There is something about watching a leopard’s distinctive spots slide over well-toned muscles. As they glide through the bush on padded paws, one becomes aware of their individual and mesmerising characters. The Nchila male, with his jaguar like rosettes, absolutely captivates.

After stopping outside Bush Lodge for a drink at the watering hole, the Dayone male leopard slowly made his way across the dry riverbed before stopping under a tree to shelter from the morning sun.

Very close to one of the suites at Selati Camp, impala and monkeys were alarm calling so we decided to go and see what was upsetting them. We found the White Dam male leopard drinking from a small puddle just outside the lodge. He had a full belly after finishing off his impala kill. As always, a hyena was hanging around hoping for any sort of scraps to fall.

We have had plenty of sightings of Xovonekela this week. From walking through a riverbed and onto a termite mound; to successfully hunting a large impala ram...

Scotia mostly took it easy this week. We had one sighting of her resting on a rocky area; and another of her lazing in a Weeping Boer Bean tree!

Ntsumi was weaving through the bush, checking all areas for potential prey. She eventually climbed a Marula Tree for a quick scan which also turned into a little rest.

We found two male cheetah feeding on an impala kill late one afternoon. The following morning, we located them again, watching them run – what a sighting! It is incredible to see how all 4 legs are lifted off of the ground as though they are flying.

Suspicion. With the wind sending a constant wave of ripples across the top of the water, these African Wild Dogs stood tentatively, trying to pluck up the courage to drink... but their caution towards the water and what it may conceal, was too strong.

The next morning Bush lodge was woken up by the loud vocalisation of hyenas and wild dogs battling over a kill the wild dogs made. After the chaos had subsided and there was not much left, they all decide to take a rest near the watering hole in front of the lodge.

The four N’waswishaka male lions had been sleeping near a small dam for who knows how long, and they continued sleeping long into the evening. Lifting their heads every now and then, perhaps for a bit of grooming, or a yawn here and there. The excitement grew each time one started grooming, hoping this was a sign that they would be getting up and moving, but their heads would soon flop down again, toes twitching as they fell back to sleep.

We stumbled upon the Southern Pride female one morning. Given the weather and the wind, which she was taking full advantage of, we could see that she was actively hunting and kept concealing herself amongst tall grass. We noticed that she had fresh suckle marks and knew that with two young cubs, she would need all the energy she could get. We soon left, giving her the space she needed to hunt, in the hope that she would be successful.

On a very cool and cloudy morning at Sabi Sabi, this hyena decided to rest in the middle of the road instead of patrolling the reserve for a potential meal.

Louise stopped to look at some very sweet little Vervet monkeys playing in the trees, but little did she know that they were equally interested in her!

What perfect timing to have seen this African Harrier Hawk fly just above us!

This small herd of elephant were calmly feeding along the edges of a drainage line, when suddenly one female, followed by a few youngsters decided it was time to move. She walked with purpose towards us, ears out to make herself appear large and intimidating, making sure we would not cause any trouble as she led her little family along a game path down into the cool air of the drainage line itself.

This Spotted Hyena, and its three companions, went ambling across an open area soon after a pack of African Wild Dogs had passed that way. Following the scent, and the prospect of an easy meal, hoping perhaps that the dogs would make a kill.

These two little Smith's Bush Squirrels caught our attention as they sat chattering above us in a tree. They can be very vocal, alarming for predators such as birds of prey, snakes and even leopard, but sometimes they are just interacting with one another.

A Little Bee-eater chose the perfect branch, right next to the road, to try find its next meal.

A Crested Barbet briefly stopped next to the road for a quick photo before flying off again.

If one learns to listen to the bush, it is incredible the things you can find. Ruth was sitting at a waterhole enjoying the peace and quiet when she was distracted by the raucous calls of a cacophony of different little birds all wanting to have their two cents heard. She went to investigate and saw the piercing yellow eyed glare of a tiny little Pearl-spotted Owlet. When looking through her binoculars, Ruth noticed there was an even smaller Red-billed Firefinch entangled in the tight grip of the owlet’s talons.

Until next time...