Wildlife Report: Autumn 2026 (February – April)
By the end of the summer, Matetsi Private Game Reserve was deep in a sea of green; swathes of thick grass flourishing across the plains, trees crowded with new leaf, the flood plains beginning to
Each week our guiding team compile sightings reports that detail which animals and birds they have observed while out on safari with guests or on anti-poaching patrols on Matetsi Private Game Reserve. And every season, we do a summarised write up of these, featuring photos and anecdotal contributions from our team and our guests.
Over the years it’s been wonderful to see the return of wildlife to the area, evidenced in these reports. This marked increase in wildlife populations and species is living proof that our on-going conservation efforts are having a profoundly positive effect in the area.
By the end of the summer, Matetsi Private Game Reserve was deep in a sea of green; swathes of thick grass flourishing across the plains, trees crowded with new leaf, the flood plains beginning to
There is one word that best describes the African bush in summer and that word is “lush”. It is a time of abundant greenery; trees heavy with young leaves, dense thickets of fresh undergrowth and
Springtime in northwestern Zimbabwe is usually a time of dramatic change; the weather shifts from cool to blazing hot with little warning, with the relative civility of August’s daytime average of 29ºC/85°F climbing to a
2025 brought one of the coldest winters Matetsi Private Game Reserve has experienced in recent memory, with temperatures dropping to as low as 6°C in the early mornings. Not that we can complain; with average
The shift from summer to autumn marks the shoulder season in Zimbabwe; while February and March are usually still hot and humid, by the end of April, temperatures have started to cool, and rainfall has
Summer is our Emerald Season in northwestern Zimbabwe; sun-baked landscapes give way to an explosion of green, as the long-awaited rains nourish the bush back to life. Natural pans that had gone temporarily dry are
It is usually a surprise to our guests, especially those who have travelled from beyond the continent, that spring is a time of fierce, dry heat in this part of Zimbabwe. It is not a
Western Zimbabwe’s subtropical climate makes for glorious winters – the months of May, June and July are characterised by warm, sunny days with little, if any, rainfall. Early morning and nighttime temperatures can certainly be
Whether you’re a summer person or a winter person, the end of the warmer months always holds an element of sadness; days getting shorter and cooler, trees becoming bare and migratory birds making the journey