In true festive season spirit, the animals came out in their numbers and gave us some incredible sightings this week. We hope you enjoy this week’s selection of highlights...

The Southern Pride’s week started off slowly with sightings of lazy lions... but this was short lived as we watched them take down a wildebeest and secure themselves a good meal. The pride still comprises of 5 lions, however, 1 sub adult male has split from the pride but hopefully will rejoin soon.

The White Dam male and Kigelia female were still seen mating this week and we hope this time the mating will be successful and that there will be new cubs in the near future.

A few days later we enjoyed a beautiful scene sitting with White Dam as the moon rose behind him. Shortly after our arrival, he decided to get up and move around providing us with a magnificent sighting.

After spending time viewing a rhino at a watering hole, we heard impala alarm calling not too far away. We headed off in search of what was upsetting them and found the young Ntsumi female resting in the shade of some bushes before laying on the shaded side of a termite mound.

After heading in the direction of some guineafowl that sounded a bit frantic, we stumbled across the N’weti male with a very full belly. He took some time to relax on top of a termite mound before heading off into the sunset.

Maxabeni was also seen this week. One sighting in specific was when we made our way over to a waterhole after spotting a pair of African Black Ducks and to our surprise discovered the male leopard at the water’s edge. He had a drink and moved over the dam wall to rest nearby.

Kigelia had a successful week and was seen resting contently upon a large termite mound after consuming the remains from her most recent kill, an impala lamb.

Wild dogs have been out in numbers again this week. Always special sightings of this endangered species. Sightings of the pups have been brilliant to say the least, with the little ones constantly stalking each other and learning valuable skills that will eventually help in the months to come.

Over recent weeks we have enjoyed plenty of Spotted Hyena sightings all over the reserve – their inquisitive nature keeps us intrigued for hours as they go about their daily business, whilst trying to keep cool in the high temperatures we have been experiencing of late.

On our way back to Selati Camp, we noticed a few vultures flying down and went to investigate. Upon arrival, we found a dead impala which seemed to have died of natural causes and not long after, there must have been around 50 vultures with a total of 5 different species being seen, including the mighty Lappet-faced Vulture, the rare White-headed Vulture, a few Cape vultures, White-backed vultures and Hooded vultures.

A close-up of the mouth of a hippo. A hippo’s mouth can be up to 60cm wide at its lip with incisors which thrust vertically to the front of the mouth to stab any enemies!

A Giant Plated Lizard spies on us from the safety of an old tree stump.

This young Slender Mongoose was basking on a rock in the sun, while keeping an eye out for any potential prey.

A beautiful Plains Zebra posing for a photo in one of our big open areas.

A proud impala ram walking over an open area with a view.

We end the week’s highlights with a heart-warming update! The little pink elephant who we have shared pics with in the past, is going strong and keeping up with the herd!

Until next time...