One fresh June morning, the air near camp trembled with the echoes of roaring lions.
Moving cautiously, stopping to listen, we heard the unmistakable sound of a struggle in the distance. Upon arrival, we saw a leopard perched high in a tree, gripping an antelope carcass while a lioness circled below. It seemed the lioness had tried — and failed — to steal the kill. Across the channel, male lions roared in response, their calls reverberating through the bush.
Stolen sitatungas and cute lion cubs
In another part of the concession, a young male leopard had dragged his sitatunga kill onto a low-hanging branch. Below, a lioness prowled, eager but thwarted by the tree’s height. His mother, perched in a nearby tree, kept a vigilant eye on the scene. Such moments of raw tension and beauty underscore the growing leopard population in the area — an encouraging sign of a thriving ecosystem.
We recently confirmed the presence of five lion cubs — two from one female and three from another. It’s been a joy to watch these cubs play under the watchful eyes of the big males. The male lions have been active on the southern side, occasionally rejoining the pride and then moving north to check on the females with cubs.
June marked the beginning of the floodwaters trickling into the marsh — a welcome transformation, even if gradual.
Elephants enjoyed mud baths in the remaining waterholes, while male buffalos, less frequently seen, appeared along the channel. Giraffes were a common sight, moving in large numbers between the marsh and inland areas. We also spotted eland antelope on the inland side and zebras near the waterholes, often in large herds mixed with wildebeest. In the quieter corners of the bush, we saw aardwolves, bat-eared foxes, and servals. Near Skimmer Pan, a pair of aardwolves became frequent sightings, and during night drives, springhares dotted the landscape, their quick, bounding movements adding a touch of charm to the twilight savannah. One of our highlights was a serene encounter with a civet, calmly observing us from the shadows.
We encountered lions numerous times, often tracking them from the previous night’s footprints. One memorable morning, after about 30 minutes of following fresh tracks, we found the pride heading towards the marsh area. We were thrilled as one lioness broke into a high-speed chase after a red lechwe. Although the hunt was unsuccessful, watching the lions navigate the small water channels and get deeper into the marsh was captivating.
The pride spent much of their time in the marsh area, where we frequently observed their hunting attempts. Though many hunts were unsuccessful, we witnessed one young subadult lion successfully catch a young red lechwe and, in a cunning move, run into the marsh to eat it alone, away from the pride.
The little leopards of Lebala
We observed two female leopards in different locations, both showing signs of lactating. One morning, while tracking a male leopard, fresh female tracks led us off course. After an hour of patient pursuit, we found her lounging near a blue bush, her muscles rippling under the morning light. As she climbed a nearby sausage tree, our gaze followed a trail of bloodstains, leading us to her hidden prize — an aardwolf carcass. After feeding, she vanished into the thick undergrowth, softly calling for her cub. Moments later, a tiny figure emerged, no more than three months old, and we watched in quiet awe as the pair reunited.
We caught fleeting glimpses of African wild dogs, their sleek forms slicing through the bush as they pursued prey before disappearing into the wilderness. The woodland areas echoed with the calls of swallow-tailed bee-eaters, their vibrant colours adding a splash of brightness to the wintery bush.
June brought increased sightings of spotted hyenas, particularly near what appears to be a new den. Two playful cubs were spotted under the protective eyes of the adults, offering a rare and intimate glimpse into the lives of these much-misunderstood animals.
Two male cheetahs continued to patrol their territory, primarily favouring the inland areas. Although their hunts didn’t always succeed, the open marshlands have become one of the male’s preferred hunting grounds. We often located them by tracking their movements to known marking posts, which helped guides and trackers overcome the challenge of hard ground where the spoor was difficult to see.
(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!)
