July brought varied and rewarding wildlife activity across Pom Pom, with the arrival of the floods shifting movements and creating plenty of opportunities for both tracking and predator sightings.
Lion activity was observed in different parts of the concession, with a coalition of four males and a female seen near the boundary, while elsewhere a lone male was located at Skills Crossing. Three females with small cubs were seen, and later in the month a pride of ten lions was seen feeding on a hippo carcass at the Letswai area/Nxabega boundary. Guides also tracked fresh spoor of two males for almost an hour before finding them resting in shade near Drifters Island.
Leopard sightings, while less frequent due to higher flood levels, remained a highlight. One female was recorded with an impala kill hoisted in a tree near camp, while another was seen stalking a hare. Several individuals were identified across the concession, including mothers with cubs feeding on kills and a female resting in a tree. A male was observed attempting to hunt impala unsuccessfully near One Man Crossing, and another female provided an unforgettable in-camp encounter, strolling past the dining area and guest rooms before melting into the thickets.
African wild dogs were present throughout the month. A pair was often seen loitering near the airstrip, but the standout sighting came when a pack of fourteen successfully brought down a red lechwe at Paradise Island. Hyenas were never far behind, frequently moving through camp in the early mornings, appearing on drives, and on one occasion stealing a kill from the smaller dog pack.
Cheetah activity was scarce, a result of the strong presence of lions, leopards and hyenas in the area.
Where the land meets water
General game provided a strong backdrop, with large zebra herds around the staff village, elephants moving through camp and gathering at the lagoon in front of the main area, and good numbers of wildebeest, tsessebe, giraffe, kudu, and impala. Bushbuck were often found closer to the village, grazing in relative safety from predators. Smaller nocturnal mammals such as serval, civet, genet, and aardwolf were also recorded.
Crocodiles were regularly seen at the camp waterhole and during mokoro excursions, while insect life remained high following good rains earlier in the year. Birding was especially rewarding, with notable species including wattled cranes, saddle-billed storks, southern ground hornbills, kori bustards, ostrich, jacanas, and open-billed storks, along with many smaller woodland and floodplain birds.
Guests were able to enjoy day and night drives, mokoro excursions, and guided walks, while boat cruises and fishing were paused for the season. With a mix of predators, large herds, and lively birdlife, July proved to be a dynamic month of sightings across both land and water at Pom Pom.
