Sataan seems to be missing! He was last seen about six days ago and was not in top condition. It seems the injury he sustained during the coalitions last confrontation with the large herd of buffalo has taken its toll and perhaps he is just laying low trying to recover. The other two brothers however have been covering a lot of ground and have also been courting various females from the Ximungwe pride. A couple of days ago we found tracks of Makhulu and Skoro with two Ximungwe lionesses which headed into some very thick bush in the Day One river. After some carefull investigation it was discovered that one of the females had recently given birth to four cubs in the area. It was a little nerve racking to have the males in the area as we were not sure what their reaction would be but the brothers did accept the cubs as their own. If Sataan had been there it may have been a different situation.
Ximungwe Pride and new cubs
Some fantastic news is that three of the members now have cubs. The female with the missing end of her tail (Stompy) has two 7 week old cubs which were seen just once as she moved them to another den site close by. And the big news is that another female has FOUR three week old cubs discovered three days ago in the Day One River near McKenzie Camp. She has been very relaxed about having the vehicles around and some great viewing has been had of these tiny cubs already. There was a little concern for their safety when Makhulu and Skoro were seen in the area but they seemed to have accepted them. Just down the road the older female with the two 6 month old cubs has also been providing great viewing as she brings them out in the open in the mornings and late afternoons where she plays with them and the cubs tussle with eachother. It is hoped that the Mapogo will be able to hold on to this territory long enough for these cubs to reach adolescence.
He has once again been prevalent, moving through his territory with quiet efficiency. This has meant it has been difficult to catch up with him in the afternoons when he has been spotted in the mornings, as even on a hot summer's day he only seems to rest for a short while before moving on. Being the size that he is, he does not seem to have any competitors but perhaps it is the endless quest to secure females that keeps him on the move.
Shinzele Male Leopard, Hlabankunzi Female Leopard and Cub
Shinzele has been seen regularly but the most notable sightings of him have been recently when he has been with Hlabankunzi. The two were seen walking together with the female displaying some obvious intentions to seduce the young and upcoming male. They were not seen to mate but this had all hearts sinking as this behaviour from Hlabankunzi suggested that her remaining cub was almost certainly dead. Then to all our relief the cub was found some distance away in the safety of a large tree. Had it been a ploy by Hlabankunzi to distract the killer of her other cub and lead him away from her remaining cub?
Mashiyabanje Male Leopard
The young Mashiyambanje has been seen a few times north of the river. He seems not to be actively claiming the territory as he does not scent mark or roar, but his continued presence does support the notion that Tegwaan has either left or is dead. Mashiyambanje was seen on one ocassion to be interacting with another much younger male, but the youngster retreated rapidly before a positive identification of him could be made.
Mambiri Female Leopard
Mambiri is dead. She was not seen for a long time until reports from outside the reserve revealed she was desperately seeking food in the form of domestic livestock such as chickens and goats. An effort was made to capture her and return her to the reserve but this failed and she had to be put down. The autopsy revealed that her injured paw was beyond saving and that her internal organs were severely stressed by the amount of adrenalin her body was producing to survive the pain and hunger. It is very sad news and she will be sorely missed as one of the most popular female leopards with guides and guests alike.
Hlangisa Female Leopard
The ever playful Hlangisa has not dissapointed in the last couple weeks. We have had many sightings of her and she is now pushing further north as well. With the confirmed departure of her mother (Mambiri) she is set to claim the area as her own. She seems to realise this and is actively scent marking wherever she goes. Brazen activity for a leopard just two years of age! A magnificent sighting was witnessed yesterday as she stalked and caught a young guineafowl, leaping into the air like a serval to pouch the unlucky bird with her paws. She quickly dispached it and then kindly perched herself on a branch for all to see as she plucked and ate the morsel.
Metsi Female Leopard and Cubs
There have been precious few sightings of this leopard family but enough to confirm that both cubs are alive and well. There was one moment for concern when she was seen leading her cubs under the western fence and out of the reserve where the recent heavy rains had washed away the ground . She returned the next day after which the fence was hastily mended and subsequent sightings have confirmed that she and her cubs are staying within the reserve now.
Xikavi Female Leopard
Xikavi was seen just once up near the river where she briefly made an appearance as she hunted impala. She had to use thick cover as she stalked them during day light hours so the viewing was difficult but at least she appears to be in good condition and doing well.
Tai Dam Female Leopard and Son
This female also made a brief appearance right up in the north where she was seen leading her son to what we think must have been a kill nearby. Unfortunately the kill must have been on a neighbouring property as they crossed the boundary and continued their determined eastward journey. The mother still looks well for such an old leopard but her son seems not to be getting used to the attention from the vehicles as he jogged ahead and sometimes glared back at the vehicle, baring his teeth and hissing. It is hoped that he will relax down in the future as he looks to be a great prospect for reaching independence quite soon and the apparent absence of Tegwaan means that the northern territory is up for grabs.
Cheetah
The long grass during the summer has made cheetah viewing difficult but with most properties now having mowed their open areas as part of their veld management stategies, the sightings have returned. Makamisa, the regular male with the 'lazy' bottom lip, was the first as he appeared in the clearing near cheetah flats where he provided great viewing as he chased young impalas. He did catch a few but then moved on again a few days later as he had the rest of his territory to traverse.
There was also the arrival and departure of a coalition of three young males who moved all the way to the western fenceline where they stayed for two weeks. It appears they wanted to go further west in search of a more suitable territory but did not realise what a fence was. This suggests that they came all the way from Kruger which is where they returned after eventually realising that there was no way west. They did kill an impala and provided some good viewing during their stay but their departure was inevitable.
Wild Dogs
The resident Sabi Sands pack consisting of seven dogs made a brief appearance north of the river, but it was difficult viewing as they moved through thick bush. It seems the pack is still doing well with all seven members being present and healthy. They have been spending all their time north of the river as a result of the recent floods. Wild dog do not like to cross swollen rivers and the vehicles were not able to access that area for a long time hence the lack of sightings. The river is however now crossable again and we hope to see more of the pack.
