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August 2026 - Week 4 Roundup
Updated: Aug 31
23rd - 29th August 2026
Vultures ( Mixed Flock )
Sighted on: 29.August.2026
During today’s game drive, we recorded significant scavenger activity along the edge of the clearing, observing a mixed wake of vultures gathered on the ground around a feeding site. The flock was predominantly composed of White-backed Vultures actively feeding, joined by a dominant Lappet-faced Vulture standing prominently among them with its distinctive bare red head and massive beak, while a Pied Crow scavenged along the periphery. Throughout the encounter, additional White-backed Vultures were observed circling overhead and descending into the site. Watching these interactions provided our guests with great insights into feeding hierarchies and the crucial ecological role scavengers play across the Kalahari ecosystem.
Content Creator / Photographer:
Mogomotsi Maboga
Zebra
Sighted on: 27.August.2026
During today’s drive through the reserve, we recorded an excellent encounter with a small herd of Plains Zebras moving across the open scrubland terrain. The group stepped out in single file along the open terrain, stepping together with sharp alertness while heading toward surrounding grazing areas. Sightings of these herds traversing open clearings provide great viewing opportunities for guests to observe social herd structure and vigilance behaviors in the Kalahari.
Content Creator / Photographer:
Mogomotsi Maboga
Trail Camera Round up
Sighted on: 27.August.2026
Wildlife observations from this week's trail camera footage, focusing exclusively on how individual, solitary animals operate independently to survive the harsh Kalahari environment:
Brown Hyena: Captured traveling alone during the dead of night and early dawn, this lone forager relies on its keen sense of smell to cover immense distances in search of scattered carrion. Foraging solo is a critical survival strategy in a resource-scarce desert because it eliminates food competition, allowing a single hyena to claim and consume carcasses without the pressure of sharing within a group.
African Leopard: Recorded gliding past the carcass site late in the afternoon, this apex solitary hunter relies entirely on stealth, camouflage, and self-reliance to navigate the terrain. Hunting alone allows the leopard to stalk prey through sparse Kalahari cover without revealing its position, using its powerful build to cache food away from ground-level scavengers.
Greater Kudu: A single, large male kudu was captured deep within the dense acacia scrub during the blazing midday heat, illustrating the classic behavior of mature bulls outside the breeding season. By standing completely alone in deep shade, the bull maximizes the use of its cryptic coat pattern for camouflage while quietly feeding on deep-rooted, water-rich leaves to conserve vital body moisture.
Content Creator / Photographer:
Mogomotsi Maboga
Leopard
Sighted on: 26.August.2026
A remarkable encounter unfolded during today’s game drive as a female leopard settled atop a towering termite mound at the edge of the bushveld. After a leisurely yawn, she assumed an alert stance, quietly surveying the surrounding scrubland from her elevated vantage point.
For a few moments, she watched us through the light branch cover before effortlessly slipping down the mound and disappearing into the dense undergrowth. In the Kalahari, these termite mounds offer predators a natural lookout—an ideal vantage point for scanning the landscape for prey and movement. A fleeting glimpse of a master of stealth, perfectly at home in the wild.
Content Creator / Photographer:
Mogomotsi Maboga
Striped-bellied Sand Snake
Sighted on: 25.August.2026
Hidden among the thorns, a quiet hunter moves almost seamlessly with the Kalahari landscape. The Striped-bellied Sand Snake weaves through the dry branches, its slender form blending effortlessly with the weathered wood and golden sands. Easy to overlook, this elusive reptile is a beautiful example of nature’s artistry—where camouflage becomes both protection and survival in the harsh wilderness.
Content Creator / Photographer:
Mogomotsi Maboga
Brown Hyena, Impala & Crimson-breasted Shrike
Sighted on: 25.August.2026
A rare encounter with a solitary Brown Hyena unfolded along the sandy track, as it paused briefly in the open before quietly disappearing into the surrounding thickets. In the soft evening light, its shaggy coat and distinctive striped legs offered our guests a memorable glimpse of this elusive Kalahari predator. The drive continued with a vibrant pair of Crimson-breasted Shrikes, their striking red plumage standing out against the thorny acacia. As daylight faded, an Impala ram crossed the sandy terrain, bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun.
Content Creator / Photographer:
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