Machaba Camp Wildlife Stories July 2025
Amid the cold July weather, we welcomed a new leopard cub to the area near Machaba Camp.
Though its eyes were still tightly shut for the first few weeks, the little wonder experienced cold mornings and evenings, warm afternoons and some windy days during its first month. When its eyes finally opened, the cub got to see the spectacular Botswana floodplains that have risen since June and kept some of the vegetation on its banks in the area lush and green.
Feeding Like Wild Cats & Dogs
The start of July was packed with unbelievable sightings of predators feeding on recently caught prey. The first was of ten African wild dog pups and 12 adults feasting in a clearing. The pups were energetic and playful as they ate their fill and play-fought with each other. A majority of the adults were keeping watch while the others enjoyed the feast.
The next sighting was at Magotlho, where a pride of lions were finishing up the last of their zebra kill. Six lionesses and seven cubs all had their fill while a lone male lion ate what was left. We saw the cubs playing and mimicking feeding behaviour on a small bone. We were glad to see that the pride looked happy and healthy.
The final sighting was of a pack of African wild dogs on the hunt. The 12 wild dogs spotted a small group of impalas drinking water by the Matshwere Crossing. Almost immediately, they ducked low to the ground, split up and flanked the impalas. Suddenly, they burst out from their attack positions and successfully chased and took down a single impala.
A Day Of Lion Sightings
Outside of witnessing lions on a hunt, their interactions with other animals are just as enthralling. We caught up to five lionesses and seven cubs feeding on the remains of a dead elephant. The elephant's hide was too thick for the cubs to tear through, but the more powerful adults made short work of it. Leaving the cubs with soft edges to eat and something to practice.
Later that afternoon, we saw another lion. This time, the king of the jungle was unsuccessful in his hunt. A young male encountered a Temminck’s ground pangolin crossing its path and tried to catch it. Unfortunately for the lion, it curled up into an impenetrable scaly ball. For several minutes, it clawed at the pangolin before giving up.
Cheetah Coalition Chase
It is incredibly rare to see five cheetahs cooperating on a single hunt, and our luck was in!
On an early morning drive in the Moremi Game Reserve we saw the coalition of five cheetahs closing in on a small group of grazing impalas. They stalked the unsuspecting prey patiently before bursting into a sprint after the antelope. The first few attempts were unsuccessful until one of the cheetahs managed to get its teeth around the throat of the impala.
Once it was down, the rest of the coalition rushed to the scene and began feeding immediately. Being one of the smaller big cats in Africa, cheetahs don’t have the luxury of savouring their kills. They have to eat quickly before larger predators like hyenas and lions arrive to steal their hard-earned kill.
They didn’t seem to mind us, though. We quietly watched them enjoy the spoils of their labour.
Newborn Leopard Cub
Around midday, we saw a female leopard hidden deep within a dense bush only a few hundred metres away from Machaba Camp. Beside her was a tiny cub no more than a few days old.
The delicate cub was largely motionless and blind. The mother would occasionally let out a soft, low-throated call to let her baby know she was still there and it was safe. Such a rare and beautiful sighting is rare and shows just how fragile some of the most ferocious animals on the African continent start their lives.
Machaba Camp and little Machaba were amazing this month. From frenzied wild dogs to newborn leopards, what more could we have asked for? Come back next month to find out!
Until next time,
Kulto
Machaba Camp / Little Machaba
