leopard

By Ryan Green, Travel Writer.

The Ruaha Carnivore Project has initiated a study using camera traps to gather crucial data on the movements of predators within Ruaha. These cameras provide an excellent, non-intrusive way of monitoring wildlife, and sometimes they can be used for entirely different reasons.

Amy Dickman, director of the Ruaha Carnivore Project, (RCP) has been co-supervising PhD student Jeremy Cusack, who has set up the initiative with Trevor Jones from the Udzungwa Elephant project with assistance from the RCP team.

So much has been happening in May at our little Explorers Camp on the Selinda Spillway – Northern Botswana, and where to even begin seems somewhat of a challenge. We’ve had an absolutely fantastic month, not only for the spectacular sightings but for the incredible fun we’ve been having with our guests and staff. They say a picture tells a thousand words, so, here’s one thousand to start off with the rarest mammal in southern Africa right in the centre of camp – A Wild Dog.

Guide James and Lion Tracker Lenka discussing the route through the Chyulu Hills to the collared lion Nemasi

Winter is coming!

Many of our followers in civilization might recognize the phrase “Winter is coming…” from the television series ‘Game of Thrones’. (For those who are  a little behind – it is apparently a very popular show so catch-up, you do not live in the bush!)

It has been a great leopard month. The camp main area is built around tall jackal-berry trees which are home to a troop of baboons. One evening while were sitting by the fire place we started hearing an alarm call from the baboons and we wondered what could be scaring them in the dark. The guide explained that there could be a lion, leopard or hyena walking through camp.

It never ceases to amaze us how time passes in the bush. It feels like just yesterday we were bidding farewell to February, yet we’ve crammed so much excitement and activity into the past few weeks since.

March has been a month of ‘dumelas’ here at Selinda. We recently welcomed new guide OB to the team. We’re delighted he’s chosen to join us and share his impressive guiding experience with our staff and guests alike. Learning our vast network of winding sandy roads is a feat in itself, but when there’s so much to see out there, it will hardly feel like work.

The guides on the Selinda Reserve have announced the resident female Leopard, Lesego, has been found with a 2 to 3 month old cub.  This is believed to be her second cub that she has reared in the region so we will follow this story closely, the benefit being is her territory is so close to the Selinda Camp itself.

Thank you for the updates Selinda, we will be waiting on a new name for this young one soon.