Enigmatic: difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious.
The word ‘enigmatic’ can be used a lot when it comes to leopards, sometimes to the point of cliché. There is a leopard currently on Londolozi however, who more than lives up to the tag.
The Robson’s 4:4 male, usually just referred to simply as ‘the 4:4 male’ is dominant over the most traversed areas on the Londolozi reserve, yet we know almost nothing about him. He arrived in early 2014, but we had very little inkling of his presence, aside from a few fleeting glimpses of an unrelaxed male running away from vehicles or trackers, usually in the densest of thickets.
The male’s arrival at Londolozi unfortunately coincided with the early days of the Mashaba female’s litter of three, and when these cubs disappeared, it was strongly believed that this unknown nomadic male may have been the culprit. Having said that, the old Dudley Riverbank female was also seen in the area at the time, and there is a chance she could have killed any unrelated cubs she came across, so I guess the mystery will forever remain unsolved.
The first time I properly viewed this male was when he was treed by the Tsalala pride on the hill-crest opposite camp. Unfortunately for him he had moved right past where the lions were dozing, and when they chased him he had to seek refuge in this tall marula, allowing us a good look at him.
Far more concerned by the lions than the vehicles, he remained in the tree for a good 30 minutes before climbing down and making a bolt for it.
The fact remains that the new 4:4 male came on to the scene just under two years ago, and very little was seen of him at first. His unrelaxed demeanour suggests that he originated in the Kruger National Park and never became used to being approached by vehicles. The earliest records of him are from the northern parts of the Sabi Sand Reserve in 2012 as a subadult, but what he did and where he went in the two years after that remains unclear.
He would turn up sporadically over a large section of Londolozi, and we were at first unable to work out any pattern in his movements. The only time we would view him consistently was when he began mating with the Mashaba female, and we are almost certain he is the father of her current cub.
A rough estimate of the 4:4 male’s territory.
What surprises me most about him is his hold on prime territory along the Sand River despite his small stature. When we found him in late 2014, we weren’t 100% sure of his identity, and his physique suggested that he was still a subadult. Subsequent photographic comparisons revealed him to be the very same 4:4 male, and apparently fully grown, given how readily he took over territory. I think luck was a significant factor, as he happened along at a time when the Marthly male was ageing.
Having charged in to scatter four adult hyenas off their buffalo kill, the 4:4 male was able to quickly snatch some meat before once again being chased off by the clan.
Even though he has been territorial on Londolozi for almost two years now, the information we have of him and his movements remains sketchy at best. He will occasionally turn up on a kill, or we will hear him vocalising from deep drainage lines, but sightings continue to be erratic. He is certainly not cut from the same cloth as the Camp Pan or Marthly males, who grew up in the Sabi Sands Reserve, becoming habituated to vehicles early on, and who used to patrol down the centre of the road in plain view. No, no, that is not how the 4:4 male does it. He frequents hidden game paths, dry riverbeds and thickets, and if he gets to a road, he will more than likely move straight across it to get back into cover.
Late 2014. A skinny frame belies the fact that the 4:4 male was busy establishing a prime territory in some of the best leopard habitat in the world.
His territory encompasses those of the Mashaba, Tutlwa, Nkoveni, Nhlanguleni and Nanga females, so mating opportunities for him are rife. We believe the Nhlanguleni female is also secreting a litter somewhere in the river, most likely fathered by the 4:4 male, but no-one has yet caught a glimpse of the cubs. The Nanga female has been viewed crossing all the way from the Manyelethi River in the north to the Maxabene River in the south, taking a big risk by crossing through rival female’s territories, purely to mate with the 4:4 male.
Although the Nanga female has been seen actively seeking out the 4:4 male for mating purposes, he is still essentially out to serve his own ends. Here he descends a Jackalberry tree after having stolen the remains of an Nyala kill from her.
I haven’t seen this male for over two weeks now, in fact I don’t think anyone has. Maybe he’s been sitting on kills in some hidden part of the reserve, maybe he’s just been spending time in the river, no-one can be sure.
All we know is that he continues to remain elusive, mysterious, and yes, a frustrating leopard to look for.
I think Enigmatic sums him up pretty well…
He has lucked into a prime leopard territory with the downfall of the Marthly male, although he has done a good job in defending it from other males until now,a remarkable feat considering his size.I thought that the Anderson male would have pushed him more south by now,but it will eventually happen,big males seem to be drawn by the river.
How big his territory is!
Thanks James. Has the Anderson male been seen recently? We spent many an hour searching over New Year for him without luck but were privileged to have seen the Robson Male before one of the female adult Mhangeni came in and chased him out of the tree and took his kill. I really enjoy the territory maps and did not realise how far north of the river the Robson territory goes.
Hi Mike,
I remember that sighting, and if I’m right that was the last time he was seen. Given his nature, though, we don’t worry if we don’t see him for awhile, he tends to turn up again in the end!
As for the Anderson male, I think he has been seen once or twice since New Year but no more than that. I think he’s been spending time north and west of us…
It’s the first time I have heard the name Nkoveni female, who is she?
Hi Danny,
Well pointed out. The Nkoveni female is the Sand River Female or Mashaba Young female. We originally called her the Sand River female since she spends so much time there, but after much deliberation we decided that that name was in fact too generic, as the Mashaba, Tutlwa and Nhlanguleni females all spend time in the Sand River within their respective territories. Nkova is a river in Shangaan, and Nkoveni being the diminutive, we thought it a more appropriate name for a young female, so duly changed it.
Thanks a lot!
So what does the name Robinson Male have to do with anything? Perhaps he should be called Enigma Male. 😉
Hi Julia,
The name is “Robson’s” male; it is the name of the property to the northwest of us, where he has been viewed before.
Great to read about him. I was with you at your first sighting of 4:4 male in the North in 2014 when he was chased by the Tsalala pride. I recognized the pictures: my pictures are almost identical. I know that last year I saw 3 males South of the river: Piva male, Inyathini male and a skittish male which I now realize is the Robson’s male. I never realized that he was the same male as we saw being chased by the lions. It’s always nice to see the history of the animals. Thanks.
Nice shots James!