It is not often one gets to spend time with the same animals on three consecutive drives. The nature of the business means that you are invariably looking for leopards on one drive, lions the next and elephants after that, or some variation on the theme.  Recently though, I was fortunate enough to be with the Sparta lionesses and their new cubs for three drives in a row.

The Sparta Lioness with her cubs

Drive One was the first time I had seen the cubs, and we were treated to the sight of the mother fetching them from the nearby Tamboti thicket in which she had been stashing them, and bringing them to out to the other lionesses who were lazing about in the sun. We spent a very special hour watching the little ones play and suckle alternately while the older lionesses kept a protective eye on them.

Lions cubs stalking and playing with each other

That afternoon, after I had dropped off my guests at the airstrip, I jumped on drive with another ranger and we set out for the clearing on which the pride had been left.  A fruitless 90 minute search of the area yielded no results, and we were giving up hope in the fading light when a last scan of the thicket line revealed three very curious little faces peering out at us. The cubs had been left in hiding by the pride, and as it is our policy not to view young cubs without the protection of their mother, we were preparing to move out after a brief view, when we heard the telltale sounds of growling lions on a kill from about 200m to our south. Racing to the scene, we were greeted by the sight of the four adult lionesses snarling at each other while devouring a recently killed impala ram. The blood-red setting sun only served to add drama to an already dramatic scene.

Feeding Time!

A Majingilane Male looking at the wildebeest

After an amazing day’s lion viewing, we nevertheless decided to return to the area the next morning to try for a better and longer view of the cubs than we had had in the evening. We were not disappointed, as we soon located the pride with the cubs in tow.  Only a few minutes after we had found them, the nearby roars of the Majingilane coalition caused slight concern amongst the lionesses, and they moved the little ones closer to the thicket. They stayed out in the open however, and so began one of the most magical hours I have ever spent in the bush, as the three tiny cubs gamboled about, annoying their mother and aunties with their antics, but providing the most delightful entertainment for those of us privileged enough to be present.

What struck me most about these three very different drives was the transition of the mother lioness from loving, protective motherhood when with her cubs to snarling savagery at the kill. Same animal, two different faces.

Sparta Cubs Playing

Written, Filmed and Photographed by: James Tyrrell

It is always a pleasure and a privilege to watch the Camp Pan Male Leopard hunt. More often than not he is an extremely successful apex predator and both his enormous size and considerable experience have given him the edge in maintaining his condition, strength, patrolling intensity and hence his territory. He still remains as one of Londolozi’s most dominant male leopards and in the below sighting he demonstrates just why this is so. Discovering him on an afternoon drive, he crouches in the grass as a nearby herd of impala draw closer…

Dappled rosettes in the long dry grass of the Autumn veld.

Waiting until the last moment, he leaps at the impala with a burst of intensity.

Outstretched arms and claws reach for the impalas rump split seconds before he brings it down in a cloud of dust and dirt.

Funnily enough, shortly after the filming concluded, this ‘might’ leopard suffered the misfortune of dropping his hard earned efforts out of the tree and was forced to repeat the strenuous process of rehoisting the carcass.

Filmed by: James Crookes
Photographed by: Adam Bannister 

In the 1960′s the chimpanzee expert, Jane Goodall, arrived in the Ngorongoro Crater expecting to dislike Spotted Hyenas. However, it did not take long for them to win her over. “Hyenas are second only to chimpanzees in fascination,” she wrote; “they are born clowns, highly
individualistic.”

It was not just her who had a fascination with these creatures. In fact, they continue to capture the imagination of many. Most people have a fairly warped idea of hyenas; largely due to the fact that a huge percentage of those interested in African wildlife have seen the Lion King. The Lion King did for hyenas, what the movie Jaws did for the Great White Shark. But, spend some time with these creatures and you will find out that there is just so much more then meets the eye…

The protective mother standing guard at the entrance to the den

Recently I stumbled upon an article by Steve Kemper in the Smithsonian Magazine. It included the most fascinating research. Below is a snippet of one of the more fascinating aspects of hyena life.

Cubs enter life with their eyes open and some of their teeth erupted, and within minutes siblings are fighting one another to establish dominance. The mother has only two nipples; in a litter of three, the least aggressive cub will usually starve. Cubs inherit their mother’s rank, and the higher it is, the more likely her cubs will reach adulthood and reproduce: status ensures powerful allies, extra protection and a bigger share of the food. The effects of a mother’s status can be stark. You have to believe me when I say that you can sit two 6-month-old cubs side by side and the one could be twice as big as the other, purely because of having a mother ranked No. 1 and the other ranked No.19.

The two cubs just can't get enough of climbing all over mom

A recent study by Holekamp and her colleagues suggests that status begins in the womb. They discovered that in the final weeks of pregnancy, high-ranking females produce a flood of testosterone and related hormones. These chemicals saturate the developing cubs—both males and females and make them more aggressive. They’re born with a drive to dominate. By contrast, a pregnant subordinate female produces a smaller spike of hormones, and her descendants become subservient. Holekamp says this is the first evidence in mammals that traits related to social status can be “inherited” through a mother’s hormones rather than genetics.

As they get older so their confidence grows and they move further and further away from the safety of the den

At Londolozi we have a very healthy population of Spotted Hyena and every once in a while we get to view them at a very young age. They are the most adorable things to watch as they play around the den-site. What I love, however, is the fact that there is so much complexity within this species. There is so much going on. They are for example, a species in which the female is completely dominant and both larger and more aggressive than the males. In 2008 a new theory was developed by Holekamp to try explain this. To end off, I thought I would include a passage of hers which she used to explain the evolution of hyenas’ female-dominated social structure and odd reproductive apparatus…

“I think the bone-crushing adaptation is the key to it all.” She explains: Spotted Hyenas’ ancestors evolved massive skulls, jaws and teeth so they could pulverize and digest bones. This gave them a tremendous advantage over other predators, but with a cost: the skull and jaws that make bone-crushing possible take several years to mature. Holekamp has found that young hyenas can barely crunch dog biscuits. Hyena mothers care for their cubs for three or four years, much longer than most other predators do. Alone, cubs would be unable to compete for food at kills. “That put pressure on females to give their kids more time at the carcass,” says Holekamp. Females had to become bigger and meaner, Holekamp hypothesizes, which they achieved partly by boosting their “masculinized” hormones.

If Holekamp is right, female dominance and matriarchy among Spotted Hyenas stem from evolutionary adaptations made for the sake of feeding the kids.

Putting the cubs back into the den

Written, filmed and photographed by Adam Bannister
Inspired by the work of Steve Kemper and Kay Holekamp of the Smithsonian Institute

Africa…The very name of the continent is romantic. One of the last wild places where the great herds of elephant still roam, where the night is sequined with a million stars and where lions may be found gliding across a clearing in the dawn light.

At Londolozi we have come to understand that safaris are not just enjoyable holidays but punctuation marks in the journey of life. We know Africa as a place where sunsets are intrinsically romantic and the awe of the wild makes for a thrilling feeling in the very marrow of our bones. It is against this backdrop of impossible wonderment that we launch

“The Londolozi Honeymoon Experience”

Pristine Serve and Meditative Luxury set in 6 Million Acres of Wilderness.

By combining pristine service and meditative luxury with an authentic wilderness adventure, Londolozi has set out to ensure that the honeymoon experience becomes the standout defining moment that will live in the hearts of newlyweds for the rest of time.

The 'one of a kind' short wheelbase Land Rover.

Pride of place is given to the game viewing vehicle, a one of a kind sturdy short wheelbase Land Rover, bedecked with a sumptuous safari couch for two. The newlyweds’ chariot awaits, along with a dedicated ranger, ensuring not only supreme flexibility in game drive arrangements – midnight or midday are equally possible – but also opportunity for extraordinary discoveries.The small vehicle can explore the hidden dells and secret places of Londolozi with great agility.

Elegant and Understated - The Private Granite Suites at Londolozi.

Private Granite Suites, play host to the couple – each suite is situated along the Sand River and includes an elegant sitting room and bedroom, glass encased en-suite bathroom, outdoor shower, heated swimming pool and, quite extraordinarily, a private outdoor river-view bath. The bath, spacious enough for two and positioned so that you feel the warm sun on your shoulders or see the moon river reflected at your feet, is in itself the ultimate honeymoon accessory.

Watch elephants whilst enjoying the private outdoor river-view bath.

In this intimate setting the newlyweds are invited to be co-creators of their safari experience, venturing beyond the classic interpretive game drive to explore bush yoga, meditative walks, animal tracking, champagne sunsets and full moon bush dinners, as well as the opportunity for wilderness couples massages on an elevated look out deck deep in the heart of the reserve.

With your private vehicle, just for two, you can be the co-creators of your own unique Honeymoon Safari experience.

The Londolozi Honeymoon Experience is Fully Inclusive of:

· A Private Granite Suite
· The Honeymoon Safari Land Rover with private guide and tracker
· Personalised itinerary for each day
· Private dinners
· Romantic turn downs
· A couples wilderness massage overlooking the Sand River
· Limitless Champagne
· Wilderness picnics

We recommend a minimum 3 night stay

To Enquire about the Londolozi Honeymoon Experience – CLICK HERE

Sometimes the Leopards aren't the main attraction on Honeymoon!

Many of you will remember, and hopefully participated in, the Star in Your Own Safari competition that we ran in partnership with Safari Interactive Magazine a few months back. The winner was Christine Lamberth and here is the video of her starring in her own Specialist Photographic Safari at Londolozi. Christine was kind enough to share a few of her best images with us, which you can see below. Enjoy…

Camp Pan Male Leopard

Big Elephant Bull

Mashaba Female Leopard

Wild Dogs in the Rain

Majingilane Male Lion Chasing Vultures

Vultures in Black and White

Tamboti Female Leopard on Termite Mound

White Rhino

Majingilane Male Running

Majingilane Males on Patrol

Well done Christine, you were a very deserving winner and your images taken at Londolozi show just that. You can view the full story of her prize in the latest edition of Safari Interactive Magazine.

Photographs by: Christine Lamberth
Video Filmed and Produced by: Rich Laburn 

This week brought a new twist on the recent leopard drama. The rutting season of the impala also made sure there was plenty of full-bellied lions and leopards, as the testosterone-fueled rams spent more time chasing one another than detecting predators nearby. The vegetation is getting drier and the air clearer, making for excellent photographic conditions, as well as exposing some of our ‘smaller’ friends who have been hidden by the summer thickets. Enjoy this Week in Pictures…

The Tamboti Female relaxes by a mud wallow. This leopard is extremely confident and we found her on this morning because there was a group of kudu nearby alarming loudly at her. She did not seem to care at all and sat all morning out in the open.

She vocalized regularly, making her presence known. From the other sightings called in over the radio, we knew there were other leopards in the vicinity, although none of them answered her territorial rasping.

A very relaxed and curious Lilac-breasted roller perches next to us.

Even though this is not the best photo, this was my highlight of the week. The Sparta lioness was lying with the other three pride members when we found her one afternoon, but soon after, walked to a thicket nearby and softly called her three tiny cubs out. It was the first time Freddy and I had seen them, and I'm not sure who enjoyed the 'moment of discovery' more - us or the cubs!

Once the cubs had played around a bit, rejoicing at the reunion with their mother, they began to nurse. However, the lioness expressed her discomfort at their tiny new teeth in no uncertain terms!

A steenbok - the smallest antelope in our area - looks up from his browsing. Now that the grass cover is getting less thick, we are sitting more of these beautiful antelope, as well as the slightly larger duiker.

Even a leopard needs a pillow every once in a while! The Maxabene 3:2 Young Male rests his head while he sleeps with a full belly. He had managed to kill an impala ram which he hoisted in a nearby tree, and fed upon for about three days. Luckily his father, the Camp Pan Male, did not show up to steal it!

The Maxabene 3:2 Young Male yawns, truly showing off his impressive teeth, as well as the small barbs on his tongue. This youngster is still coming-of-age, and we did not expect what would happen later in the week...

A Martial eagle waits for the morning to warm before catching a thermal into the sky.

The Mashaba Female walks into the sunset, raising her tail as a polite request to silence the alarming cisticolas nearby.

The Mashaba Female never seems to disappoint anyone looking for a beautiful photographic opportunity of a leopard!

The following morning, we found the Mashaba Female hunting impala. This time of year, the impala rams are 'rutting', meaning it is their breeding season and they do little else other than fight for dominance amongst males, fight for females, and chase the females to help bring them into estrus. This leaves little room for watching for predators, and the predation rate of impala rams is extremely high at this time of year!

She made a run for it, sprinting after the fighting impala. Unfortunately for the hungry leopard, they did see her at the last moment, and got away.

Even the oxpecker seems to be hiding away from the swarm of flies around this old buffalo bull's head.

A Side-striped jackal peers towards the Tsalala Pride, who were munching on the remains of an impala ram. Side-striped jackal are omnivores, but always keen to investigate whatever the apex predators leave behind.

A sign of the beginning of winter - the Euphorbia tree flowers. This cactus-looking plant grows into a giant candelabra shape, but mustn't be mistaken for a cactus in a survival situation - it is extremely toxic. The yellow flowers bloom in winter and are pollinated by flies, attracted by their putrid smell.

The Camp Pan Male climbs a marula tree to get to the remains of his impala kill. After his mating spree with the Tamboti Female last week, he secured himself a kill right away, although half of it was stolen by hyenas before he could hoist the rest.

Even though he was very full, Camp Pan finishes the last bit of the impala carcass.

A Little bee-eater shows off his brilliant colours in the afternoon light.

Hyena cubs! When we 're-discovered' the hyena den site last week, what we didn't realize until now was that it is also housing two tiny new youngsters! The curious duo came out of the den upon their mother's call, and playfully investigated a nearby twig.

The sun rises over Sparta.

With our separate sightings of the Tamboti Female and the Maxabene 3:2 Male earlier this week, we thought perhaps the drama was over. But then, one morning the two were discovered together again. Except this time, he meant business! Unfortunately for her, not mating business. He very aggressively chased her away and fought with her. Still, she kept nearby, but at a safe distance (look behind the bush on the left in the photo).

This was a whole different Maxabene 3:2 Young Male. He was salivating, growling, rasping, and scent-marking - territorial behaviour we haven't seen from him yet. We then discovered there was another young male around, this time an unknown male. The unknown male had an impala kill but the Maxabene Young Male chased him off of it! The two young males have now been facing off for two days, coming to blows occasionally as each leopard holds his own ground, but it seems as though the Maxabene 3:2 Young Male will turn out the victor. We think this is the turning point in this youngster's life and that he will start to establish a territory from here on out.

Not too long ago I defined the word HOPE using a remarkable sighting of a baby rhino. Well this morning, we at Londolozi, clearly define the word JOY!

Another beautiful start. Game drives at dawn are inspirational...

The morning was thick with mist and pregnant with expectation. The rangers and trackers were out at first light. The winter morning chill is an ideal way to start the day. Suddenly out of the mist came a dark manned male lion, then another. Lying in the grass, not too far away, was not one, not two, but four lionesses. The four Sparta females had all grouped together with two males from the Majingilane Coalition. Magic in it’s own right; but there was more movement stirring underneath the one lioness…the new 3 cubs were happily suckling.

Majingilane Male walks through the mist

This is when JOY exploded from the grass. Out of the misty undergrowth came more life. The two ‘lost’ 7-8 month old Sparta cubs were ALIVE. There they were in amongst the rest of their pride. Only yesterday I had written a piece trying to way up their fate now that they were motherless. In my heart, I will admit, I had written them off. Two lives written off as an unlucky statistic and jotted down on an ever sprawling family tree. Nine days of wandering alone is a long time out here in the bushveld!

JOY: In the foreground you can see the newest additions nursing whilst the two 7-8 month old youngsters longingly look on. Behind can be seen the Majingilane Male with the scar on his nose

The two had survived and had reunited! It was the most simple, yet poignant, definition of JOY that one could ever muster up. The smiles on the rangers and trackers faces were priceless.

Brushing up to her dad. The relief of having such a big male to protect her and help during this traumatic period.

So they are all together; the youngsters are looking fat and full. They have lost some condition on their backs but nothing too serious. If these two young sisters can now just follow the pride then they may well have a chance. As the pride moved off so they ran behind, desperate not to loose their surrogate mothers.

Time will tell how these two survivors will move forward. Yet again, the Lions of Londolozi throw out another fantastic tale. Walt Disney himself would be smiling.

One of the two sisters who have been 'alone' for the past week and a half.

If these two females do survive I can not wait to see the 'team' and understanding that they will develop later on in life. An incident like this can only cement the unity between them.

Written and photographed by Adam Bannister

The body of a single Sparta lioness was found a few days ago. It can now be confirmed that she is indeed the mother of the two 7-8 month old cubs. This was tragic news for the much loved pride. The question on everyone’s minds was, or rather still is, what will happen to the two cubs that she left behind?

The day after we discovered her body, the two cubs were found alive and well. They met up with the remaining four Sparta females later on that morning. When I heard the news called in on the radio I breathed a sigh of relief! At least they would now have a chance at survival… or would they?

The sisters provided us with hours of entertainment as they played around, developing skills much required for later on in life - Adam Bannister

Nearly every day since this event we have managed to find the four Sparta females, often in the company of the new three cubs, but not a single track to suggest the other two ‘older’ cubs are alive.

Now, those of you who are passionate followers of the blog, the Londolozi wildlife and in particular the lion dynamics, will remember the incredible story of the 5 month old lion cub that survived 5 weeks alone! It is this incident which still provides me with some hope that these two little females may still be alive.

Time will tell whether this is the case, I fear though that with marauding hyenas and leopards around, these two are negotiating through troubled waters. The one positive is that they are in the heart of Majingilane territory so should not encounter another male lion.

Will these two be able to stick together and stay alive without the guidance, support and protection of their mother? - Adam Bannister

But surely then this argument would have resulted in the adults moving away from the cubs and not visa versa, as was the case? Surely they would have looked at these two 7-8 month olds as useful additions to the pride structure and future hunting team-mates? Maybe, they were just too young! Maybe the chances of survival, at this time, were too slim.

These are questions we do not know the answers to. We don’t even know for sure what the outcome for this chapter will be. Perhaps they will throw yet another curve ball and show up unscathed from their ordeal. At least this time their are two of them! I do, however, find it fascinating to watch yet another wondrous example of the lives of lions.

I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions as to why these two cubs walked away from the pride on that day. Add to the comments and lets get some educated discussion going on the possible dynamic that is unfolding out here.

Written and photographed by Adam Bannister

• A Lion has four distinct toes – ordinarily no claws show in the track unless the animal walks in deep mud, running or when scraping the ground when scent marking with the hind feet. Claws aid in grip when the lion accelerates.
• There is one large main pad with three clear lobes at the back, posterior edge which is common to all the cats.
• The two rounded toes (one being the due claw) that are situated higher up the leg but do not show in the track.
• Tracks are usually 90-145mm in length, depending on the size and sex of the animal
• Male’s tracks are slightly longer (up to 145mm for a front foot at Londolozi) and are broader than that of the female. The female’s average track length for a front foot measure 130mm at Londolozi.  Take a look at this track below

Male Lion Track

• The front track is larger when compared with the hind track, which is often narrower than the front. The front foot of most animals is larger due to the weight of it head and chest that the front foot must bear. The lion uses its forefeet to grab hold of its prey, and in fighting.
• The toes of the front foot track are also slightly more splayed. The front track can be somewhat obscured due to the ergonomic movement of the foot striking the ground, particularly in males. Males often ‘flick’ their front feet, which shows up in the track, as it does not land cleanly on the ground, making it obscure. A lion swagger!
• In a slow (normal) stride, the hind foot will strike the ground approximately 8cm in front of the front foot. In very slow movement, like when the lion is stalking, the back foot will land on top of the front (register).
• Lions move in prides mostly and often take the easiest route, for example, on well-worn game paths, through riverbeds or short grass clearings. They make no particular effort to hide themselves, unlike leopards, which will avoid any type of detection, even by baboons and monkeys.

I’m very interested to answer any questions you may have on tracking lions, as well as to hear your own stories and experiences whilst out tracking in the bush.  Please feel free to leave them in the comments section below…

The Big 5 represent the 5 game species that were most desired as hunter’s trophies in times gone past. They now represent the 5 species that visitors to classic African wilderness areas most want to see. The Kruger National Park set about establishing the ‘Big 6 Birds’ in an attempt at mirroring what the traditional big 5 mammals do for public eagerness to spot species.

Aimed at the layman birder, all 6 birds are large, easy to identify and instantly recognizable. These species are also limited substantially in their distribution and have had their ranges negatively impacted upon by human encroachment; habitat degradation and other pertinent conservation issues.

It is hoped that by making the public aware of these 6 bird species that they can be recognized and so some kind of pressure will be put on the conservation bodies to conserve the areas that house these species.

The Big 6 birds are:
Kori Bustard
Martial Eagle
Lappetfaced Vulture
Pel’s Fishing Owl
Saddle-billed Stork
Southern Ground Hornbill

5 out of these 6 can be seen at Londolozi.

Just yesterday on drive, I discovered that a pair of Saddle-billed Storks appear to be nesting at Londolozi. It is estimated that there are only between 25 and 30 breeding pairs of Saddle-billed Storks in the greater Kruger area. These numbers make them far rarer and more threatened than animals such as cheetah and wild dog, not to mention the big 5.

The males have a dark eye with two small yellow wattles (hidden in this photo) at the base of the bill, while females have a yellow eye. These birds can also be individually recognised by the details of the front edge of the black band across the red bill.

Saddle-billed Storks are classified as Endangered in South Africa and the Endangered Wildlife Trust does a lot of work to try ensure their survival. The question as to why they are struggling is still not completely known, although here area a couple of thoughts.

The demographic profile of the bird is poor. It is a big bird that occurs in isolated, widely spread pairs. It also breeds very slowly and irregularly. Secondly, it has quite specific resource requirements; needing large trees for nesting and fresh water as a source of descent sized fish. Thirdly, it is thought to be very sensitive to human disturbance and will not nest if under any stress. Another issue is that the stork’s dependence on wetlands, and in particular large rivers, means that it is exposed to the effects wrought by dams, soil erosion and silting, and to the chemical pollution of these systems.

Male (right) and female at the edge of a seasonal pan

So all in all this bird is exceptionally rare in the area and any sighting is a real treat. If, on your safari, you get lucky enough to see a Saddle-billed Stork (or any of the Big 6 Birds for that matter), take a moment to reflect that even though they may not be as glamerous as the lion, leopard, elephant, rhino or buffalo, they are in fact under the hammer and in dire need of our time and effort!

A map of the Kruger National Park showing the positions of members of the 'Big 6 Birds' after a census. You can see how scare the Saddle-billed Stork is (green triangle);- photo courtesy of the South African National Parks website

Southern Ground Hornbill investigating nesting sites - Rich Laburn

The Maxabene 3:2 and 3:3 young males were born to the Maxabene 2:2 female in October 2008. This means that in April they turned 3 ½ years old. Whilst both were quite late in reaching independence, both are now independent of their mother and one would expect that they would be in the process of establishing territories of their own to enable them to carry forward their genes.

The Maxabene 3:2 young male lying in the Maxabene Riverbed, glances up at an impala kill he hoisted into a tree. This is in the centre of his father, the Camp Pan male's, territory.

This week I witnessed something that I have never seen or heard of before, and this prompted me to think about the differing approaches of the two Maxabene young males. We found the Tamboti female and the Maxabene 3:2 young male together just south of the Londolozi airstrip. This in itself was not all that unusual, as we have seen these two cross paths before, as the Maxabene young male spends a fair amount of time in the Tamboti female’s territory. What was extremely unusual, however, was that the Tamboti female was clearly in oestrus and was trying to get the Maxabene young male to mate with her and he wasn’t at all interested. He was, in fact, acting extremely aggressively towards her and she had a couple of wounds on her back leg to show for her efforts.

The Tamboti female poses in the afternoon light, contemplating how to get the Maxabene 3:2 young male to mate with her. Surely she is one of Londolozi's most beautiful leopards.

The Tamboti female lies watching the Maxabene 3:2 young male's every move.

She would approach him, performing lordosis, being a series of seductive moves including swaying to and fro before lying in front of him, inviting him to mount her. Each time she approached him, growling softly as is the norm, he would respond with an aggressive snarl. If she continued, he would lash out at her with claws extended.

The Tamboti female performing lordosis, swaying in front of the Maxabene 3:2 young male, trying to seduce him into mating with her. His snarl is a clear indicator of how he feels about this proposition.

How would you go about interpreting this behaviour? The Maxabene young male has never mated before as far as we know. I think that it is likely that a first mating, and even subsequent matings for that matter, must be quite a confusing time for leopards. These are solitary animals and are therefore not used to such close interactions with other leopards. I’m sure, however, that mating is instinctive and that whilst it may be slightly confusing to the animal at first, hormones and instinct will take over and the leopard wouldn’t refuse the advances of an oestrus female.

A couple of people have suggested that the Maxabene 3:2 young male is too young to mate and doesn’t know what to do, hence the resistance. I don’t believe this to be true at all. As stated above, mating should be purely instinctive and although he is still fairly young, he is sexually mature. I have heard of young male lions, in the absence of dominant males, mounting females that are in oestrus and trying to mate with them. I don’t see why it should be any different for leopards.

The Maxabene 3:2 young male snarls at the Tamboti female as she gets a bit too close for his liking.

The Tamboti female tries to approach the Maxabene 3:2 young male from a different angle, but he keeps his eye on her and shows his discontent.

The Maxabene young male, having had enough of the Tamboti female's approaches, lashes out at her, causing her to take serious evasive action.

I think that there is only one reason that the Maxabene 3:2 young male is resisting the Tamboti female and that is the fact that he is still in the Camp Pan male’s territory. This whole incident took place in the middle of the Camp Pan male’s territory and, funnily enough, at the time he was feeding on an impala less than a kilometre away. The very next day, the Camp Pan male had tracked the Tamboti female down and was mating with her while the Maxabene 3:2 young male lay just a couple of metres away, seemingly unfazed.

I have never seen the Maxabene young male call or scent mark, both means by which leopards advertise their territory. He is clearly being completely submissive towards the Camp Pan male. If he were to now mate with a female in Camp Pan’s territory, it would be a clear claim of the area as his own, something that he has avoided doing up until now. The two main reasons a male leopard establishes and defends a territory are to gain access to females and food. Mating with a female in another male’s territory would therefore surely be the ultimate challenge.

One of the most photogenic leopards around, the Tamboti female poses, tail raised.

So why is the Camp Pan male still tolerating the presence of the Maxabene 3:2 young male in his territory?

I think that it has little to do with their father and son link and rather it is because, at the moment, the Maxabene 3:2 young male poses little competition to the Camp Pan male. He isn’t advertising territory in the area (calling and scent marking) and he isn’t mating with oestrus females in the area. The only area where I think that the Maxabene young male is directly competing with Camp Pan is for food. Both leopards are hunting in the same area and access to food is one of the reasons for defending territory. Remember, however, that Camp Pan often scavenges carcasses from other leopards and I have no doubt that the Maxabene young male would again be completely submissive if the Camp Pan male were to challenge him over a kill.

The Tamboti female lying in long grass close to the Maxabene 3:2 young male. I love how this image shows the effectiveness of the leopard's camouflage.

What then is the strategy of the Maxabene 3:2 young male and how does he intend to eventually establish a territory?

I think that the Maxabene 3:2 young male knows that the Camp Pan male has the prime territory on Londolozi as he has areas with good cover for hunting as well as high numbers of prey species. He also has access to many females. I’m sure that he also realises that the Camp Pan male is essentially past his prime and it shouldn’t be too long before he starts losing condition. Perhaps he has decided to lie low and try to avoid the Camp Pan male for the time being and sacrifice mating opportunities now for the potential of a highly sought after territory in the future. Whilst the Maxabene 3:2 young male is by no means a small leopard at the moment, he will still be filling out and at the same time the Camp Pan male will slowly be losing muscle mass. Over time, things will likely move into the Maxabene young male’s favour and I think he will eventually challenge the Camp Pan male for his territory. The uncertainty, however, lies in how long this will take.

The Tamboti female looks into the distance at a herd of wildebeest. The Maxabene 3:2 young male was trying to stalk the wildebeest, but the advances of the Tamboti female broke his cover. Notice how his ears are flattened, one of the first signs aggression.

Surely the Camp Pan male can see this coming? Perhaps, but as there is no present challenge, he is unlikely to confront the Maxabene young male. Being solitary animals, leopards will usually avoid conflict at all costs. If they get injured and are unable to hunt, it will likely have fatal consequences. The Camp Pan male is in a catch 22.

The Tamboti female walks towards the Maxabene 3:2 young male in the warm afternoon light.

I find it fascinating to contrast the strategies of the Maxabene 3:2 and the Maxabene 3:3 young male. The other option for the 3:2 young male would have been to move out of the area and look for an unoccupied territory or one that belongs to a lesser leopard. This is exactly what his brother, the 3:3 young male with the brown nose, seems to have done. The 3:3 young male is regularly seen in the south western part of Londolozi. This area is just to the west of the Tugwaan male’s territory and seems to be unoccupied. The catch is that it is an area covered with long grass and very few trees. Whilst this provides good cover for hunting, there are not many smaller antelope species in this area, species that are generally favoured by leopard. With fewer trees, there is also increased likelihood of having a kill robbed by hyena or lion. These factors, in turn, mean that there are also few female leopards with territories in the area. So, while the 3:3 young male seems to now have a territory, it seems a much less desirable territory than the one the 3:2 young male is waiting for.

The Maxabene 3:3 young male, the brown nosed male who is the brother of the Maxabene 3:2 young male. This picture was taken in the south west of Londolozi. Notice the typical long grass habitat of this area.

So which is the most successful strategy? To claim a lesser territory at just over 3 years of age and hold it for longer, with the potential for expanding it later on, or to bide your time, sacrifice mating opportunities and hopefully take over arguably the most prime territory on Londolozi? Only time will tell.

What are your views on this behaviour? I am interested to hear everyone’s thoughts on this, I think it will be a great discussion.

Written and photographed by James Crookes

If you have been following the blog recently, you will know by now that this week brought very sad answers to our questions about the Sparta Pride. Despite trying to be passive observers of the wilderness, it is always an emotional event for us to learn of the demise of a creature who for years we have watched on an almost daily basis. Now we will see how the rest of the pride adjusts and survives minus the strong mother of the two cubs. On the brighter side, this week also brought several interesting sightings of our favourite leopards, as well as some of the smaller things. Enjoy the Week in Pictures…

On a misty morning, the sun rises over an implausibility of wildebeest.

The Maxabene 3:2 Young Male sits atop a termite mound. When we came across him on this warm afternoon, he was lying very full in the shade. But as though he was enjoying the limelight, he got up and posed for us briefly before falling to sleep again for the rest of the evening.

The very relaxed rhino calf so prominently featured in weeks past seemed to have disappeared for a while. But this week we found him again! Here he nurses on his mother before coming to investigate the nearby vehicles.

Not a particularly common bird for the area, a White-breasted cormorant sits at Camp Dam.

The Majingalane Males came back this week. We found this individual with one of the Sparta lionesses one morning. The lioness appeared to be hungry and hunting. Presumably trying to take advantage of the opportunity, the male tried to follow her, but lost focus when he stopped at this puddle for a drink.

Realizing he'd been left behind, the male sprints towards the airstrip, chasing the Sparta lioness after getting her scent.

He finally caught sight of her on the airstrip, walking towards some impala.

When a zebra popped out of the nearby bushes unaware of the lioness, she seized the opportunity and crouched, hoping the zebra would come closer despite not blending in very well at all with the tarmac!

Surprisingly, it wasn't the lack of camouflage that gave the lioness away. The zebra had actually turned towards the lioness and was heading straight for her, but the male had snuck up in the meantime, apparently trying to mate with the female. Her response to the disruption of her hunt was quite clear!

Can you spot what Freddy did in this picture? The answer is a few photos down...

A winter's sunrise is stunning enough, but when framed by the Mashaba Female on a fallen tree, breathtaking!

After the sun had popped over the horizon, it cast a beautiful light on the already-picturesque scene.

The mysterious creature lurking in the bushwillow tree pictured above: a chameleon! You can see the outline of top of the head and abdomen if you look directly in the center of the frame. Upon closer investigation, it had dew droplets from the misty morning condensed on its skin.

The smallest carnivore in Africa: the Dwarf mongoose. Winter often brings lovely sightings of these tiny animals, as the vegetation is less thick, and, being particularly sensitive to cold weather, they are often out trying to catch the morning rays.

These two started to groom one another, a behaviour called 'allo-grooming' that is important to the mongooses not only for hygiene but for helping to strengthen the bonds between the group.

The Dudley Riverbank 3:3 Young Male takes a break from his morning of scent-marking to get back to his inner cub, rolling around playfully.

A Buffalo bull, part of the 'large herd' of buffalo seen on the open, southern areas of Londolozi.

It is always a treat to see these large herds of buffalo come to drink.

It's not just the buffalo who get to drink when the large herds come to the water. The Red-billed oxpeckers also take the opportunity to quench their thirst, and even bathe themselves.

A group of oxpeckers alarms from atop a cow's back.

These colourful, boisterous birds are one of the highlights of watching the buffalo herds.

The Tamboti Female drags a freshly-killed impala across the clearing towards some thicker bushes. Not only does the cover help hide the carcass from other predators like lions and hyenas, as the day warms, carrion wil spoil much more quickly in the direct sunlight, and attract other unwanted visitors such as vultures. You can see how much bigger the kill is than the leopard, and imagine the incredible strength it takes for her to make the kill and manoeuvre the carcass.

A Baboon perches in a tree, scanning for predators as the rest of its troop forages beneath.

A Lilac-breasted roller tries to warm up on a cold morning, fluffing its feathers and catching the sun.

A Sparta lioness looks towards the sounds of some rutting impala, presumably with interest in hunting them. This is the mother of the 3 small cubs featured on the blog, but they are still being kept hidden and are rarely seen. When we found her, we were hoping she would take us to them, but unfortunately for us, she decided to take a nap in the morning sun instead. It was a tragic week for the Sparta Pride with the loss of the mother of the two older cubs. Those two cubs have been seen alive with the rest of the pride, but in rather poor condition and straying from them. Their bonds with these other lionesses will need to strengthen for them to survive.

The Tamboti Female paces up and down the branches of this Jackalberry tree. This was to be the start of an incredibly interesting sighting which lasted about three days.

Her attentions were focused on the Maxabene Young Male, who was lying on the ground nearby. She went up and down the tree, walking large circles around him, all the while staring at him and growling. But her intentions were romantic rather than aggressive...

Unfortunately for her, however, his reaction was less than affectionate. He growled back at her, but aggressively, baring his teeth. She came progressively closer, and eventually the two came to blows. Usually a female approaching a male in this manner would result in them mating, but the Maxabene Young Male did not seem to be on the same page.

The next day, the situation continued. She was clearly not getting the message! She circled him for days, literally. However, on this day she had attracted the attention of his father, the Camp Pan Male...

.... who indulged her efforts to find a mate. But all the while, the Maxabene Young Male lay nearby, and after each mating episode with Camp Pan, the female would try yet again to mate with the young male! This very interesting behaviour will be explored in depth in an upcoming post, so keep an eye out for more photos and analysis by James Crookes next week.

The post-mating activity with leopards is always dramatic to watch.

Once again, she approaches the young male after mating with Camp Pan, and once again, he turns her down.

All this business of flirting with two different males must have been tiring! At one stage she had to jump back and forth over the same puddle to get to both males.

No matter where he went, Tamboti would find the Maxabene Young Male...

The end of every day brings a different sky over Londolozi.

It is with a heavy heart that I bring you sad news from this mornings drive. The body of an adult lioness was found. Although nearly impossible to identify, it appears as if she is the lioness from the Sparta Pride whom had the 2 cubs aged between 6-8 months.

The remains of the lioness found lying in a part of the reserve that we call 'The Vlei'

One theory is that in an incident a fortnight ago, the lioness tried to chase a female leopard (Tamboti Female) up a tree. Tracks and signs suggest that she may have climbed a tree, but then fell and landed on a sharp branch. We will never know, but this may be documented as the possible cause of death: internal injuries and the date of death around 29th April 2012. It is very clear, however, that hyenas have since been feeding on the decaying carcass.

At this stage we are not sure whether her 2 cubs are still alive or not; no evidence has been found to suggest either way. Time will tell whether these two small cubs will survive. In my opinion, their only hope, is if they can find the remaining four members of the pride and that one of the lionesses looks after them. At this age they are finished with the milk and onto meat. That may make the situation a little easier. We watch in fascination to see how this chapter unfolds.

It is sad, when one considers the issues that the Sparta Pride has endured over the last three years, to loose a pivotal player in their set up. Yet, so is the so called ‘circle of life’. Today we report the death of a lion, whilst just a few days ago we celebrated the first views of new lion cubs. Oh, the strange way of mother nature!

For interest sake I have inserted a video clip of when these 2 cubs were seen for the first time back in early December 2011. We hold thumbs that they will pull through under the watchful eye and support of the Sparta Pride.

A photo taken by Talley Smith of the Sparta lioness (center) that we think may be the one that was found dead

As of a few hours ago three members of the Sparta Pride were seen sleeping about 50 meters from the site of their dead pride member. One wonders what, if anything, is going through their minds about the loss. The Sparta Pride now sits at only 4 adult lionesses. Lion Warfare continues and we will continue to try keep you posted on the latest developments.

This photo was taken a month ago. As rangers, and trackers, we try to remove emotion from what happens out here in nature, yet it is hard to not feel some sadness inside my stomach as I write this piece.

It is sad to say goodbye to a lioness that gave so much for her pride - you will be missed

Written by Adam Bannister

Buffalo thrive at Londolozi. It is always exciting to sit amidst a large herd of buffalo, staring in awe at the sheer abundance, size and behaviour. There is never a dull moment in a herd like this and it enables plenty of opportunity to sit back relax and soak in raw Africa! I thought I would just put up a few pictures and twin them with a couple of facts…just for facts sake.

Ranger/Accountant David Dampier navigating his way around a herd of Buffalo as they move into the Sand River for a mid day drink.

Cape Buffalo need to drink every day. They weigh anything between 400 and 900 kg, and can live up to 25 years.

A Buffalo in it's happy place.

Buffalo are capable swimmers and often cross deep water in search of better grazing.

This photo shows the defensive weaponry that stands between a pride of lions and a hearty buffalo meal

By living in large herds and eating tall coarse grasses, Cape Buffalo play a vital role in the ecology of the grasslands. Many of the smaller grazers are unable to digest the tall grasses, and the tall grasses may prevent them from getting to the shorter, more palatable grasses in the absence of Buffalo.

If you look closely you will see the incredible number of flies that cover the 'boss' of this Buffalo bull.

Buffalo are non-territorial and extremely sociable animals, living in large mixed herds (having up to 1500 animals). These herds will consist of largely females, their young, and then a number of dominant bulls.

Nose deep in water. Here you can clearly see the width and scale of this bulls magnificent horns.

The hide on a Buffalo bull’s neck is as thick as 2 inches in places; which protects it during battles with other bulls for dominance.

An inquisitive youngster looks on. A perfect example to show how the younger buffalo take on a completely different colour to that of their parents.

It is thought that the lighter coloured skin of the calves helps in camouflage. At Londolozi we regularly see lion, and in fact leopard, target these small Buffalo.

A portion of a large Buffalo herd crosses the Sand River.

For interest sake, I have included a picture of a Water Buffalo, a species found in Asia. The buffalo you will see at londolozi are Cape Buffalo - picture from Google Images

Written and photographed by Adam Bannister

On visiting Londolozi in 1992 Mandela saw the vision that was being lived by the employees and management in collaboration with nature.

“During my long walk to freedom, I had the rare privilege to visit Londolozi. There I saw people of all races living in harmony amidst the beauty that mother nature offers” - Nelson Mandela

It is in this light that the Freedom’s Way art installation has been completed to draw attention to the values which Nelson Mandela put forward to our nation and to compliment the Londolozi village walk which all guests are encouraged to experience.

Freedoms Way Entrance

Starting at the 1926 Sparta Camp, situated in the heart of Varty Camp, the village walk in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela is lead by either Witness Mnisi or Linah Lamula, both valued members of the Londolozi family. This short walk from Varty Camp is best taken after breakfast in the mid-morning between 10:00 and 11:00am. The village walk allows guests to interact with many of our staff and their families who have lived and worked at Londolozi for over 30 years.

Departing from the 1926 Sparta Camp, you pass through the Varty boma where the family fire has burned in the same place for over 86 years. Continuing on you pass on your left side the Cubs Den, where children of guests are enthralled under professional tutelage in nature’s outdoor classroom. The walk continues to the entrance of the staff village, where an old leadwood log serves as a rubbing post. Once you pass through the entrace, you arrive at the evocative land art installation by Simon Max Bannister called Freedom’s Way.

Freedom

“Freedom’s Way brings attention to the difficult path we all must walk to reach our greatest potential. The words cut from steel, ground the positive values that should be nurtured.The four steel bars represent the obstacles of life that master us – we pass through them to liberate ourselves.”  Artist Statement – Simon Max Bannister

Freedoms Way Bars

Your journey then takes you to the Elder’s Village, the Spaza Shop, the Clinic and Learning Centre, ending at the children’s playground. Once you exit the village, you make a brief stop at the Design and Creative Centre (feel free to check out the latest daily blog with our creative team). The village walk ends with an optional visit to the Garden of Celebration, where you are invited to plant a tree symbolic of whatever reason you may choose – this is in aid of the Good Work Foundation (GWF) and the stunning environment in which Londolozi is situated.

Nelson Mandela during his visit to Londolozi after being released from prison

“As we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people the permission to do the same.” Nelson Mandela

While it is important to recognise Mandela’s solo achievements, it is critical that we take his passion into our own lives, taking forward the elements of great leadership to heal the human affliction in the world.  Nelson Mandela is an icon and leader who is loved by all South Africans, young, old, rich and poor.He is known and respected throughout the world. Through all he suffered and achieved and through his attitude and values he has taught us the most valuable lessons as a country and each of us individuals.

Courage

Courage
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid but he who conquers that fear.”

Freedom

“I have walked the long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter. I have made mistakes along the way. But I have discovered the secret after climbing a great hill, one only finds there are many more hills to climb.”

Resilience

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.”

Trust

“We signal that good can be achieved amongst human beings who are prepared to trust, prepared to believe in the goodness of people.”

Unity

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Empathy

Empathy

“I stand here before you not as a prophet but as a humble servant of you, the people. Your tireless and heroic sacrifices have made it possible for me to be here today. I, therefor place the remaining years of my life in your hands.”

Vision

“The power of imagination created the illusion that my vision went much further than the naked eye could actually see.”

Patience

“Patience is waiting, not passively waiting. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow.”

I first met Belinda on the Varty Camp deck after another extraordinary afternoon in the Londolozi wilderness. We got chatting and she mentioned that she was a keen photographer and an avid follower of the blog. After requesting some of her pics, which she obligingly sent through, I am now able to share with you some of the photographic highlights from her recent safari at Londolozi, with Lucien and James are ranger and tracker. Enjoy these images from the lens of our guest, Belinda Gailey…

A herd of female impalas congregate as the nearby males stand off during their yearly rut. Many of these females will become impregnated during this period and give birth to lambs at the beginning of December.

The Mashaba female leopard drags her grey duiker kill to a nearby thicket. The grey duiker is a shy animal which prefers to remain concealed in thick bush and long grass. It will often try to remain hidden in the presence of potential predators, exploding forward at the last minute in a desperate sprint to escape. Unfortunately for this duiker, the leopard was too quick...

A iconic and easily identifiable bird of the Southern African bus veld, the Lilac Breasted Roller forms part of many safari enthusiasts photographic portfolio.

The Vomba Female Leopard glares sideways at a rustle in the nearby bush. Still incredibly beautiful despite her age, this leopard continues to hold much of the prime Sand River frontage at Londolozi.

Nottens and Camp Pan mating

A young elephant bull feeding.

Rhino Dozing

Zebra

Vomab Female Leopard in Tree looking at impala

Two elephant calves play in the open grasslands of Londolozi

Nottens Female Leopard

Nottens Female Leopard

A Zebra and Foal turn to look at the vehicle.

The Tsalala Pride with one of their steadily growing cubs rest during the day in the Maxabeni river.

Camp Pan Male Leopard Walking

Photographed by: Belinda Gailey

It is with great joy, that we at Londolozi, are able to show you pictures and a brief video of the newest lion arrivals to the area. The Sparta lions have three precious new cubs to add to their ever-growing pride. We are still unable to accurately sex the cubs but, now that they appear to be being stashed away in the heart of Londolozi, we anticipate sightings becoming more regular.

There is nothing as special as looking into the dark eyes of a lion cub.

Even at this age they have razor blade teeth - Cindy Matthews

It is always a very special time to have lion cubs on the reserve and we just hope that their mother can protect them during this vulnerable stage. I’m sure, that you can appreciate that with animals still so small, we at Londolozi, are practising the highest levels of sensitivity. We appreciate your patience when it comes to more footage and news on these wonderful additions.

Moving around under the watchful eyes of mom.

Whatever glimpses we can get of these three animals is a real privilege. We are not 100% sure of the age of these cubs but we think they are in the region of 7 weeks old. The reason we say this, is that on around the 4th March, the tracking team found one of the Sparta lionesses with new born cubs. To reduce impact, the area was immediately zoned; sadly the cubs were not seen again. We all presumed that they died. It looks likely now that she just moved them to another location, and those are the cubs we are seeing now.

The black tips to the ears; a delightful addition to these little cubs.

Written, photographed and filmed by Adam Bannister

I have always been amused by collective nouns. An obstinacy of buffalo, an implausibility of wildebeest, and my personal favourite, a parliament of owls.

None of these is more appropriate than the one referring to a group of vultures on a carcass. A ‘wake’ is certainly an apt title for the raucous, squabbling group of birds seen with their heads covered in blood, pecking, clawing, and generally providing entertainment for any guests and rangers fortunate enough to be there at the time.

Two vultures square off on the giraffe carcass.

Two lionesses of the Sparta pride recently brought down a very large giraffe bull. We think the bull was most likely lying down when the lionesses made their move, as a wide awake giraffe of this size would probably have been too big a target even for these proficient huntresses.  Be that as it may, we had an amazing few days viewing, as first the lionesses fed, sometimes with the two oldest Sparta cubs in attendance, and then three of the Majingilane coalition arrived, taking the lion’s share of the carcass, so to speak.

It is every vulture for themselves as feathers, beaks and claws are used to fend off competition

The vultures, meanwhile, were relegated to the sidelines, forced to wait on the ground nearby or perch in the dead leadwood trees with which the area is dotted. They would only have their chance to feed once the larger predators – the lions and later the hyenas – had fully satiated themselves.

Here you can see the claws and beaks of the two vultures digging into one another as they fight for prime feeding rights on the carcass.

Their patience was rewarded after a few days, when the apex predators had moved off during the night, and what was left of the kill was suddenly up for grabs as the sun rose.  Whitebacked vultures dominated the feeding while the hooded vultures hopped around the fringes, contenting themselves with scraps. A couple of lappet-faced vultures made their presence known, as well as some relatively rare whiteheaded vultures. They gorged themselves for a few days, until only the larger bones and the skull remained.

One vulture makes its presence known as he lands on another, digging claws into the feathers and exposed neck.

The subordinate vulture reacts by trying to shake off the attacker. Shortly afterwards, the lower vulture limped away from the carcass leaving space for the large one to feed.

Driving past the site today, only a few vulture feathers drift in the breeze, while the steadily bleaching bones glint in the sun, a stark reminder of the savage nature of life in the bush.

Written and Photographed by: James Tyrrell

This week, once again, the lions were relatively quiet and elusive around Londolozi, leaving room for incredible sightings of other top predators: leopard, hyena and even wild dog. The young Mashaba Female is growing up, and also contributing to some territorial disputes amongst the females of the south eastern section of Londolozi. The wild dogs were seen frequently, and we had some fantastic sightings of them. Another highlight was watching a buffalo take its first steps. This week I have included some series of shots from a few different sightings, as well as some more unconventional ones which I hope you’ll enjoy!

The Mashaba Female looks back at us, taking a break from feeding on her duiker carcass. We noted the wounds on her hind legs, perhaps the result of being in the Maxabene Female's territory, although we are not sure. This week, this leopard was only found outside of her usual territory.

Three klipspringers catch the remains of the sun on a kopjie in Marthly, the north of Londolozi. These small and rarely seen antelope are specially adapted for rock living, with slip-resistant hooves and requiring very little water for survival.

The Maxabene Female struts down the road. We hadn't seen this female in quite a while so it was a real treat for Freddy and me. She also showed signs of having been in an altercation with another leopard, with some wounds on her hind legs. Both the Tamboti and Mashaba Females were seen in her territory this week, so she may have run into either, or both, of them.

She then scent-marked on a fallen Marula tree, behaving very territorially and therefore increasing our suspicions of a territorial standoff.

A waterbuck and her calf stand appropriately at the water, looking at a snake which had frightened them and then scurried off. They are displaying their diagnostic feature: the white ring around the tail. The most widely accepted theory behind the evolution of this marking is that it serves as a 'follow me' sign for the rest of the group to follow when moving through thick bush.

The Marthly Male and the Mashaba Female after mating. This was an interesting (as well as extremely active) sighing, as it was only the second time the Mashaba female has mated, that we know of. This indicated the probable reason why she had ventured outside of her territory - to find a male. Here, she was north of the Sand River, in her sister Tutlwa's territory.

The Marthly Male gives his companion a harsh growl post-mating. As with all leopard mating sessions, it was quite an aggressive encounter.

Teeth bared and claws extended, the pair express their affections for one another in a way only leopards can!

The Marthly Male gets a claw in his mouth. In the life of a leopard, even the honeymoons can be dangerous!

Two zebra stallions fight for dominance over a nearby dazzle.

One highlight for me this week - and in fact for my whole guiding career - was witnessing a buffalo giving birth. It was a difficult event to photograph because of the dim light and tall grass, but a miracle to watch! The cow stood on the outskirts of the herd of hundreds and delivered in minutes - much more quickly than I thought! She was very relaxed and continued to graze while the calf was coming out.

When we first spotted the animal in labour, one of the first questions asked by the guests was, 'Will she eat the placenta?'. Freddy quickly replied, yes. What we didn't expect was how quickly she would eat it. Even before tending to the calf, she consumed most of the placenta.

The mother pushes the newborn to its feet. Freddy timed from the moment the calf was born til it walked away and joined the herd with its mother - 23 minutes. Incredible!

A Wild dog runs after an impala, into the sunset. We were treated to a few different sightings of the pack this week on Londolozi. Two of the females are heavily pregnant, and we are hoping they will set up a den somewhere nearby!

A large journey of giraffe congregates on the airstrip in the first morning light.

A hyena cub waits at the entrance to the den for its mother's return. This is the same youngster as we photographed so much about 4 months ago. We thought they had vacated this den site but our colleagues Daniel and Like rediscovered it this week. It has grown quite a bit in the past few months!

The mother did return to the den that morning, and laid down to rest outside the den, all the while keeping close watch towards the east where some baboons were alarming.

She then nursed the youngsters. There appears to be only two left of the original three. Sad, although to be expected with young predators maturing, as typically cub mortality rates are quite high.

Another surprise this week - coming across a huge crocodile on the airstrip coming back from afternoon game drive! Crocodiles will move between water sources over night, but it is rare to see them do so as they are quite shy when out of the water. When we came across him he seemed to be enjoying the heat of the stone on the runway, but then scurried away.

An impala alarms at a passing leopard. It was the Tamboti Female, who displayed the 'surrender' flag - the white tip of the leopard's tail which they hold high when they know they've been spotted - seemingly a sign to let the alarmer know they are just moving through the area and not interested in hunting them.

The Tamboti Female walks in front of the sunset. She was calling territorially, making for a dramatic sighting.

Another incredible wild dog sighting was at the Sand River itself, where they played on the sandy banks and eventually crossed to the northern side.

This was the second time I have seen these animals crossing the river, and it is always very exciting!

Their inherent fear of crocodiles makes them race across the water, leaping acrobatically.

After a safe crossing, they hunted impala on Marthly, and just before giving up, managed to kill two unsuspecting warthogs... a real feast for this pack of 8!

The Maxabene Young Male grooms after feeding on his impala carcass.

Getting even between his toes, the Maxabene Young Male shows how his coat stays so beautiful.

Sometimes it is the quiet moments like these that make our experiences so special in the bush. As clearly evidenced by the closeness of this photo, this young male came very close to our vehicle and allowed us to share an intimate moment with him. The guests could even identify his 'spot pattern' - the markings we use to identify leopards - without using binoculars. The excitement and trust is almost tangible in a moment like this.

The pack of eight Wild Dogs ran with purpose, coursing along the Guarri thicket line, searching intently for a morning meal. It was easy to see that they were attempting to flush a poor unsuspecting animal of out of hiding. They would then use their superior numbers and incredible speed and endurance to chase down the prey. With eight mouths to feed, and a heavily pregnant alpha female, the pack was in need of a hearty meal. They got just that…

The pack have obviously lost another member as they are now down to eight.

We could not have been better positioned to watch the mayhem unfold; driving at the time, I was obviously not able to capture it all on film but the moment was unreal. The alpha male spotted a herd of Nyala and with a flick of the tail summoned the pack members to back him up. In a flash the chase was on.

Galloping at full speed we could see the dogs literally flying behind a number of antelope. It was electric. No alarm calls were heard; there simply was not time for that. With a gentle touch they nudged a young female Nyala; being off balance and at full sprint, she toppled and rolled. The Wild Dogs were on her in a second as dust flew.

Just to the left, another dog had also managed to trip a sub-adult male Nyala sending him crashing to the ground. He put up more of a fight but five members of the pack silenced him. We nearly saw a third kill as the mother Nyala narrowly managed to hurdle the alpha female.

Members of the pack tuck into one of the two Nyala

Once the kills were made they fed at breakneck speed. Dashing backwards and forwards between the two kills. In ten minutes there would be nothing left of either kills.

WARNING: THIS VIDEO IS GRAPHIC AND NOT FOR SENSITIVE VIEWERS

Close up of the swollen teats and proof that the alpha female is expecting. It is usually around May that she will give birth in the protection of an old termite mound.

We all wait with excitement to see where the pack decide to den their next precious litter of pups. With a very small population of Wild Dogs in the area, every individual is crucial.

Written and filmed by Adam Bannister

On the 13th April, after injuries, sickness and misfortune plagued the rest of the ranging team, our Head Guide turned to the accounting department for help and experience…and so with great excitement I closed my laptop, dusted off my camera and birdbook and headed back into the field accompanied by repeat guest, Kendra Clarke and her mom, Linda.

Last year Kendra and her husband Rob visited us and the day we shared on the Specialist Photographic Safari Vehicle still ranks as one of my most memorable days in the bush. This time Rob was unfortunately unable to come, but for Linda, Kendra’s mom, it was her first trip. As with the last time out, we maximised our time in the bush, spending one full twelve hour day out. From this time of year and for the next few months this becomes possible due to the cooler days. Sometimes after such an incredible experience it is tough to match, but we had some amazing sightings over the two days. Below are a selection of photos taken during their stay, which proved a welcome break from life behind a desk!

Our first afternoon proved to be the perfect start. Firstly Lucky Shabangu showed off his tracking skills to find the Vomba Female. Then later the Short Tail (Tugwaan) Male above, came strolling down the road towards us.

Here he provides the perfect profile shot of a male leopard in his prime.

Being out for the whole days allows more time for appreciating the smaller things. Here a Little Bee-Eater takes a dust bath in the middle of a dirt track

Next morning it was the turn of the Tamboti Female. She patrolled territory for well over an hour,scent marking and calling as she went.

Every now and again I will attempt a photo like this-by slowing the shutter speed down to around 1/50 of a second or even less, and then panning with the subject as it moves, you try and get part of the picture in focus but the rest blurred. If one in forty come out ok I am usually happy!

After the long walk and scent marking constantly, she needed a drink, and fortunately there was still plenty of water around.

In the previous photo you saw Tamboti Female drinking at a shallow pan-and you can see why animals in general will avoid drinking from larger bodies of water when they can. From the thicket next to Shingalana Dam, she keeps a close eye on a crocodile of about four meters that slipped into the water on our approach

As the day warmed up we headed towards the Maxabeni Drainage-a great spot for animals to shelter from the heat. Here we found one of the Sparta Pride females with her two cubs, not far from where they had been left earlier in the morning

The female looks up at a disturbance in the trees, but soon put her head down and went to sleep

The cubs on the other hand couldn't seem to get comfortable, constantly tossing and turning in the sand

Later we found this enormous elephant bull following a herd. He was in musth, a stage in a male elephants life when their testosterone spikes dramatically and they search for females willing to mate with them. This photo has been processed using a technique known as HDR Toning (I use Photoshop CS5), which with a bit of experimentation can produce some striking effects

Later that same day we had another incredible elephant sighting. A herd of around thirty elephants strolled across Fluffy's Clearing, with Sithlawayise Kopjie providing a dramatic backdrop

As with the previous bull pictured, this male was also following the herd, his size and stature complimenting the background perfectly.

A brief stop in some shade at the side of a waterhole allowed me to snap this shot of a Grey Heron flying low over the water. In order to get a sharp photo of a bird in flight you need to try and have a shutter speed of around 1/2000 second or faster.

An impala ram stands alert, seemingly posing for a photo-however he most definitely was not interested in us...

What he was interested in was the Vomba Young Female-who Talley politely informed me had been re-named the Masahaba Female. After regaling Talley with a few stories about how it used to be "back in my day", we proceeded to follow her on a patrol of her territory (The Masahba Female, that is...). This image has also been processed using HDR Toning. In the end it proved to be our final sighting of the morning, and great way to finish an extraordinary two days. There can

Identifying lions can be extremely difficult to do. The reason being that they all look very similar and they appear to be in constant change, in terms of identifying features.Cuts, bruises and scars are continually changing the facial features of the cats. There are obvious exceptions to this; for example the Tailless Female. One method that we use here at Londolozi is to try capture a picture of the side of the face and then look for an element which should stay the same. I have included a picture of each of the four Breakaway Tsalala Pride Females. These pictures are all of the right side of the face! You will see that I have inserted a block over the area that we use, so as to draw attention to that particular area. Look carefully and inspect the spots…the top row especially. These spots (arrangement, pattern, size and number) are unique, as it is in the leopards. These four pictures may prove very useful when we come across a lioness that we “don’t know”.

The four females have grown substantially since I last saw them. Here you can see them on the break between Marthly and Othawa. The 'silent' communication and understanding between them is phenomenal. With focus, determination and teamwork these four lionesses continue to make a living in the midst of lion warfare.

Female One: This female is identified by 2 large spots on the right side of her face.

Female Two: This female has 3 smaller spots shaped almost like an open triangle. The longest side of the triangle faces the nose.

Female Three: This female also has a trangle shaped 3 spots. Compare the difference though in the arrangment of these spots when compared to that of Female Three. The triangles point in different directions. The longest side of this triangle faces the eye.

Female Four: This female (my favourite) has a very distinctive scar on her right eye.

These four females sit in a very interesting area at the moment. They are all about 3,5 years old and so are ready to start mating. The difficulty is knowing which male coalition to invest in. I am still hoping that they will side with the Majingilane Males and we may see them reunite with the much loved Tsalala Pride.

Written and photographed by Adam Bannister

The long hot days of summer are over and the Londolozi wilderness is now experiencing the pleasurable autumn months in what is widely considered to be the best time of the year to visit. The rhythmn and cycle of life at Londolozi changes during this period as the lengthy days become shorter, game drives spend more time in the bush and enjoy the balmy conditions. Owing to this change, we are excited to introduce our brand new ‘Late Lunch’ to compliment this years Winter Calendar.  The Londolozi Late Lunch presents a smorgasbord of delectable and divine options for our guests to choose from and enjoy.  Ranging from a Chilled Broccoli and Blue Cheese Soup to Caviar and Smoked Salmon Pizza, the Late Lunch on offer during this years Winter Calendar needs to be experienced – just take a look below…

Gorgeous Greek Salads

Chilled broccoli and blue cheese soup with a hint of mint.

Malay Bobotie in Enamal Mugs

Malay Bobotie in Enamal Mugs

Fillet of beef wrap with mustard creme fraiche and rooibos caramelized onions.

Cherry Tomato, Sundried Tomato and Pecorino Pizza

Smoked Salmon and Caviar Pizza, Gruyere Cheese & Fennel Bulb Quiche and Individual Vanilla Cheesecakes.

Caviar and Smoked Salmon Pizza with Lemon Drizzle

Cavair and Smoked Salmon Pizza with Wraps

Caviar and Smoked Salmon Pizza

Individual Vanilla Cheesecakes for Dessert

The Londolozi Late Lunch

The Londolozi Late Lunch

The Londolozi Chef's with their Late Lunch Laid Out

Photographed by: Rich Laburn

I remember the first time I saw the Tutlwa female. Draped over a fallen Marula tree on Ximpalapala crest, north of the Sand River, she was gazing longingly at a distant herd of impala, imagining a nice easy meal. It was not to be though, as the impala were way out in the open, and so she slunk down into the grass and walked slowly back down the hill towards the riverbed.

The Tutlwa female draped over a Marula branch scouting for impala.

The Tutlwa female is one of Londolozi’s most enigmatic leopards, and in my opinion, it’s most beautiful. That being said, sightings of this elusive animal have been rare over the past year, as she has – so far successfully – been raising two cubs, keeping them mainly in the Sand River, which offers a wonderful array of hiding places for young leopards.

Frequently seen in large marula trees, the Tutlwa Female favours them as viewpoints.

Many members of Londolozi’s ranging team have spent often fruitless hours tracking her and her litter in and amongst the boulder fields and wild date palm thickets with which the riverbed is strewn, sometimes to be rewarded with a brief glimpse of a spotted tail disappearing into the bushes, but more often than not having the trail run cold. After losing her first cub around December 2010, the Tutlwa female has put her heart into raising her current litter, and her success in this endeavor has unfortunately meant that we have not often had the privilege of viewing the youngsters, as concealment is the name of the game for leopard cubs.

This stunning leopard has an indicative 4 spots on her right cheek and 3 spots on her left.

Maybe in the next few months the cubs (a male and a female) will relax around the vehicles a bit more and we will be treated to some wonderful sightings of them and their mother chasing each other through the treetops. For now, though, we have to content ourselves with the occasional sighting of the Tutlwa female herself, still to be found draped over marula branches, still, at least for me, Londolozi’s most beautiful leopard.

Tutlwa - 'Londolozi's most beautiful leopard'

Written and Photographed by: James Tyrrell

The Westphals are one of our favorite repeat guests to Londolozi.  Each time they come it seems sightings get better and more fun is had.  This last year, they visited us during New Years and their son Jake was kind enough to cut us a video with some of the amazing footage he captured whilst on safari at Londolozi.  Enjoy this epic, fresh and extremely funky video about the Westphals on Safari at Londolozi….

Thanks to Jake for an incredible video, we look forward to having you on the blog team in the future

Filmed and Edited by: Jake Westphal

This week, the recent lion drama subsided somewhat, leaving room for fantastic leopard viewing as well as time with the ‘smaller’ things. When the lions are vocalizing and patrolling their territory with the same intensity as they were last week, the leopards tend to make themselves scarce, as they are so vulnerable to lions. This week we enjoyed some quality time with a few different female leopards, and took a deep breath after last week’s action. However, we believe there are many unresolved situations amongst Londolozi’s felines, and anticipate further happenings in the weeks to come. Enjoy this Week in Pictures…

When we found the Tamboti Female one morning, she was worriedly looking around from an unsteady perch in a marula tree. We also immediately noticed fresh wounds on her back legs, potential signs she had recently been in a fight with another animal. There were tracks of both lions and a male leopard nearby.

She eventually came down from the tree, after deciding it was safe enough. Still, she cautiously proceeded into a thicket, stopping to check her surroundings frequently. It turned out the injuries were superficial, luckily for her. Later on, the Sparta lioness and cubs were found nearby: the mother quite badly injured, it would seem, with internal injuries. We are still waiting to see how she is faring as they have not been found since. It is not absolutely certain, but it does seem that the two animals' injuries are related, based on the tracks.

A giraffe walks across the sunset. This was an interesting sighting considering what you can't see here is the Mashaba female leopard in between us and the giraffe, growling at a hyena over her stolen impala carcass! The giraffe curiously came to investigate, then moved on.

The Maxabene Young Male seems to be growing by the day, physically as well as in confidence, and is expanding the area he occupies. He is not behaving territorially yet and still within the territory of his father, the Camp Pan Male, but he has had a few run-ins recently with other male leopards in the area and it will be interesting to see how he handles these challenges.

A juvenile Martial eagle. The largest bird of prey in the area, the Martial eagle has a brown head when it grows its adult plumage. This white phase is only for a short time until the bird is fully mature. Most raptors have different colours in their juvenile phases, which can sometimes make them difficult to identify.

The two Sparta cubs play together, while their injured mother rests nearby. As mentioned above, we are still waiting to see the extent of her injuries. She is already under a lot of pressure to feed three mouths by herself, so it will be essential for her to heal quickly.

A crocodile swims with a barbel - a type of catfish - in Camp Dam. Even though crocodiles are extremely dangerous, they are usually quite shy creatures and a sighting like this of them feeding is very rare. We didn't think the croc had killed the fish - rather scavenging on the carcass.

The Mashaba Female peers from behind a termite mound, stalking some guinea fowl. She would eventually get very close to them, and as they tried to fly away, she leapt about 2 meters high, paws swiping in the air, trying to catch one, but missed. It was a very special moment I was not quick enough to photograph!

It's dangerous business being a leopard, for many reasons! Here the Mashaba Female was trying to get a drink, but a Blacksmith plover was not happy with her presence, and dive-bombed her until she left the area.

Further on in the week, we found the Mashaba Female very far west of her normal territory - deep in the heart of the Maxabene Female's territory. She had secured herself a duiker kill, but we noticed some wounds on her hind legs, and wondered if she had perhaps had an encounter with the Maxabene Female?

This time of the year, we do not see many snakes, and in general they tend to move very quickly away from us as they are shy creatures. However, we found this Puff adder lying very still in the road one afternoon. We then noticed the faint blood behind its head, and saw a cobra slinking away into the bushes nearby. It appeared that the cobra had attacked this Puff adder, injecting it with venom, and was trying to consume it when our vehicle scared it away. Here, the snake was still alive, but it would have died shortly afterwards, and the cobra most likely returned to consume it after we left.

As Adam mentioned in yesterday's post, the winter skies are a highlight of game drives - especially the sunrises.

A flock of White-fronted bee-eaters bathes in the dust. Dust bathing helps birds control parasites, but does not weigh feathers down like bathing in water would.

A giraffe runs after being startled by something nearby, also causing its oxpeckers to flee.

A buffalo calf stands for the oxpeckers to groom him.

This time of year is fantastic for buffalo viewing for a number of reasons. It has just passed the peak calving period, meaning lots of calves, but it is also their breeding time, which can also mean lots of competition amongst the bulls. We came across this one bull who had recently been in a serious fight, even breaking his horn. The bone had been exposed, which sometimes leads to serious infection and even death. Despite the injury, however, this bull appears to have won his fight, as he was with the female!

The Dudley Riverbank Female peers towards some alarming francolin in the distance. This female has never been featured in the Week in Pictures, as this was the first time I've seen this leopard who is such an integral part of Londolozi history as she has successfully raised so many of the leopards we see today.

We are currently in the midst of one of my favourite times of the year. The reason: the unbelievable mornings. The bushveld is always pretty, but it is now that I think it is spectacular! Each morning, I jump out of bed, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and then drive out of camp, hoping for  mist. The day is thick with opportunity and potential; so much so that you can nearly taste it in the air!

The mornings are fresh and cold; but they are rejuvenating. They make for the most marvelous photographic opportunities, allowing one to get creative and to capture a different mood of safari. Even if I don’t see a single animal in the first half an hour I am still grinning from ear to ear. After all, I am driving around on the most beautiful patch of planet earth! Come join me and experience the thrill of the morning drive…

A dead tree in the foreground often helps to add to the composition of the picture

Yet another distnat view over the Kruger National Park. For this shot I used ISO of 400, F-stop at 2,8, Auto WB and the picture style set to landscape.

The glorious view out across Stwise Koppie

The fog that forms here is classified as radiation fog. This is formed by the cooling of land after sunset by thermal radiation in calm conditions with clear sky. The cool ground produces condensation in the nearby air by heat conduction. In perfect calm skies the fog layer can be less than a meter deep, but turbulence can promote a thicker layer. Radiation fogs occur at night, and usually do not last long after sunrise. It is common in autumn and early winter.

Animals, such as this Zebra, look wonderful when bathed in fog

A distant view of gentle colours

What also makes for a wonderful image is if you can get to some water in the early hours of the morning. Here, at first light, a darter can be seen sunning itself whilst a pod of onlooking hippos snort in dissaproval

Nothing beats a misty sunrise. All the colours amplified by the surrounding haze and moisture. And with the rising sun comes the reassuring warmth of another spectacular day in the bushveld

Did you know : Fog is defined as cloud which reduces visibility to less than 1 km, whereas mist is that which reduces visibility to less than 2 km.

Written and photographed by Adam Bannister

Of late I have written a lot about the outrageously exciting lion dynamics that are currently playing out at Londolozi. I may indeed be a ‘lion man’, but I certainly appreciate the numerous other wonders that take place here, on a daily basis.

The other day I witnessed one of the most sensational lighthearted events that only the African bush can create. In amidst the turmoil that the lion saga is creating, it is refreshing every once in a while, to just see sheer beauty in action.

The two elephant bulls splashing around in Maidies Dam - Adam Bannister

We were on the way back from a glorious afternoon game drive when we stumbled upon two elephant bulls playing around in a watering hole. It was pure magic to watch these whale-like figures bounce, swim, flop, run, splash and play in the cool water. Momentarily suspended in bliss.

Words and explanations are not needed to convey this moment that I was privileged to captured on film. I know that for many people it is the African Elephant which exudes power, strength and stability. It is also many people’s favourite animal. Enjoy the magic!

Written and filmed by Adam Bannister

Over the last week, Alex van den Heever and Renias Mhlongo have been featured on CNN’s African Voices talking about the Tracker Academy and their longstanding friendship. There are three videos below which take you through the story of how they began working together at Londolozi, Renias’ childhood in the bush veld and on a tracking experience with Alex and Ren. Enjoy and please feel free to share this story around if you see fit…

Every guest who visits Londolozi will experience the flavor, taste and vibrant diversity of the cuisine prepared by the Londolozi kitchen. So who are these wonderful people who prepare, craft and present the sumptuous cuisine through the 5 Londolozi Camps? Keep reading and find out as we introduce you to the Londolozi Chefs…

Anna - Executive Chef. Anna has worked in restaurants, lodges and hotels across Southern Africa. Coming back to the bush to work at Londolozi was a great opportunity to unleash her inner passion for eclectic styling and creativity in the kitchen.

Eric - Executive Sous Chef. Eric the silent wonder of the man who stealthy walks around the kitchen yet has the respect of everyone around him. He makes the Executive Chef's job that much easier. Eric also supports a children's creche (Xalamukani) working with the good work foundation.

Elmon - Meat Specialist. 28 years at Londolozi, Elmon is the longest Running Chef at Londolozi. He knows all the stories and reminds us all of how he used to have to wait for weeks for meat to come in as opposed to the efficient delivery truck. Elmon is the one who prays for the kitchen team every morning with his wise words.

Connie - Bush Banqueting Sous Chef. Connies is the matriarch of the kitchen who willingly works long hours to ensure that every guest has beautiful fresh chutneys on the their plate and their bush banqueting experiences are fulfilled in every way.

Flora - Baker. 19 years at Londolozi, Flora has ensured that all guests satisfy their sweet tooths, and experience the wonderful array of baked goods and desserts that originate from her side of the kitchen.

Sipho - Food Stores Manager. Without Sipho the kitchen would have no food. He is responsible for ordering the food and making sure the deliveries arrive. He maintains the fridges, dry stores and freezers all with a massive smile on his face.

Virginia - Pioneer Sous Chef. The second matriarch of the kitchen. No one can make a soup and a quiche like Virginia can.

Petunia - Pioneer Camp Chef. Petunia assists in ensuring that all Pioneer guests have the pioneering experience of a lifetime. Often seen in the Pioneer interactive kitchen, she works closely with Virginia to serve up a culinary feast.

Sipho - Founders Camp Sous Chef. Big, bad and bold, Sipho magics up sauces that will leave your mouth watering as he drizzles it over his famous Kudu pie.

Tom - Founders Camp Chef. Short but feisty, Tom works in the Founders kitchen and delivers a menu with all the flair and charisma of our operations manager, Duncan Maclarty.

Dudu - Founders Camp Chef. Dudu, in her quiet and meticulous manner, ensures that all Founders food receives a female touch of style and grace.

Lindiwe - Private Granite Suites Sous Chef. With beauty and elegance, Lindiwe has an underlying passion for creativity and pastry. She heads up the exclusive kitchen of the Private Granite Suites.

Wistance - Private Granite Suites Chef. Assisting Lindiwe, Wistance adds spice and speed to eclectic flavors of the Private Granite Suites kitchen.

Eric - Varty Camp Sous Chef. They call him 'Skoxa' or 'Loveday' which comes from him being a lovable teddy bear and head of the Vary Camp kitchen. He is brilliant with kids food and will ensure that any guest with a specific dietary requirement will walk away satisfied.

Solomon - Varty Camp Chef. A maestro with his own flair for presentation, Solomon forms an integral part of the Vary Camp kitchen team.

Liveness - Varty Camp Chef. Wise and methodical, Liveness makes sure that guests are never short of homemade muesli, breads and baked goods.

Laureen - Varty Camp Chef. Laureen is a graduate of Pruelieth Culinary Academy and assists Sipho in making sure that the kitchen doesn't run out of food.

Thoko - Tree Camp Sous Chef. The beautiful Thoko reigns at Tree Camp and takes the guests as seriously as she takes her food.

Thully - Tree Camp Chef. Eager to learn on all accounts and never fails to bring to the Tree Camp table food of excellence.

Sandrie - Tree Camp Chef. Slick, smiley and silent, Sandrie oils the cogs of the Tree Camp kitchen with grace and charm.

Sarah - Silwood Kitchen Student. Sarah is our resident Silwood Student completing her third year Grande Diploma.

We were almost back at camp when we received the radio call from ranger Helen Young. Enoch Mkanzi, who tracks with Helen, had used his almost supernatural powers of sight to spot a leopard in the distance, lying up on a termite mound. As they approached the mound to ascertain exactly which leopard it was, a warthog burst from its burrow, right under the nose of the leopard, which turned out to be the Maxabene 3:2 young male.

Warthog Extracted by Leopard

Letting the first warthog go, he obviously knew something that Helen and Enoch did not; that there was a second warthog still underground. A few moments later, this second animal broke cover, and the leopard was on top of her instantly. Lunging forward as the warthog tried desperately to reverse at high speed, he managed to grab her just behind the ear, sinking his teeth in and locking his jaws as she struggled frantically to pull free.

Maxabeni Young Male with Warthog in Jaws

So began an almost 15 minute stalemate between the warthog and the leopard. It was at this time that Helen radioed us, and as we were scarcely 2 minutes drive away, we rushed to the scene, to be greeted by the sight of a leopard with the upper half of his body halfway down a warthog burrow! He had a strong enough grip on the warthog that she couldn’t break free from, but it was not an instantly fatal bite. He knew that to try and shift his grip to grab her throat in the classic leopard strangle-hold would be to risk letting her break loose and retreat down the burrow. He also knew that if he could hold on for long enough she must eventually tire, at which time he could extricate her from the burrow and enjoy a well earned meal.

The Maxabeni 3:2 young male leopard drags his prey to a safer place to feed

Things transpired exactly in this way, as after 15 minutes the warthog’s hold on life eventually gave out, and the Maxabene young male was able to pull her out of the burrow and drag her to a nearby bushwillow thicket, where he was able to get his breath back and begin feeding in the shade, hidden from the prying eyes of vultures.

Written and Photographed by: James Tyrrell