Lebala concession is doing very well in terms of predators this month, especially the lions. We have the southern pride which is a pride of 21 lions. There is also the Mapula pride, who are very good hunters, and who managed to kill a kudu and a wildebeest within a three day period. The northern pride have also had successful hunting, including zebra and warthogs. At the end of the month, most of the southern pride were seen together, with one of the males mating with a female for several days. Hopefully, there will be more cubs on the way, to add to the current seven youngsters! The southern pride was seen in the last week of the month with full bellies, so they must have managed to make a kill too.
Two different packs of wild dogs have been seen as well – the southern pack and the northern pack. The southern pack spends a lot of time to the south west, in the thick mopane belt, so are not so easy to find. The northern pack is doing well, and all puppies are in good condition.
In the last week the pack of 19 killed an impala just seconds before the guests arrived at the sighting.
Close to Park Drive, we came across a dead elephant, which was quickly found by predators. The first day saw the pack of 19 wild dogs feeding on the elephant, being pushed off the next day by ten hyenas, including two youngsters. By the third day, everyone’s appetites had been satisfied, and just four hyenas remained, sleeping next to the carcass. In the last week the pack of 19 killed an impala just seconds before the guests arrived on the sighting.
An unusual sighting of three honeybadgers at once – digging together for insects in the ground. They scattered as they noticed our approach. And a mother with her youngster was seen towards end of the month digging for mole rats near the airstrip. The youngster didn’t know yet how to catch those mole rats, but mother caught four while we were watching them.
One leopard sighting of a female in a sausage tree was a nice finale to the month of plenty predators.
Guides were also excited about the abundance of the general game in the area in October. Just about every antelope species, all with their offspring.
