I type this without knowing if the Camp Pan male leopard is alive or dead.
We are incredibly lucky at Londolozi, in that the leopards we see are generally used to vehicles, allowing us unrivalled viewing opportunities. Other leopards in Africa, however, and indeed elsewhere in the world, are far more reclusive. Ghostly spectres that flit across the headlights, leaving tracks in the sand and the occasional tuft of fur caught on a branch as the only memory of their passing.
Old leopards on Londolozi assume such status. Faded shadows of their former selves, their paling fur and propensity for not revealing more of their presence than is absolutely necessary sees them taking on more and more of a mystical quality. The occasional glimpse of these individuals as they move into the twilight of their lives simply adds to their legend. Pushed out of their former territories by younger, stronger rivals, we see them less and less often as they lead a nomadic existence, until one day, they are just… gone.
Such is the Camp Pan male.
The King of Londolozi in his day; an enormous male whose offspring still inhabit the reserve.
The last evidence I saw of his presence on Londolozi was a few weeks ago in the form of an unmistakeable set of enormous paw prints. We followed the tracks the whole way across the property on the southern bank of the Sand River, only to see them disappear over our eastern boundary. The older trackers here know for sure when the Camp Pan male has passed by. An injury to his toe on one of his front feet leaves a distinctive scuff mark in the track, but that aside, no other leopard I have ever seen has such big paw prints. I can remember two occasions from my early days here when I was very new to tracking on which I mistook tracks of this leopard to be those of a lioness!
The Camp Pan male we were used to seeing towards the end of his tenure; more secretive, preferring thickets, no longer patrolling down the roads in an open display of bravado.
He was renowned for his incredibly long patrols, and many was the day when we were following his tracks, believing ourselves to be close behind him, before another ranger radioed in that they had just found him 3 km away!
It saddens me to think I may never see him again, yet I still feel a deep sense of privilege that I was able to view him for a large portion of his remarkable life. Seldom has a male leopard been such a dominant force in this, one of the densest leopard populations in the world.
Born in late 2000 to the Tavangumi female, he followed a similar trajectory to most other young male leopards, becoming independent at around two years of age and spending most of his early independence operating in an area controlled by his father, believed to be the Wallingford male. I say “believed to be” as paternity in leopards is often unclear, owing to the fact that females will often mate with multiple males so as to solicit future protection for their cubs.
Although we believe the Tamboti female’s first litter was more likely fathered by the Tu-Tones male, the Camp Pan male (RHS in this photo) was nevertheless extremely tolerant of the youngsters owing to the fact that he had also mated with the female. Photograph by Lucien Beaumont
As the Camp Pan male grew, he began pushing eastwards onto Londolozi, establishing himself almost overnight as the dominant male in 2007. For the next six years he reigned supreme, siring multiple litters with numerous females. Although the first chinks in his armour began appearing in 2011 as he was placed under enormous pressure by the Dudley Riverbank 5:5 male, he managed to ward off that challenge while slowly ceding territory to the Marthly male pressing in from the North.
Incredibly, the 5:5 male was adopted as a cub by his grandmother, the 3:4 female, and raised by her to adulthood.
Have a look at the following video showing the Camp Pan male battling the Dudley Riverbank 5:5 male:
The Marthly male was destined to take over the prized river territory however, forcing the Camp Pan male further south, where he continued to hold ground and mate with the females in the area, most notably the Tamboti female.
His downfall would eventually come in 2014 in the form of the younger and stronger Piva male, pushing in from the South and forcing the by-now aging Camp Pan male to relinquish his hold on the territory. An old male leopard, once forced out of his territory, usually reverts back to a nomadic existence, and slowly heads towards oblivion.
Although an enormous leopard, the Camp Pan male was not renowned for his hunting prowess, but was rather notorious as a thief and a scavenger, preferring to steal the hard-won kills of smaller leopards. He would rely more and more on scraps as he neared the end of his days. Here he had stumbled over a scrub hare in the long grass and had taken the opportunity for an easy meal.
That shall never happen with the Camp Pan male however. He shall not be forgotten. His legacy and his genes lives on through the Makhotini male and the Mashaba and Tutlwa females, and indeed their offspring.
I do not know if I will ever see him again or indeed if he is still alive.
Although it is unlikely because he no longer holds territory, when I hear a leopard calling on the still morning air these days, I like to imagine it is the Camp Pan male, padding determinedly down the dusty tracks of Londolozi, heading out on one final patrol.
Written and Photographed by James Tyrrell, Londolozi Photographer
Camp Pan is still my favorite leopard. Feel a bit sad to to think we might not see him again.
Great tribute to a great male leopard! I sure hope he is still hanging in there, enjoying a stolen kill somewhere. Very interesting ( and kind of cool) that you believe that the recently deceased Tu-Tones male is the father of Tamboti Young female instead of Camp Pan. Regardless, she is part of the Camp Pan legacy, either as grandaughter or daughter. Video was excellent (with a surprise appearance by Vomba, the legendary mother of his other beautiful daughters). I am looking forward to more cubs from Mashaba and Tutlwa in the near future!
What a great leopard who was our favorite. He’ll be missed but happy his legacy lives on.
First individual leopard I ever loved. A true legend, and I only wish I’d known about him soone, but I guess it wasn’t the right time. Still, in this couple of years I came to know a little of him and hold him in the highest of regards. And his son Makhotini/Maxabeni male already looks very much like him.
May Camp Pan’s legend live on in everyones hearts, because I know it will in mine.
Beautifully written James and the images are stunning. It makes me sad as well, to think that the Camp Pan male may not be seen again. I hope he is out there somewhere still, as beautiful and regal as ever, but he will definitely never be forgotten and his legacy will live on.
Great story James. I didn’t meet Camp Pan when I visited Londolozi in 2011 but I feel I know and love him from reading the blogs. I’m sure he is missed by many people.
He is/was such a magnificent Leopard, brings tears to my eyes to think we will never see him again, such is the course of nature, for we too shall pass.
Wow….touching synopsis, and very informative for “newbies” like me. Thank you!
What a beautiful tribute. Fifteen years…I had no idea the Camp Pan Male had graced Londolozi that long.
Thank you for sharing your loving thoughts.
Awesome write up!
Beautiful tribute! How I wish I had gotten a glimpse of him during our May visit.
2007? I thought he came in in 2005 because Tutlwa was born in march 2006 and Ive seen Ranger Diairies about him from 06. Anyway amazing blog James I really so hope he is still around and will be seen in your land once more such an awesome legendary leopard. Thanks
Hi Blair,
I think you may be right – I think I may have grabbed the numbers off an incorrect sheet, as I also know him as being Tutlwa’s father and her birth as 2006. I’ll double check and get back to you.
James
HI JAMES,
A GREAT TRIBUTE TO A LEGENDARY LEOPARD OF LONDOLOZI.
I HAVE SPENT MANY HOURS VIEWING THIS MAGNIFICENT CAT IN ALL MY PREVIOUS VISITS, WITH ONE OF THE LAST TIMES BEING IN FEBRUARY ON THE ROAD ON THE EASTERN BOUNDARY, HE WAS NOT LOOKING VERY GOOD, BUT STILL HAD THAT VERY PROUD LOOK ABOUT HIM. IF HE HAS GONE, WE SAY FAREWELL TO A LEGEND!
KIND REGARDS,
TED.
You speak of Camp Pan as if he is dead, but you just saw him alive 2 weeks ago. That, to me, leaves room for hope. I saw him in January lazily laying in the grass beneath his kill. Even though a hyena was there, Camp Pan rolled himself belly up to the sky and yawned. Later that night we watched him eat his kill as 3 hyenas surrounded us in the darkness. He was the first leopard I ever saw in the wild and I am hoping to see him again in October. Unrealistic? I certainly hope not. I worry every day that I will read that he died, but I am glad today was not that day, though you nearly gave me a heart attack. LOL 🙂
Thanks James. Tears fill my eyes as I gaze upon the row of Camp Pan pictures on my living room wall that were taken on our 3 visits to Londolozi. You can see the aging the poor guy was going through but–he was & still is the most magnificent male.
Thanks for the comments everyone, it’s touching to know just how much affection and regard is felt all over the world for a wild animal such as this.
If I hear of him being sighted at all in the next while I’ll post it here.
James
Thank for a wonderful blog about this warrior of a leopard. It is always sad to see them pass from the world, but our memories of them and their legacy in the genes of their offspring keep a part of him here always..
Thank you, James. I look forward to your future reports as well.