Extraordinary African wildlife: Sandibes five distinct habitats within the beautiful Okavango Delta wilderness support an incredible diversity of wildlife:

• Large herds of elephant and buffalo
• Endangered African wild dog
• Resident rare Pels fishing owls
• Semi-aquatic red lechwe antelope
• Exceptional birdlife including numerous Okavango Specials
• Elegant groves of real fan palms
• Impressive baobab, leadwood and sausage trees

Mammals at Sandibe Safari Lodge:
Larger herbivores, including elephant and large herds of buffalo, move in and out of the area. Lion prides, cheetah, leopard and African wild dog may be encountered. Herds of red lechwe favour the edges of floodplains, often feeding in the company of tsessebe. Hippos reside in deeper channels and lagoons. Honey badgers are observed during daylight hours. Roan and sable antelope favour taller grass in open woodlands while the sitatunga keep to dense papyrus beds. Families of dwarf and banded mongoose occupy large termite mounds. Noisy fruit-bats sip nectar from baobab and sausage tree blooms, and feast on ripe figs.

Birds at Sandibe Safari Lodge:
An impressive 349 species are recorded. Slaty egret, lesser jacana, wattled crane, coppery-tailed coucal, Hartlaubs babbler, greater swamp warbler, chirping cisticola, swamp boubou and brown firefinch are Okavango Specials. Common in savanna are Dickinsons kestrel, red-billed spurfowl, Kalahari scrub-robin and violet-eared waxbill. Herons, egrets, storks and other waterfowl abound with flocks following the receding floodwaters. African pygmy goose, white-backed duck and African jacana favour lily-covered lagoons. Abundant African fish-eagle course the waterways in search of prey. After dark, the rare Pels fishing-owl emerges to sit in wait at clear pools.

Other African wildlife:
Predatory tigerfish and African pike flourish in clear waters, where various tilapia, catfish and squeakers also thrive. Dazzling dragonflies pursue prey along waterways. Colourful painted reed-frog, long reed-frog and bubbling kassina are commonly encountered frogs. Nile crocodile, water monitor and Okavango hinged-terrapin are common aquatic reptiles. Massive termite colonies are the foundations for Okavango islands and these industrious insects form an important component of the diet for many mammals and birds.