The Wilderness Group operates on or adjacent to a number of significant water bodies, from the major river systems of the Shire, Luangwa, Lufupa, Kafue, Zambezi, Kavango, Linyanti, Kunene, Limpopo, and Luvuvhu rivers, to the Ramsar wetland sites (wetlands of international importance recognized under the Ramsar Convention) of the Okavango delta, Busanga swamps, Makuleke wetlands, Lake Sibaya and the turtle beaches and coral reefs of Tongaland.

Aside from raising their profiles, Wilderness is also actively involved in the conservation and research of these locations, either through independent efforts or through collaborations with relevant conservation authorities and NGOs. These efforts have in many cases directly driven the conservation of the areas themselves or specific species within them.

Country: Botswana
Site: Okavango Delta (Ramsar site no. 879)
Size: 5 537 400 ha (13 683 157 acres)
Description: The only inland delta in sub-Saharan Africa. Set in a semi-arid region and subject to large seasonal fluctuations of inundation. Vegetation includes permanent and seasonal swamp, riverine woodland, floodplains and a freshwater lake. The diverse flora and fauna includes 1 060 different plant species, 32 large mammal species, over 650 species of birds, 68 species of fish, and a diverse insect population. Human activities include recreation, tourism, subsistence farming, fishing, and livestock grazing.
Operation Details: 20 small camps – 290 beds (Kings Pool, DumaTau, Savuti, Selinda, Zarafa, Banoka, Vumbura Plains, Little Vumbura, Duba Plains, Mombo, Little Mombo, Xigera, Jao, Jacana, Kwetsani, Tubu Tree, Abu, Seba, Chitabe, Chitabe Lediba, Wilderness Tented Camp, Moremi Tented Camp).

Country:  Zambia
Site: Busanga Swamps (Ramsar site no. 1659)
Size: 200 000 ha (494 209 acres)
Description: A seasonal floodplain (swamps, lagoons, woodlands, rivers and large grassy plains) which is important for groundwater recharge and flood control for the Kafue and Zambezi Rivers. It hosts a number of vulnerable and endangered birds and mammals and supports significant numbers of migratory birds and other fauna. There is a wide variety of fish, including Tilapia sp. The site is of local historical and traditional importance through fables arising from a Baobab tree located therein.
Operation Details: Two intimate camps – 28 beds (Shumba, and Busanga Bush Camp).

Country: South Africa
Site: Turtle beaches and coral reefs of Tongaland (Ramsar site no. 344.)
Size: 39 500 ha (97 606 acres)
Description: An important transition zone between true reef and non-limestone substrates with reef communities. Known to support 16 species of coral, 1 200 species of fish, five species of marine turtles, 41 species of marine mammal, and 49 species of bird. The flora is predominantly algal, and many species reach the southern limit of their distribution.
Operation Details: One camp – 34 beds (Rocktail Beach Camp).

Country: South Africa
Site: Lake Sibaya (Ramsar site no. 528.)
Size: 7 750 ha (19 150 acres)
Description: The largest natural freshwater lake in South Africa. Separated from the ocean by forested dunes; includes areas of swamp forest and wet grassland. A large variety of endangered or endemic species of reptiles, fish, birds, mammals and plants occur. The site is important for numerous species of breeding birds and supports a large population of hippopotamus as well as a diverse zooplankton fauna, 15 species of aquatic and 43 species of terrestrial molluscs.
Operation Details: One camp – 34 beds (Rocktail Beach Camp).

Country: South Africa
Site: Makuleke wetlands (Ramsar site no. 1687)
Size: 7 757 ha (19 167 acres)
Description: Excellent example of a floodplain vlei type with riverine forests, riparian floodplain forests, floodplain grasslands, river channels and 31 flood pans. Flood pans are depressions in the floodplains which are intermittently filled from floods and rains – they are of great importance in this ecosystem as they hold water right into the dry season, thus acting as a refuge point for wildlife and waterbirds. The floodplains attenuate floods, are important for groundwater recharge, and maintain riparian and floodplain vegetation.
Operation Details: Two camps – 48 beds (Pafuri Camp; Pafuri Walking Trail).

This safari showcased the extraordinary montane area of Nyika National Park with its wide range of birding habitats, from miombo woodland, wetlands and montane forest to picturesque rolling grasslands. The region affords visiting birders some incredible birding opportunities and is home to several Southern Rift endemics and many species restricted to south-central Africa. Other than Nyika, the main trip also visited the Viphya Plateau, Malawi’s second largest plateau and the central Lake Malawi area of Chintheche. The extension paid homage to the Zomba massif and the lush lowlands of Liwonde National Park for added bird diversity.

04 December: Lilongwe to Luwawa Forest Lodge, Viphya Plateau
We arrived in Lilongwe around midday and headed straight out to our first destination, Luwawa. We did have a quick leg stretch at a dam just before Kasungu where the highlight was Lesser Jacana together with other common waterbird species. Our scenic drive continued north, initially through rural Malawi and eventually onto the first slopes of the Viphya Plateau – part of the second largest montane complex in Malawi.

Although much of this region has been given over to commercial plantations there are still some wonderful tracts of miombo and mixed woodland as well as open wetlands and forest at Luwawa itself. We arrived at the lodge with enough time for an afternoon walkabout. The gardens of Luwawa were just alive with tantalising species such as Bronzy Sunbird, Red-rumped Swallow, Olive Woodpecker, Forest Double-collared Sunbird, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Tropical Boubou, Bertram’s Weaver and Yellow-bellied Waxbill. The wetland area below the lodge was just as productive and we quickly saw African Marsh Harrier, White-headed and Eastern Sawwing, Evergreen Forest Warbler and Dark-capped Yellow Warbler while Red-chested Flufftail called from the reed beds.

We overnighted at Luwawa Forest Lodge – it is scenically located overlooking a large wetland and has comfortable en-suite rooms.

05 – 08 December: Chelinda Camp, Nyika National Park
A pre-breakfast walk afforded us better views of species already mentioned with the addition of Chapin’s Apalis, Comb Duck, African Olive Pigeon and fleeting views of Cabanis’s Bunting. Our birding was cut short by a rain storm so we decided to have breakfast earlier and hit the road for the drive to our next destination – the stunning Nyika National Park, centrepiece of this exciting Malawi itinerary. On the drive out of Luwawa we managed to pick up Broad-tailed Warbler and Short-winged Cisticola, with a lucky find on the turn-off to Rumphi being a perched Red-necked Falcon in remnant palm savannah. A first-class packed lunch was enjoyed near Rumphi where we added the likes of Half-collared Kingfisher, our first Augur Buzzard, Lesser Striped Swallow and Common Sandpiper.

We entered Nyika at Thazima Gate and got to Chelinda Lodge in the late afternoon, excited at the birding prospects ahead of us in this impressive high-altitude park. Three full days were available to explore the delights of Nyika covering all the main habitat types – and the weather was, thankfully, very obliging.

Notable summer grassland species that we recorded included: Montane Widowbird, Black-lored and Churring Cisticola, Yellow Wagtail, Caspian Plover, Wattled Crane, Denham’s Bustard with Montagu’s and Pallid Harrier quartering gracefully over the grasslands. On night drives we saw serval twice, a female Pennant-winged Nightjar, Ruwenzori Nightjar and Eurasian Nightjar – with a Grass Owl thrown in for good measure!

Other specialities include Redwinged (endemic sub-species) and Hildebrandt’s Francolin, Rufousnaped Lark, Jackson’s Pipit, Angola Swallow, Tree Pipit, Whinchat, Red-tailed (Isabelline) Shrike, loads of Tree Pipit, Scarlet-tufted Sunbird (one sighting), Malachite Sunbird, Ludwig’s Double-collared Sunbird, Variable Sunbird, Blackcap and White-winged Black Tit.

Walks from Chelinda Lodge itself yielded Yellow-browed Seedeater, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Dusky Turtle Dove, Yellow-crowned Canary, Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler, Mountain Yellow Warbler, Baglafecht Weaver and tree hyrax as an interesting mammal.

Speaking of mammals, amongst all the birding, common sightings were Crawshay’s zebra, eland, impressive numbers of roan antelope, common reedbuck, bushbuck, warthog, red duiker, samango monkey, grey and red duiker.

Birding the forested pockets of Chowo and Zovo-Chipolo added Bar-tailed Trogon, Sharpe’s Greenbul, Southern Mountain Greenbul, Moustached Tinkerbird, Fülleborn’s Boubou, White-chested Alethe and Olive flanked Robin-Chat (for some), Forest Double-collared Sunbird, Mountain Thrush, Evergreen Forest-Warbler, Malawi Batis, Crowned Hornbill, Lemon Dove building a nest, and Schalow’s Turaco to mention a few! A particular waterfall had nesting Slender-billed Starling, another top bird, while Waller’s Starling was seen over the forested areas. Hirundines were also everywhere – from Blue Swallow in good numbers to the striking White-headed Sawwing.

Many botanical stops were also made while we were at Nyika – the diversity of orchids and other floral gems was staggering at times.

Our accommodation was upgraded to the remarkable Chelinda Lodge – spacious log cabins with sweeping views of the Nyika grasslands. The catering and personal attention from the staff was another highlight for us all.

09 and 10 December: Chintheche Inn, Lake Malawi
After the heady heights of Nyika we travelled down to the central lakeshore of Lake Malawi – one of Africa’s Great Lakes – and the pristine beaches of Chintheche. We left Nyika very early on the day as we had several key birding stops to make before reaching the Lake.

Our first stop was a patch of flat-topped acacia woodland where we quickly found Brown Parisoma. A forest pocket yielded Brown-headed Apalis and much better views of Fulleborn’s Boubou. Further along a patch of miombo produced Trilling Cisticola, Cabanis’s Bunting, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher and a pair of Brown-backed Honeybird overhead.

Our next stops were patches of miombo just outside the Park. This was to be our only time spent in this special habitat type and we made the most of it. New for the list was Orange-winged Pytilia, Redwinged Warbler in the grassy undergrowth, Miombo Blue-eared Starling, Pale-billed Hornbill, Green-capped Eremomela, Miombo Pied Barbet, Arnot’s Chat, Stierling’s Wren-Warbler, Rufous-bellied and Miombo Tit. The highlight for some was finding nesting White-winged Babbling Starling.

We arrived in the afternoon – enough time for all just to settle in and go for a swim. Bird watching in the grounds of Chintheche and in the nearby lowland forest was productive for Blue-spotted Wood-dove, East Coast Akalat, Yellow Weaver, Palmnut Vulture, African Barred Owlet, Northern Gray-headed Sparrow and Purple-banded Sunbird. After pretty full days at Nyika one afternoon was simply spent relaxing on the lakeshore – a welcome reprieve just to take it all in…

We overnighted Chintheche Inn, which consists of comfortable rooms with en-suite bathrooms – all set in extensive gardens. Each has its own ‘beach’-view veranda overlooking the panoramic shoreline of Lake Malawi.

11 December: Back to Lilongwe
We drove back to Lilongwe – the end of the main trip had unfortunately arrived – initially along the southern lakeshore before heading inland. On one notable stop we added Fan-tailed Widowbird and the tricky-to-find Moustached Grass-Warbler. We said our goodbyes to two of the guests at the airport and then headed on to Heuglin’s Lodge in Lilongwe for lunch. Set in scenic gardens, this guesthouse had a definite ‘home from home’ feel, just perfect for the night.

The late afternoon was spent birding some spots in and around Lilongwe city itself. First up was the Lilongwe Sewage Works where quite a few shorebirds were around such as Little Stint, Common Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper and a single Grey Plover – the latter a good record for Malawi. What was also incredible was the number of Yellow Wagtails seen here – at least 10. Next up was the Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary – a patch of woodland right in the city – where we added very obliging Red-throated Twinspot and Schalow’s Turaco, a female African Emerald Cuckoo, large flock of migrating Amur Falcons overhead, and Black Cuckooshrike.

12 December: Lilongwe to KuChawe Inn, Zomba Plateau
We continued southward to the old colonial capital city of Zomba, with Zomba Mountain, a huge granite outcrop rising to over 2000 metres with several highly localised and endangered species, the focus of our birding. On the ascent we quickly ‘had’ to make a stop for Livingstone’s Turaco, Little Greenbul, Brimestone Canary, Black-headed Apalis, Southern Citril, and a photographable troop of samango monkeys.

The afternoon was spent exploring small remaining pockets of forest and tranquil streams where we had some of the best birding of the entire trip. Worthy additions were Grey Wagtail, Mountain Wagtail, Olive-headed Greenbul, Placid Greenbul, the stunning and range restricted Yellow-throated and White-winged Apalis, Olive Bush-Shrike (ruddy form), White-starred Robin galore, Eastern Sawwing, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Malawi Batis, White-tailed Elminia and Garden Warbler.

Overnight Ku Chawe Inn –this inn commands spectacular views, which on clear days stretch all the way along the Shire Highlands and Mount Mulanje.

13 – 15 December: Mvuu Camp, Liwonde National Park
Before leaving Zomba we visited a local birder in town who showed us his nesting White-winged Apalis and who has done much to conserve this charismatic species. We thought we could not get better views of this cracking bird. We were wrong. Just after we arrived a pair of this birds were actively nest building – a few metres from the porch! What a sighting! We left Zomba, content with all the good birds we have seen but a bit dismayed at the rampant loss of forest habitat here. Hopefully what remains can be protected.

The finale, undoubtedly another top birding spot in Malawi, was Liwonde National Park. Two full days were allocated to explore the tapestry of habitats and ecotones found here including the languid Shire Rive with its extensive floodplains, deciduous thicket, riverine forest, seasonal wetlands and mopane woodland – over 350 bird species to find!

We were simply amazed at the bird diversity and recent rains had the left birds tripping! Activities include walking, birding and game viewing drives in open 4X4 vehicles and boat trips on the Shire River itself.

Over the course of our stay, specials we notched up included Lilian’s Lovebird, Brown-breasted Barbet (what a bird!), White-backed Night-Heron, Spur-winged Lapwing, Red-necked Falcon, Dickinson’s Kestrel, Pel’s Fishing-Owl, Gull-billed Tern, Speckle-throated Woodpecker, Collared Palm-thrush, a surprise flock of Magpie Mannikin, Grey-headed Parrot, Western Banded Snake-eagle, Böhm’s Bee-eater, Green Sandpiper, Southern Brown-throated Weaver, Racket-tailed Roller and Livingstone’s Flycatcher.

This Park also offered good mammal opportunities whilst birding and we saw African elephant, waterbuck, sable antelope, buffalo, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, yellow baboon, warthog, thick-tailed bushbaby and smaller mongoose species. Not to mention the dense population of hippo in the Shire River and monstrous Nile crocodile found lazing on the sandbanks…

Upgraded to Mvuu Lodge – spacious tents, each with en-suite bathroom facilities and a private viewing platform looking out on the lagoon.

16 December: Back to Lilongwe
After our last breakfast we reluctantly returned to Liwonde town by boat for our drive back to Lilongwe for onward flight back home.

Liwonde National Park is recognised internationally as Malawi’s premier game destination: known for its abundant populations of antelope, warthog, elephant, crocodile and hippo. However, sightings of predators have been scarce in the park. In a thrilling development in late November 2010, a lion was seen for the first time in years and the sightings continued through 2011, resulting in much excitement!

A little history
According to Samuel, between 1970 and 1990, Liwonde was the best national park in Malawi for spotting lions. However, due to the poaching that plagued many of Malawi’s national parks in their early years, the lions slowly moved out of the park to greener pastures. Following the continued rehabilitation of Liwonde National Park, significant steps have been made to ensure the restoration of the park’s delicate ecosystems and make the park a wildlife haven once more. In July 2007 at 7:20pm, guides Jimmy, Laston, Julius and their guests spotted a lion near the Ntangai Drift near the Rhino Sanctuary. At that time, the Wilderness guides believed that three lions were living in the park. From 2008 onwards however, there were no signs whatsoever of any lion population in the park and Samuel believes that they left for Mozambique through the Mangochi Forest Reserve.

And they called him “Titus”
In November 2010 a team of researchers and officers spotted a lion six kilometres south of Mvuu, near a bridge at Namisundu. Throughout the early months of 2011, a lion could be heard roaring through the park on certain nights. On February 20th 2011, a set of lion tracks was found leading from the Mvuu Lodge car park road to where the Mvuu Camp Manager’s tent is located. Finally on July 18th at 8:00pm, the first sightings for 2011 were reported on a game drive by guides McCloud and Samuel with their guests. The lion was seen north of Mvuu Camp and was resting under a tree, just eight metres from the road. He was observed for 25 minutes and appeared at ease until he heard the sound of an approaching vehicle. The group of guests present decided to name him ‘Titus”.

Titus’ timetable
Titus was later seen on 12th September 2011 and most recently on 29th October 2011 at 7:20 pm when guides Mathew, McLoud, Duncan, Samuel, Danford and 18 guests observed Titus hunt down a kudu. About 71 people in total have seen the lion in Liwonde National Park.

Samuel explains a little about where and when Titus can be seen:
“He is most likely to be spotted from 7:20pm – 9:00pm and over the last month lion tracks and roaring sounds have come from the Rhino Sanctuary. However the lion seems to hunt outside the Sanctuary (across the river from Old Skimmer Bank up to the North Ntangai Thicket near Mvuu Camp and Lodge). When spotted, this lion stays still for a while and eventually shyly walks away. How long this lion will stay and how much more of him we will encounter, remains to be seen. As roaring continues to echo through the Park, the lion’s presence is thrilling for guides and guests alike who are all eagerly awaiting another chance to see Liwonde’s new top predator: Titus the lion.”

Samuel Chihana has worked in Liwonde National Park as a guide for Mvuu Camp and Mvuu Lodge for five years and is currently in charge of providing the Lilongwe Wilderness Safaris office with sightings and news updates.

There is more to Pafuri than its incredible diversity, scenery and wildlife however. The rocks and landscape tell a story that begins millions of years ago, through to the arrival of the first hominids 1.7 million years ago and until its most recent inhabitants.  It is important not to overlook the cultural history of the area and how it has had an influence in producing such an amazing area.

The landscape itself is ancient. The rocks at the bottom of Lanner Gorge, for example, reach back over 250 million years recording at their base the greatest extinction event the planet has ever seen, an event heralding the end of the Palaeozoic and the beginning of the Mesozoic – the age of the Dinosaurs. This extinction is known as the Permian Extinction and well over 80 % of all species on the planet vanished. This was a tragedy for some but a great opportunity for others. At the bottom of Lanner Gorge there are rocks of apparently Permian age and were originally part of a world whose landmasses were fused into a giant super – continent known as Pangaea and the rocks of this period indicate that the climate of the interior of this super – continent was harsh and arid.

Most of the sandstone in the Pafuri region hails from the great age of dinosaurs – the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. During the early Jurassic Period (Approximately 210 – 144 million years ago), the area was extremely arid as is evident by the sandstones of the area as – there are many ‘dune and desert’ structures, such as desert roses that have been preserved within the rocks of the region. This was also a period of intense volcanic activity, with igneous rocks representing the ejected and intrusive molten matter from the interior of the earth scattered around the region. The Jurassic period was the age of the vicious carnivorous dinosaurs. It was also the age of the origin of vertebrate flight, with the first avian species appearing which was known as Archaeopteryx, meaning ancient wing. Archaeopteryx showed evolutionary moves from a reptile to a bird, as it had a keeled breast bone and many redundant bones were lost whilst other large bones took on a honeycomb structure that we are familiar with today’s modern avians. This was also a time of global upheaval as the world continent of Pangaea began to break up.

The Jurassic gives way to the Cretaceous Period (144 – 65 million years ago) in the upper rocks of the Makuleke area; this period ended when a meteor struck the earth, causing major climate change and effectively seeing the end of the dinosaurs.  It was also at the end of this period that the great Limpopo River originated in the Angolian highlands. The landscape now changed from a desert biome into a more liveable environment.

The Cretaceous is followed by the Palaeogene Epoch, which is not well represented well in the area, so we will move down the scale almost 63 million years in time to just under 2 million years ago – which is when the Luvuvhu River was formed. It originates from underground water in the Soutpansberg Mountains, flowing for approximately 200km until it reaches the Limpopo River at Crooks Corner through Mozambique ending off in the Indian Ocean.

About 1.5 million years ago, the hominid Homo erectus arrived on the scene. These were near-humans with our stature but a brain only three-quarters the size of modern Homo sapiens’. The area was a good source for raw materials they needed to make Stone Age tools; the materials are still visible today in the form of rocks and non-native materials brought from the west, found in abundance in channel lag deposits left along the ancient Limpopo. Homo erectus used these abundant gravel deposits as quarry sites. Beautifully crafted hand axes, common in the area, were part of the early stone tool culture known as the Achuelean industry, before it gave way to a slightly more advanced stone tool culture known as the Middle Stone Age. The vast numbers of Archuelean tools in the region are not only testament to the large numbers of humans that occupied the area, but to more than 1.4 million years of continuous occupation. A large percentage of the hand axes found in Pafuri date back some 500000 years.

Finally, the Latest Stone Age merged with the culture of Iron Age Bantu-speaking pastoralists who moved into the region around 2000 years ago. Bushman (San) rock art that dates back to this period has been found in the sandstone hills along the Luvuvhu River.

The Bushmen would often depict their lifestyle and spiritual rituals in these paintings. Eland, which occur in the area, had a major influence on the lifestyle of the Bushmen people and are often depicted in these paintings

From around 1200 the great cultural civilisation and trade network of Mapungubwe began to emerge to the north and west. Through interactions and trade with Arab traders plying the Indian Ocean as far south as present-day Mozambique – the region emerged as a trade centre producing gold, ivory and trading for glass beads and porcelain from as far away as China.

It was then around 1450 that groups from other civilisations to the north – such as Great Zimbabwe – crossed the Limpopo and founded numerous settlements in the Pafuri region including that of Thulamela on the southern bank of the Luvuvhu. Thulamela was one of many walled cities that existed in the Pafuri triangle.

Almost every hill and overlook in the area has evidence of significant occupation during this period. Thulamela and other walled cities of the region were occupied at about the same time that Portuguese trade began on the eastern coast of South Africa. The Thulamela culture ended around 1650.

The Ncuva game. These series of holes can be found dotted amongst most rocky outcrops in the area. It was a game that was played by young boys while herding the cattle.

 Finally, the Makuleke people moved into the area around 1820 in an attempt to escape the tyranny of Shaka Zulu. They lived in the area up until 1969 when they were forcibly removed by the apartheid government, and on 30 May 1994, the land was awarded back to the community in a land claim. Pafuri was declared a contractual park, remaining part of the Kruger National Park, but also being owned by those who had lived there many years before.

Warren Ozorio

As the 2011 tourism season draws to a close at Shumba Camp, we reflect back on the year, which was without a doubt dominated by the Busanga Pride of lions – in particular the lioness that gave birth to and nursed her three cubs with within the confines of the camp itself.

This awesome encounter, which took place over the last three months, saw the lioness taking up residence under various guest tents and around a number of staff accommodations. The nursing mother was often seen hunting right in front of camp and was successful on many attempts. The two large Busanga males were also very active in the area. They were heard calling nightly and visited on a regular basis.

This was a truly magical experience for all at Shumba Camp as the maternal lioness and her three cubs became instantly popular through social media  and word of mouth and generated a lot of attention. However, removing the sugar coating tells a story of hardship and testing conditions for the ‘swamp lions’ as they have many environmental challenges to face on a daily basis – over and above the traditional trials and tribulations that lion cubs face. To put this into context, one has to look at the bigger picture…

The Busanga Plains are a seasonally inundated wetland interspersed with tree islands which have been created over time (largely by termite activity). There are also areas of higher ground. The home range of the Busanga Pride encompasses all types of terrain, but most of their activity is up and down the length of the Lufupa Channel (often crossing it). Lions are mobile hunters, they do not remain static (for obvious reasons) and one of the major causes of cub mortality is the inability of cubs to keep up with the pride as well as having last pickings at any kill. Lions of course do not bring food back to the cubs (unlike wild dogs for example). For these reasons this environment is tough on cubs – especially as the lions at times must move through water. Platforms above the water are numerous (tree islands and indeed camp structures built on tree islands), but because cubs will not be able to take advantage of this for long periods of time, these don’t help much.

(Apart from the natural limiting factors, predators also have to deal with a wide spectrum of anthropogenic challenges. These factors include hunting, poaching, habitat loss and human/wildlife conflict, but this is another discussion on its own.)

The Busanga Pride has shrunk massively over the years, but we also have seen other prides increase. It could well be that the ‘time’ for this pride is over; those in the area are of the opinion that the downfall started when one of its most successful hunters was killed by a buffalo – but in general, the dynamics of lion prides are not fully understood. There is currently one lioness with a severely mauled paw – we really doubt that she will make it through the green season as already she is out of condition and struggling to keep up with the other  three pride members. This shows that the harsh reality is not restricted to the cubs, even the adults can fall victim to their environment.

It therefore makes sense that the lioness would make use of the higher ground on which Shumba is built, and the wooden platforms on which the camp is constructed make for excellent protection from the elements and therefore the safest area in which to nurse cubs. How she views her human neighbours is anyone’s guess.

While it has been an incredible privilege to view these animals at such a close range, allowing us a small glimpse into their daily lives, it is important to remember that we are visitors into their realm and must allow them their space. At the end of the day, the nursing Shumba lions are still wild animals and must be treated in a respectful manner. In addition, the safety of both guests and staff is paramount, and so the distance between the two species is good for both!

In light of the above, it is our responsibility to, as spectators and custodians of Africa’s wilderness areas to conserve this apex predator species which forms an important part of the African ecosystem.

The Kings Pool resident male lion, Romeo, has become famous and well-loved for his vain tendencies – he patrols his territory and devotes time and energy to preserving his perfect, unscarred appearance and wooing the females of the area. Guests adore his majestic looks and his fondness for the camera, and he is forgiven for his somewhat cowardly habits of running in the opposite direction when the Selinda Boys venture over into his domain.

It came as a huge surprise, then, when one morning recently the radio lit up with reports of a bleeding and badly injured Romeo, and furthermore, another male lion – dead.

After months of teasing Romeo for his vanity, it seemed that he had proven us all wrong. In what appeared to be a landslide victory, Romeo had killed one of the Selinda Boys in the night. The dead male lion lay on his side, and it was only the damage to his face that revealed Romeo’s method of attack- he had suffered a swift blow to the head and had most likely been suffocated by the so-called ‘docile’ resident male.

The victor was not unscarred, however, and lay nearby looking very sorry for himself and licking his paw, which appeared to have suffered a severe puncture wound. Over the next few days, Romeo did not stray far from the remains of his adversary, and the vultures began to close in on the dead lion.

OD, one of the Kings Pool guides, witnessed some fascinating behaviour when two lionesses caught the scent of the dead lion whilst walking near the river. They cautiously approached, with an adolescent male following behind, and appeared to be ‘stalking’ the carcass. Suddenly, they stopped, and seemed very frightened as they identified the scent as belonging to one of the Selinda males; not realising that he was dead, they turned abruptly and ran in the opposite direction. Romeo tried to follow, moaning after them with pitiful contact calls, but they did not even glance back, too terrified to risk an encounter with a male who may well have been responsible for the deaths of their two young cubs.

All in all, the event made for some very interesting interaction amongst the lions. We are pleased to report that Romeo is on the mend and back to his usual, self-indulgent patrols around the concession.

A final note: The other member of the Selinda Boys is still missing and has not been seen for some time – perhaps he has also fallen to the Kings Pool King?

There are two packs of wild dogs that make use of the area around DumaTau and Savuti Camp. One is called the Zibadianja Pack (named after the local name for a large lagoon that forms the source of the Savute Channel). The other is known as the Linyanti Pack. Both packs denned successfully during the 2011 season, with the Zib Pack bringing 13 pups out of a den near Selinda Camp, far to the west, and the Linyanti Pack emerging slightly earlier from their den (east of DumaTau) with 10 pups.

This is always a period that we watch with interest in order to measure the levels of mortality in the vulnerable young pups. The Linyanti Pack lost one pup soon after moving away from the den in early August, leaving nine healthy youngsters for the pack to look after. The Zib Pack also lost a single pup by the time they left the den, leaving 12 youngsters remaining.

After this post-denning period, both packs moved towards the productive hunting grounds of the Savute Channel in the Linyanti Concession. Wild dog packs are territorial, and defend their hunting territories fiercely against other dog packs. The Savute Channel, at a depth deep enough to deter crossing especially with young pups, lay between the two packs though, and by September both packs were hunting along the length of the channel, on opposite sides. It was during this month however that two dogs from the Linyanti Pack, including the alpha female, disappeared. The cause of the disappearance was unknown to us, but as her pups had finished suckling this did not have a direct impact on their survival, although the alpha female was obviously an important dog in her pack. The loss reduced the Linyanti pack to nine adults and the nine remaining pups.

For several days in early October after this disappearance the two dog packs were opposite one another on the Savute Channel and finally the tension became too much. The larger Zib Pack crossed to the north bank, and attacked the waiting Linyanti Pack in a savage territorial fight. After the fight, the dogs were scattered for several days. The cost of the fight was high, with two adult dogs from the Zib Pack dead or missing, leaving the pack ten adults strong. All twelve pups survived unscathed.

The Linyanti Pack appeared to have lost the fight, and moved to the east – which means that we have not been able to observe these animals since the clash, and do not yet have a clear idea of any adult mortalities -  all their pups have survived however.

Since the clash, the Zib Pack has suffered further mortalities, losing two pups to lion attacks. This really puts into stark relief just how finely balanced wild dog survival is. It is not all bad news for the dogs however, as both packs still have a high percentage of their pups remaining alive after six months, and each day that the pups survive sees them bigger, stronger, faster and more likely to make it to adulthood.

During the early part of the year the water flowed into the top of the marsh but then around August the annual inundation increased the volume of water and turned the area into a wetland paradise. I remember guiding a small group of people in late August of 1980 and parking on the edge of the marsh looking out, with the woodland behind us dominated by camelthorn acacias. It was spectacular – if one turned 360 degrees looking through binoculars, there were two huge herds of buffalo, a pride of 27 lion, a pack of wild dog, zebra, giraffe, warthog, impala, sable, tsessebe, wildebeest, waterfowl and, walking off the marsh towards us, a honey badger.

We thought it would be like this forever but we were wrong.

The dry period began in 1982 and the channel started to dry up, retreating from the marsh and working its way back to the lagoon at Zibadianja. It took some time; the channel had dried up as far as the park boundary by 1985 and over the course of the next seven or eight years dried up to about 17km from the lagoon at Zibadianja. This would be about where the hide is found at Dish Pan. The very dry years in the late 90s caused the process to speed up until 1999, when the actual lagoon at Zibadianja dried up – Mike Slogrove, an ex-warden of Chobe Park, drove a land cruiser across the dry base of the lagoon that year. From then things slowly got wetter and water movement up the channel started in 2008. The channel flowed past the old Lloyds Camp, now Savute Elephant Camp, on 9th January 2010 and into the marsh. I went back for the first time in many years and found a herd of elephant drinking at the old Presidents Camp in July of that year.

The time in this area over the whole of the 30-year cycle has been inspirational for me. I remember how depressed I was when Zibadianja dried up juxtaposed with the elation of seeing elephant drink again in the channel at Presidents Camp. Left on its own, Africa heals itself.

We arrived at the pan and at first could see nothing, but once the engine was switched off, a rustle in the leaves about 100 metres away caught our attention. A flick of a tail gave the game away, and revealed a furry bundle of wild dog puppies, collapsed in a heap under a fallen log. As we made our way towards them, we realised that less than 10 metres away were two adults, sprawled in the shade and obviously keeping their distance from the wriggling youngsters. Only then was the magic of their camouflage revealed – they appeared as if out of nowhere, their dappled brown, black and white coats perfectly blending in with the sand and mopane shrub. In total, there were nine puppies and seven adults – ominously, the alpha female was absent, and the guides have confirmed that she has not been seen with this pack for a while.

The dogs slept peacefully for about an hour until, inevitably, the puppies became restless and one by one began to stir, waking each other up with nuzzles, ear-chewing and pouncing. We knew it would not be long before they would ruin their parents’ snooze, and sure enough they erupted from underneath the fallen log and launched themselves at the various adults spread about the place. There then ensued an incredible 20 minutes of excited reunion, the puppies squealing and throwing themselves on each other and on the disgruntled adults. We were on the edge of our seats ready to follow as they prepared to run as a pack, but they allowed us a truly spectacular few minutes just to watch them play and re-group after their long siesta. Then, just as suddenly as they had woken up, the leader made a beeline for the road, and was followed by the rest of the pack, with us close behind. They ran through the mopane, occasionally pausing for pep talks amongst themselves and yelps of encouragement, before cruising through the long grass next to the vehicle. Then, without warning, they turned north into the mopane and we were left in silence, desperately trying not to lose sight of them, but once again reminded of their brilliant camouflage. We felt privileged to have been allowed into their world for those few, blissful hours.

Photographs taken by Jemima Middleton.

On 18 August 2011 at the SADC Summit in Luanda, Angola, the presidents of Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Angola signed a treaty which has resulted in the formal creation of the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). This really is a major step in conservation efforts throughout Africa, as this will create a conservation area which will cover over 444 000 km² (an area comparable in size to Sweden).

By signing this treaty, the five partner states aim to ensure that the natural resources they share across their international borders along the Kavango and Zambezi River basins are conserved and managed responsibly and sustainably for present and future generations. Tourism development throughout the TFCA will be used as a major driving factor to improve the livelihoods of the people which live within and around the TFCA.

As mentioned, the KAZA TFCA is situated in the Kavango and Zambezi river basins where the borders of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe converge, and will include 36 proclaimed protected areas such as national parks, game reserves, forest reserves, community conservancies and game/wildlife management areas. Most notably the area will include the Okavango Delta (the largest Ramsar Site in the world) and Victoria Falls (World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World).

KAZA TFCA is home to approximately two million people who will not be required to resettle outside TFCA boundaries. Rather, the KAZA TFCA authorities hope to improve the socio-economic conditions of the people residing within the TFCA by routing development, tourism and conservation projects to them in line with the KAZA TFCA objectives. Through cultural tourism, the TFCA authorities aim to celebrate and nourish the rich cultural diversity within the area, allowing communities across borders to share their age-old knowledge and symbolic traditions with each other and the world at large.

For more information on this ground-breaking project, please visit
www.peaceparks.org