Lion sightings were prevalent throughout the month. Fresh tracks were discovered in the Letswai area during a morning game drive. Guides followed for approximately 45 minutes and located a pride of six lions resting in the shade of a sausage tree near Xigera Lagoon. The following day, tracks from two lions were identified near camp, heading south. A male and female were seen shortly afterwards mating, in open plains beyond the airstrip.
During the month, a commotion near the main area drew attention. On investigation, five male lions were found, with two of them actively engaged in a fight with an intruding male. After 20 minutes, the intruder retreated and was followed briefly as it crossed a river channel to another island. On another morning drive, a pride of six was located shortly after feeding on a zebra. A successful night drive revealed the same pride hunting; they were followed until they successfully brought down a wildebeest.
There were several productive leopard sightings. At the start of the month, guides followed the tracks of a female leopard and her cub near the Hamerkop area. After travelling a short distance, they stopped to listen for clues and heard the alarm calls of monkeys. The leopard and cub were found resting in a jackalberry tree. Mid-month, the same pair was spotted again in the Zippa area, this time with an impala they had killed. A hyena then arrived and took the carcass into the nearby thickets.
Thieving dogs and denning hyenas
From mid-August, African wild dogs were frequently observed. A pack was first seen in Rebecca’s Field and followed for about 20 minutes before being driven away by three adult lions towards the southern regions. That afternoon, the same dogs were found feeding on an impala carcass near the airstrip. Later in the month, a pack of three wild dogs encountered a female leopard. The leopard swiftly climbed a tree to avoid interaction, and the dogs continued on.
A spotted hyena clan remained active in the area, with regular sightings both near camp and during drives. A den site, approximately 2 km north-west of the camp, housed ten adults and five cubs, aged three to four months. Hyenas were often seen in camp at dinner time.
Breeding herds of red lechwe, impala, tsessebe, kudu, wildebeest, buffalo, elephants, giraffe, warthog, and hippopotamus were commonly seen.
During evening drives and return journeys from sundowners, sightings included porcupine, side-striped jackal, small-spotted genet, African civet, aardwolf, springhare, honey badger, and scrub hare.
Reptile activity was limited by cooler winter temperatures. Nonetheless, Nile crocodiles were sometimes observed basking on riverbanks or swimming during boat trips.
Lush landscapes and rich birdlife
Birding remained strong, especially around water bodies. Regular sightings included African fish eagle, wattled crane, African darter, African and lesser jacana, squacco and grey herons, saddle-billed stork, hamerkop, African spoonbill, marabou stork, egrets, cormorants, glossy and sacred ibis, pygmy goose, and common ostrich. Raptors spotted comprised Dickinson’s kestrel, African harrier hawk, brown snake eagle, tawny eagle, African hawk, bateleur eagle, hooded vulture, and two kori bustards near the airstrip.
Floodwaters persisted across the floodplains, making the landscape look green and lush. Grasses and aquatic plants thrived. Trees such as sausage trees and rain trees had started to produce new leaves. Bushfires occurred on the northern side of the reserve during the early part of the month.
Water levels had begun to recede slowly, though short boating excursions continued to operate in the main channel, and fishing remained available for interested guests. Mokoro outings were conducted during the day, offering a quiet way to explore the backflow channels. Nature walks focused on traditional plant use and tracking techniques. During one walk, lions were observed resting near a termite mound at a safe distance before retreating to shade as temperatures rose.
