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Sean Cresswell

Alumni Ranger

Sean is one of the humblest rangers you are likely to meet. Quietly going about his day, enriching the lives of the many guests he takes out into the bush, it is only when he posts a Week in Pictures or writes an ...

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14 Comments

on Leopard Update: The Glimpse of an Heiress

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The Tutlwa and Mashaba females arent Sunset Bends daughters they are Vombas so they are granddaughters of Sunset Bend. Both fathered by Camp Pan male as well

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You’re right, Blair, it was incorrectly stated in my writing but the lineage is what I meant… All of the females descending from Sunset Bend share that unmistakable colour. Rambling on about Leopards gets me too excited! Thanks for your comment

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Awesome blog Sean. Interesting history.

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Great blog Sean,the general consensus is that the Marthly male is the father because the young females resemble him,especially the one with the 2:2 spot pattern.Hopefully they will set up territory in Londolozi.

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Thank you, Alex, and yes we hope so too. It’s very difficult to confirm any paternity in these situations; in actual fact we are just happy that both the Marthly male and the Dudley Riverbank 5:5 (aka Airstrip) male presumed paternity. Whichever way the genetics fall, it was the latter who indirectly protected the cubs through his continued dominance.

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Thanks Sean. Interesting to read what is happening with the lady leopards of Londolozi.

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That is the difference between Londolozi and so many other parks/lodges-the intimate knowledge of the animals (especially Leopards) .

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Please can you tell me where these Leopards’ spot patterns can be found? On their cheeks? & what the ratios mean? Thank you.

Hi Susanna, I think you will find this article useful in answer to your question – http://blog.londolozi.com/2012/04/how-to-identify-individual-leopards/

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Thank you Rich, I went to the link & it is interesting reading but a bit beyond me I think. You chaps are brilliant & I realize now that yet another accomplishment of Londolozi Rangers & trackers is sharp eyes.

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I personally have always felt Airstrip (Dudley 5:5) is the father, either way he did help raise them imo

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Ya Mike each observer forms their own opinion, and it is true that 5:5 was a huge factor in their attainment of independence. So as you say, either way, it does not matter to them or the mother, as long as they survive their first few venerable years. Thanks so much for the comment.

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Exciting times and an excellent blog! Thanks for sharing, Sean!

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Very nice introduction to the 2 daughters of Xidulu (or Kikileze female). I think the more dominant daughter will hang around her aging mother’s territory with the hope of inheriting it and the other will wander a bit. Interesting comments by Alex and Mike about paternity of the daughters. However, the 5:5 Dudley male really did team up with Xidulu and helped raise them.
The powerful Xidulu (Kikileze) is one of two females (are there more?) who are living connections between the Sunset Bend and 3:4 family trees. She was sired by the old Newington male, son of 3;4, in 2001.
I hate to say it — but the beautiful diagram of Sunset Bend family is several years old and badly out of date and woefully inadequate for this great legacy. The Tutlwa female cub is now the territorial Nhlanguleni female, Campbell Koppies Young Female (2:2) is now Maliliwane. No Mashaba Young Female or Tamboti Young Female! Also 2 important females are missing—one is the Ostrich Koppies Female, the oldest living granddaughter of Sunset Bend and the 0ther connection to 3:4(sired also by old Newington Male in 2004 with Campbell Koppies) and the Emsagweni female, the 2009 daughter of Xidulu (Kikileze). Emsagweni female may be daughter of Emsagwen and Xidulu (but could be daughter of Tugwaan/Bicycle Crossing). This is important historically and there should be a comprehensive family tree to capture all of this.

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