Lone Cheetah - 12:36 pm

25 May 2010

The Xakanaxa pride did cross over 3rd Bridge, onto Mboma Island during the night. We followed their spoor until they reached ‘Mokoro Road’. This track has been given this name as it is only possible to use it in a mokoro and is impassable to vehicles. We returned to the main track and continued south. The pride did not emerge on the other end of ‘Mokoro Road’ and so we continued on to see if we could locate the coalition of cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), seen last week.






There were no signs that the cheetah were still in the area and it was after a further 2 hours of searching that we spotted movement in the grass. It was only one of the cheetah and it was the adult male. It to seemed to be searching for the other cheetah, eventually he stopped walking and lay on mound. The cheetah did not stop scanning the area and our hopes were high that we would see the rest of the coalition. After nearly another 2 hours, we left the lone male and extended our search southwards. Again we did not see any sign that cheetah had been this way and when we returned to where we had left the lone male, he to was gone. We stayed in the area for the rest of the morning but did not manage to spot him again.
- Jason Loughran

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Lionesses Rejoin Pride - 12:40 pm

24 May 2010

While we have been spending the last couple of days following the coalition of cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), the Xakanaxa pride has been in the northern part of their territory, near Jessie’s Pools. We headed in that direction to catch up with the pride, but did not have to travel too far.
Their spoor was on a track, within 1 kilometre of our camp.





The lions (Panthera leo) had walked about 8 kilometres during the night and by sunrise they did not look as though they were going to be very active. The 2 lionesses which have been absent since around the beginning of the month have returned, but are not looking in a good way. One has a puncture wound in her left shoulder and the other is limping badly with a wound in her left thigh. Both are looking under nourished and I’m sure they will be enjoying the rest of the prides company and support. Unfortunately there still has been no sign of the one missing male cub.






The pride only started to move in the last half hour before sunset. All the lions are looking hungry and their eyes and ears were focusing on any potential prey in the area. The 3 remaining male cubs are bonding more tightly, they slept and moved in close proximity and could potentially form a strong coalition when they leave the pride. We left the pride heading for 3rd Bridge, so tomorrow there is a chance that they could meet up with the males, whom have been sighted on Mboma Island.
- Jason Loughran

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New Camp Resident - 04:26 am

22 May 2010

There is never a dull moment in Moremi. Even spending a morning in camp can provide some excitement.
Normally when the local birds break into alarm we suspect that a snake is nearby. This morning it was no snake, but a more friendly, furry creature.





It was a slender mongoose (Galerella sanguinea). This species of mongoose is easily identified by the prominent black tip of its tail. The bird’s alarm cries were well warranted as birds make up a sizeable portion of the slender mongoose’s diet, along with insects, rodents, reptiles and eggs. This mongoose could very well be the culprit whom has been raiding our egg stock when the supply tent has been left open, our eggs are now kept in a closed metal box.






This mongoose is still weary of our presence, but after following it around the camp to get some pictures it started to relax. I’m sure that the more time it spends around the campsite, the more habituated it will become and hopefully it to will make the campsite its home.
- Jason Loughran

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Sunrise with Cheetah - 12:29 pm

21 May 2010

It was straight back onto Mboma to relocate the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) from yesterday. We were hoping to find their spoor on the road, but there were none and so we sat quietly and listened for any sign of them. A couple of minutes passed and there was a flurry of antelope in the open grasslands, just north of 2nd Bridge. We moved in the direction the antelope had come from and in the early morning twilight could see the distinctive shapes of cheetah in the grass. They were moving rapidly, but not hunting. It was a couple minutes later that the roar of a nearby lion (Panthera leo), revealed why the cheetah were on the move and explained their edginess.
These cheetah would not stand a chance against a lone lion in a confrontation.





The lion did not appear to be following the cheetah and after there was a fair distance between the two, the cheetah relaxed. There were still impala (Aepyceros melampus) in the open grass and once the cheetah had spotted them, the hunt began. In the shorter grass there was little cover for the cheetah and they were easily spotted. The hunt was over, for now and the cheetah regrouped, indulging in some mutual grooming. There was none of the aggression between them, which was shown yesterday.







They did not move for the next hour. More impala appearing from the forests fringing the grasslands caught their attention. There was a bit of stretching and yawning, and the hunt was on again. The cheetah managed to get closer to these impala, but again were spotted and the impala fled back into the forests. The cheetah continued to scan the area, using any available vantage point. They eventually sighted more impala and the hunt was back on. This time it looked as though the cheetah could be successful as they managed to get to within 30 metres. The cheetah exploded in unison and the impala scattered, into the thicker bush. We lost sight of both the impala and cheetah. After about 40 minutes of following barking impala and squirrels and still no sight or sign of the cheetah, we resigned ourselves to the fact that we had lost them. We stayed in the area for the rest of the morning, but did not managed to relocate the cheetah.
- Jason Loughran

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Coalition of Cheetah on Mboma - 01:56 pm

20 May 2010

We had heard reports that a coalition cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) had been sighted on Mboma Island. It was possible that this could be the same coalition we saw in March and so headed straight for the area.
There were many vultures in the surrounding trees and after speaking with a tour guide, he informed us that he had seen them feeding yesterday evening. The cheetah were not easy to spot, but eventually there was a flash of a tail in the long grass, revealing their location.





They had obviously fed well as their stomachs were bulging. After having a drink they moved into the shade of a motsebe (large fever-berry, Croton megalobotrys). This gave us the opportunity to get a closer look and this coalition could very well be the one we saw back in March, judging by the size of the cubs. The cheetah were not active at all and it was only late in the afternoon that they began to move.






They only moved a couple hundred metres before lying down in the grass. The distant calls of impala (Aepyceros melampus) and Burchell’s zebra (Equus burchellii) made them lift their heads, but that was the only interest they showed. The adult male had been showing signs of his dominance by scent marking bushes and keeping himself between the cubs and the female, but he now approached the only male cub and proceeded to attack him. It was not a vicious attack as the cub was extremely submissive and the adult eventually left him alone, returning to lie close to the female. This behaviour leads me to believe that the female could be starting her next estrus cycle.
It was great to see that the cubs are still doing well, but the male cub could have a couple of tough weeks ahead.
- Jason Loughran

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Pride Feasts on Giraffe - 12:50 pm

19 May 2010

This post is a revisit of a the ’Just a Carcass Remains‘ story from last month.
I missed the incident, being in Maun doing shopping, but was sent some pictures by Paul Janssen from Going Africa Safaris.





Lions may be social cats, but at feeding time it is certainly not the case. Each individual must fight for their place around the carcass, with the softer parts being more prized. Once bellies are full the lions aggression towards each other ceases.









Thanks again to Paul for the images and filling us in on what we missed.

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Pride Pays Campsite a Visit - 12:28 pm

19 May 2010

It is usually getting parts for the filming vehicles, which delays us in Maun, but on this occasion it was the supply vehicle. It has given-in to the high water and was in need of some new seals, leaving us stuck in Maun. We arrived in camp late in the day and spent the afternoon prepping for the week ahead.





The alarm calls of birds diverted our attention from cameras and cars. There was a predator of sorts in the longer grass on the fringes of the campsite and before we could get closer to investigate, a lion appeared. It was one of the Xakanaxa young males and the rest of the pride appeared behind him.
This is not the first time the pride has paid the campsite a visit and they casually walked through the camp.







The last remaining female cub took an interest in the electric fence, which luckily for her was not turned on. To stop her from destroying the fence required a bit of shouting and arm waving. She gave us a dirty look and joined the rest of the pride, who were now nearing the shower and heading in the direction of 3rd Bridge.
- Jason Loughran

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Pride on the Bridge - 02:00 pm

11 May 2010

With the male lion (Panthera leo) having returned to the Xakanaxa pride, we wanted to stay with the pride in case they decided to move before dark. Over the last week, everytime we had spent time with the pride, they only seemed intent on sleeping and monopolsing any shade avaiable and this afternoon was looking no different. But as the afternoon started to cool, the lionesses started to stir. In no time they were all up and moving through the bush, the lionesses leading the way and the big male in tow.






After so many days looking like they had not fed, the lions seemed to be moving with a purpose. It wasn’t long before they came across a herd of impala and the lions started to fan out. We dropped back to give them room to hunt so as not hamper their chances. They disappeared into the Mokodi (Wild Sage, Pluchea leubnitziae) and we lost sight of them. The only sign that anything was happening in the bush was all the barking and commotion from the impala. As the impala started to scatter out the dense vegetation with haste, we caught up to the lions but unfortunately they had been unlucky this time.
As they walked on, the lions headed west and appeared to be making a beeline for Third Bridge. Even though the pride are swamp cats, they prefer not to get their paws wet when there is a perfectly “good” bridge nearby.







Crossing over the bridge, the lions walked right past the Third Bridge Offices. While most of the pride passed by without a thought for the camp, the young lioness took an interest in a buffalo (Syncerus caffer) skull near the office doors. Prehaps some smell of this fallen enemy lingered.






Leaving the offices and buffalo skull behind, the pride turned south and headed for what is now known as Mokoro Road, thanks to the flood waters. This is the area where the large buffalo herd was last seen. They disappeared into the long grass as the sun set.






Unfortunately my time here helping Jason has come to an end. I have had a wonderful time in Moremi, it is a magical place and I would recommend anyone who gets the chance to come and visit the reserve. For me there have been some memorable times, the 2 Mboma male lions fighting, my first serval, but what I will remember the most is the time spent following the Xakanaxa pride. One day I will return, but the Lions Of Moremi will always be here.
- Leo Hughes

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Serval Spotted - 03:02 pm

10 May 2010

As we returned to camp after another day in the bush, we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of one of the smaller cats of Africa.
There on the road in front of us, was a small cat walking away down the track. At first glance and in the low light, I thought it was an African wild cat (Felis silvestris), but upon closer inspection, the spotted coat and distinctive ears could only be one cat, the serval (Leptailurus serval). This was my first sighting, as I have never even caught a glimpse of a serval in the past.






They are a specialist hunter of rodents, and use their big ears and acute hearing to find their prey in long grass. Once found, they use their long legs (the longest of all the cats, relative to their body size) to pounce through the grass and strike. Even though an expert at hunting rodents, they are opportunistic predators, taking birds, other small mammals, reptiles, frogs, fish and insects.






The Okavango Delta is an ideal environment for the serval as they prefer well watered savannahs with long grass and reed beds, prefect habitat for their rodent prey.
To see the serval, the supreme rodent assassin, for the first time, was truly a memorable experience for me.
- Leo Hughes

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Male Reunites with Pride - 02:30 pm

10 May 2010

It seem as those it was going to be ‘one of those days’. We took the most direct route to where we had left the pride yesterday. This meant using some crossings which, currently, are very seldom used, but allowed us to reach the area just on sunrise. It was easy to follow their tracks as the pride kept to the road, but it ended up being a long journey. It was nearly 1.5 hours later when we arrived at where they were already sleeping and it was only 2 kilometres from our camp (see the map below for the route).






The lionesses (Panthera leo) and young male have not rejoined, but one of the males has returned. His mane is looking a little thinner and he has a couple more scratches, since I last saw him.
All the lions are starting to look thin and could do with a meal soon. Some lions did show interest in a passing herd of impala (Aepyceros melampus), but were spotted immediately. The impala did not hang around and the lions went hungry and back to sleep.






We then received a radio call from one of the Desert & Delta Safaris game drive vehicles, they had found another male lion and it was feeding on a zebra (Equus burchellii) foal carcass. With the lions not looking like being very active, we went to take a look.
The lion was the other Xakanaxa male and he too was looking more scarred and a little worse for wear. This male has been the more dominant in the pride, but now the power could be shifting and his brother could be gaining the upper hand. In the end it was a good day, the Xakanaxa pride males have made a return.
- Jason Loughran

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