A month later, and the fire that had previously threatened Tau Pan camp in September was still burning in parts to the south of Deception Valley! Eventually, the parks board had the fires under control, and they were finally extinguished – all before we got even one thunderstorm! What this means now is that when the rains do begin next month or so, the new grass will not have to fight its way through the moribund vegetation, and there will be plenty for all to eat. The very relaxed female leopard was seen strolling her home range – along the Eastern Firebreak road. She is well known to the camp guides and seen regularly.
We are lucky enough to be able to see cheetahs several times a week at the moment, with a total of five cheetahs in the area being very relaxed. This is a good hunting area for them, with the big open plain of Tau Pan, and lots of general game to chase, and the benefit of a good permanent water hole to drink from. In particular, we see the female cheetah with her two cubs most often. One of the other cheetahs managed to kill an ostrich – a tricky catch for the light-weight cat – but a great feast!
The Tau Pan pride is growing. Five and half years since the opening of the Kwando camp, the lions we have come to know so well are moving into their third generation. One of the females of the pride has recently had three cubs – they are still very small, but we think they are two female cubs and one male. Since the mother of these cubs was raised so well by her mother and aunts that all her brothers and sisters survived, there is a good chance that the current Tau Pan pride structure will ensure that these cubs do well. Naturally, there is a chance that the males will be over thrown at some point, but there do not seem to be any likely contenders at the moment.
This healthy pride now totals 14 individuals – and again, well established in an area that provides plentiful food, water, and as they realised last month, a safe haven when the bush fires move through the area!
