I just received the August sightings for Kwando Safaris. These updates are rather long, so what I've done - as I did last month, and will likely do going forward - is to break these up into multiple bite-sized chunks to make them a bit easier to read. During this blog post, I'll be featuring updates from Kwando Kwara Camp and Kwando Lagoon Camp. This will be followed later this week by updates from Tau Pan Camp, Kwando Lebala Camp, and Nxai Pan Camp.

Kwando Kwara Camp

Fifteen Wild Dogs have been moving in and out of the Kwando's Kwara Camp area looking for game – it is likely that they have a den site deep into the Mopane forest well out the way of Lions and Hyenas. The successful Cheetah mother is still going strong with her fast growing four cubs and she has been seen trying to teach them the art of the hunt. At the moment they are still somewhat clumsy and it may be several more months before they are able to successfully hunt for themselves.

Cheetah and other predators were commonly sighted during August throughout the Kwando Camps.
Photo by Bill Given at Lebala Camp

World-class game viewing all round this month at Kwara Camp. Every day seems to provide more and more predator sightings. On one such morning two Lions were seen abandoning a Baboon carcass only for an opportunistic Leopard to stealthily creep into view and take the kill up a tree. It is possible that the Lions stole the Baboon from the Leopard in the first place as it is rare for a Lion to catch the primates.

Elsewhere, excellent sighting of small mammals such as Honey Badgers and Servals and a whole variety of aquatic birds who are relishing the flood water such as Slaty Egret, Wattled Crane and Saddle-Billed Stalks.

Kwando Lagoon Camp

The Kwando Lagoon Camp Wild Dog den is providing guests and guide alike some wonderful moments with the nine puppies growing up fast and experimenting in play fighting and early attempts to hunt insects around the den. The adults are still working hard to feed the youngsters and themselves. They are out almost daily to find sufficient food. Towards the end of the month the dogs decided to move the den site closer towards the camp not far from Zebra Pan. The exchange was made quickly and picked up equally as quickly by the excellent Kwando trackers. Another month or so and the youngsters should be ready to start learning to hunt for themselves with the main pack.

Large herds of Buffalos and Elephants are migrating in and out of the area around Lagoon Camp and Kwando Airstrip to find fresh water and relief from the great thirst weather of August.

A young male Lion was spotted with porcupine quills imbedded in his neck from an overbold attack on the giant rodent. He certainly learned the hard way that the Porcupine defense is not to be taken lightly.

Elsewhere, a fascinating sighting of a African Hawk Eagle killing a Swainsons Francolin was observed. With the giant eagles superb eye sight and soaring power the only defence the Francolin has in cover and on this occasion this was not sought out quickly enough.

I'll provide updates from three other Kwando safari camps later this week!