October at Lebala brought the familiar dry-season conditions: open floodplains, thinning woodlands and clear, far-reaching views across the marsh. With the river channel still dry, wildlife concentrated heavily along the remaining pools and shaded riverine fringes. This made for consistent and rewarding game viewing throughout the month.
Lion activity remained strong across the concession. Several prides were encountered regularly, especially along the riverine where water and shade held game for longer. Their movements into the woodlands were brief, with most groups looping back toward the river soon after sunrise. We often found signs of their night-time success—tracks leading from the marsh, drag marks into thickets, or the pride lying full-bellied in early light. On a few occasions, we watched them attempt daytime hunts, and although most of these were unsuccessful, it was clear from their condition that they continued to secure kills after dark. One of the northern pride had two new cubs this month, and watching them stumbling between the adults, climbing over siblings and mock-stalking brought welcome lightness to several drives. Overall, all the lions in the area looked healthy, well-fed and moving with confidence.
Leopard sightings remained excellent. Two resident females, each with a single cub, continued to feature throughout the month. One female held territory near camp, often found high in sausage trees or shepherd’s trees with impala kills. The cubs were particularly entertaining, practising neck bites on carcasses and wrestling with loose skin as though rehearsing their future roles. The second female ranged along the halfway area between Lagoon and Lebala, where she too secured regular impala kills.
The dominant male leopard was also seen a few times, mostly on territorial patrol. One morning we followed his tracks for some distance and realised he was trailing a female. His frequent roaring indicated she was likely in oestrus, but eventually both sets of tracks disappeared into dense thickets.
African wild dogs were occasionally sighted this month but remained present. Several times, we observed the pack hunting, with numerous attempts failing. Interestingly, one particularly skilled dog continued to hunt alone—often making a successful kill on his own and then returning to fetch the pack and the remaining pups. Only three pups remained from the original eleven, though they appeared strong and in good health. The adults remained tightly bonded, and despite the losses, the pack seemed stable.
Spotted hyenas remained busy around the concession. The den continued to be active, with numbers increasing and new burrows appearing nearby. Several young cubs were frequently seen at the waterhole close to the den, especially in the cooler hours of morning and late afternoon. On hotter days, the clan often used the drying waterholes to cool themselves, lying belly-deep in the mud before returning to the den.
General game was excellent. Buffalo herds returned in notable numbers—from small bachelor groups to larger herds of thirty or more—and by mid-month a sizeable breeding herd moved into the marsh. Kudu were seen unusually often, with higher numbers of males than in previous months. Elephant, wildebeest, red lechwe, giraffe, and zebra were consistently present throughout the concession, benefiting from the open visibility.
Among the smaller mammals, a caracal provided one of the highlights when it was found drinking during the day near the wild dog waterhole. Civet, genet and spring hares were regular features on night drives.
The reptiles were active despite the dry conditions. Up to thirteen crocodiles were counted at a single basking site near the channel on several occasions. Water monitor lizards were seen frequently along the marsh edges. Insects remained relatively low due to the ongoing dryness.
Birdlife reflected the transition of seasons. Southern carmine bee-eaters were present across the open areas, though their nesting sites remained unseen. White-fronted bee-eaters continued to nest along the riverbanks, and ground hornbills were recorded in good numbers throughout the month.
The landscape itself remained crisp and open. Grass across the marsh was dry and grazed short, especially where elephants had been feeding. Wooded sections were dusty and sparse, but many acacia species and sausage trees were in bloom. Sausage trees produced fewer flowers now and more developing fruits, while knobbly combretum also showed fresh growth.
Nights were dominated by clear, expansive skies; stargazing was exceptional.
