One of the month’s most memorable sightings unfolded near Rebecca’s Field after guides picked up fresh African wild dog tracks heading south of the airstrip.
About 25 minutes later the pack was found hunting impala. While one dog brought down an impala barely 100 metres from the vehicle, the rest of the pack continued the chase in another direction, successfully killing two more. It was one of several excellent wild dog hunts witnessed during May.
Earlier in the month the same pack was found feeding on a male red lechwe near Rams. Two spotted hyenas arrived hoping to steal the carcass but were quickly chased away before returning once the dogs had finished feeding. A few days later the pack was again located at Rebecca’s Field after bringing down a wildebeest calf, where they remained resting beneath a large fever berry tree after the meal.
The resident pack of 10 continued to provide excellent sightings throughout the month.
Cubs across the concession
Lions featured strongly during May, particularly around the southern side of camp and the Pom Pom Airstrip.
The resident pride, made up of four lionesses, two dominant males and 10 cubs now around four and a half months old, was encountered regularly. Early one morning, guides followed the sound of roaring from the airstrip before finding the two males resting together. The pair continued roaring for some time, creating one of those classic African mornings that guests never forget.
Another morning, fresh tracks through Camp Island led guides to two males, two lionesses and five cubs feeding on a wildebeest. After the females and cubs had eaten, one of the males chased them from the carcass before dragging it into the shade.
Later in the month the coalition of four males was found feeding on an impala at Rams after taking the carcass from a leopard. Towards the end of May, fresh tracks once again led guides to four males, this time feeding on a buffalo while two lions rested nearby.
Leopards in the marulas
Leopard sightings continued to be one of Pom Pom’s strengths.
Two resident females were both seen with cubs estimated at around three months old. One remained around the airstrip while the other continued using Zippa Island, giving guests wonderful opportunities to watch the cubs as they explored their surroundings.
A male leopard was also found feeding on an impala high in a marula tree between Becky’s Field and One Man Crossing. Towards the end of the month another female leopard was located feeding in a leadwood tree while two spotted hyenas waited patiently beneath for scraps to fall from the carcass.
A female cheetah also provided an excellent sighting after fresh tracks near Bushman Baobab led guides on a lengthy follow. The chase ended near Matswiri Crossing where she successfully brought down a female impala after stalking a breeding herd.
Floodwaters reshape the plains
As floodwaters continued spreading across the concession, the open floodplains changed noticeably through the month.
Large breeding herds of red lechwe remained around the flooded areas, while giraffe, kudu, tsessebe, bushbuck, reedbuck, steenbok, warthog and hippopotamus continued to feature on daily drives. Older elephant bulls and bachelor buffalo groups were more common than the larger breeding herds as wildlife adjusted to the changing water levels.
Evening drives produced regular sightings of genets, springhares, scrub hares, porcupines and several bat species.
The arrival of winter brought cooler evenings and fewer insects, although monarch butterflies, praying mantids, grasshoppers, water striders and water boatmen were still commonly seen. Nile crocodiles, water monitors and olive grass snakes remained active along the channels.
Birdlife continued to impress, with southern ground hornbills, African fish eagles, goliath herons, slaty egrets, wattled cranes, Pel’s fishing owls, Verreaux’s eagle-owls and an impressive variety of raptors recorded throughout the concession.
The flooded plains remained beautifully green, with water lilies, buttercups, knotweed, floating sensitive plants and water chestnut carpeting many of the channels.
Bush walks, mokoro excursions and boat cruises continued to reveal a different side of the Delta. Guests learnt traditional tracking techniques and the uses of local plants before exploring the channels, where elephants crossed the waterways, hippos surfaced quietly among the lilies and frogs called from the reeds. As the skies cleared towards the end of the month, the stars once again became one of the highlights of an evening in camp.
