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on The Life of a Young Male Leopard

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Love that last pic! Nice post Suthers.

Jamo

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Absolutely love the blurred one…. But actually love them all!

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fantastic photos. i love learning more and more about these beautiful leopards. keep posting updates of these 2 young males, also when thex might get their own names 🙂

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Nice blog post Mike. Keep it up.

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Mike, what is the size of Londolozi’s territory? And for example how large an area does the gorgeous, but ever thieving Camp Pan reign over? Good to see a new young male at Londolozi – which area was he seen in? Sorry so many questions – we do love this blog, and greatly appreciate your stunning photos.

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Mike–simply awesome pictures of the life of a young one.

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We appreciate your stories that give us further insight into the lives of these beautiful and amazing cats.

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Wonderful pictures and wonderful text as well. Congratulations….

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Hello Mike,

Your unknown young male is Torchwood male (named by Cheetah Plains). He was born on November or early December 2010. At the time of his birth, his mother’s territory was mostly on the Torchwood property.

Mother : Inkanyeni female; father : Mvula male. By his father, he has 4 half brothers : Wabayiza male, born November 2010, to Thandi female (daughter of Karula female and Jordaan’s male aka Yambilu-Jordaan); Buhuti male, born November 2012, to Thandi female; and 2 unnamed males, born probably late December 2012, to Karula female (daughter of Safari female and Mafufunyane/Gowrie male/Son of Paradise Valley female).

Grandmother and grandfather on his maternal side are Beacon female (deceased date unknown) and Jordaan’s male aka Yambilu-Jordaan (deceased end of July or so 2012). By his grandfather, Jordaan’s male aka Yambilu-Jordaan, he is apparented to Karula’s female 3 first litters.

Grandmother and grandfather on his paternal side are : Outcrop female and Beaumont/Tumbela male. That means that he has probably a lot of family blood in the sector he is now.

He has an uncle, Rupert/Beacon male, who is dominant in Manyeleti Game Reserve (Tintswalo and Honeyguide), from a previous litter than his mother, same parents.

Some dates in Torchwood male nomadic life :

7 Jun 2013 : Last photo of him in the North by Karin van der Merwe (Nkorho)
23 Jun 3013 : Photo by Richard de Gouveia (Sabi Sabi)
15 Aug 2013 : Photos from Leopard Hills (photographer to ID)
18 Sep 2013 : Photo from Inyati (photographer to ID)
27 Sep 2013 : Photo by Johan de la Rey (Leopard Hills)
9 Oct 2013 : Photo by Johan de la Rey (Leopard Hills)
7 Nov 2013 : Photos by Mike Sutherland in Londolozi blog

Characteristics :

3-3 (on his left side 2 spots look like being glued together
1 tiny spot near the nose between 1st and 2nd whisker rows

Above his eyes :
2 oblique lines from our top left to down right (backslashes)
an X shape inherited from his mother, Inkanyeni female
a heart shape inherited from his maternal grandfather, Jordaan’s male aka Yambilu-Jordaan

His eyes have a blueish tint.

Is there more to say?

Yes, please Mike, could you give me a date for the photos of him in your blog?

And with the help of all lodges and game reserves there is a chance that we might be able to follow him through his nomadic life and eventually know where he will eventually settle.

Thank you for this verrrry interesting blog.

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Thanks for the info on the struggle of survival. Such a hard life.

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Excellent post! Gorgeous photos and you really captured their story in such a beautiful way. Well done.

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Thanks for the lovely story -though in a way quite sad.The photos are absolutely stunning!!I don’t think you guys will ever know how much your stories mean to all the wild life addicts.Please keep it up !!!

Claire! thank you so much!! this is such a great help, and so greatly appreciated! Could you contact me on mikesuth87@gmail.com so i could send you more pics and dates etc? Kind Regards!
Mike

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Mike, thank you so much for this. I was lucky enough to spend some time 2 mornings running in Feb this year watching the Vomba female (4th year running I’ve seen her) with her male cub. After hearing via the blog that she was missing and presumed dead, I’ve been wondering ever since how he was coping. Given the circumstances, would he be able to stay within her territory?

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Hello Mike,

Email sent to you!

Claire

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Awesome Suthers!!

Incredible last photo, capturing the eye contact and the flying bark!

Nice!

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Mike, amazing photos! Thanks!

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