, contributing to excellent astronomical sightings throughout the dry, cloudless evenings.
