Latest Environmental Report

Winter is most definitely on the way with evenings and early mornings becoming increasingly cooler. The typical dry conditions associated with the winter have also started to prevail.

Herewith is a summary of the average minimum and maximum temperatures.

At Eagle Island Camp, located on Xaxaba Island, the water in the channels and lagoons around the camp have continued to flood to good levels ensuring for some excellent game viewing. We expect the waters to 'top out' in the next week or so and thus ensuring the area will remain in flood right through to the end of the year.

On the eastern side of the delta at Khwai River Lodge water levels in the Khwai River are high for this time of the year and this is due to all the rain we had this season. Most of the natural water holes still have water however this will slowly start drying up now.

As at Khwai River Lodge, Savute Elephant Camp has benefited greatly from the rainfall - much to the relief of the thousands of resident pachyderms. Standing ground water is evident in all the major pans, taking the pressure of the pumped water points. This is important as we try to restrict the pumping of the water as this puts pressure onto our boreholes and water supply to the lodge.

Marula trees in many parts are still in fruit, much to the delight of both primate and pachyderm. Despite the chill in the air in the evenings and mornings many of the trees are still green, something I expect will change rapidly over the next month.

Owing to all the rainfall the grass is still very high for this time of the year which is great for the animals, especially the Savute Elephants as they can fatten up for the long dry months ahead when all this grass will disappear.

At Eagle Island Camp the game sightings have been particularly impressive and have without a doubt got us all excited as our guests saw rhino, buffalo, elephant on almost a daily basis from the helicopter as all our guests enjoy at least one helicopter activity during their stay at the camp.

Good sightings of lion, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and even cheetah have been recorded at Savute and Khwai.

Guests at Savute also enjoyed one of the best leopard sightings in ages as this leopard was totally relaxed as can been seen in the photo!

The leopard was not the only cat that was seen from close as there were regular sightings of Lion as well and as they were up close and personal!

A female leopard with her cub was seen drinking from the water hole in front of the Savute Elephant Camp and has been in the area for sometime now.

There were sightings of a breeding pair of Gymnogene and various other raptors, and in general the birdlife throughout the region has been incredible to say the least.




Animal of the Month: Impala Aepyceros Melampus Melampus

The reason the impala was chosen as the animal of the month is because a very odd sighting of a newly born impala was spotted and for this time of the year is very uncommon as the impala would drop their young just before the rains in November and early December. There have been recordings of impala giving birth in January and early February, but never this late - or early!

I have done some enquiries and have been unsuccessful in getting a firm commitment from anybody about this very unusual sighting. Is this a sign of changing times, I ask?

Connie Neubold
Tours Manager
Orient-Express Safaris