Verney’s Camp Wildlife Stories August 2025
We here at Verney’s Camp love September. It is the peak of the dry season, meaning we get to see many of Mother Nature's most spectacular creatures drinking from the watering hole right in front of camp.
Elephants are undoubtedly the most dominant animals around the watering hole. Many of the savannah's most ferocious species struggle to get around their massive frames to take their turn to drink water. The presence alone reshapes the environment.
Bat-Eared Beauties
In the golden glow of the morning sunlight, the desert stirred as we spotted two beautiful bat-eared foxes basking in invigorating morning warmth. This was a truly special sighting for us, as we rarely see them due to their dwindling numbers. We now regard them as one of our endangered and specially protected species.
Mating Lion Pair
Five hundred west of camp, our resident lion was mating with one of the three females in his pride. For five days, this pair secluded themselves within the camp’s perimeter and we could hear their nightly roars and contact calls echoing through the night.
The mating behaviour of lions is both intense and fascinating. Each mating session lasts less than one minute, with up to 50 sessions in a single day, for up to four consecutive days.
We were lucky enough to see this special moment multiple times before the pair slowly rejoined the rest of the pride.
Opportunistic Lions
For several days, our resident pride of lions seemed to have disappeared into the wilderness. It was only when we were returning from a morning game drive that we finally spotted them gathered around the carcass of a large giraffe.
By the looks of it, the giraffe had been killed the night before. We’d seen the same animal in front of Verney’s a few days earlier, limping on an injured leg. It struggled to bend down to drink, and we knew then it was only a matter of time before some cunning predators took advantage of its situation.
Not long after we arrived, vultures started circling, waiting for their turn to pick at the remains.
Close-Up Elephant Encounter
It was a beautiful morning for a walking safari. The cool morning breeze carried not only scents, but stories the broken branches and footprints told as we made our way through the bush.
As we were walking, we spotted an elephant bull along the trail heading towards camp. Seeing as he was quite relaxed, we decided to approach him. Coming as close as 30 metres to the massive elephant. Unbothered by our presence, he fed on an acacia tree.
As we were watching the bull, he picked up some of our movements and came to investigate. Before he got too close, our guide stood up, letting him know we were there. Satisfied with his investigation, the elephant continued towards Verney’s Camp, where he would later be spotted drinking.
Cheetah Caught In The Act
It was during a quiet morning game drive that we decided to extend our trip in the hope of spotting a big cat. As we dove further into the wilderness, we picked up on some cheetah tracks heading in the same direction we were. They were just a few hours old, so the hope of spotting the lightning-fast animal was still there.
We drove on, scanning the plains until we met a massive herd of impala feeding alongside the road. If the cheetah was anywhere to be found, we thought it would be here. Seconds later, a male cheetah bolted out of the tall grass and started a hunt. Unfortunately for him, the impala were onto him as soon as he sprang up. They ran away, leaving the cheetah with less energy and no meal to show for it.
Hwange National Park had some of the most amazing sightings of the year this September. Watch this space for more incredible Wildlife Stories.
Until next time,
David
Verney’s Camp
