Leopards come and go. Fact. They are born, get older and eventually die. The majority don’t even make it through their first year. Excuse this seemingly callous outlook, but it is a reality that every guide in a leopard-rich area such as Londolozi must face eventually, especially if he or she is going to be working in the bush for a number of years.
When I arrived here, the legend of the Sunset Bend and 3:4 females was strong, as both had died within the previous year or two. The Mother leopard’s genes still flow strongly through her descendants, and leopard viewing is as good as it has ever been.
Leopards, like great artists I have come to realise, are often unappreciated in their own time. Don’t get me wrong here, I am in no way taking away from any sighting of a leopard or any of the current individuals we see around Londolozi, be they in a tree in the golden sunlight or deep in the long grass with barely a tail-tip visible. Every time I see a leopard, I marvel at its beauty and count myself incredibly fortunate to spend even a few minutes in its presence. What I am surmising on is the possible legendary status we will ascribe to such leopards as the Vomba and Nottens females when they are gone, or the Camp Pan or Marthly males. I think it is easier for female leopards to fall into legend, as they generally enjoy longer lives than the males, and often set up territory near their mothers; as such we are sometimes able to view them from birth to death, 16 or 17 years later if they have a good run.
The Vomba female was a leopard with an instantly recognisable rich golden coat. She spent much of her life around the Londolozi Camps.
These musings arose the other day when viewing the Vomba female and her latest cub in the Bushbuck Drainage, very close to camp. When asking the Londolozi rangers their views on the Vomba female, you might get a wide variety of responses. Some might marvel at her gorgeous dark coat colour and emerald eyes. Others might talk about her prowess as a hunter, leaving remains of impalas and duikers dotted throughout her territory for us to find. Almost all the rangers, however, will vouch for the fact that she is a royal pain to try and track!
The type of view we often have of the Vomba female. Hidden by trees, elusive, difficult to follow. She is truly an enigma of the Sand River.
Going track-for-track after the Vomba female is often a lesson in humility. Just when you think you are on fresh tracks and you are getting close, the bark of a bushbuck tells you that she has retreated to one of the innumerable thickets or drainage lines to which vehicle access is impossible. Around lunchtime that same day, when driving to the airstrip to pick up guests, she will stroll out in front of you when looking for leopards is the last thing on your mind. Frustrating, to say the least!
Stashing her cub for days at a time in a Tamboti thicket near camp, she frustrated our every effort go get a look at it. Here she carries part of an Nyala lamb back to her hungry cub.
Her territory lies in the heart of Londolozi, the heart of the Sabi Sand, and therefore the very heart of one of the most intensely contested areas of leopard real-estate in the world. A 4 or 5 kilometre stretch of Sand River frontage teeming with game, cut by deep drainage lines and burgeoning with life, her territory is about as perfect as it gets.
And now, approaching her 16th birthday (December of this year), she is on the brink of successfully raising her 5th cub to independence.
A male cub, her current offspring is almost as big as her, and is still heavily dependent on his mother. A a result, she is forced to hunt on a more regular basis, as the cub has quite an appetite.
It has not been an easy road for her. Believed to have given birth to at least 14 cubs during her lifetime (a number of litters were lost or never seen), to raise 5 to independence is nevertheless a wonderful achievement, made even more special by the fact that some of those offspring are now raising cubs of their own (Mashaba female and Tutlwa female).
How long can she last though?
The oldest territorial female on Londolozi is currently the Nottens female (believed to be turning 18 this year). In the wild, this is about as old as a female leopard is expected to live for. She is still looking healthy though, and sightings of her are still relatively frequent.
If 18 years is the benchmark, does the Vomba female still have 2 good years to go? And are we currently viewing a leopardess who will achieve legendary status after her passing? I think so. The frustrating nature of tracking her aside, all rangers and trackers here have a soft spot for the Vomba female. We have all been led on many a wild goose chase by her, but she will still always reward us with an amazing sighting, just when we least expect it.
Walking nonchalantly past a couple of wildebeest.
New Years Day 2013. A great way to ring in the new year, with the Vomba female and cub leaping through the trees together.
A wonderful view of the Vomba female in plain sight in the Bushbuck Drainage. More often than not she is deep in a thicket line, and views like this are not common.
The Mashaba and Tutlwa females are waiting in the wings to take over territory from their mother when it becomes available, but I have a strong suspicion that the Vomba female is going to keep them waiting for a good while longer…
Written and Photographed by James Tyrrell
Very cool. I am so appreciative of the blog and your extensive history of the leopard and lion lineages around Londolozi. It is going to make my return in a few weeks even more entertaining for me than last year, as I now have a clear understanding of the sagas that play out.
We had a wonderful sighting of the Vomba female and her (very big) cub less than a month ago with Bennet and Alfie. Although I’ve put that on my list of great sightings of all times, after this beautifully written piece I really understand how blessed we were to see the two of them playing, stalking one another, pouncing and wrestling.
We even had the good luck of seeing the Marthly male (the father as I understand) just nearby with the kill he stolen from the female the day before. The young male would try to get a little bite of the impala from time to time but the very load growling of the father kept him from venturing too close.
I got some wonderful photographs of the mother and son – Oh, how I treasure them now!
Fabulous information as always,James,we were fortunate to have a wonderful siting of the Vomba female and her cub in February this year out in the open with Alfie and Bennet and a quality hour with them.
Great story and pictures James. I had the pleasure of watching this beautiful animal for quite some time on my trip to Londolozi. It was a treat although at the time I didn’t realize how much so. Long live Vomba.
Great photos JT
Another well written, fantastic blog. It’s wonderful to see these leopards live out their lives and make it to and even past their life expectancy and still raising cubs too. Thank you for bringing these amazing animals of Africa to those of us who may never get the chance to see them ‘in person’.
An incredibly intelligent and beautiful leopard and one that always makes you hold your breath in awe. I only saw her a few times but she remains one of my favourite leopards. Thanks for this piece.
Mother and cub….what a fantastic picture! Thanks.
Oh James, how special is this story! Thank you so much for sharing something that I can only wish for but it does give me a thrill reading & looking at the magnificent pics all the Sabi Sand sites put on, yes I see them all. Thank you and long may that magnificent Lady Leopard live to see another cub or two grow up.
Well written James. I remember both Vomba and Nottens females from my time there and in some ways sad that they are fast approaching the end of their life cycle. Yet, they have lived full, successfull lives affording great viewing. Vomba was not only hard to find but also difficult to follow because she loved moving into dry river beds, with many rangers getting stuck. I am hoping to see Nottens female again if and when I can, on my next visit. When I first arrived at Londolozi to guide permanently, she was still dependant on her mother, 3:4 female and we had great sightings of them, including her brother, when they were all together.
Hi Byron,
Thanks for your comments. You’ll be glad to know that many rangers are STILL getting stuck while following the Vomba female!
Nottens just keeps on going, and has been seen mating with the Maxabene 3:3 young male on SS. We have her down as being born in 1995. Can you confirm this?
James
James, apologies for the late reply. Unfortunately I can’t confirm the birth date of Nottens female, however, Stoff was guiding then and I think he viewed her when she was a young cub. 1995 sounds about right though, as I joined Londolozi from Ngala in April 1996 and she was still with 3:4 but it was not too long afterwards that she started to become independent.
We will enjoy her story for as long as it lasts and then let her legend live on through her progeny.
The Sabi Sands is indeed the Land of Leopards. Thank you for sharing her and Londolozi with us!