Kiri Camp Wildlife Stories February 2023
February has brought with it some very hot days and a fair bit of rain. This late summer rain is wonderful for game viewing as it encourages the territorial animals to move around more, rewarding us with some excellent sightings. Additionally, it will provide the grazers and browsers with more food into an expected dry winter.
Kiri Leopard On A Kill
Our resident Kiri leopardess and her mother were spotted with a fresh kill. This rare and exciting encounter was made even better as they pulled the carcass up a tree, which made for excellent viewing. After watching them feed on the kill for a bit they decided the remainder of the carcass would be used as a plaything. We watched in awe as they flung the leftovers around the tree.
Pride On A Kill
The new lion pride that has become resident around Kiri Camp is made up of 13 individuals and two large males. We came across them just after they had made a successful zebra kill. The kill was so close to Kiri that you could see the camp in the background.
There was only about half of the kill left when we came across them, however by the afternoon, the males had chased the pride off the kill and finished it off in a matter of minutes. The ever-present white-backed vultures were lurking in the dead leadwood trees close by, waiting for their turn to pick the last bits of meat off the bones.
Luck Or Skill
After three full nights at Kiri and having come from Machaba Camp, our guest had only been able to see female lions and cubs, but no males. On the last morning, after our tracker Peter had spent the whole of the previous afternoon tracking one of the Kiri males, we headed out with the plan to find the lion.
We headed back to the last place Peter tracked him to and success! We found napping amongst a massive stand of leadwood trees, tired after a long night of walking. Tracking is a key part of the safari experience, and a guide needs to master these skills to fulfil the hopes and expectations of our guests.
New To The World
A newborn elephant calf was discovered on one of our morning drives. This little elephant, pink around the ears and eyes, had the remains of afterbirth trapped in the fine hairs on its head. We were delighted to sit and watch as it tried to stay as close to mom as possible. This is a great time of year to see all of the newborn mammals and birds, but there is something very special about a newborn elephant calf.
All these awe-inspiring wildlife sightings and excellent weather are making us so excited for the winter season that approaches. We expect more once-in-a-lifetime encounters in this remarkable part of Botswana.
Until next time,
Wesley
Kiri Camp
