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August 2026 - Week 2 Roundup
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
9th - 15th August 2026
Black - winged Kite
Sighted on: 12.August.2026
During today’s half-day game drive into the Kalahari, we recorded a remarkable sighting of a Black-winged Kite perched atop a scorched branch, actively feeding on a freshly caught rodent.
In the Kalahari ecosystem, the local population density of Black-winged Kites is directly linked to rodent irruptions. Following periods of abundant vegetation and seed production, small mammal numbers particularly Four-striped Grass Mice and Kalahari Bush Rats surge significantly across the open pans and grassy scrublands. Black-winged Kites are highly nomadic, specialized raptors that track these localized rodent booms, aggregating in high concentrations where food availability peaks. Their ability to hover in place over open grasslands allows them to hunt mice and rats efficiently, making them one of the primary avian regulators of small mammal populations in the Kalahari.
Content Creator / Photographer:
Mogomotsi Maboga
Southern Giraffe
Sighted on: 09.August.2026
This afternoon, we were treated to a magnificent visit right in front of the lodge, where a Southern giraffe (Giraffa giraffa) dropped down to drink at the waterhole.
Drinking is one of the most hazardous activities in a giraffe’s daily routine. Because their long necks cannot easily reach ground level, they are forced to splay their front legs wide apart to lower their heads. This awkward posture places immense strain on their vascular system and leaves them temporarily unbalanced and unable to make a rapid escape, making them highly vulnerable to ambush by predators. Watching this giant cautiously monitor its surroundings before taking a drink right alongside the deck was a fantastic moment for our guests.
Content Creator / Photographer:
Mogomotsi Maboga
Lions & Black - backed Jackal
Sighted on: 09.August.2026
During the afternoon’s game drive, we encountered a pride of lionesses actively feeding on a freshly taken zebra kill. The sighting offered a classic display of predator-prey dynamics and apex dominance in the Kalahari.
Hovering at a cautious distance was a black-backed jackal (Lupulella mesomelas), attentively watching the lionesses and waiting for his opportunity to dart in for leftovers. Highly opportunistic scavengers, jackals rely on patience, agility, and keen senses to snatch scraps from apex kills while remaining alert enough to avoid becoming prey themselves. Seeing the stark contrast between the lions' dominant feeding display and the jackal's tense anticipation provided a memorable encounter for our guests.
Content Creator / Photographer:
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