Greg Coates Photography

SIGHTING OF THE WEEK

Dewane Male Leopard

It is the time of the year again where all controlled burns are taking place and this year the burns have included most of Dewane Males territory in the south. This has meant that he has been spending the last few weeks further north and dangerously close to Shinzele’s territory. While following him one morning as he explored the foothills of some granite koppies he suddenly noticed something ahead and immediately went into hunting mode. The object of his attention proved to be a herd of impala and the grass along the verge of the road was long enough to provide adequate concealment as the herd moved straight towards him. As the herd drew closer he gathered himself for the charge. The moment soon came and he exploded into action, singling out a female and chasing her down in a matter of meters. So clinical was his execution that the unfortunate antelope was not even able to let off a distress call and we watched as he suffocated the life out of it. Within minutes again it was dead and the male leopard strained his muscles to lift and drag the carcass towards the koppie as there was a lack of suitable trees in the area to stash his prize. The distance was far however and we continued to follow him as he laboured ten meters at a time with short rests in between. Eventually he was able to reach the rocks and we lost sight of him as he continued deeper into the inaccessible terrain.

 

OTHER SIGHTINGS

Mapogo

The Mapogo have been on and off the property again for the last few weeks and have enjoyed a lot of hunting success as they were seen with no less than four kills, two buffalo, one kudu and one hippo calf. Skoro has also elected to spend some time away from the coalition and has been hanging out with the Ximungwe pride while Makhulu and Sataan have been staying together.

 

 

 

 

Ximungwe Pride

It has been confirmed that the fifth lioness in the pride has given birth to cubs! Two cubs were seen briefly at a den site the pride uses regularly and looked to be about 6 weeks old. The new mother has been accompanied by the female with the 3 month old cubs and some great viewing has been had of the bigger cubs as they grow more confident and playful. The other two females female with the 9 month and 6 month old cubs have been hanging out mainly along the Sand River and killed a young giraffe one morning which kept them occupied for four days. The oldest female with the 13 month old cubs continues to stay apart from the pride however and the three have been camped mainly in the southern areas where the recent growth in the burnt areas has attracted zebra and wildebeest.

 

 

 

Ottawa Pride

These three young females have been spending quite a lot of time in the west which is perhaps a result of the Mapogos spending more time in the east. 

They are looking very healthy and always seem well fed so their hunting skills must already be finely honed even without the presence of older females. This is a relief after the both adult females were lost recently and the two young males came of age and left the pride, leaving the three young sisters to fend for themselves. It is hoped that they will settle in the southern parts of the concession where the Ximungwe pride seem to have abandoned their previous territory. 

 

 


 


 


 

Kashane Male Leopard and Tasselberry Female Leopard

The Tasselberry female was once again looking to seduce Kashane. She found him on one occasion but Kashane was in no mood for company and continued with his territorial patrols. He found a comfortable termite mound shaded by a large Jackalberry tree where he rested. A herd of elephant suddenly appeared and moved past in close proximity but he was not bothered and took little interest in their presence.

 


 


 


 

Shinzele Male Leopard

Shinzele had an eventful couple of weeks with one sighting including him and three other adult leopards in one sighting! It appeared that Tlangisa had a kill up a tree which attracted the attention of Ndlevane who tried to steal it. Then Shinzele stumbled across the scene with Hlabankunzi who was following him in attempt to seduce him. When Shinzele arrived Ndlevane gave way and disappeared into the bush, but the females hung around while Shinzele finished the kill. In another sighting he managed to kill and tree an adult female nyala. We watched as he fed in the tree and then settled down to rest, guarding the carcass by sleeping on top of it! Unfortunately for him the scent of the carcass attracted on of the Ximungwe lionesses that chased him off and climbed the tree to steal the kill. The lioness dragged the carcass into thick bush and Shinzele followed in the hope of recovering some of it, but the lioness detected his presence and promptly chased him up another tree.

 

 

 

Dewane Male Leopard and Metsi Female Leopard

Dewane was the object of attraction for Metsi who followed him relentlessly for two days. The young male was visibly uncertain as to what to do, initially reacting aggressively towards the female, then calling her to follow. While on the move they were suddenly interrupted by the oldest Ximungwe lioness with her 1 year old cubs. Both leopards’ scampers for the trees and the lions lazily lay down at the base of the trees, not allowing the leopards to come down. This meant that both leopards were in for a long, hot day, 12 hours in fact before the lions moved off and they could eventually descend.

 

 


 

Tlangisa Female Leopard

Tlangisa was up to her antics again, climbing trees and quizzically regarding each game drive vehicle that approached. She did also manage to make three kills, all of them impalas. She lost one kill to Ndlevane but enjoyed the other two to herself.

 

 


 

Hlabankunzi Female Leopard

Hlabankunzi also had some hunting success. Her kill was also an impala but she had it in thick bush and only chose to feed at night which made viewing a little difficult. She also had a close run in with a Ximungwe lioness which saw her hastily making for the very top of a marula tree. Only once the lioness was far out of sight did she descend and make her way in the opposite direction.

 

Mobene Female Leopard and son

We were treated to a rare glimpse of this female and her cub when an impala carcass was spotted close to a road in the south. Upon approaching the mother leopard sprung up and immediately acted defensively which indicated her cub was in the area. The leopards were given space during the day and when we returned in the evening the cub was up the tree and both were far more relaxed. The following day the leopards were nowhere to be seen although a fair amount of the carcass was still in the tree. Further investigation found the cub at the top of a tree some distance away and the female looking rather agitated, suggesting that there was probably another leopard in the area. We did not find another leopard though and after some time she relaxed enough to reveal a second kill which explained their absence from the first.

 

 

Metsi Female Leopards Son’s

Both of Metsi’s cubs were seen but it was only the relaxed cub that provided any decent viewing. The skittish cub appears to remain so and immediately retreated as soon as vehicles approached to within 50m. The relaxed cub found an old bushbuck kill one night and provided good entertainment as he tried to dislodge the carcass. It was however tightly wedged in the fork of the tree by the horns so he eventually gave up and slunk off into the night.

 

Wild Dog

The pack returned briefly and killed a female kudu one morning. As they fed it became evident that there were only three pups present which indicates that yet another pup has not made it. Word from the east was that the pup was killed by members of the Southern pride a few days earlier. After the pack finished the kill they moved on but ran straight into the three Ottawa females. Luckily they were able to avoid further losses and all nine dogs got away unharmed.