Leopards of Londolozi

On Safari at Londolozi

by Rich Laburn November 17, 2011

Renowned photographer Ryan Graham was recently at Londolozi taking pictures of everything from the rooms to the wildlife to the members of the Londolozi family. In this post, we showcase Ryan’s stunning images taken whilst out in the field…

The Leopards of Londolozi # 13

by David Dampier November 16, 2011

As promised last week, this week is purely black and white shots. Many people are of the opinion that a leopard should never be displayed in black and white, as their coat is simply too beautiful for that. For the most part, this is probably correct. However in certain situations a photo that is quite [...]

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The Week in Pictures # 20

by Talley Smith November 11, 2011

If you’ve ever been on a game drive with Freddy and me, you’ll know that our favourite thing to do is find an individual animal, or a group of animals, and stay with them watching their behaviour for as long as possible. The ability to do this relatively often is one of the very special things about Londolozi. In my opinion, that is what being out here is all about: you can go down a checklist of animals at a zoo just to ‘see’ them, but to actually be a part of a wild animal’s life, watching how it goes about surviving every day in its own environment, is incredibly unique to coming on a safari. This week I’ve highlighted a few leopard sightings where we did just this: stayed with the animals for almost the entire game drive, witnessing behaviours both distinctive of the individual as well as a few patterns. Enjoy this Week in Pictures…

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 12

by David Dampier November 9, 2011

This week included yet more amazing leopard interactions, including kills, cubs and, as always, Camp Pan Male! Having spent a number of extra long days out in the field, I was lucky enough to witness and photograph quite a number of these. Enjoy this week’s installment!

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The Week in Pictures # 19

by Talley Smith November 4, 2011

This week, the rains really came. We had several days where there was little break in precipitation, resulting in thickening green growth, vibrant colours, a rising river and many animals refreshed by both the water and nutritious vegetation. Most evenings carried the soft lulls of thunder the whole night through, with lions roaring intermittently and the frogs competing for their calls to be heard. As David Dampier mentioned in his post this week, rain brings a challenge to photography… but we luckily had some breaks where we were able to capture a few shots. Enjoy this Week in Pictures…

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 11

by David Dampier November 2, 2011

As mentioned last week, the rains have well and truly arrived and the bush is quickly transforming itself. This can make tracking a little more difficult at times, and keeping your camera equipment dry while trying to get some good shots can also be a challenge! However there was still plenty to see in the [...]

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The Week in Pictures # 18

by Talley Smith October 28, 2011

This week the weather became significantly warmer, with the occasional unpredicted thunderstorm. Spring seems in the air more than ever, and I think the most appropriate theme for this week was the emergence of small things: birds, creepy crawlies as well as new arrivals. We had chicks, pups, cubs and calves, all of which of course made us very happy! Enjoy this week in pictures…

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John Varty – A Life With Leopards # 3

by Rich Laburn October 27, 2011

John Varty (JV) is an acclaimed wildlife filmmaker, conservationist, musician, author and one of the founders of Londolozi Game Reserve. He has dedicated his life to the conservation of Big Cats, most notably the leopard. During the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s JV’s wildlife films drew attention and awareness to the beauty, behaviour and lives of these phenomenal cats of which Londolozi is proudly home to. JV’s most recent film, Leopard Queen, is currently being screened on Nat Geo Wild and features two decades worth of footage of the famed Londolozi leopard ‘3:4‘. In this the third of a series of interviews with John Varty, he talks about how 3:4 responded to her cub being eaten by an African Rock Python…

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 10

by David Dampier October 26, 2011

Although last week was always going to be tough to beat, there was still plenty of activity amongst the leopards these past few days, including an interesting interaction between the Camp Pan Male and his son, the Maxabene 3:2 Young Male. In addition, you will also notice the colours of the photos beginning to change, [...]

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The Week in Pictures # 17

by Talley Smith October 21, 2011

Last week I promised leopards for this week, and did they ever deliver! As the weather gets more unpredictable, the days mixed with thunderstorms and summer sunshine, the bush is getting greener and the variety of creatures big and small grows. We had a few truly memorable cat sightings and a highlight for me was discovering some very small hyenas. Enjoy this Week in Pictures…

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 9

by David Dampier October 19, 2011

This week was truly a bumper week for leopard sightings, and in particular, leopard on kills. It seems perhaps that with the onset of the first summer thunderstorms, the extra cover provided by the dark, cloudy skies, strong wind and thunder, has enabled slightly easier hunting conditions. As such, there were numerous sightings of various different leopard feeding on kills including impala,duiker, nyala and bushbuck. As always, enjoy…

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John Varty – A Life With Leopards # 2

by Rich Laburn October 18, 2011

John Varty (JV) is an acclaimed wildlife filmmaker, conservationist, musician, author and one of the founders of Londolozi Game Reserve. He has dedicated his life to the conservation of Big Cats, most notably the leopard. During the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s JV’s wildlife films drew attention and awareness to the beauty, behaviour and lives of these phenomenal cats of which Londolozi is proudly home to. JV’s most recent film, Leopard Queen, is currently being screened on Nat Geo Wild and features two decades worth of footage of the famed Londolozi leopard ‘3:4‘. In this the second of a series of interviews with John Varty, he talks openly about 3:4′s life, behaviour and her phenomenal life as a Leopards of Londolozi…

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Camp Pan’s Still Got It!

by Adam Bannister October 17, 2011

It appears as if the Camp Pan Male Leopard has bounced back to his old majestic self. Over the last couple of months he had seemingly been deteriorating after his territory was rudely infiltrated by the much younger Dudley Riverbank 5:5 Male. Camp Pan is is a massive leopard and takes one’s breathe away when [...]

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A Night Time Safari Experience

by Adam Bannister October 15, 2011

A wonderful element of the Londolozi safari experience is the night drive! Once you have finished sipping on your gin and tonic having watched the sun sink below the Drakensberg Mountains it is time for us to turn on the spot light and drive around looking for the nocturnal creatures…

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The Week in Pictures # 16

by Talley Smith October 14, 2011

Last week we had rain, and this week another crucial element of life in the bushveld – fire. Several controlled burns were conducted on Londolozi, which are essential to the nutrient cycle of the soil and making room for new, green growth. Fire is an important process which would naturally be created by lightning strikes. Post-fire, the burned areas brought us sightings with interesting colours as well as behaviours – the birds hunting on the exposed ground, and the herbivores feeding on the greenflush. I have purposefully left leopards out of this Week in Pictures (except for the Maxabene Young Male’s tail, below), mainly because David Dampier’s post earlier this week in Leopards of Londolozi contained such stunning images and the latest updates. More next week on leopards, but in the meantime, enjoy this Week in Pictures…

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The Leopards of Londolozi #8

by David Dampier October 12, 2011

After a few weeks leave it was good to get back and catch up with some of Londolozi’s most famous residents. Despite a few quiet days during the middle of the week, it was another busy seven days on the leopard front. Camp Pan Male in particular was making his presence felt and was seen almost daily, patrolling all his favorite spots. Hope you enjoy the selection…

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The Week in Pictures #15

by Talley Smith October 7, 2011

Last week it became warmer, and with this week came another sign of summer… rain! Water is life, so we welcomed the storm clouds with open arms. Game viewing can be fantastic in the rain – after all, the animals are still here – and in particular, predators will sometimes use the rain to mask [...]

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John Varty – A Life With Leopards # 1

by Rich Laburn October 6, 2011

John Varty (JV) is an acclaimed wildlife filmmaker, conservationist, musician, author and one of the founders of Londolozi Game Reserve. He has dedicated his life to the conservation of Big Cats, most notably the leopard. During the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s JV’s wildlife films drew attention and awareness to the beauty, behaviour and lives of these phenomenal cats of which Londolozi is proudly home to. JV’s most recent film, Leopard Queen, is currently being screened on Nat Geo Wild and features two decades worth of footage of the famed Londolozi leopard ’3:4′. In this the first of a series of interviews with John Varty, he talks openly about his relationship with 3:4 and a life spent with the Leopards of Londolozi…

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The Week in Pictures # 14

by Talley Smith September 30, 2011

As mentioned in last week’s Week in Pictures, the usual suspects are back! This week we were treated to a wonderful variety of landscapes, and creatures big and small. I was also very lucky to have some visitors from my native Bermuda, who clearly brought some great bush energy! Particular mention must go to an interesting interaction between two leopards, as well as the birthday of a pachyderm. There was also no shortage of lions this week. Enjoy this Week in Pictures…

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What’s Become of Camp Pan?

by Rich Laburn September 27, 2011

Since the conflict with the Dudley Riverbank 5:5 Young Male, the Camp Pan 4:2 Male Leopard has been seen less and less frequently. Hanging further south into his territory than usual, this dominant male seems to be getting pushed downwards by both the Marthly Male and the Dudley Riverbank 5:5 Young Male…

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Meet the Blog Team: David

by Rich Laburn September 20, 2011

The bush is a long way from the world of finance and few men manage to bridge the gap successfully. David ‘Doyle’ Dampier is one of those men and with a knack for capturing spectacular photographs of Londolozi’s most renowned and elusive leopards, he is one of the secret weapons in the Londolozi blog team.

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A Winning Shot

by Rich Laburn September 17, 2011

“We tracked the Maxabeni 3:2 young male leopard on an early morning drive a few months ago.” says ranger Mike Miller. “He appeared quite nervous and was always on the move. We could hear another leopard calling and assumed this younger leopard was being chased. We followed him for some time until we came across two warthogs fighting. He immediately took an interest in the warthogs, however they were so occupied in their fight that he snuck right up to them, getting to within a metre or two. Upon noticing him, the warthogs simply stopped for a second, sized him up and, realising he wasn’t a major threat, continued fighting…”

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The Week in Pictures # 12

by Talley Smith September 16, 2011

Spring has sprung and the bush is changing. The evenings are becoming balmy, the Jackalberry trees are shedding their leaves making room for new growth, the Knobthorns are in full flower, and the migratory bird species are returning. This week we observed this metamorphosis along with the resulting adaptive behaviours of the animals, and had one particularly emotional and intense sighting which embraced the circle of life in a different way…

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 7

by David Dampier September 14, 2011

This week was yet another good week of leopard sightings. Included were kills, mating, cubs and many “regular” sightings of Londolozi’s most well known inhabitants. I also included some more camera settings which I will try and make a weekly addition for those who are interested. As always, enjoy…

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 6

by David Dampier September 7, 2011

In light of some of the comments from last week regarding photo settings and techniques, I have taken a slightly different approach to normal. This week have chosen photos, some recent and some older, which illustrate different situations encountered in the field and how to handle them using the setting available on most, if not all, digital SLR cameras. Most of what I have learnt has been either through fellow rangers with more experience, or through my own trial and error. I hope the information helps!

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Hunting Antelope with the Vomba Female

by Adam Bannister September 6, 2011

A herd of about 30 impala were drinking at Taylor’s Dam; it had been a hot day and they needed to quench their thirst. They had braved the crocodiles and had moved towards the watering hole. The Vomba Female Leopard maneuvered to perfection. She acted quickly and silently. From our vantage point on the vehicle we could see her plan…she used the long grass as cover and was aiming to chase the herd down the dam wall towards the water…they would be trapped. Her body lowered, belly nearly dragging on the ground. She moved like lightning. We hardly dared to breathe..!

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3 Leopards and a Hyena

by Rich Laburn September 3, 2011

A few weeks ago, my ranger, Chris Goodman and I heard over the radio of a leopard with a kill. We talked about going to see it, but the sighting was closed down because the kill was still on the ground and they were hoping it would be hoisted to a tree. We decided to try first thing in the next morning to see it. So early the following morning, we found the Camp Pan male sitting in a tree munching on a wildebeest. To our surprise, we also found his 3 year old son, the Maxabene male sitting on the ground below, hoping for scraps. Within about 15 minutes, a leg fell from the tree and the young male had something to eat…

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The Week in Pictures # 10

by Talley Smith September 2, 2011

As winter comes to an end, the days are getting longer and warmer, meaning more time in the bush for photographs! This week we had fantastic sightings of some familiar faces like the Tsalala Pride and the Maxabene 3:2 Young Male, as well as being able to share quality moments with less familiar individuals. In particular it was a privilege to be able to spend more time with the Maxabene Female and the Nyeleti 4:3 Young Male…

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The Leopards of Londolozi #5

by David Dampier August 31, 2011

Although sightings of any of the big, territorial males were scarce, the females and sub-adults certainly were not. Many of the regulars were seen, and there was a truly exceptional sighting of all three of the Nyalethi youngsters together, reminding us once again how fortunate we are as guides to be working on such an [...]

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Is the Nottens Female too old to mate?

by Adam Bannister August 29, 2011

Rangers and trackers search game paths hoping to see the tell-tale track of Nottens; finding her is like hitting the jackpot.The question is…at her old age will we see her have one last litter before her days are up..?

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The Campbell Koppies Young Female and Cub

by Rich Laburn August 25, 2011

The infrequently seen Campbell Koppies female was sighted on northern Londolozi two days ago. Having just killed an impala ewe, she proceeded to hoist and feed before making a contact call. Within minutes, much to our delight, her cub appeared to join in the feeding. It turned into, however, a comedy of errors which only served to display the young cub’s inexperience in dealing with hoisted carcasses. Here is the story below…

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The Leopards of Londolozi #4

by David Dampier August 24, 2011

For a day there was not a leopard to be seen. In spite of the hard hours tracking and eyes desperately searching the winter bush, these beautiful creatures remained elusive. And then, seemingly all at once, the flood gates opened and individuals appeared sauntering down a dirt track, appearing from behind a bush and even mating with each other. After a day of silence they were back, as magnificent as ever. This week we saw, amongst others, the Vomba 3:2 Female, The Maxabene 3:2 Young Male, the Short Tail 5:4 Male and the infrequently seen Maxabene 3:3 Male (b.2006). Enjoy…

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Marthly Male Kills Baboon

by Talley Smith August 21, 2011

Last week, the Marthly 3:2 Male Leopard crossed south over the Sand River, out of his usual domain in the north, walked straight through camp, and killed an unlucky female baboon. It seem as though the Marthly Male, or Tyson as he is affectionately known, had taken it upon himself to regulate the baboon population, leaving his territory with purpose and ignoring the abundance of easier prey in camp such as bushbuck and nyala. After all, baboons are no friends of leopards: they often spot them with their unbelievable eyesight and give away their presence to potential prey with deep alarm barks…

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 3

by David Dampier August 17, 2011

Leopard viewing in the last few weeks seems to have justified many peoples view that August is prime bush time. At least fifteen different individuals allowed us to spend some time with them over tha past two weeks. These are just some of the shots enjoyed during this time. We hope you enjoy this next installment…

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The Plaque Rock

by Talley Smith August 7, 2011

The “Howard Mackie” plaque, seen in this picture, is in memory of Howard and the great contribution he made to the start up of Londolozi and also as a Founder Pioneer in creation of “Helicapture” – the original and first ever game capture company in South Africa. Howard became a leading expert in the capture and after care of wild animals. This poignant photograph demonstrates the timelessness and enduring renewable cycle of nature as yet another generation of the Leopards of Londolozi visit at “plaque rock” in the heart of Londolozi…

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 2

by David Dampier July 27, 2011

The Leopards of Londolozi continue to allow us into their intricate and elusive lives as displayed by this weeks selection of images. Camp Pan is still holding onto his territory and is demonstrating just how much of a fight he is prepared to put up in order to keep it – there is definitely a lot left in the tank of this leopard. The Nyaleti Young Female was also sighted a few times and provided for some spectacular photographic opportunities just prior to her hunt of an impala. And, of course, what would today’s Leopard blog be without a mention of the spectacular sighting of last week’s mating epic between the Dudley 5:5 Male, the Mxabene Female and the Tamboti Female. Enjoy…

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The Emsagwen 6:4 Male Leopard

by Rich Laburn July 25, 2011

There is a battle brewing in the northern parts of Londolozi. The Emsagwen 6:4 Male Leopard is starting to extend his boundaries westwards into Marthly reaching out into the heart of the Marthly Male. We watch with interest as to whether anything will develop between these two brutes of the leopard world…

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A Leopard Threesome

by Adam Bannister July 20, 2011

To see leopards mating in the wild is a very special event which only a handful of people ever get to see! To watch 3 leopards involved in this marathon act is something I had never even contemplated…

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The Leopards of Londolozi # 1

by David Dampier July 13, 2011

This week marks the start of a new weekly blog post about the Leopards of Londolozi. We will be showcasing the leopards who have been taking center stage for the past week, with photo’s of their exploits and some information regarding who has been doing what. Hope you enjoy catching up on these magnificent cats that we are so fortunate to share time with!

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