Greg Coates Photography

Wild Dog

Yes it is official! The wild dogs are denning in the western sector near McKenzie Camp. They returned at the beginning of the week and headed straight for the large termite mounds they had been investigating a few weeks before. Only 6 individuals were visible suggesting that one of the pregnant females had entered the den. Later that day a female was seen carrying something which looked like a newborn pup so the area was zoned and we will now not be approaching the den for a while to minimise the impact on this extremely sensitive situation. When the rest of the pack leaves the den to go hunting we can however follow them and, as usual, it is chaotic. We have twice been with them when they have made kills, firstly a young kudu, and then a young duiker. Although the kills were not actually witnessed we were able to catch up with them to view the feeding activity. The other pregnant female is looking heavily pregnant so it must just be a matter of days before she also gives birth. On the occasion that they caught the young duiker she proceeded to run around with the head as a prize and would not drop it, reacting aggressively to any other member that approached her. Exciting times lie ahead at Savanna as we should get to see the pack regularly now and have the privilege of seeing the pups grow up over the next few months.
 
 

Mapogo Male Coalition

The brothers have been quite active this week having traversed their whole territory and providing spectacular roaring displays at dusk. They joined up with some of the Ximungwe lionesses on occasion but were otherwise actively patrolling together. Makhulu appears to be sporting a black eye which suggests there must have been an altercation at some stage, perhaps over food. They did also provide another amazing sighting when they sniffed out an old impala carcass which Hlangisa had treed. Two of the brothers climbed the tree in spectacular fashion and fought over the carcass before it fell to the ground and the third brother claimed it for himself. The tree afterwards bared the scars of the heavy cats having hauled themselves up it, but they did manage to get back down and the carcass was finished in seconds. They moved northwards after the meal and slept it off before again putting on a great roaring display as the sun was setting.

Ximungwe pride

Although still fragmented, all of the lionesses and cubs were seen at some stage in the last week. As always the highlights were of the cubs playing. The older cubs are looking well and are being kept in the southern parts of the concession. They are still quite playful and showed much interest in the vehicles with their quizzical faces.





The younger cubs are being kept in the central parts of the property and the great news is that these cubs are becoming very relaxed now. They provided great humour during their playful antics and would spend most of their time either tackling each other or pestering their mother for some milk!

Shinzele Male Leopard and Hippo Dam Female Leopard

On the way back from the airstrip at midday a vehicle came across a male leopard dragging an impala across the road. We went to follow up in the afternoon and found Shinzele happily feeding on an impala ram. With plenty of food he remained in the area until the next day but when we went back we discovered that he had been joined by the Hippo Dam Female. She was trying her best to court him but he would have none of it and reacted aggressively towards her, perhaps because he had the kill or she simply was not in full oestrous.

Ndlevane Male Leopard

This angry old male was found twice in the last week. The first sighting of him was brief as he was moving through the bush but as soon as the guide realised who it was they let him be. The second sighting was of him also on an impala ram kill. Again he was not happy with the presence of vehicles and we preferred not to push him, so he was left to finish it in peace.

Bushlodge Male Leopard

A new young male has arrived from the east and has been spending most of his time on Alicecot. He is relaxed and is perhaps looking to establish himself in the south. He is however going to find it difficult as Kashane is already established in this area and is a far larger leopard.

Hlangisa Female Leopard

Hlangisa has been extremely adventurous this week. She was found far north of her territory and spent the most part of the week tentatively moving through the territories of other females. Perhaps she really is just exploring or perhaps it is due to the intensive activity of the wild dogs denning in her territory, or even the arrival of the Bushlodge Male. One evening she came across an old impala ram kill which seems to have been killed by another leopard. She fed on it during the night but the Mapogo sniffed out the carcass and stole it from her the next morning. Hlangisa moved off and climbed a nearby tree, watching the lions devour her meal and perhaps hoping there might be some scraps once they moved off. It was not to be though as the lions finished every morsel and she moved even further north and west towards the Ulusaba airstrip.

Hlabankunzi Female Leopard

Some very sad news is that Hlabankunzi has lost her remaining cub. The cub was killed in a similar manner to the first, by the claws of Shinzele. Hlabankunzi had killed an impala and she and the cub were feeding when Shinzele found them. He did not immediately kill the cub but was more interested in the free meal. The cub made the mistake of trying to approach again to feed and Shinzele dispatched it in a fury of growling and spitting. We did not actually see him kill the cub but it could be heard from a distance and the remains of the cub were found at the site the next morning. A few days later Hlabankunzi made another impala ram kill and was found wondering around looking for the cub. It was very sad to see and it seemed she had not yet accepted that the cub was gone. She eventually returned to the carcass and fed intermittently. Hopefully she will be able to have some more cubs soon and that they will be female again as both Metsi’s cubs are male.

Metsi Female Leopard and Cubs

Metsi also managed to kill an adult impala ram. It seems as the rutting season approaches the rams are all preoccupied and so making them easier prey with four other leopards also having made impala ram kills in the last week. There was some great viewing of her and the cubs feeding and lazing about but the one cub still remains nervous. She never hoisted the carcass but nevertheless they managed to finish the whole meal in just two days, not giving other predators a chance to steal it. 

Xikavi Female Leopard

Xikavi made two appearances this last week, both of which were fairly brief. The one occasion though was fantastic as we were viewing giraffe and she unexpectedly popped up next to us. She walked straight past the vehicle which is unlike her but encouraging to see as it suggests she is becoming more accepting of the vehicles. She then spotted some impalas and moved off into thick bush to conceal herself. Unfortunately we were not able to stay with her and she disappeared before our eyes.

Cheetah

Only the male with the drooping bottom lip made a brief appearance at the beginning of the week. He was around the McKenzie airstrip, one of his favourite hunting grounds, but then moved east and off our concession. He doesn’t usually stay away for long though so we are looking forward to the adrenaline rush of seeing his familiar figure stalking the clearings again soon.