May 2025 - Week 3 Roundup

---

Lion

Sighted on: 21.May.2025

Last night, we heard lions roaring from the south-eastern side of the reserve. This morning, guided by those haunting sounds and the golden light of the rising Kalahari sun, we set off to investigate.

For the first half hour, there was nothing—no tracks, no sounds. But everything changed when we reached Kudu Bush Road.

George, our expert tracker, spotted fresh tracks from a male lion. The hind paw prints were ahead of the front ones—a clear sign he was walking quickly, possibly hunting and heading towards Kudu Bush.

We decided to follow the trail. It wound its way through the bush and turned towards the western side of the reserve. Thinking the lion might cross the road to the Lodge, we moved ahead—and just 100 metres from where we first picked up the tracks, we found him. A magnificent male lion was standing right in the middle of the road.

We stopped so our guests could take photos, and then heard the sound of bones cracking from the left side of the road. Turning to investigate, we discovered two lionesses feeding on a kudu carcass.

We watched quietly for around thirty minutes. From the tracks and markings nearby, it was clear there were cubs in the area—but the lionesses had hidden them well, true experts in surviving the harsh Kalahari.

We agreed with our guests to return later, after tea, to see if the cubs might come out.

Later, after enjoying tea and coffee in the bush, we returned—and were rewarded. Resting peacefully under the shade of a purple pod Terminalia tree was the whole pride: the black-maned male, the lionesses, and three beautiful cubs.

Content Creator / Photographer:

Mogomotisi Maboga

---

Gallery