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RAW Botswana, Motswiri Camp : Hefty Male Lions Devour Kill in the Selinda

The Selinda Reserve is a remote destination linking two prime game viewing destinations in Botswana. In the east you have the famous Linyanti Swamps, home to the ferocious lions, and in the west you have the world-renowned Okavango Delta, a pristine water paradise. The major drawcard of the Selinda is the sheer abundance and variety of game. The reserve is a conservation area and in the heart of the reserve is the Selinda Spillway which is home to RAW Botswana, Motswiri Camp.

Over the past couple of weeks Motswiri has really delivered in terms of game viewing, with the most recent sighting being that of two hefty male lions devouring a juvenile roan antelope kill. Photographer Rogan Kerr was on the scene to photograph these big boys in action. Game drives in the Selinda are always successful in terms of big game sightings, but not much will surpass seeing these supreme Selinda warriors guarding their turf and recent kill.

The Selinda Spillway is a pocket of game viewing paradise. Game viewing most certainly isn’t sparse, and when you aren’t seeing lions, elephants or even cheetah, there are plenty of smaller creatures that fill the gaps in between big predator sightings. This is birding, predator and herbivore paradise!

You probably already know that RAW Botswana, Motswiri camp is an activity based camp offering a sense of simple luxury in wild surrounds. There are plenty of opportunities to explore the wilderness on foot, horseback, game viewer and mokoro; but there are times when you don’t even need to leave the camp to witness wildlife in their finest moments.

Guests have seen wild dog kills outside of their tented suites, cheetah gracefully meandering through spears of grass; and huge herds of elephant lumbering down to feed off foliage in the lush surrounds. While Rogan was out on game drive with the RAW Botswana guides, they managed to successfully track two burly male lions that they heard contact calling in the night.

When photographer Rogan Kerr arrived at Motswiri, he was taken aback at the high concentration of game, and even remarked “This place is insane!”. One of the most recent highlights was observing a coalition of 2 massive male lions shredding a recent kill and devouring every morsel. The two golden-haired male lions had just recently killed a juvenile roan antelope, dragged it under a bush and decided to hang around on the periphery of the kill site while Rogan observed their antics.

After a heavy session of feasting on a juvenile roan antelope, the fat bellied lions decided to find a spot in the shade to recover from their dining extravaganza. Lions will gorge on their meal until they cannot move, and often their breathing might become laboured because of their expansive bellies pressing against their diaphragm. Lions do not know when they will get another opportunity to eat, which is why they will devour their meal in one dining session.

RAW Botswana, Motswiri Camp forms part of our Trails of Botswana Route.

Ezulwini Game Lodges : Balule’s Machaton Male Lions to be Feared

With their hallmark swagger, burly presence and menacing incisors designed to shred meat with blade like precision; the Machaton male lions have certainly emerged the victors in terms of creating the much talked about “landscape of fear” here in the Balule. The Machaton boys make up the bulk of the male lion sightings at Ezulwini Game Lodges, and have been dubbed our resident Kings of the bushveld. They are here to stay, and have successfully ousted and dethroned previous Kings using their ruthless ways. Never fearing confrontation, actively indulging in aggressive warfare and ensuring other lions retreat into the lost pockets of the undiscovered bushveld; the Machatons have taken no prisoners in their pursuit of territorial dominance.

Last week our resident photographer Em Gatland, together with the eager team of rangers from Ezulwini, headed out in search of the notorious Machaton males, and their favourite females – the Kudyela lionesses. The recent game drives at Ezulwini have been pretty successful in terms of lion sightings, with guests enjoying sightings of the Kudyela lionesses conducting two hunts, and the Machaton males scent marking and contact calling.

It seems that the Machaton males have a close-knit bond with the Kudyelas, which would make sense given that they’ve recently sired cubs with these lionesses. It remains to be seen whether these cubs will survive, given the high mortality rate of cubs in the untamed wild. Hopefully we will catch a glimpse of the cubs in due course. In the meantime, we’re glad that Em was lucky enough to stumble across 3 of the Machaton males and photograph them in all their glory.

She observed two of them contact calling the third male who was in close proximity. Her photos clearly showcase an atmosphere of sheer power and desire to protect their land, females and recent brood.

Machaton and Mohlabetsi Low Down : The Machatons are revered and feared by their opposition, and we can confirm that they now dominate the traverse they initially sought to reign over. They were a coalition of 4 lions deeply entrenched in the history of the Timbavati Game Reserve, but now reside primarily in the Balule. It’s mainly the 3 boys that are spotted, and at times just two of them. Just over a year ago, the traverse was largely dominated by the Mohlabetsi coalition, but the bravado of the Machatons saw them challenging the previously dominant boys for their territory.

Over the past year there were a few scuffles, but it seemed the Mohlabetsi retreated for a while. If you recall, the Machaton’s confronted the large Mohlabetsi male and terrorised him for a while. At the beginning of last year the Mohlabetsi were 8, then dropped to 6; and now the coalition sits at 5 with speculation that the Machatons were responsible for the causality of the flaxen mane lion, Blondie.

You only have to delve back into our lion archives to notice the slow and subtle increase in Machaton sightings, and decrease in Mohlabetsi sightings. The 3/4 Machaton’s were born with an arsenal of tough attitudes and whatever they do in the wild, they certainly do with intent. Contact calling, roaring and displaying of power is enough to make the Mohlabetsi retreat further.

One of the sightings that stands out of recent weeks is that of the Kudyela Pride of lionesses conducting a kill. Ranger and camp manager Angele Rouillard spotted the Kudyela lionesses enjoying the spoils of a recent impala meal.

Angele said, “A few nights ago, guests were privileged to witness the Kudyela lionesses hunt using a blitz technique. From stalking to successfully taking down an impala, the entire scene was over in a matter of minutes. The lionesses have since hunted a zebra, of which the remaining spoils have gone to the Machaton males.”

The Machatons leave a cloud of dust where they roam, and there is simply no room for any burgeoning coalitions or intruders. They are fiercely protective of the Kudyela lioness litter, and the females within this pride. Of course, this could change when other males attempt to move in and prove to be equally as brazen as the Machaton leaders.

These lions are not quite the Mapagos, but they certainly boast the warrior gene that incites ferocity and fearlessness. Are they similar to the Mapogos or are these lions just being lions ?

One thing’s for certain, the Balule’s Machaton male lions are to be feared.

Chacma Lions Defeated After a Failed Attempt at Taking Down a Wildebeest

The intrepid khaki team spearheading the game drives at Chacma Bush Camp in the Maseke Game Reserve have certainly enjoyed their fair share of lion sightings of the past few weeks. There have definitely been leopard sightings breaking up the prolific lion sightings, but it’s a known fact that lions like to dominate turf and are innately designed to create a landscape of fear where they roam.

Their powerful presence makes the other more solitary felines retreat, and with coalitions and prides it’s best that the lone cats avoid confrontation. So, at the moment, the lions have decided to show our game rangers that they’re the dominant cats at the moment.

On Chacma’s traverse in the Maseke Game Reserve has 2 main prides/coalitions that have been spotted over recent months. It’s quite clear who the Maseke males are – they’re a group of 6 burly male lions easily identifiable due to their size, impressive manes and the fact that they always seen together.

Then there is a pride of 3 youngsters and one older female. The naming convention has begun, and we believe this pride is now called the Lamai Pride. A pride which is commonly spotted close to camp, and were recently spotted devouring a baby buffalo kill. The crew were a bit reluctant to be photographed, but our resident photographer Em managed to at least capture their journey from the natural meal table to the closest watering hole.

Michelle, one of Chacma’s rangers and camp managers, spotted the older lioness and her sub-adults attempting to take down a young wildebeest calf. Unfortunately, the pride left feeling rather defeated and the young wildebeest left with its life in tact. Michelle managed to photograph the whirlwind of dust and aggressive ambush tactic of the lioness attempting to smash a wildebeest.

The team at Chacma have been quite content with the numerous lion sightings that the Maseke have produced, but were rewarded with yet another lion sighting literally a stone’s throw away from the grounds. This time it was two lone lionesses chilling on the banks of the waterhole. Two lone lionesses and the virile Maseke males in the area – we can only hope what the next lion sighting will entail !

With so many neighbouring reserves, these two lionesses could have crosses boundaries from anywhere. Or are they locals that we just haven’t spotted or ID’d as of yet?

Stay tuned for our next instalment of the Chacma lion saga.

Walkers Bush Villa : Guests Go Birding in the Timbavati Game Reserve

There are over 500 species of bird fluttering about in the Timbavati Game Reserve, and birders can delight in knowing that among the olde world prehistoric birds and raptors there dwell some delicate light footed passerines and graceful water-loving waders. There are those with colourful plumes that add bursts of colours to the grey-green and taupe colours of the bushveld, and then there are those that only seek to say hello to the lucky few. Whether you’re a birder or a bird watcher, the Timbavati most certainly has a few winged species just waiting to be photographed.

Avid birders will migrate to remote areas of the Kruger or known regions where opportunities of spotting lifers and rare birds present themselves. A few of the rare ones might include the endangered ground hornbill, Pel’s fishing-owl and more. Walker’s Bush Villa, our exclusive Timbavati villa, offers private daily game drives and if there’s a group of twitches staying at the villa, game drives will be focuses on bird watching. Recently we’ve seen abundant birdlife. With the change in season and the downpour of rains, it always delivers new sightings and emergence of interesting birdlife.

The Timbavati habitat accommodates a complete smorgasbord of birder’s delights. Water birds such as herons, storks, plovers, spoonbills, and sandpipers are common along dam edges; kingfishers, orioles, robins, chats, larks, cisticolas, and coucals are some of the veld and woodland birds around; while birds of prey are seen and heard throughout the day.

Don’t forget to bring the essential tool for Twitchers – binoculars !

Here are a few images from our most recent bird sightings at Walkers Bush Villa.

African Hawk Eagle

This large and regal raptor is a striking bird, and is easily identifiable by it’s white plumage flecked with brown spots. Amateur birders might mistake this looming bird for a marital eagle; but the martial has more of a white head. These birds of prey thrive on a diet of medium sized birds, which would include the guinea fowl.

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

The brown-hooded kingfisher has similar markings to the woodland kingfisher, but has a plume of brown on top of its head. This is not a migrant species and is actually a resident bushveld bird with a wide distribution. It is mainly found in marshy and wetland areas where they have easy access to prey – but interestingly enough, only rarely eats fish.

Pearl-spotted Owlet

The pearl-spotted owlet is a small and adorable bird with no ear tufts. It has a distinct call that starts off quiet and slow; and ends up being loud and fast. They have a false set of eyes on the back of their heads which confuses potential predators.

Spotted Eagle-owl

This commonly spotted owl generally watches over the landscape below in the dead of night. The large eyes are normally yellow in colour and they’re perfectly adapted to see in the nocturnal hours. These owls have a roost where they spend their daylight hours, and emerge at dusk to perch themselves on branches to survey their landscape.

White-backed Vultures

Vultures are prevalent in reserves where there is a high predator count. This means there are plenty of decaying carcasses lying around for these scavengers to feed on, and feeding time is always an affair. There are normally a number of different vulture species at a kill site, but the white-backed vultures are the loudest and certainly most comical.

Searching for the Solitary Serval at Motswiri Camp in Botswana

The serval is a slender wild cat with an appearance that could best be described as the missing link between the leopard and archetypal domestic cat. The leopard is an elusive and tricky cat to find in the wild, and it requires expert tracking skills and hawk-like eyes to locate these predators. Our small in stature serval certainly bears a striking resemblance to leopards in terms of behaviour – it is also a solitary and aloof species.

While the leopard has a fairly wide distribution, the serval remains is really only found in certain pockets of bushveld and tends to favour riparian zones, making the terrain around Motswiri favourable. The serval is seldom seen in the wild; and when spotted is often mistaken for the African wild cat.

Witness, a guide from RAW Botswana Motswiri Camp, knows his wildlife and easily identified the serval. He said there is a serval family that dwells in deep in the marshlands of Selinda terrain. The young serval he managed to photograph moves with grace and certainly made use of its inherent agility to dart up trees.

Here are a few facts about the serval :

Servals rely on their hearing when it comes to flushing out prey. Their large ears account for their acute hearing and are certainly a hallmark feature of this unusual looking cat. They will remain dead still when they hear a rustle, and then pounce on the quarry which meets its fate through shock or a swift bite to the neck. These quiet cats are notorious for devouring their meal at a rapid rate!
These crepuscular cats thrive on a diet of rodents, amphibians and birds. They rarely eat carrion and don’t really have a need to scavenge due to their highly efficient and successful hunting skills. Did you know that they are one of the most successful hunters in the Felidae family?
A serval has a variety of calls, grunts, yips, squeaks and purrs. These vocalizations express a range of emotions, but their most high pitched call is used to call out for other servals.
Much like the leopard, serval are solitary creatures – expect when accompanied by a mating partner or a female with her young.
Serval kittens are stashed in a lair and taken care of by their mother. The mother will move the litter at strategic intervals to avoid

We are very lucky that guide Witness managed to snap these photos of this delicate spotted carnivore. Not only is it elusive, but also notoriously shy.

Rangers Review Launch : Monthly Highlights and Happenings

This is the first instalment of our monthly Rangers Review, a blog that highlights a few major events and our rangers’ favourite sightings from the month. This is the kick-off edition and we hope to document each notable occasion with a portfolio of images and video where possible. Below are a few of our highlights and happenings for the month of Feb.

Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp

Witnessing an older male leopard killing a younger male; and then eating the lifeless body. A clear sign of territory control.
The sighting of a mega-pride of lions on the outskirts of our traverse on two occasions. Initially we believed them to be the Western Pride but have since confirmed it’s the River Pride. The youngsters were on a buffalo kill and were clearly displaying all the bravado that youth brings.
Seeing an increase in the presence of the two Mbiri males and the two Ross Pride lionesses.
Abundant leopard sightings, that have been on the increase from the end of last year. A few of the leopards spotted include Cleo marking her territory, the Sunset female and her cub; and an unknown male.
Death of the Ross Pride Breakaway lionesses, and subsequent sightings of the hyenas ripping apart one of the carcasses.
Chade’s highlight of a sighting was a male leopard slowly moving into new territory, and clearly starting to scent mark and take over.
Increase in wild dog sightings with pack of 6, a pack of 14 and a pack of 25 dogs.

Observations : The rangers have said that the leopard sightings are definitely on the increase, but ranger Chade said it’s also because of their expert tracking skills that they’re able to locate the leopards. The Sunset cub and female are slowly moving into the turf around camps, and we expect to see plenty more of these two. The Mbiri males have been mating with the Ross Pride lionesses and we’re bound to see more of this happy foursome.

Chacma Bush Camp

Managed to watch a pride of lions and its youngsters prey on an innocent barn owl.
The bloats of hippo also started to make their presence known, and have been moving around a lot.
Increase in buffalo herds coming to the waterhole in front of camp – the elephant numbers drinking from the waterhole at camp remain the same.
Ranger Calvin mentioned that they’ve spotted the Maseke male lions (6 of them), a female with 3 cubs, 5 males with one female, and then another female with 4 cubs.

Observations : With the increased sightings in terms of lion prides, there has been a clear shift in the dynamics in the reserve. It is now time to work together with the other lodges to begin the naming convention of these many lions.

Umkumbe Safari Lodge

Sighting of the Birmingham male coming close to the vehicle – this is not the first time we’ve enjoyed up close and personal sightings of this powerful lion.
Dudley Riverbank female’s cub and then Little Bush’s cub, Natumi providing plenty of viewings for guests.
Ranger Geoffrey Haslam said that his highlight has been spotting the “posing leopards”, with a particular focus being on Natumi and Mxabene.
An unusual sighting of an unknown leopard with its cub during the night game drive.
Ranger Jade Dobrowski’s highlight was that of a young elephant calf born without a tail. And a sighting of a cheetah on a kill was certainly a unique cat sighting for Jade given that the majority of Umkumbe’s cat sightings are dominated by lions and leopards!

Observations : There haven’t been any significant observations, but the sightings of leopard cubs appear to be on the increase. New leopards are making their mark and exploring territories. Always a good thing !

The Beastly Mbiri Male Lions Kill a Kudu Calf in the Klaserie

The Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, home to Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp, has been rife with big cat activity. The leopards have risen to power and are taking centre stage in terms of cat sightings while on game drive. That’s not to say that we haven’t enjoyed generous viewings of our burly lions, it’s just a case of our leopards showing face. The lion pride dynamics have shifted at a rapid rate, and this is largely due to the natural passing of the long-int-the-tooth Ross Pride Breakaway lionesses. These two ladies made up a bulk of our lioness sightings, and with their passing it has opened up space and turf for new prides to occupy turf.

To date, it appears that two of the younger Ross Pride lionesses are making headway on our traverse. Sightings of these two ladies have increased, together with sightings of the easily identifiable Mbiri male lions. The eager and virile beastly boys tend to hover on Klaserie and Timbavati traverse, and clearly have expert craftsmanship when it comes to taking down quarry. The Mbiris, their ladies and another mega-pride of lions have been our most recent lion sightings. The mega-pride we initially thought the be the Western Pride, but we’ve since confirmed that they’re the River Pride of lions. This pride hovers on the outskirts, so sightings are pretty sporadic. The Mbiri and Ross sightings we can classify as consistent.

This Mbiri coalition are stirring up things in the Klaserie, and there have been numerous notable occasions of them copulating with the Ross females. The Ross girls haven’t quite made our traverse their domain just yet – they tend to occupy neighbouring reserves, but they do filter into the Klaserie quite often – especially when they hear the echoing contact calls of the Mbiris.

Ranger Chade Gelderman says, “We got the Mbiri males yesterday. Isaac and I tracked them all afternoon and eventually heard them in the distance, making a kill. We radioed through the commotion to Mike and Elmar, who came to fetch us in the vehicle. We then discovered the coalition on a baby kudu kill. Those Ross females weren’t far off, but they were being independent and doing their own thing”

Our team holds high hopes that the Mbiris will sire cubs with the Ross females, and that they won’t succumb to the cruel hand of the ruthless ways of the wild and the vociferous competitive predators that seek to thwart the development of newcomers. Whether it be through opportunistic elimination or infanticide, cubs unfortunately have a high mortality rate in the bushveld. The Ross Pride Breakaway females had many cubs spanning across the years but they bundles of fluff never saw maturity. We now have a potentially new lineage and so much possibility with these Ross lionesses.

The times they are a changin’!

The Bush Bar : Beat of the Bushveld

Hugged by crunchy thickets, overlooking a drainage line and protected by a canopy of trees rests the much-talked about Bush Bar. The location is hidden, and only our khaki-clad crew from nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot know how to find this magical bar that has seen plenty of gin tastings, clinking of glasses and hearty laughter since its inception. The Bush Bar experience is not a given while you’re on safari, but is rather an added value experience. If you’re part of the pot luck club that has been lucky enough to experience the Bush Bar, then we’re pretty sure you had a mighty fine time swirling your drinks and indulging in campfire chatter.

Guests are greeted with a handcrafted Bush Bar sign with a deeply etched font carved carefully into the wood. The structure of the bar counter has been built from fallen mopane and marula trees, which adds to the authenticity of the Bush Bar. Our rangers and trackers worked hard at clearing debris and ensuring an open area for seating was created. A wrought-iron fire pit is where the crackling campfire eagerly awaits its onlookers. If you prefer to be a bar fly, grab one of the bar chairs and chat to one of the camp managers or rangers guarding the bar!

There’s nothing better than watching that amber sun quietly sink in to the horizon while the darkness of night forces its way into play. While you’re listening to those ice-blocks in your craft gin and tonic jostling one another in that narrow glass of yours, don’t forget to listen out for the whooping of the hyena and the guttural contact calls of our many lions.

There’s no denying that the Bush Bar is the place to see – and be seen. If you were one of the lucky few from the recent group to have enjoyed this particular Bush Bar experience, then please share these photos and try spot yourself in the crowd! The Klaserie Bush Bar is the beat of the bushveld, and our wildlife the choir.

Massive Male Leopard Kills 6 Month Old Leopard Cub, Then Eats It

Warning : Sensitive content Up Ahead

There’s no easy way of delivering this heartbreaking message of a cruel and untimely death of a curious leopard cub. How this fluffy rosette patterned cat met its fate isn’t unusual, but was downright strange to witness. The event will certainly go down in the Klaserie’s history book of barbaric sightings. It was an event that made tracker Isaac say, “I’ve never seen something like this in my 35 years of guiding and tracking!”. This happened while on drive with Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp – a moment that broke our hearts, rocked us to the core, and unravelled both guides and guests. And yet, in the grand scheme of things, we understand why.

Last night, in the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, a huge unknown male leopard spotted a 6 month old leopard cub exploring the confines of its territory. The powerful male was one side of the waterhole, and the curious cub on the other side. Leopards do tolerate others on the periphery of their turf – but not this beast of a male. The older Tom took chase, played and fought with the cub, then dragged it off and devoured it. A graphic moment in the wild that rattled even the most experienced of rangers and trackers. This was an absolute sign of sheer territorial dominance and with intent to wilfully inflict pain.

At first, guests from nThambo were excited to see a huge male leopard seemingly patrolling his territory on the outskirts of the waterhole. Out of the blue the large and burly male moved at the speed of lightning with the intent of pouncing on the youngster. He forcefully attacked the 6 month old cub that was exploring the opposite side of the dam, and with the greatest of strength delivered a few final blows to the unsuspecting cub. Tufts of fur were removed at a rapid rate, and dust clouds ensured guests and rangers were shielded from too much graphic violence, but the throaty barks and anguished cries could still be heard. It was showdown and one that left its onlookers speechless and yearning for meaning.

Lead guide Mauritz said that the large male even ate the paws of the cub, a visual which is pretty unbelievable. Leopards can be fussy eaters and often discard parts of their prey that aren’t favourable to their palate. This Tom was bloodthirsty. After inflicting death, he still did not walk away from the scene. Leopards can be opportunistic feeders, but to feast on one of your own seems like a scene from the movie Hannibal.

Ranger Elmar says, “First we spotted the big male leopard behind the termite mound, so I tried to position the vehicle correctly so that guests could get proper visual. Then I noticed the cub on the other side of the dam. The big male ran around the waterhole, chasing the cub deep into the bushes. The male pounced and the cub put up a brave fight for at least 10 – 15 minutes, before it finally slipped away.”

This moment is still being talked about at camp, and probably will be in years to come. Unfortunately, this is the wild. A place where we cannot – and do not – interfere in nature taking its course. It’s warfare out there and often we’re reminded at just how fragile the circle of life really is.

* We have two videos – one taken by a guest from the UK, Ali Degutis, and the second video is from Elmar – a ranger at nThambo Tree Camp.

#TalesFromTimbavati : Observing the Mbiri Male Lions Relaxing at a Waterhole

The two Mbiri male lions are a powerful coalition that traverse the rugged landscape of the both the Timbavati and Klaserie Private Nature Reserves. These are the two Mbiri males, often seen on our traverse. Guests were lucky enough to see these cats on the banks of a waterhole while out on morning game drive. The tawny cats were seemingly relaxed in the presence of the game viewer, and were quite sauvé in their mannerisms.

Lion pride dynamics are intricate, and understanding the movements of various individuals and prides can create much confusion. What we do know is the behaviour that is commonplace with this Panthera leo species. So, just why are we seeing two lone males?

Lionesses give birth to a litter of cubs, and the ones that have longevity stay within their natal pride until about 2 years old. Females will stay with the pride for life, while the young males will be ousted and encouraged to practice being a powerful kings. Not having the support of the pride can be brutal, so brothers of the same age or other solo travellers will generally form coalitions of 2 or more.

These coalitions patrol a wide range and often wander over into neighbouring reserves in order to establish new territories and find their own prides to take over. Coalitions come in search of females and territory. It’s vital that males continue their own bloodline and strong genetics. Heartbreaking is the fact that, the more burly and ruthless of males may even commit infanticide – which is the killing off of cubs in an established pride. This is so that they can dominate the females and procreate. Infanticide is one of the many reasons why lion cubs have such a high mortality rate in the wild.

In the wild, you will often see older lionesses with her growing cubs, lionesses with other females and then their male pride leaders with full manes and regal stature. A pride can be dominated by a coalition of two, or one male. If there are young males wanting to take over the pride they will attempt to dethrone the current kings. It’s a brutal and ruthless world out there in the lion kingdom!

Our Mbiri boys have been spotted hanging out with the Ross Pride lionesses on a number of occasions. A few cubs in the Timbavati would certainly be a welcome sight.