Kiri Camp Wildlife Sightings December 2024
December is a magical time in the bush. At this time of year, we experience high temperatures and beautiful afternoon downpours, which bring much-needed coolness to the Okavango.
Mega Herd
A sudden rumble shook guests as they were polishing off their dinner. Under the twilight, a cloud of dust suddenly lifted from the earth.
A mega herd of buffalo were making their way past the lodge. Over 500 of them ran past Kiri Camp in a haze of dust and just as things started to settle, guests were already climbing into game viewers to follow the herd into the darkness.
Playful Pride
One afternoon we spotted six lions near Green Pan, east of camp. Two females, two males and two cubs were resting in the open. The lionesses seemingly stalking a small herd of buffalo grazing downwind. Our guests were amused by the playful nature of the two cubs.
After a good time spent watching the relaxed pride, we headed off in search of whatever else the bush had in store for us.
A Mating Pair
Seeing an elusive leopard is quite an incredible sighting, so when we stumbled across a mating pair, you can only imagine the excitement.
A new female to the area had caught the eye of a resident male. He has grown stronger since the start of the rainy season as there have been more prey species around. Time will tell if this female will bear the offspring of our local male leopard.
Three-of-a-Kind
A new family has moved into the area and we couldn’t be happier.
A female cheetah and her two cubs have made themselves comfortable in their new home range around Kiri Camp. They seemed to be accustomed to vehicle movements and were not bothered by our presence. We took advantage of this and stayed a little longer to observe their behaviours.
The mother was in hunting mode but was quickly detected by her prey, rendering the hunt unsuccessful.
Dazzling Darlings
A dazzle of zebra welcomed some young at the start of the rainy season. They have been spending a lot of time in front of camp and guests have delighted in the young foals pouncing about while the older members of the herd graze around the waterhole.
A herd of buffalo welcomed some young. We have seen the herd dynamics shift as they circle the young buffalo in fierce protection.
The rains shift the wild dynamics in the bush. We’ll soon see the landscape transform and take on brighter, greener hues as we continue to watch the young grow strong and the rains fall in the Okavango Delta.
Until next time,
Stef
Kiri Camp
