The northern pride known as Mma Mosetlha, which consists of two lionesses with two cubs, one subadult, and two large males, was regularly spotted along the First and Second Lagoons.
This pride consistently remained on the northern side of the airstrip, deliberately avoiding the eastern region, where three male lions patrolled. The Mma Mosetlha lions appeared to be in good health during all sightings and were well-fed. One male from the eastern coalition was seen alone at Segweda’s Crossing, while the rest of his pride moved around the Halfway Pan area.
Predator Politics: Territories, Tactics and Tensions
There were several leopard sightings, including two subadults observed along Badisa Road and Upper Kwando Road. On multiple occasions, they were seen feeding on impala carcasses. The mother leopard, a skilled huntress, would make a kill and subsequently lead her subadults to it. Trackers often followed their movements and occasionally found them resting in the trees.
It was also an outstanding month for cheetah sightings!
The two brothers were frequently spotted in the Mosheshwe area and around Second Lagoon, where they chased and successfully caught impalas, as well as a zebra foal. Towards the end of the month, one of the cheetahs was heard calling out, seemingly searching for his brother. A few days later, the pair reunited near Second Lagoon. We believe that they had been temporarily separated due to the presence of larger predators, such as lions or leopards. Further south, along Water Cut, a female cheetah with two subadults was observed hunting red lechwe and impala, moving toward Lechwe Corner.
African Wild Dogs on the move
The same pack of seven African wild dogs was seen regularly in the northern part of the area. Although there were three known packs in the region, the pack of twelve moved between Lebala Camp and Lagoon Camp, while the pack of fifteen focused their activity closer to the mopane forests.
The denning spotted hyenas relocated from their original den site. However, individual hyenas were still seen regularly during both morning and night game drives.
Large Herds and Lesser-Known Creatures
General wildlife viewing in the area was excellent. Large herds of zebras were spotted along Rex Road and in the Zebra Pans area, with some groups estimated to exceed 100 individuals. Giraffes and wildebeest were also present in significant numbers. Along the river, semi-aquatic species such as common reedbuck, red lechwe, and waterbuck were abundant. A large pod of hippos and several crocodiles were found in the Water Affairs area. Additionally, black-backed jackals and side-striped jackals were frequently seen, along with tsessebe, roan antelope, and sable antelope in the mopane forest.
The Water Affairs area, as well as First and Second Lagoon, became key habitats for crocodiles, water monitor lizards, and rock monitor lizards around the pans. Aardwolves and bat-eared foxes were spotted in the open areas near First and Second Lagoon.
Birdlife remained abundant, with numerous sightings of birds of prey such as brown snake eagles and tawny eagles. We also saw African wattled cranes and smaller birds like white-fronted bee-eaters and carmine bee-eaters.
The sky changed frequently throughout the month. On clear nights, stargazing was particularly rewarding. Guests were able to view constellations such as Orion’s Belt and Canis Major, along with planets like Jupiter and Venus.
Water levels in the nearby channels continued to rise. Trees started to turn brown, and many waterholes in the woodlands were drying up. As a result, there was a notable concentration of game around the remaining pans.
(Please note: For the safety of the animals, we do not disclose the precise location of either rhino or pangolin sightings. Accompanying pictures are from our Kwando Photo Library, which consists of all your great photo submissions over the years. It may not be the most up-to-date, but we felt it was worthy of a feature alongside this month’s Sightings Report!)
