Last month, we were thrilled to report on Pom Pom’s African wild dog den, and although eight puppies fell to four throughout the month, we had high expectations for them and the pack.
Unfortunately, the sightings report for this month opens with solemn news. The wild dog puppies are now all gone.
What happened to Pom Pom’s puppies?
The local Spotted hyena clan caught the entire pack in the open in a dramatic incursion at the den site, and the wild dog parents couldn’t defend the four remaining pups. This has all the hallmarks of the part that the hyenas (unfairly) play in the Lion King. Still, one should remember that in the cauldron of the predator hierarchy, every species does its utmost to protect family and aggressively defends its hard-won territories.
We’ll never know whether the hyenas targeted the pack or if it was a coincidental meeting. Without ties to a permanent den, the African wild dogs have moved away and now roam widely. They made several successful kills, one we witnessed at Hippo Pools when they chased down an Impala. Despite their tragic loss (and to draw from the previous cinematic reference), the circle of life continues.
The Spotted hyena clan grows from strength to strength
The hyenas have cemented their dominance around the airstrip, strutting confidently about their kingdom and we have been privileged to enjoy the antics of the little Spotted hyena cubs at their thriving den. Numbering 18 individuals, the clan are a match for almost everything other than the full strength of the Pom Pom lion pride. However, given the emergence of some new lion cubs (more on that shortly), the pride may give the hyenas a wide berth.
As the water peaked, Pom Pom was the photographic definition of a Delta landscape and many graceful creatures interacted on the palm-strewn floodplains and islands. Guests enjoyed Red lechwe splashing through the channels and swamps, Elephants chest-deep in the water and Giraffes, Plains zebras and Hippos quietly watched as guests floated peacefully past by mokoro canoe.
Nocturnal antics!
Honey badgers, Civets, African wild cats, Servals and genets have been regular sightings near camp during night drives. There was a good chance of seeing one of these wily predators sneaking around the main area in camp when staying up late with a quiet drink around the fire. We constantly found dusty paw marks at the bar and pad prints down the dining table in the early morning following their evening activities!
Other stealthy hunters have reemerged as temperatures rose after the short chilly winter. Our cold-blooded cousins have been much more active as boating into the Delta waterways revealed the large Nile crocodiles and sleek Monitor lizards that have been relatively quiet of late. Like many other reptiles, crocodiles spend much of winter remaining inactive or sluggish (called brumation, which is different from hibernation). They employ various fascinating mechanisms, such as lowering their metabolism to preserve energy. While on the water, fishing yielded better and better catches of African pike and Catfish as the water started to recede again.
Birdlife was prolific, with a special mention going to Pel’s fishing owl, Lesser jacana, Painted snipe, Wattled cranes and Southern ground hornbills.
Lots of leopard action
As always, leopards featured prominently: a mating couple (with the male particularly protective of his mate) and a mother and daughter pair have been our most commonly-seen residents. They’ve made good progress hunting, including mid-month when we found mother and daughter on a Red lechwe kill enjoying their feast. After eating their fill, one sauntered into the bush while the other climbed a handy tree for a siesta. They should have known better! Before long, the aroma attracted two lionesses who marched in and gratefully snatched the free meal as the leopard sulked from the tree.
We’ve also had excellent lion sightings this month, including seeing them feeding on zebra on two separate occasions, and they have been regular visitors to the camp environs. However, the most important news is that two pride lionesses have given birth to four new cubs. It’ll be a while before they are presented to the pride, but we have been able to discreetly watch their first steps into this bright new world where they will, before long, be able to join their tree-climbing aunties. They have been born at the height of the flood, which should hopefully give the pride the food sources they need to strengthen the growing family.
(Please note: For the safety of the animals, we do not disclose the 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. Still, we felt it was worthy of a feature alongside this month’s Sightings Report!)
