January sightings at Xigera

The wealth of wildlife sightings over the past month has afforded us a spectacular start to 2023. January sits in Botswana's wet season, meaning that the Moremi Game Reserve is awash with verdant grasslands and lush greenery. This change in climate has provided some magical moments across the Reserve, as rainfall and fresh shoots breathe new life into the region. From leopard cubs and hidden dens to red lechwe, impalas, and tsessebe, here is a collection of our some of our favourite safari sightings from January.

Photo by Ben

Photo by Carike

Photo by Ike

January has been an exceptional month for herd sightings. Elephants, springbok, and zebra have all evoked great wonder from our guests. One group was lucky enough to spot a herd of forty elephants, whilst others spotted a large herd of wildebeest and a pod of 30 hippos.

Photo by Ben

Photo by Carike

The herds of tsessebe also provided some exceptional moments as their calves showed off their new skills amidst the grasslands - leaping about and exploring their new home. Their beautiful colours and remarkable features make them an inspiring sighting, and often a favourite with our guests.

Photo by Carike

The Steenbok (shown in the photo above) offered a particularly memorable event. Usually skittish and alert, this safari found the herd calm and at peace meandering across the plains. Accompanied by their endearing young, both our guests and guides found themselves charmed by their presence.

Photo by Ike

We have been so fortunate that our big cats have been so accessible this month. The landscape at Xigera has changed so much that we have been blessed with a number of leopard sightings on our concession. A single game drive saw five leopards, two of which were cubs under one month, one male lion, and twenty-one lionesses.

Photo by Genius

Photo by Ben

The leopard cub sightings were particularly special, caught during an early morning drive around the Xigera Safari Lodge concession. One of our talented guides had noticed the leopard den just a few days earlier, and as we arrived we saw the cub run across the tree branch and into his den. It was a soul-stirring moment elevated only by the sight of his curious blue eyes peering back out towards us.

Photos by Carike

Alongside the leopards, both The Eastern Pride and the Western Pride have been flourishing in the rainy season. An evening safari saw the Western Pride travelling the plains whilst nine cubs trailed behind their mothers. Similarly, three lionesses and six beautiful cubs were spotted on the Eastern side of the concession.

Photo by Carike

The receding water has also created a number of fish traps across the Delta which have naturally transformed the plains into a vibrant feeding ground for our birdlife. Marabou Storks, Pelicans, Yellow-Billed Storks, Wahlberg Eagles, Goliath Herons, Saddle-billed Stporks, African Jarcanas, and Hammerkops have all been seen feasting around these pools.

Photos by Ben