Kiri Camp Wildlife Stories November 2024
The rainy season has finally arrived at Kiri Camp! Arid plains have started to sprout lush vegetation, dry watering holes have become mud baths for excited warthogs and other animals, and the average temperatures are slowly decreasing.
Early mornings and nights are still the best time to see wildlife, and our photographer friends have been having a great time capturing the breathtaking landscapes with dramatic rain clouds in the afternoons.
Brothers In Arms
Male lions are some of the most powerful creatures in the animal kingdom. They have five times the bite force of the average human being, and their paw swipes are among the strongest. That’s why we felt so bad for the poor warthog caught by Dolce and Gabbana, our two resident male lions.
We came across these brothers under a thicket of trees. As we approached them, a nearby warthog grabbed their attention. One of the cats instantly initiated a hunt and pounced on it. Soon after, the other lion joined in at the opposite end of the warthog. The two males wrestled their prey to the ground while pulling in opposite directions.
Playful Puppies
On an early morning drive, we managed to spot two African wild dog pups on one of the small islands in the floodplains. The adults were absent, possibly on a hunt and, playing with danger, the cheeky little ones exited their den for some playtime.
These puppies come from a pack of 11 dogs we spotted a few months prior at their den. We are happy to report that they are growing up happy, healthy and very cute, judging by how they played on a tree trunk.
Before You Go
Wondergirl is the name of a solitary lioness that we see every now and again around Kiri Camp. She is a beautiful female that makes us smile every time we see her. So imagine our delight when she came into camp while we were finishing our lunch.
It was towards the end of our lunch service when Wondergirl strolled in. She came to have a drink from a watering hole in front of our dining area. We watched as she gracefully bowed her head to drink and glanced at us looking at her. Thanks for the amazing pictures, Wondergirl!
Welcome To Motherhood
Male lions are fiercely protective of their cubs, especially from other male lions. So it's no surprise that we found a male perched atop a termite mound, ready to protect his new family.
On an early morning game drive, we spotted a male lion resting his eyes on a termite mound. We marvelled at the beautiful creature until our guide, Mike, pointed out he wasn’t alone. About 100m away, we found three newborn cubs suckling on their mother. We can’t tell you how lucky we were to stumble onto this heartwarming sight.
A Warm Welcome And Goodbye
Animals like lions and leopards are some of the most exciting animals on the African floodplains. That doesn’t mean that the less commonly seen animals are any less spectacular.
Take the bat-eared fox family found near our airstrip for example. Throughout the month, many of our guests arriving and departing from Kiri Camp told us that seeing the adorable foxes with their pointy ears was one of the highlights of their time with us.
November was an incredible month for wildlife spotting, and we’re curious about what we might see in December.
Until next time,
Stef Ellett
Kiri Camp
