Dear Bushlife Supporters,

We’ve had some really great sightings over the past month, with plenty happening around Mana.

At the beginning of the month, early in the evening game drive, Violet’s pack killed an impala, but a large group of hyenas were hanging around nearby waiting for a chance to get in. It was good to see the dogs get something in their bellies before the hyenas mobbed them. The hyenas were only on the prey for a moment when a young male lion bolted in, stealing the kill and dragging it into a bush. The dogs left, but about 40 hyenas stayed put, whooping and cackling. We all waited nearly 2 hours listening to the cracking of bones; finally, the lion finished. As soon as he moved off, the hyenas rushed in for the scraps. Shortly afterwards, 3 lionesses and a cub came charging in, only to be disappointed with so little left. They spotted the young male lion and sprinted over to chastise him; growling, snarling, and menacingly showing teeth. The male was quite subservient. He probably had been recently ejected from the pride and was no longer tolerated. It was quite a show and definitely Sundowner Time. 

We’ve also seen Boswell around Little Vundu a few times this past month. When he shows his prowess standing on his hind legs, it’s quite an awesome sight. Tusker has also been very conspicuous, performing right next to the main lodge, so we couldn’t have asked for a better view.

The female leopard and her cub have been around too. We had a lovely sighting recently of the mother teaching the cub to climb a tree. There was plenty of playing, and we watched the youngster practicing its stalking skills on Mum.

A few days ago, we also watched 3 male lions climbing rain trees. It’s not that often we see lions climbing trees here, and these were particularly steep trees—much more the sort of thing you’d expect a leopard to tackle. Seeing 3 big males up there was pretty special.

We’re also keeping a close eye on Violet. We think she may be pregnant, but it’s a little confusing at this stage as she and Rufus, the alpha male, are still breeding. If she is pregnant, we wouldn’t normally expect that behavior, so at the moment it’s a bit of a “yes, but we’re not quite sure” situation! Hopefully we’ll have more news soon.

On the operational side, we’ve also had some very welcome news. We bought another used Land Cruiser this week, which is a big help for the team.

Despite needing three vehicles to keep the BSU fleet where it needed to be, we weren’t able to purchase any vehicles during 2025 because of the huge increase in prices, This latest Land Cruiser is now the third vehicle we’ve managed to purchase since April this year, so we’re very pleased to have finally caught up.

Keeping vehicles running out here is a constant and significant expense. Diesel is currently costing us $7.38 per gallon, and with the conservation work and the distances our teams cover on patrols, fuel alone makes up a substantial part of our day-to-day running costs.

None of this would be possible without the people who support Bushlife Conservancy. To everyone who has donated, fundraised, shared our work or continued to support us—thank you. Your contributions translate directly into practical things on the ground: vehicles on patrol, diesel in the tanks, and teams able to get where they need to be. We really do appreciate every bit of support.

Warm regards,
Nick Murray
Founder, Bushlife Conservancy

Drought, Fires and Human-Wildlife Conflict

Recent fieldwork by the Bushlife Support Unit, working alongside Zimparks, government agencies and local communities, has highlighted the growing pressure that drought, veld fires and diminishing natural resources are placing on both people and wildlife across the Zambezi Valley.

In the Chundu villages along the Mana and Chewore South boundaries, 6 cattle deaths were recorded within just 9 days. With the cause still unknown, livestock carcasses left in the open are attracting hyenas and jackals closer to homesteads. In response, some communities have resorted to burning surrounding bush to deter predators. Unfortunately this is creating a damaging cycle: fires destroy valuable grazing and cattle are forced further towards protected areas in search of food and water, and contact between livestock and wildlife increases. This brings further risk of predation, conflict and disease transmission.

Fire awareness meetings were subsequently held in Masokoti and Reza villages, bringing together the Environmental Management Agency, Zimparks, ZRP, the Forestry Commission, Bushlife and community leadership. Villagers raised concerns about veld fires, livestock losses and increasing encounters with hyenas and jackals. The meetings focused on fire prevention, early reporting, livestock protection and alternatives to burning, while partners agreed to strengthen patrols, continue community education and work more closely with veterinary services.

Further corridor assessments in Ward 9 found that drought, dry rivers, overgrazing, fires and increasing human activity are placing additional pressure on traditional wildlife movement routes. Tracks from elephants, baboons, hyenas and jackals were recorded moving between Chewore Conservancy and surrounding villages, with wildlife increasingly concentrating around the few remaining areas with water, grazing and unburnt vegetation.

These observations reinforce just how interconnected conservation and community wellbeing are. Protecting grazing areas, keeping wildlife corridors open, reducing uncontrolled burning, improving livestock management and maintaining rapid response capacity can all help reduce conflict.

As the dry season intensifies, collaboration between communities, Bushlife, Zimparks and government partners remains critical to protecting people, livestock and wildlife across this shared landscape.

Haley Bryan, a valued supporter of Bushlife Conservancy, recently chatted with Jed about what inspired him to pursue a future in wildlife conservation. Jed also shares his experience of being involved in the reintroduction of black rhino into Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe.

We hope you enjoy hearing more about Jed’s journey, his passion for conservation and this important wildlife initiative.