Savute Predator Update

Savute Predator Update, September

As the days get longer the daytime temperatures are soaring at Savute. During the last couple of weeks the temperatures has been hovering at around 38ºC during the afternoons. Fortunately the evenings are much cooler, making a good nights rest possible. The dry season is here in full force. All the natural waterholes are dry, and water is restricted to the artificial waterholes. This leads to greater concentration of animals around these waterholes, with the predators following their prey the only sources of water. This results in excellent sightings of predators, often right in camp where they come to drink from the swimming pool.

Since February the sightings has been as follows:

Lion

February 3
March 19
April 27
May 21
June 15
July 40
August 25
September 37

Wilddog

February 7
March 13
April 13
May 6
June 7
July 17
August 5
September 11

Leopard

February 26
March 18
April 13
May 12
June 17
July 31
August 26

September 26

Cheetah

February 0
March 5
April 0
May 10

June 8
July 24
August 4
September 5

These figures are the amount of times we have seen the various predators, and not the amount of animals in the group.

At last the Wild dogs are back in the area. The Alpha Female gave birth to six pups, and they are all doing fine. For the past two afternoons the adults came to the waterhole in front of the lodge, bringing the pups along. It is amazing to see the six pups (now around three months old) playing around the waterhole. One of the things that can keep them occupied for hours is the sight of their own reflection in the waterhole. They seem never to get tired of their own reflections, chasing the other “dog” in the water. Too soon the adults would call them back to order, and they would disappear into the bushes on the other side of the channel.

On Tuesday night Gwist (one of our guides), myself and two clients were sitting around the fire at around 22:00. In the bushes on the other side of the channel there appeared to be a pack of Wild dogs, but we were not quite sure as they were amongst the low shrubs. All our attention was intently focused on the Dogs. Imagine my surprise when Gwist suddenly took me by the shoulder and showed me to look behind me. A huge male Lion was drinking from the swimming pool, less than 10m away from where we were sitting! Quietly we got up, and made a very slow and careful retreat to the dining room, from where we could safely observe one of nature’s greatest beasts.

Savute never cease to provide the thrills!

Kobus Lubbe- Savute Safari Lodge Manager