February began with the discovery of a lioness at a natural waterhole on West Road, where she had concealed a wildebeest carcass.
During breakfast, guests were treated to the sight of two lionesses and their playful cubs heading towards the Nxai Pan Camp waterhole for a drink. Later that day, another lioness was spotted at the same waterhole, and she led us to her den, where we spied three hidden cubs, only two months old.
The lioness was also seen at the wildlife waterhole, along with two male lions we encountered on the baobab loop road. In the afternoon, these same males attempted to hunt a giraffe but were unsuccessful. Other sightings included a lioness passing by the camp, two male lions on the western side road, and another pair passing through the camp to drink at the natural waterhole. There were signs of conflict between three lionesses and two males, resulting in one lioness sustaining an injury to her right hind leg.
Bat-eared foxes were frequently sighted near their dens, typically appearing in pairs with litters of up to six offspring. Scrub hares were commonly observed during the early mornings and late afternoons.
Another remarkable sight was the frequent arrival of a large buffalo herd at the camp waterhole in the early morning and late afternoon. The herd comprised numerous newborn calves, plus solitary and bachelor groups added to the spectacle. Like elephants, buffaloes also use mud-bathing for thermoregulation and parasite removal, highlighting their resourceful environmental adaptation. Large herds of African elephants were notable, as were towers and journeys of giraffes, along with their calves, common sights around the camp waterhole, gracefully sipping water and browsing on leaves in the surrounding bushes.
In contrast, gemsboks showcased their adaptation as water-independent animals by digging tubers for moisture supplementation. Known for their unique coats, these desert antelope were sighted in breeding herds, as well as solitary bulls and small bachelor groups.
The Nxai Pan zebra migration during February
The landscape remained a lush wonderland of greenery, with many trees still adorned in different shades of green, some showcasing colourful pods and fruits. Wildflowers continued to enhance the beauty of the Nxai Pan area with their bright blooms. However, limited rainfall resulted in some grasses changing colour and drying out from the elevated temperatures.
The ongoing zebra migration remained prominent, with plentiful zebras and their playful foals spotted drinking at the camp waterhole. Witnessing them dust bathing for thermoregulation was a fascinating spectacle.
During a day trip, leopard tracks were located along the route to Baines’ Baobabs.
Blue wildebeests were observed grazing in herds throughout the area, with territorial bulls often seen in solitude, safeguarding their resources. Territorial behaviours, such as rubbing their faces on the ground to release pre-orbital glands and marking their territory with pedal glands, were observed among these bulls.
The springbok population flourished, with an abundance of lambs, solitary males, and bachelor groups associating with breeding herds led by a dominant male. Impalas were also plentiful in the region, while greater kudus were spotted drinking at the camp waterhole before moving to thickets for browsing.
Steenboks were often observed in small pairs. These littel antelope form lifelong mating bonds. Occasionally, solitary individuals were sighted too. The population of black-backed jackals in the area was notably robust, with sightings of pairs, solitary individuals, and occasional small family groups.
During our game drive expeditions, we enjoyed observing various bird species. Among them were the stately Kori bustard, common ostriches, pale chanting goshawks, and yellow-billed kites. We also spotted Gabar goshawks, northern black korhaans, and red-crested korhaans. Other birds that caught our attention were Marico flycatchers, chat flycatchers, white-browed sparrow weavers, and weavers like the southern masked weaver and violet-backed starling.
Birding Bonanza: Raptors, Rollers, and Kingfishers
We also saw several raptors, such as the common buzzard, secretarybird, greater kestrel, brown snake eagle, African harrier hawk, and various vulture species like the white-backed, lappet-faced, and hooded vultures. Marabou and white-bellied storks were also observed, adding to the diverse range of birds. We were also thrilled to see colourful birds like the southern carmine, European, little bee-eaters, and the striking lilac-breasted roller and European roller, brown hooded kingfisher. We also saw the bronze-winged courser, double-banded courser, Temminck’s courser and oxpeckers.
Flying termites, commonly known as alates, emerged from the softened termite mounds during mating flights to establish new colonies. We also spotted golden orb web spiders, Matabele ants, spider-hunting wasps, and cicadas. We saw several butterflies and moths, including the African monarch butterfly, brown-veined white butterfly, yellow pansy, spotted joker, and emperor moth. Lastly, we observed countless dung beetles.
We also had the chance to see several reptiles, such as the puff adder, spotted bush snake, black mamba, Mozambique spitting cobra, striped-bellied sand snake, boomslang, and African rock python. We also encountered the leopard tortoise, rock monitor lizard, and ground and tree agamas.
(Please note: For the safety of the animals, we do not disclose the precise location of either rhino or pangolin sightings. Accompanying pictures are from our Kwando Photo Library which consists of all your great photo submissions over the years, it may not be the most up to date, but we felt it was worthy of a feature alongside this month’s Sightings Report!)
