The wild dog family were seen regularly in early October – 9 adults and 10 pups. They had good luck catching impala, though at this stage, the pups are still too inexperienced to be able to participate usefully in the hunt, but just to try to keep up with the rest of the pack. Later in the month and the pack were seen all alive and well. Seeing bateleur eagles sitting on top of a tree watching the ground, we moved into the bush and discovered the pack of 19 feeding on a female kudu carcass.
A highly unusual sighting right at the end of last month as well – three cheetahs. We have only been seeing cheetahs every few months, probably because of the high lion activity in the area, they have been favouring the distant plains in the north west of the concession. The three cats that did decide to move into our more regular game drive area were exceptionally shy – understandable if they are not used to seeing vehicles. As soon as the vehicle was stopped, they took off at high speed! But, a few weeks later they came through the area again, and this time they were much more relaxed. We watched them attempting to hunt impalas, but they were unable to make a kill as the impalas saw them as they were stalking, and bounded off to a safer environment.
Not far from where they were being seen, a male lion and lioness with three cubs were seen feeding on a kudu. This small pride keeps separate from the large pride, which were seen a day or so later. The pride of 15 (7 adults and 8 youngsters) were found near water cut, feeding on a wildebeest, that they had killed during the night. The next day, the numbers had grown again – with another 4 adults joining the 15. No sign of leftovers this time, everyone was lying down and sleeping. We had good sightings of all of these lions throughout the month.
Good leopard sightings this month, with an adult found feeding on an impala carcass that was lodged in the branch of a tree, just to the west of the airstrip.
With the desperately increasing heat, the general game in the area is congregating as close to the water and the shade as possible. Elephant and buffalo numbers are at their peak, and all are waiting anxiously for the rain to fall – something that every human is also desperate for!
One lucky set of guests were watching the pride of lions and just as they have left them to return to camp, they heard the unmistakable squeal of a warthog. Sadly it was its last squeal. The guests returned to watch the feast. Feeding time over, the vehicle continued back to camp and found a bat eared fox on the way. Delighted with their luck, they could not believe it when an aardwolf appeared, posing like he was modeling for a mammal guide book. Astounded and chatting away, only laughter could accompany the unbelievable chances of them coming across an aardvark. Relaxed and nearly for over ten minutes.
