The month produced one of those moments that stays with guides and guests alike. One evening, a resident male leopard was followed as he moved with purpose, clearly hunting as the light faded. As darkness settled, the decision was made to stop the follow rather than compromise his hunt with spotlighting. The following morning, his tracks were picked up again and led to the remains of an aardvark – one of the most elusive species in the area and high on the guests’ wish list. Although the animal was no longer alive, its features were still clearly visible, and the significance of the find lay in the story behind it: two of the most sought-after nocturnal species connected through spoor and sign, and uncovered through patient tracking.
Lion activity fluctuated through the month but remained rewarding. There were periods where two or three days passed without sightings, followed by strong sequences close to camp. A resident old lioness with a subadult female cub spent time in the camp vicinity, often holding an area for several days and providing consistent viewing. Elsewhere, a pride of six females was located joining two males frequently seen near the new airstrip, with mating behaviour observed. Another group of five females with seven cubs regularly crossed the main channel and settled near camp, sometimes followed by their two dominant males. On those nights, the males’ roaring carried through camp, a familiar sound that defined the rhythm of evenings in the bush.
Leopard sightings were steady earlier in the month, with guides locating individuals several times a week. Both the resident male and female were seen, sometimes in the same area before moving off separately. Mid-month, the female was found feeding at a dead elephant carcass and remained in the area for several days. She was later seen feeding again nearby on what appeared to be a small mammal. Shortly after, she was found dead close to that location. From that point on, leopard sightings became less frequent, with only the resident male being recorded intermittently as he continued to move through the area.
Cheetah presence was confirmed through regular spoor and movement along established travel routes, showing that they continued to utilise the area throughout the month. Despite focused tracking efforts and repeated checks of favoured areas, no direct sightings were recorded during this period.
African wild dogs remained active within the broader ecosystem, with the resident pack denning across the main channel inside Moremi Game Reserve. Their movements were evident through fresh tracks and regular activity along the opposite bank. Seasonal water levels limited closer access at times, but the pack’s presence and patterns were consistently monitored from within the concession.
Hyena activity increased in response to frequent lion kills. Spotted hyenas were regularly encountered challenging lions at carcasses or arriving later to scavenge. A den was located east of the new airstrip, but after lions raided the site and killed one of the six cubs, the clan moved their den further southeast towards the Hamerkop Crossing area.
As waterholes dried and vegetation away from the river lost nutritional value, general game concentrated along the main channel. Elephants, giraffes, zebra, wildebeest, hippo, red lechwe, reedbuck and tsessebe were all seen gathering along the riverine edges, where grazing remained green. Large herds of elephants were often observed crossing the channel or standing in the water, and towards the end of the month, very large buffalo herds – numbering well over a thousand – began moving between the southern and western sections of the area. These movements created striking scenes at dusk, with dust hanging in the air and cattle egrets riding on the backs of buffalo. Impala herds also began to consolidate, forming larger groups ahead of the impending lambing season.
Small mammal activity was best recorded on night drives. Spring hares, scrub hares, small-spotted genets, African civets and the occasional serval were seen after dark, while daytime drives produced regular sightings of banded mongoose, slender mongoose and occasional yellow mongoose.
Boat cruises provided close views of large Nile crocodiles and water monitor lizards along the main channel, where they were often seen searching for nests of ground-nesting birds. An African rock python was also encountered during a night drive, crossing the road ahead of the vehicle.
Birdlife was dominated by semi-aquatic species, including black crake, little grebe, ducks, storks and egrets. With summer settling in, early arrivals such as southern carmine bee-eaters, yellow-billed kites and common buzzards began appearing across the area.
