Predators were proving hard to find – in spite of not having had a lot of rain this year compared to last, the grasses are very high. This is great cover for the lions and leopards, as they can sneak up on the game. But it does mean that they are harder to see, and we have spent a lot of time tracking them. The benefit is, that cats too, also like to walk on the road, out of the way of the long grass, from time to time. Much easier to track them along the sand tracks, than when they are tip-toe-ing through the grass stalks.
The pack of seven wild dogs were seen several times – sometimes hunting, some times just relaxing in the shade by the time we found them. We also had good luck with the Lagoon pack of dogs – all 19 of them. The pack of 7 spent several days around the Lagoon airstrip – a good place for them to hunt, as their prey animals are attracted to the relative safety of the open areas. But one day, the Lagoon pack arrived at the same spot, and sure enough, the 7 dogs had to make a run for it, to escape the much larger pack. The 7 moved out to the northern parts of the concession, whilst the Lagoon pack attempted to hunt warthog – not very successfully this time around.
In the middle of the month, we finally found the 2 females and 3 cubs of the Lagoon pride of lions. They had been keeping a low profile due to the marauding nature of the nomadic males that have been moving through the area – trying to keep their cubs safe. This time, they were seen feeding on a zebra they had killed at the conveniently named Zebra Pan. There was a scrum of vultures hanging in the trees waiting for their turn at the leftovers, and of course, a hyena or two also pushing their luck. The next day, they were gone, but seen again shortly after that.
The 15th of January, and the rains finally arrived in force – so much in the morning that we didn’t actually have a chance to go out on game drive. A little later, and we were able to get out, and see the antelope all enjoying the cooler climate – and the Lagoon pack of dogs who were still full from a great hunting session in the morning.
Lovely boat trips in the afternoon with elephants crossing the channel in front of the boats, and enjoying the refreshing water. Young carmine bee-eaters flitting in and out, catching insects whenever they can.
Although elephants are still around, a large number of herds followed the rain storms in to the mopane – one of their favourite types of food, and now with pans filled with rain-water, enough sustenance in one area to stay for a while. As these pans dry up, and the appeal of the river increases, the elephant herds will return to the Lagoon area in a short while. With the rains being so sporadic this year, the herds have been zigzagging in and out of the mopane scrub.
