Game in the Kwando Camps in August
Lagoon Camp
. The coalition of four, young male lions is still operating between Lagoon and Lebala. They are still following the buffalo herds around and have been seen twice on buffalo kills. A young male was seen North of the camp, but he did not stay for very long. The four males have been regular visitors to the camp at night and they were very vocal whilst moving through.
. Leopard sightings were again very good during this month. A female leopard was seen hunting and killing an Impala. A young male was also seen hunting a couple of times and he was also found feeding on an Impala carcass. A very good sighting of a one and a half year old male and female were reported. They were walking together, very relaxed and made for some excellent photographic opportunities.
. A single female cheetah was seen a couple of times during the month. She was very relaxed and made for good close up viewing.
. The Lagoon pack of 6 dogs and their 9 pups continue to do well. This month have seen them leaving the first den site for another den, not far away from the original site. They only stayed at the new den for about two weeks before they upped and moved in to the mopane forest. They continue to appear on a regular basis and were followed hunting on numerous occasions. The pups are now participating in some of the hunts.
. Big groups of elephants, breeding herds as well as bachelor groups, continue to be seen on the floodplains and on the riverbanks. Some of the single bulls have also been visiting the camp during the nights. Some bulls were also seen mating with the females.
. Big mixed herds of buffalo, some of them with 1500 and more buffalo in the herds have been seen grazing on the flood plains.
. Night drives during this month delivered both species of jackal, small and large spotted genets a couple of chameleons and a civet.
. General game during this month was again very good with both roan and sable antelope being found. Big herds of zebra and large journeys of giraffe were also seen. Wildebeest, steenbok, lechwe, and impala made up some of the many other species of general game that were sighted.
. Very good sightings of honey badgers were reported throughout the month. A single porcupine was also seen as well as a caracal. Banded and dwarf mongoose also appeared on a regular basis.
. Birding was excellent during the month, with purple gallinule, lapped faced vulture, osprey and giant eagle owls being seen. Yellow billed storks and pink backed pelicans added some colour to the birding scene.
Lebala Camp
. Lion sightings have been excellent throughout the month. The two dominant males and the rest of their pride consisting of three adult females and their eight cubs spent a lot of time in the area. They made four buffalo kills in the open areas around the camp. The two males also managed to kill an old hippo bull about a kilometre away from camp and they fed on the kill for almost a week. A single lioness joined them on the kill. The four young males also moved in to the area and were heard having a roaring competition with the dominant males. They quickly retreated when on of the big males moved closer to see who the intruders were.
.A total of six different leopards were seen in the Lebala area during this month. Some of them were seen on more than one occasion. The older resident female leopard was seen hunting guinea fowl up in the trees and she managed to kill one in front of the guests. A big male, extremely relaxed walked right past the workshop in camp and paid little attention to the staff working there. Two younger males were found together on old Lebala road, they were skittish at first but the guides approached them very carefully and they eventually relaxed. Another young but relaxed male was found hunting north of Lebala. A very unusual sighting of two different leopards feeding on an elephant carcass was reported. They came to feed on different times and one of them was seen patiently waiting for a hyena to move away before he approached.
.The now considered resident female cheetah was seen on numerous occasions. She was followed for a couple of days and was eventually seen killing an impala. The two brothers also put in their monthly appearance. One of them had swollen eye and left side of the face. The guides suspect that a zebra might have kicked him in the face.
. Big breeding herds, bachelor herds and some single bull elephants are a common sighting on the flood plains. These herds are now moving out of the Mopane forests onto the floodplains since all the water holes have dried up.
. Big herds of buffalo, some ranging between five hundred and a thousand animals were found along various plains. They were mostly seen mating and drinking with some of the bulls fighting for females.
. Lots of hyena activity was reported during this month. They were very busy cleaning up all the kills that were made by the lion pride. Both black backed and sided striped jackal were also seen on a regular basis.
. Excellent general game with many large journeys of giraffe, impala, waterbuck, Tsessebe, Wildebeest, Steenbok zebra, red lechwe and kudu. Sable and roan antelope were also seen on some of the drives.
. Birding was very good during this month. The first sightings of the carmine bee-eaters were reported. This is a true indication that summer has arrived. Marabou storks as well as wattled cranes were also seen. Hundreds of guttural toads and bell frogs could also be heard during the night.
. A very brief sighting of an elusive aardvark was reported on one of the night drives. Cerval, civet and honey badgers were common sightings during the night drives.
Kwara and Little Kwara
. Lions sightings were very good throughout the month. A pride of seven females, who no one has seen before, moved through the area. They were shy and did not stay very long. The pride of four females and one young male were found feeding on a zebra kill. Later on they were spotted resting high up in a tree. The two big males seem to be trying to take over the area. They were also seen feeding on a buffalo kill. Seven hyena managed to steal a buffalo calf kill from a young male lion.
. The mother leopard and her now sub adult female cub was seen on a regular basis throughout the month. The cub made her first impala kill in Kwara camp, next to tent one. They were also seen in a tree with a reedbuck kill and managed to kill a cerval close to the boat station.
. A female cheetah and her three cubs visited the area during this month. She managed to kill several impala and a reedbuck. During one of the hunts, she decided that it was time to teach the youngsters how to kill. She brought an impala down but did not kill it. She then left it to the cubs to bring down. They tried hard to impress mum, but it took them a while before they managed to kill the impala. The guides and trackers also found tracks of three cheetah. They tracked them for more than two hours and eventually found three male cheetah, resting on a termite mound.
. Two wild dogs made an appearance in the area. They did not stay for long, but managed to kill an impala during their visit.
. Some bachelor herds and single bull elephant were seen feeding on the flood plains during this month. A couple of breeding herds also passed through the area.
. Big herds of buffalo, some of them up to two thousand are still found in the Kwara area. One of these herds was home to a big old bull with a broken leg. The lions very quickly picked him out and he became food for the lions.
. Hyena were very active during this month due to the lions making so many kills. Black backed and side striped jackal were also seen on most of the night drives. Giant eagle owls were also seen regularly.
. General game sightings continue to be very good. Giraffe, zebra, tsessebe, warthog, kudu and some sable antelope were seen.
. Good sightings of Civet, Serval and African Wild Cat have been reported. The game drives have found numerous active Aardvark holes but animals have been eluding the drives up to now.
. Birding continues to be good in the area. Wattled cranes, saddle billed storks, fish eagles and many species of herons and storks. The heronry has become very active as a lot of the storks and herons had started breeding.
. The coalition of four, young male lions is still operating between Lagoon and Lebala. They are still following the buffalo herds around and have been seen twice on buffalo kills. A young male was seen North of the camp, but he did not stay for very long. The four males have been regular visitors to the camp at night and they were very vocal whilst moving through.
. Leopard sightings were again very good during this month. A female leopard was seen hunting and killing an Impala. A young male was also seen hunting a couple of times and he was also found feeding on an Impala carcass. A very good sighting of a one and a half year old male and female were reported. They were walking together, very relaxed and made for some excellent photographic opportunities.
. A single female cheetah was seen a couple of times during the month. She was very relaxed and made for good close up viewing.
. The Lagoon pack of 6 dogs and their 9 pups continue to do well. This month have seen them leaving the first den site for another den, not far away from the original site. They only stayed at the new den for about two weeks before they upped and moved in to the mopane forest. They continue to appear on a regular basis and were followed hunting on numerous occasions. The pups are now participating in some of the hunts.
. Big groups of elephants, breeding herds as well as bachelor groups, continue to be seen on the floodplains and on the riverbanks. Some of the single bulls have also been visiting the camp during the nights. Some bulls were also seen mating with the females.
. Big mixed herds of buffalo, some of them with 1500 and more buffalo in the herds have been seen grazing on the flood plains.
. Night drives during this month delivered both species of jackal, small and large spotted genets a couple of chameleons and a civet.
. General game during this month was again very good with both roan and sable antelope being found. Big herds of zebra and large journeys of giraffe were also seen. Wildebeest, steenbok, lechwe, and impala made up some of the many other species of general game that were sighted.
. Very good sightings of honey badgers were reported throughout the month. A single porcupine was also seen as well as a caracal. Banded and dwarf mongoose also appeared on a regular basis.
. Birding was excellent during the month, with purple gallinule, lapped faced vulture, osprey and giant eagle owls being seen. Yellow billed storks and pink backed pelicans added some colour to the birding scene.
Lebala Camp
. Lion sightings have been excellent throughout the month. The two dominant males and the rest of their pride consisting of three adult females and their eight cubs spent a lot of time in the area. They made four buffalo kills in the open areas around the camp. The two males also managed to kill an old hippo bull about a kilometre away from camp and they fed on the kill for almost a week. A single lioness joined them on the kill. The four young males also moved in to the area and were heard having a roaring competition with the dominant males. They quickly retreated when on of the big males moved closer to see who the intruders were.
.A total of six different leopards were seen in the Lebala area during this month. Some of them were seen on more than one occasion. The older resident female leopard was seen hunting guinea fowl up in the trees and she managed to kill one in front of the guests. A big male, extremely relaxed walked right past the workshop in camp and paid little attention to the staff working there. Two younger males were found together on old Lebala road, they were skittish at first but the guides approached them very carefully and they eventually relaxed. Another young but relaxed male was found hunting north of Lebala. A very unusual sighting of two different leopards feeding on an elephant carcass was reported. They came to feed on different times and one of them was seen patiently waiting for a hyena to move away before he approached.
.The now considered resident female cheetah was seen on numerous occasions. She was followed for a couple of days and was eventually seen killing an impala. The two brothers also put in their monthly appearance. One of them had swollen eye and left side of the face. The guides suspect that a zebra might have kicked him in the face.
. Big breeding herds, bachelor herds and some single bull elephants are a common sighting on the flood plains. These herds are now moving out of the Mopane forests onto the floodplains since all the water holes have dried up.
. Big herds of buffalo, some ranging between five hundred and a thousand animals were found along various plains. They were mostly seen mating and drinking with some of the bulls fighting for females.
. Lots of hyena activity was reported during this month. They were very busy cleaning up all the kills that were made by the lion pride. Both black backed and sided striped jackal were also seen on a regular basis.
. Excellent general game with many large journeys of giraffe, impala, waterbuck, Tsessebe, Wildebeest, Steenbok zebra, red lechwe and kudu. Sable and roan antelope were also seen on some of the drives.
. Birding was very good during this month. The first sightings of the carmine bee-eaters were reported. This is a true indication that summer has arrived. Marabou storks as well as wattled cranes were also seen. Hundreds of guttural toads and bell frogs could also be heard during the night.
. A very brief sighting of an elusive aardvark was reported on one of the night drives. Cerval, civet and honey badgers were common sightings during the night drives.
Kwara and Little Kwara
. Lions sightings were very good throughout the month. A pride of seven females, who no one has seen before, moved through the area. They were shy and did not stay very long. The pride of four females and one young male were found feeding on a zebra kill. Later on they were spotted resting high up in a tree. The two big males seem to be trying to take over the area. They were also seen feeding on a buffalo kill. Seven hyena managed to steal a buffalo calf kill from a young male lion.
. The mother leopard and her now sub adult female cub was seen on a regular basis throughout the month. The cub made her first impala kill in Kwara camp, next to tent one. They were also seen in a tree with a reedbuck kill and managed to kill a cerval close to the boat station.
. A female cheetah and her three cubs visited the area during this month. She managed to kill several impala and a reedbuck. During one of the hunts, she decided that it was time to teach the youngsters how to kill. She brought an impala down but did not kill it. She then left it to the cubs to bring down. They tried hard to impress mum, but it took them a while before they managed to kill the impala. The guides and trackers also found tracks of three cheetah. They tracked them for more than two hours and eventually found three male cheetah, resting on a termite mound.
. Two wild dogs made an appearance in the area. They did not stay for long, but managed to kill an impala during their visit.
. Some bachelor herds and single bull elephant were seen feeding on the flood plains during this month. A couple of breeding herds also passed through the area.
. Big herds of buffalo, some of them up to two thousand are still found in the Kwara area. One of these herds was home to a big old bull with a broken leg. The lions very quickly picked him out and he became food for the lions.
. Hyena were very active during this month due to the lions making so many kills. Black backed and side striped jackal were also seen on most of the night drives. Giant eagle owls were also seen regularly.
. General game sightings continue to be very good. Giraffe, zebra, tsessebe, warthog, kudu and some sable antelope were seen.
. Good sightings of Civet, Serval and African Wild Cat have been reported. The game drives have found numerous active Aardvark holes but animals have been eluding the drives up to now.
. Birding continues to be good in the area. Wattled cranes, saddle billed storks, fish eagles and many species of herons and storks. The heronry has become very active as a lot of the storks and herons had started breeding.
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