Lions were tracked and observed several times during the month. On one morning drive, the objective was to locate lions on the hunt or feeding. After nearly two hours of tracking, fresh spoor from three lionesses was located and followed. The lionesses soon spread out and began displaying stalking behaviour. Moments later, the sound of a warthog squealing drew attention—one lioness had secured it by the throat while the other two had already begun feeding before the animal had succumbed.
Lion sightings were diverse and rewarding, with encounters from several different prides likely following the seasonal movement of water along the main channel. Guests enjoyed sightings of the resident prides, and while there were times without direct sightings during the day, the lions frequently made their presence known at night with short roars. These vocalizations enhanced the excitement, allowing guests to feel the immersive essence of the bush even from their tents, as the lions patrolled and protected their territory.
Leopards were seen regularly, often on consecutive days or every other day. There were multiple occasions where two individuals were encountered in the same area—either a mating pair or rival males in a dominance dispute. In some cases, fresh kills were located hoisted in trees before the leopards themselves were found feeding later.
A resident female was consistently sighted around the Moremi Crossing and Gunns Camp area. Her movements appeared territorial, and she was often seen either resting in trees or near known kill sites.
A female cheetah was spotted in the southern part of the concession with her three subadult cubs. They seemed aware of the high density of other predators in the area, such as lions and leopards, prompting them to remain cautious and stay on the fringes of the more contested zones to avoid potential conflict.
High Waters, High Activity: A Month of Movement and Life
This month marked the denning season for African wild dogs in the Moremi Game Reserve. The local pack denned across the main channel, but high water levels limited access to that area. Nevertheless, the pack was occasionally spotted along the far bank near the camp before continuing their movements.
Spotted hyenas were regularly seen and heard throughout the month. A significant congregation was recorded at a natural elephant carcass near the new airstrip. The site attracted numerous individuals over several weeks. Although hyenas are capable hunters, their reliance on carrion made this event particularly attractive, and their vocalisations became a frequent nighttime soundtrack near camp.
As seasonal floodwaters concentrated along the main channel and floodplains, so too did the general game. With the surrounding pans drying, species such as elephant, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, hippo, red lechwe, reedbuck, and tsessebe were frequently observed congregating along these waterways. The green grasses in the area provided both water and nutritious forage, resulting in high densities of animals and enhanced predator activity.
Short grass in many areas enabled excellent visibility for nocturnal species during night drives. Sightings included a serval with a kitten, civet, spring hare, scrub hare, and genet. During the day, banded mongoose were commonly seen, along with slender and, less frequently, yellow mongoose.
Reptile sightings focused around aquatic zones. Nile crocodiles and water monitor lizards were seen basking along the main stream, where they are typically found due to their dependency on water bodies.
Birding was productive, particularly around the floodplains and waterways. Semi-aquatic species dominated the sightings, including storks, herons, egrets, ducks, geese, kingfishers, African fish eagles, and jacanas. Abundant food availability attracted large numbers of these species. Additional sightings included vultures, a variety of raptors, and smaller LBJs (little brown jobs) commonly found in the surrounding woodland.
