June started off to a nice beginning for the pride of six lions, who managed to kill a buffalo. However, in an unusual twist, the hyenas rose dramatically in number to around 30 individuals and converged on the spot, daringly stealing the kill from the lions. A day or so later, the lions had more success with a tsessebe, which they killed and managed to keep this time around.
In the middle of the month, it was lions all around, with two males feeding on a buffalo carcass in the mopane area. Further off, a male and female lion were found on an elephant carcass, and the pride of six was also seen attempting to hunt on several occasions.
Excellent sightings of the male and female leopard cubs that have been seen over the last few months – they are continuing to grow well, and were regularly seen both on their own, and playing with their mother. Another male leopard took on a thorny prey, but successfully managed to kill a porcupine, without getting too many of the quills impaled in his skin. Overall, leopard sightings in Lagoon in June were numerous, with them being sighted on 21 different days.
With both lions and leopards making their presence felt, little has been seen of cheetahs in June other than tracks.
The Lagoon pack of wild dogs in now presided over by the new alpha male – one of the four intruders that fought with the pack in the preceding months. The timing of this takeover, has upset the whole denning season… The Alpha female was obviously not pregnant from the original Alpha male and if she only mates with the new male now, she will only begin denning in two months or so. It has been known for dogs to have dens much later than the normal June breeding season, but all depends now on when or if, the new Alpha male mates with the female.
The Lagoon pack size is now 14 in total, 12 adults (including four of the new males) and 2 yearlings. The other individuals have either dispersed (something that commonly happens, to prevent a pack size from becoming to big, and to ensure that the gene pool is diversified), or died.
Lots of breeding herds of elephants are moving in and around the concession – feeding, mud bathing, and coming down to the river to drink. Two bull elephants have pretty much set up home in the camp, sleeping behind the bathrooms located just off the main area.
The buffalo breeding herds are also increasing in number and size. Unusually, there have been several male buffalos seen around the staff village area – they normally avoid human presence – so everyone is keeping a watchful eye when moving to and fro. The breeding herds out in the open areas now have quite a number of new-born calves as well.
General game has also been great, with good viewings of sable, roan and eland herds.
