Weather and Landscape
The month has been a warm one, with the highest temperature recorded being 35.4°C (96°F). We also had 67mm (2.5 inches) of rain, which makes for generally hot and humid days.
The beginning of the month saw the false mopane and Zambezi teak trees out in flower and subsequently dropping their pods and seeds. With the month drawing to a close these have both stopped flowering, leaving the bush a little less colourful. The grasslands are not as violently green as they were at the beginning of the month and the water levels in the pan are looking a little lower, meaning winter is imminent - but the landscape is still looking lush.

Wildlife
The Back Pan lion pride has been caught on camera - doing what lion do best (or second best) - snoozing. We came across them during their afternoon siesta, stretched out in the long cool grass trying to position themselves in the shade of a palm tree. The three lionesses, one collared, and the male, also collared, were difficult to spot, but the twitch of a paw gave them away as they lay on their backs in the long grass.
They were very reluctant to move around in the early afternoon sun, other than one lioness sitting up and giving an enormous yawn before flopping back down to sleep away the rest of the summer sunshine. We decided to move on and leave them to their naps and to come back as the sun was setting when they would be a little more active.
On our return in the afternoon, they were stretching out and walking towards the other female of the pride, who we had seen on the other side of Back Pan. We thought she might have a cub somewhere nearby. The male was mating with the females, and every 10 minutes or so would be enticed by a female's flick of a tail. They began their long walk at a lazy amble, and didn't go very far when they all flopped down in the road for a rest before resuming their walk across the Pan. Their deep-throated calls echoed around the bush as they tried to locate the fifth member of their pride. Eventually there was a reply from the other female as she came into calling range. Two of the lionesses seemed to be the most energetic of the pride and started stalking each other in the long grass and pouncing and rolling over and over. Soon it got too dark to see their shapes making their way across the pan, but every now and again their call would reverberate in our ears as they communicated to the other female.

The buffalo herds are moving back into the area, and have been heard around the camp at night. It seems like there's a herd of about 20, judging from the dark shapes silhouetted against the grassland. Another herd of about 40 was spotted down at the pan one very hot afternoon enjoying a mud bath and a long drink, with the calves racing about playing tag.

Elephant are also being seen a little more often now, especially the breeding herds. On one game drive we saw a herd of about ten adults, eight youngsters and a very little baby, not more than three months old, in the woodland very close to camp. The adults formed a protective circle around the babies as our vehicle approached and they quickly moved off into the thicker trees.

The pack of six wild dog was again spotted out hunting, no sooner had we seen them than they swiftly disappeared into the thicker bush in pursuit of dinner.

Birding
We had a keen birder in camp this month who loved the variety of birds seen. She was thrilled that by the end of her five night stay she had recorded over 125 different species of birds! We have had a pair of Arnot's Chats around camp this last month - they are common residents of mopane woodland and are seen hopping along the fallen trunks singing their little hearts out. Our resident pair are not shy, and as you walk past they will sit and sing for you.

142 species of birds were seen this month with 21 different species of birds of prey seen.

Guest Comments
"Excellent staff and animal sightings. It's great that the camp blends in with nature, and there's lots of game." - Mike and Beng, Malaysia
"Highlights: the staff, the camp, the animals, birds, the location! Animal highlights: wild dog and cheetah." - Peter and Helen Stokes, UK