Web Administrator's Note - this is the Kwando Safaris monthly sighting report for March. This is the first in a two part blog post. This post provides commentary from Bill along with camp updates for Kwara Camp and Kwando Lagoon Camp. Nxai Pan Camp, Tau Pan Camp, and Lebala Camp udpates will be shared tomorrow. Enjoy!

Kwando Safari camps continue to have stellar predator sightings. The latest montly sightings report mirrors well with what our clients experienced during February and March. The Kwara area continues to be exceptional for the Green Season and we have had many clients raving about Little Kwara, cheetah continue to be the feature draw there and we have now had 5 different clients sit in the dark next to roaring male lions for an unforgettable experience, in March we had a client have an excellent wild dog sighting and in February a client actually had a great view of a pangolin! On to this month's updates from Kwando Safaris...

Central Kalahari Game Reserve is an ideal location to see smaller carnivores like the bat-eared fox.
©Bill Given

Kwando Kwara Camp

There have been vast arrays of wildlife at Kwando Kwara Camp recently. Water channels familiar to guests have begun to rise by the boat station and airstrip while Kwara lagoon in front of the camp has already risen. The water levels will continue to rise over the next couple of months as the annual flood pushes through towards Xaxanaka and Khwai. This means that there has been an abundance of wildlife in new areas of Kwara concession including the legendary Tsum Tsum plains that are now home to large numbers of zebras, blue wildebeest, elephant and tssesebe.

The splintered coalition of seven lions have been busy harassing these multitudes of game including an excellent giraffe kill seen by some guests. They have also been busy spreading their seed with the local lionesses and many such mating scenes have been recorded by delighted guests.

The family of six cheetahs are now spending more time apart as the four cubs are now over a year old and will be readying themselves for life without their mother in the next few months. They are a constant terror to the areas smaller antelope like impala, duiker and steenbok.

We have also seen a pack of wild dogs to the northeast in the Splash area of the concession. They numbered seven animals and passed away into the Mopane woods to the north after failing to kill a kudu.Guides picked up the very rare sighting of an aardvark (ant bear) close to the airstrip last week and watched the shy creature for over an hour before it head off into the surrounding thickets.

Kwando Lagoon Camp

Kwando Lagoon Camp has had the glad tidings of new lions moving into the area. Four males and five females appeared late last month from the wilderness and seem to have taken up residence in the area. Guides are unsure as to where exactly they have come from although the likely answer would be from the stunning upper Kwando area or the vast wilderness of the west – western Kwando concession. We will certainly be hoping their residence in the area is a long and successful one!

The three cheetah brothers are still reining supreme through the Kwando and are a regular site stalking impalas in the woodlands. On one such occasion they had brought down an impala close to Lagoon camp and were then chased off by some spotted hyenas who were scavenging in the area.

Guests, guides and trackers alike have been entertained by the strong pack of seventeen wild dogs who are terrorising the neighbourhood at the moment. Almost every evening there is a fair chance that these hungry dogs will be on the move and after some fresh meat.

Away from the predators, we have seen several large herds of buffalo and elephant in the area which is quite unusual for this time of the year with such widespread rains in the woodlands. Many migrant birds have extended their stays due to the excellent rainy season and prolonged availability of food. However, it is likely that such migrants as Paradise Flycatchers, Woodlands kingfishers and Wahlberg’s eagles will be departing within the next month.Lagoon has had the glad tidings of new lions moving into the area. Four males and five females appeared late last month from the wilderness and seem to have taken up residence in the area. Guides are unsure as to where exactly they have come from although the likely answer would be from the stunning upper Kwando area or the vast wilderness of the west – western Kwando concession. We will certainly be hoping their residence in the area is a long and successful one!

The three cheetah brothers are still reining supreme through the Kwando and are a regular site stalking impalas in the woodlands. On one such occasion they had brought down an impala close to Lagoon camp and were then chased off by some spotted hyenas who were scavenging in the area.

Guests, guides and trackers alike have been entertained by the strong pack of seventeen wild dogs who are terrorising the neighbourhood at the moment. Almost every evening there is a fair chance that these hungry dogs will be on the move and after some fresh meat.

Away from the predators, we have seen several large herds of buffalo and elephant in the area which is quite unusual for this time of the year with such widespread rains in the woodlands. Many migrant birds have extended their stays due to the excellent rainy season and prolonged availability of food. However, it is likely that such migrants as Paradise Flycatchers, Woodlands kingfishers and Wahlberg’s eagles will be departing within the next month.