The resident pack of 19 wild dogs were seen hunting on several occasions. At one point they were running all over the airstrip chasing impala when they came across a jackal and chased him into the waiting room. Fiercely, the little jackal stood his ground against the dogs, much bigger in size and number. To everyone’s surprise the dogs backed down and let him wander away.
The next day the dogs were once again hunting at the airstrip, but this time chanced upon a hyena. This time they were not so merciful and ganged up on the hyena attacking her until she came running and hid straight underneath one of the game viewers! Eventually the wild dogs moved on and she was able to come out from under the vehicle and the game drive could continue. An incredible sighting for our guests.
Kwando guide and tracker teams successfully found the resident pride of 7 adults lions and 10 cubs on numerous occasions in February. At the start of the month the lions did not appear to be very successful in their hunts and at one stage all looked very hungry. Towards the end of the month their luck picked up and we found them having gorged to bursting point on a baby giraffe.
The familiar males of the Northern Pride, known to the guides as Old Gun and Sebastian were seen checking out a lioness. By grimacing in a particular way (known as the ‘flehmen’ response) they were using an organ located behind their palate to test her urine for hormones that would let them know if she was coming into oestrus.
Guests enjoyed a relaxed sighting of a beautiful female leopard who is resident in the area. Frequently-sighted were two sub-adult cheetah males who are forming a territory and getting more habituated to the safari vehicles as they grow in confidence.
There are still large breeding herds of elephants in the Lebala region as well as solitary bulls. This is a change to previous years when elephant numbers have been less during the rainy season.
The watering holes have been extremely productive and are currently the best place to spot hippos, many of whom who have moved out of the riverine area to enjoy fresh grazing further afield. There are large congregations of zebra, eland and wildebeest with young at foot coming to drink in the afternoons.
Birding in the Lebala area is excellent at the current time. Summer migrants in the area include Thick-billed Rollers, Carmine Bee-eaters and Wahlberg’s Eagles.
Our guides have enjoyed taking bush walks, allowing guests the opportunity for great bird photography including close sightings of Saddle-billed Storks and Tawny Eagles and Egyptian Geese with babies. Black-backed and Side-striped jackals were also seen on these excursions.
We have had reports of dramatically beautiful sunsets at Lebala during February. The late summer sun has combined with thundery skies to produce the most astounding colours.
