January at Pom Pom began with steady predator activity across the islands and floodplains, with guides working tracks between the airstrip, crossing points and the larger islands where prey species were concentrated during the green season.
Early in the month several lion groups were encountered across different parts of the concession. Two adult males and a female were first located resting on Ditshwene Island. Later drives produced further sightings of lions resting near Skill’s Crossing where three males and a female were found lying in shade during the heat of the morning. Another group of four males moving with a female was later seen around Drifter’s Island. As the month progressed, a pride consisting of three adult females with six cubs became the most regularly encountered lions in the area. Their tracks were picked up several times around One Man Crossing and the pride was often located moving through the surrounding islands. On several occasions the females were seen attending to the cubs and shifting them between resting sites, behaviour likely linked to avoiding other predators and keeping the young animals concealed.
Leopard activity increased after the first sighting early in the month when a male leopard was located feeding on what appeared to be a banded mongoose kill near the eastern side of the Pom Pom airstrip. While the leopard was feeding, four African wild dogs arrived and attempted to steal the carcass. After a brief confrontation the dogs managed to take possession of the kill. The following day another male leopard was seen stalking impala, although the hunt ended unsuccessfully. Over the remainder of the month several leopards were seen resting in trees or moving through the woodland areas. One particularly memorable sighting involved a female leopard attempting to dig a warthog from its burrow, though the effort did not produce a kill.
African wild dog activity centred around a pack of four that was repeatedly encountered around the airstrip and firebreak areas. The first sighting occurred near the eastern side of the airstrip where the dogs displaced a male leopard from his kill. The same pack was later seen moving quickly along the Pom Pom firebreak. Earlier in the month they were also followed on a hunt near Manonthotho Crossing where, after a long chase, they brought down a male impala close to camp near Tent 2.
Spotted hyenas were frequently seen moving through camp and surrounding areas, sometimes passing quietly through the camp during early morning or evening hours. One notable sighting involved a group of seven hyenas hunting near Kessey’s Lagoon where they pursued an impala. A few days later another impala was chased down behind the staff village and the hyenas fed there.
General game remained abundant across the concession. Zebra, giraffe, impala, red lechwe, tsessebe and wildebeest were commonly seen grazing across the floodplains and islands. Smaller mammals such as steenbok, scrub hare and spring hare were regularly encountered, while troops of baboons and side-striped jackals were also present. Hippos remained active in the lagoons and channels, and porcupines were occasionally seen on night drives.
Birdlife remained diverse during the green season. Vultures were frequently seen around carcasses, while species such as ostrich, wattled crane, Egyptian goose, spur-winged goose, southern carmine bee-eater, pied kingfisher, marabou stork, African open-billed stork, lilac-breasted roller and crowned lapwing were regularly recorded across the concession.
Recent rains transformed the landscape, with tall grass and fresh vegetation covering the islands and floodplains. Trees carried new leaves and the entire concession appeared lush and green following the storms.
