Well, I don’t know how to start this Dispatch off other than to say the game viewing and most especially that of predators here on the Selinda Reserve has been spectacular this past month.

If the predators of the Selinda Reserve were playing cards then we would have the house beating hands down just about every day!

We’ve had the “Big Cat Full House” dealt to us a few times in the past week. 2 days ago our guests could not get off the boat to start their drive as 10 members of the Selinda Pride of Lions were lazing around and on the jetty! Once our feline friends decided they ought to head off in search of prey, allowing our guests to get onto the vehicle. They followed the pride for a while and then moved on

Minutes later encountered a female leopard stalking some Helmeted Guinea-Fowl and they were treated to the sight of her leaping 6 feet into the air in pursuit of one. They enjoyed this sighting before continuing with their drive towards our bridge in order to cross the spillway and meander their way into camp. Just before the bridge they picked up the tracks of Cheetah and followed them and were struck with awe when they came across one of our “Bands of Brothers” – a coalition of 3 males we see regularly at this time of year!

Amazing, all 3 of our big cats within the first 1 hour of drive.

But wait, there’s more (sorry to use a cheesy line from home shopping television)….

The following morning, the guide knew they were heading into where they were likely to encounter the Selinda Pack of Wild Dogs. Yep, you’ve guessed it, they managed to spot a Wild Dog coursing through the grass around the edge of the spillway, they followed this Dog and then came across most of the pack who had made a kill of an Impala and were now squabbling with a Spotted Hyena for the spoils! Soon a few more Hyena’s appeared and the Wild Dogs left the remains to the Hyenas, having weighed up their options given the numbers of individuals on both sides.

A Selinda Reserve Royal Flush!! Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Wild Dog and Spotted Hyena! In less than 24 hours! This is the magic that is the Selinda Reserve.

Text by John Hilton.