November Sightings at Silvan Safari

As the first storm clouds drift across the northern Sabi Sand, the bush stirs with renewed energy. Fresh leaves unfurl, insects rise from the damp earth, migratory birds return, and the first impala lambs take their hesitant steps into a world alive with opportunity and risk. November is a month of abundance, and the bush around Silvan pulses with it.

It's baby season in the Sabi Sand, Image Credit: Stevan Loffler

Leopards

Earlier this month, the Tortoise Pan Male (TP) faced an intruding male, emerging a little bruised but quickly recovering, true to his resilient nature. He remains a vital protective force for multiple females in the area, having sired cubs with Tiyani, Xidulu, Langa, and Sibuyi. His steady presence underpins much of this season’s leopard success.

November brought a welcome glimpse of Tiyani and her cub. Both appear healthy, though sightings remain brief as she keeps to the quieter northern sections while the youngster grows in strength.

Makomsava has been moving through her usual haunts, and while we can’t yet confirm the fate of her newest litter, signs suggest a positive outcome. After mating with TP, we’re hopeful she has successfully raised her cubs through their most vulnerable weeks.

Being a big, bad predator is tiring work, Image Credit: Stevan Loffler

Xidulu has given birth to two new cubs. Though still hidden, her movements and TP’s attentive presence indicate that all is well.

Kuchava is beginning the natural process of pushing her subadult offspring toward independence. Her youngster still lingers, but she is gradually encouraging the young leopard to explore solo, a necessary step toward adulthood.

We also enjoyed a brief but encouraging sighting of Sibuyi and her cub. The youngster is beginning to relax around vehicles, a promising sign for future viewing. Sibuyi continues to hunt successfully along the boundary between our eastern section and MalaMala.

Her daughter Langa is also raising two young cubs after mating again with TP. Having suffered losses to lions in the past, she is far more cautious this time, keeping her den well-hidden. But fresh suckle marks confirm the cubs are alive and growing.

Lions

The Ndzenga males continue to hold their territory with confidence, strengthening their bonds with females from both the Nkambula and Nkuhuma prides. Their presence has brought welcome stability to the area, with minimal pressure from neighbouring males, although recent tracks from two newcomers edging west remind us how quickly things can shift.

The Ndzenga males are comfortable in their territory... for now, Image Credit: Stevan Loffler

The Nkambula females are raising six cubs, now around six to eight months old. Under the coalition’s protection, the youngsters are developing well, following their mothers through the thicker summer vegetation as they learn the early lessons of pride life.

The Nkuhuma females have also welcomed new cubs. While sightings remain tricky in the dense bush, the cubs are slowly gaining confidence and adjusting to the presence of vehicles. The lionesses remain cautious, giving their youngsters time to strengthen before venturing further afield.

For now, the prides are thriving, but, as always in the Sabi Sand, the balance can change overnight.

We could never get tired of watching adorable lion cubs, Image Credit: Stevan Loffler

Other Sightings

African Wild Dogs

A large pack made a successful kill at Big Dam. Meanwhile, a dispersing pair – a male and female – have been exploring from Hoffmans to Arathusa and into Djuma. With luck, they may settle and form a new pack. This year has brought healthy pup numbers across the region, adding wonderful energy to sightings.

Buffalo

With grass flourishing, particularly the nutritious Panicum maximum, large buffalo herds have returned to Silvan’s surroundings. Older bulls, well known as the ‘dugga boys’, remain close to the thicker wetlands, preferring quiet patches of lush grazing. These shifting herds add a welcome dynamic to predator activity across the property.

Impalas

Towards the end of the month, we celebrated the first impala lambs of the season. After a long six-and-a-half-month gestation, the timing of their birth aligns perfectly with this burst of new vegetation. Harem groups are busy, bachelor herds are restless, and the lambs are already beginning to explore, feed, and adapt to the presence of vehicles.

The fast food of the bush

Elephants

The wet season has drawn exceptional numbers of elephants into the area, including many calves ranging from newborns to three-years-old. Watching young elephants mimic their mothers experimenting with branches, water and scents is one of summer’s great joys. Several impressive tuskers have also been moving through, and the presence of oestrous females hints at ongoing mating activity.

Giraffes

With fresh leaves abundant, giraffes are feeding contentedly and moving in small herds across the open clearings. A few young individuals around three months old have been seen keeping close to their mothers, learning the rhythm of browsing in the summer growth.

Birdlife

Migratory species have returned in full force. The calls of the Jacobin, Diderick, and red-chested cuckoos echo through the trees, while the unmistakable trill of the woodland kingfisher announces summer’s arrival. European bee-eaters and southern carmine bee-eaters bring a flash of colour to the landscape. Raptors, including Wahlberg’s eagle, black-chested snake eagle, and tawny eagle, have also been active, taking advantage of the season’s growing prey base.

A juvenile tawny eagle swooping through the skies

Plan Your Summer Safari

November has delivered a remarkable tapestry of life at Silvan Safari: new cubs, shifting dynamics, and the gentle chaos that comes with the summer rains.

If you’d like to experience this season of renewal for yourself, our team would be delighted host you in the heart of the Sabi Sand. Your journey into the beauty of the bush begins here.