Leopard

Africa Exposed

January 25, 2012
Thumbnail image for Africa Exposed

“As a child I had always wanted to visit Africa and go on Safari. To see firsthand the natural bushveld, get up close and personal with the animals and experience the call of the wild. At the end of 2011 a lifelong dream came true when I had the opportunity of going on safari to [...]

Read the full article → 6 comments

The Week in Pictures # 23

December 9, 2011
Thumbnail image for The Week in Pictures # 23

Summer is now in full swing at Londolozi. As Adam mentioned on Wednesday, there are babies everywhere hiding amongst the thick green vegetation. The cascading call of the Woodlands kingfisher competes with the shrill Red-chested cuckoo’s song with the constant buzz of Christmas beetles during the day, and at night a chorus of frogs emanates [...]

Read the full article → 25 comments

Nyeleti Young Female Leopard

November 22, 2011
Thumbnail image for Nyeleti Young Female Leopard

One has to page through the Londolozi sightings book all the way back to 13 March 2011 so as to find the last confirmed sighting of the Nyeleti 4:4 Female… since then she has all but disappeared. Now we as Rangers are very hesitant to declare an animal as dead but one has to think [...]

Read the full article → 4 comments

Leopards, Lions, Hyenas and Tree Climbing

November 7, 2011
Thumbnail image for Leopards, Lions, Hyenas and Tree Climbing

What goes up must come down… The one thing I love about Leopards is that they can climb trees: and they make it look so easy. I have always loved to climb but I have certainly never managed the grace and agility of these spotted cats. When I’m up in a tree I feel free [...]

Read the full article → 3 comments

Jaguars, Macaws and the Pantanal

November 5, 2011
Thumbnail image for Jaguars, Macaws and the Pantanal

Shan and I have just returned from an inspiring expedition to Caiman Ecological Refuge situated in Southern Pantanel, South America. We were kindly hosted by Roberto Klabin, the owner of this remarkable property and although for the past 250 years cattle has been the primary land use practice for the area, Roberto Klabin is a leading conservationist in Brazil has afforded absolute protection of wildlife on this ranch for the past 30 years. Proving that nature is an enduring partner, the proof of Klabin’s visionary work was there for us to see…

Read the full article → 8 comments

Camp Pan’s Still Got It!

October 17, 2011
Thumbnail image for Camp Pan’s Still Got It!

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

Read the full article → 4 comments

A Night Time Safari Experience

October 15, 2011
Thumbnail image for A Night Time Safari Experience

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

Read the full article → 12 comments

What’s Become of Camp Pan?

September 27, 2011
Thumbnail image for What’s Become of Camp Pan?

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

Read the full article → 3 comments

On Safari at Londolozi

September 18, 2011
Thumbnail image for On Safari at Londolozi

Our recent guest, Brian Datnow, provided us with an album of photographs which illustrates the type of images that a keen amateur photographer can capture on safari. Over the course of a few days, Brian photographed a variety of animals, birds, landscape and lodge pictures. We are happy to share Brian’s perspective of being on safari at Londolozi…

Read the full article → 5 comments

Wild Dog pup killed by Leopard and Hyena

September 15, 2011
Thumbnail image for Wild Dog pup killed by Leopard and Hyena

Before seeing anything I remember hearing someone saying “Oh my god, a leopard is attacking the wild dogs,” and then I saw it. The leopard, who we later found out was the Maxabene 3:2 Young Male, otherwise known as Pinky – named so because of his extraordinarily pink nose, had charged straight into the pack, targeting a young pup. We had seen this pup minutes before frolicking with its siblings, tumbling here and there on the road, but now, with one great swipe of his paw, the leopard had incapacitated it entirely.

Read the full article → 20 comments

Is the Nottens Female too old to mate?

August 29, 2011
Thumbnail image for Is the Nottens Female too old to mate?

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

Read the full article → 10 comments

Dudley Riverbank 5:5 Means Business!

April 1, 2011
Thumbnail image for Dudley Riverbank 5:5 Means Business!

The Dudley Riverbank 5:5 Male is becoming a force to be reckoned with. We followed him for over an hour watching him scent mark, urinate, scrape and call numerous times as he proceeded to walk deep into the territory of the Camp Pan Male. By the time he reached Fluffies Pan he had worked himself into a frenzy. Calling for the Camp Pan Male Leopard to come and face his challenge. He was readied for combat…

Read the full article → 12 comments

The Joy of Summer

November 29, 2010
Thumbnail image for The Joy of Summer

It is the perfect time to take my dear friend and wife of 35 years, Shan, out on an afternoon “bumble” into the wilderness. The large front has just passed through, leaving us with 20mm of precious rain. After a long dry season, the visibility is now spectacular as the sun bathes everything in its rich golden light…

Read the full article → 3 comments

No Love Lost: Nyelethi Update

November 22, 2010
Thumbnail image for No Love Lost: Nyelethi Update

The remains of a young impala ram were hooked over a branch in the Jackalberry tree. As we looked up the guests gasped in unison at the realization that we had stumbled upon a leopard kill. Only when the Crested Francolins began alarming and the small Nyelethi young female leopard walk down the game trail did my heart started to beat with excitement! Having earlier seen male leopard tracks in the vicinity I now knew there were possibly two leopards in the area…

Read the full article → 3 comments

Coming Soon – The Leopards of Londolozi!

November 17, 2010
Thumbnail image for Coming Soon – The Leopards of Londolozi!

Recently a very good friend of Londolozi went in for such a major operation and it got us thinking about all those people who are far away from home dreaming of being someplace else right now.  It is not always easy being alone, yet sometimes the smallest thing can make the most positive difference.  So for all of you people, wherever you are and however you are feeling we dedicate this blog post to you…

Read the full article → 21 comments

The Sunsetbend Legacy

May 20, 2010

It was about this time last year that we said our final goodbye to the 3:4 Female as she slipped into that immortal realm of great Londolozi Leopards. This autumn it is with immense sadness that we report the loss of the Sunset-Bend Female as she joins that exclusive club. To view the full post and video click on the heading above.

Read the full article → 14 comments

Camp Pan Male mates with Nottens Female

March 5, 2010

The Nottens female was a long way out of her territory. One of the oldest remaining descendants of the 3:4 female, she had moved north towards the Sand River in a desperate attempt to mate. Her years were like ripples on the river, gently flowing away, melting into the currents before they would be sucked and dissolved back into the stream of life. Her most recent set of cubs had not survived and as an aging leopard she was yearning for a litter once more. A last set of cubs to continue her legacy, before she became too old, her timing too late and her ripples faded back into the stream. To view the full post and video click on the heading above.

Read the full article → 4 comments

The reason persistence works

February 22, 2010

She seemed foolish at first, childish and inane in her abilities. The Vomba Young Female Leopard had spotted the mongoose running into the small shrub and was after it in a matter of seconds. The leopard was a live wire…a vibrant current bristling with energy and excitement at the possibility of a playmate that would turn into a meal. That is, if she could successfully catch it. To view the full post and video, click on the heading above.

Read the full article → 2 comments

How motherhood works

January 14, 2010

The bonds between this mother and her cubs are now stronger than ever. She humors them, nurtures them and pays each one its own special piece of attention. Her killer instinct seems hidden and dissolved when she looks at her young. That piercing stare is soft and those deadly paws are playful. She is without question acting in a way that only a mother can. Maternal, caring and reserving that hidden ferocity for those that will try to take it all away from her. To view the full post and video click on the heading above.

Read the full article → 3 comments

Nottens Female Leopard Feeding

November 25, 2009

The Nottens female leopard had hoisted the impala into the upper echelons of the Marula tree. It was so typical, so predictable, yet so effective for her purposes. Tried and tested methods worked the best when down below scavengers were already arriving on the scene. These hungry animals were completely willing to pilfer from her in the desperate hope of a free meal. Click on the heading for the full story and video.

Read the full article → 3 comments

Growing into adulthood – 3:2 and the blind hyena

November 11, 2009

The 3:2 Maxabeni Young Male had sharpened his instincts. He saw the hyena coming from the other side of the river. Tensing his muscular body into the tall grass, he watched the unwitting hyena draw closer. For a brief moment the hyena stopped and stared at the young male leopard. Blinded in one eye, cyclops sniffed once, unsure of whether he was seeing the patterned cat or if the windswept grass was playing tricks on him. He could smell nothing in the stiff breeze. He sniffed again…still nothing. Loping forward, he moved into the bush unaware of the potential conflict he could have begun.

Read the full article → 2 comments

Contentment and the Camp Pan Male

October 30, 2009

The Sand River was behind us when the the impala carcass caught our attention. Hanging stripped and soulless in a Jackalberry tree, the scene was surrounded only by fresh tracks of a large male leopard. He had to be close by. Pug marks led us east down the riverbed to his resting spot. There lay the Campan male. Panting heavily, his bulging stomach heaved in repetitive cycles. Rising slowly, he drank deeply before striding into the bush.

Read the full article → 7 comments

Young Male Leopard’s Life Lesson

September 30, 2009

You might have seen the video of one of the young Mxabene male leopards capturing and hauling a young duiker up a Marula tree before letting it drop and watching as its mother picked up the still living prey, waiting for the young leopard to come down and learn how to kill it. That same 10 month old male continued along his passage of learning this last week as he attempted to eat from a kill his mother had made and hoisted in a Marula tree.

Read the full article → 3 comments

Female Leopard Hunts Massive African Rock Python

September 26, 2009

Vomba’s curiosity could not be denied. With typical catlike inquisition she padded her way towards the python. She was not afraid, rather cocky and sure of herself, as if she just wanted to toy with the reptile for fun. Moving swiftly now, Vomba reached inside the thicket and sunk her claws into the pythons wide body. There was plenty of skin to grab as the snake reacted with fright to the sudden aggression and now found itself being dragged out into the open. Turning to face its assailant, the serpentine head emerged to the left of Vomba ready to attack.

Read the full article → 6 comments

Young Mxabene Leopard Attempts First Hunt

September 22, 2009

The Following Video May Offend Sensitive Viewers

The Mxabene female’s 10 month old cub had been found alone, sitting atop a dry, dusty termite mound. He was exuding a sense of bravado that is so typical of young male leopards. His steely gaze was only interrupted by the flicking of his ears and rustling of his coat. It was to be a significant afternoon for him. In the space of a few hours he would demonstrate his physical prowess and deadly instincts.

Read the full article → 4 comments

First ever footage of the Dudley Riverbank Female Leopard and Cub

September 4, 2009

The Dudley Riverbank Female and her one cub was caught on video for the first time this last week. Adam Bannister and James Siwela found the leopards in the south-eastern corner of the reserve and managed to get a shot of the female with her cub.

Read the full article → 2 comments

Leopards Found Mating this Morning at Londolozi

August 30, 2009

Mike Miller and Freddy Ngobeni had heard about the mating pair of leopards at Tortoise Pan late last night and were subsequently intrigued enough to see if they could locate them this morning. As leopards typically mate every 15 – 20 minutes over a 3 – 4 day period, the mating pair were still by the pan in the morning. As they approached the pan, Freddy caught sight of the female walking towards the male. Below is the footage that they captured of the mating pair.

Read the full article → 4 comments

The First Zero Emissions Safari Vehicle – Part 2

August 12, 2009

Londolozi is one of the original pioneering lodges of the ecotourism industry in South Africa and an unashamedly family run, stand alone operation.

Read the full article → 0 comments