When a jackal makes an alarm call, it means business. It is not often that the rangers ignore the familiar yelp of a jackal in the distance and yesterday was no different. While sitting with a wallowing buffalo at circuit pan, we heard the jackal and without question, the engine revved and off we raced off in that direction. Along the way we were constantly turning off to make sure that we were on the right track and that we could still hear the yelps. The louder it got, the more excited we were and the more convinced Jess and Phan were that there was something interesting happening. We arrived at Tu-tones Crest and about 100m off road we found where the sound was coming from, a side-striped jackal and before any of us could attempt to scan the area, Phan had spotted the reason for the yelps.
The Tamboti female and her cub were lying up under a thicket. When a predator is being alarmed at, it usually makes them uneasy as it brings unnecessary attention and with the addition of having to protect her cub, Tamboti was not very happy about the jackal. We were incredibly fortunate that mom had been unsettled by the jackal as it provided us with some wonderful photographic opportunities with her up and down termite mounds with cub following in tow.
One would’ve been more than satisfied with the sighting that we had just had but what made this one so special was that after a while we realised that the leopards had a kill. This was no normal kill, and explained the reason for the jackals alarm calls, it was not one, but two carcasses of the jackals pups. It is an unfortunate reality of the wild that predators will kill other predators because they are all seen as competition. This is not normally done for a food source but in this case we saw something incredibly bizarre, Tamboti began feeding on one of the pups.
The cub was not allowed anywhere near and when edging forward, she would get a growl from her mom to warn her off and so she sat watching as her mom went about feeding. The calls of some impala caught her ear and she decided that they would be a much tastier snack so she left the cub on a termite mound and we lost her in a Gwarrie thicket as the sun was going down. It was a special afternoon and after spending three hours with these beautiful animals we left them be.
Tamboti see’s the jackal returning and pokes her head up to make sure it wasnt going to come closer.
The cub looks on as mom chases the female jackal for a second time, nervous of what it will do to her young cub.
Even though she is incredibly protective of her cub, she still has to tell it off every now and then. In this instance, Tamboti was up the tree scanning the area and the cub took this as being play time, needless to say, Tamboti was not impressed.
Moving one of the pups into a comfortable area to feed.
The second pup is moved too.
The cub attempting to get involved, sneaking forward as mom carries on feeding.
Finally she gave up on her mom and began chasing squirrels instead.
Climbing trees while chasing squirrels was way more fun!
She snarls at her cub to stay behind as she heads off to find the imapala’s.
Off she goes…
Written and Photographed by Kate Neill
Great photos Kate, sad about the pups, however.
We just got news that Nelson Mandela has passed away. He was a man who changed the world and touched the hearts of so many, our thoughts are with all the people of South Africa and at Londolozi in this time of grief.
Fantastic photos and lovely stories !!!Well done
And so it goes. The natural world continues–sad today because of the passing of Madiba. All of us in Sebastopol, Ca. remember him with love & awe. May he rest in peace.
Kate your pictures are outstanding! Tamboti is no small Leopard, seems very tall for a Leopard, unless its just because you were close up, or a good lens? Sad about the Jackal pups, laws of nature are harsh! Your write up is excellent, felt as if I were there watching it with you 🙂
Fantastic Shots and story line.
Kate, amazing photos and very interesting interaction between the leopards and jackals as well the Tamboti female and her cub. Can’t understand why the mum would feed on the jackal pups, however, I do remember the Majingalene males killing offspring of rivals and cannibalizing them, leaving only paws behind…nature is curious, sad and wonderful as well. Perhaps the Tamboti female was sending her cub a message…?