Kwando Safaris: Tierbeobachtungen in Botswana, Mai 2010

Lodges in Botswana an einigen der interessantesten Plätze für die Tierbeobachtung. Lagoon Camp und Lebala befinden sich im 232.000 Hektar großen privaten Kwando-Reservat im Norden des Landes. Allein in dieser Region leben mehr Elefanten als in ganz Südafrika. Die Gegend ist bekannt für besonders gute Chancen, die vom Aussterben bedrohten Afrikanischen Wildhunde zu sehen. Das Konzessionsgebiet von Kwara liegt im Osten des Okavango-Deltas und grenzt an das Moremi Wildreservat. Die neuesten Kwando-Lodges sind Nxai Pan Camp im Nxai Pan Nationalpark und Tau Pan Camp in der Zentralkalahari. Dabei handelt es sich um die ersten und bislang einzigen permanenten Unterkünfte in diesen beiden Reservaten.

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Monatlich berichten die Camp-Manager über aktuelle Tierbeobachtungen auf den täglichen Pirschfahrten und manchmal sogar direkt im Camp. Wir dokumentieren diese Berichte hier:Lagoon Camp The beautiful Lagoon area continues to provide excellent wild dog sightings including this month a pack of seventeen dogs hunting kudu, impala and young warthog. The three cheetah brothers fail to roam far from their traditional hunting grounds and have been sighted regularly including recently on a young zebra kill. They did not have much time to feed on their kill as a large male leopard took the opportunity for an easy meal and forced the three cheetah off the carcass. Other notable sightings include nesting Secretary birds, regular sightings of large herds of buffalo, dwarf mongoose, large herds of eland and elephant.Lebala Camp At the same time a leopard was at the wrong end of a ‘carcass grab’ at Lebala, this time losing out to a big male lion. Leopard and lion were spotted regularly this month, including lion unsuccessfully stalking herds of wildebeest. The cheetah brother were also sighted by the Lebala guides and they were lucky enough to spot them hunting and killing both a zebra foal and a steenbok. As well as excellent general game, guides have spotted herds of eland and several roan and even a hyena carrying a new born pup in her mouth on the way to the den.Kwara Camp The theme of carcass theft continues even in the Kwara concession! An old tom lost out after hunting an impala near the camp, when another lazy male lion decided to help himself to some easy pickings! Elsewhere four hyena forced a timid female cheetah from her kudu kill. Lion were clearly active within the Kwara area, with several sightings of various individuals from no less than three different prides including some hunting - but most sleeping! Leopard were also sighted hunting impala near the camps on a regular basis. Elsewhere guides were fortunate to spot black mamba, snouted cobra and African rock python all unusual sightings as the winter sets in. Other interesting sightings included serval, honey badgers, genets and African Wild Cat.Nxai Pan Camp As conditions become increasingly dry in the Nxai Pan Makgadikgadi region, the activity at the water hole in front of camp becomes increasingly frenetic! Zebra, springbok, gemsbok and wildebeest visit the water hole in numbers, while up to 30 bull elephants drink and bathe in their midst. With such a sight on view from the main area and each private viewing deck there is hardly any reason to leave the comforts of the camp! Out on the Pan, lion and cheetah were sighted on a regular basis including two mature females with a young cub in tow close to the camp. General game sightings also included red hartebeest, giraffe, impala, tsessebe, jackals, bat eared fox and steenbok.Tau Pan Camp Very unusual late rains this year have meant an extended period of plenty, which in turn has led to impressive sightings in the Central Kalahari this month. Abundant general game included eland, red hartebeest, gemsbok, honey badger, jackals, wildebeest and springbok, as well as less common sightings of aardwolf and Cape fox. Black mamba, Snouted and Cape cobras were also seen sunning themselves on the edges of the pans as the early morning temperatures continue to drop. Predator sightings have been extremely impressive throughout the region. Guides report sighting several individual lions from no less than four different prides, hunting species as diverse as bat eared fox and gemsbok. Leopard have also been spotted regularly in the vicinity of camp as well as on distant pans, including an aggressive coming together between two females at Deception Valley. Four cheetah were also seen on Tau Pan feeding on a steenbok.