As usual, I was reading the Londolozi blog with great interest. Perhaps with more interest than normal since I was supposed to be there last week and wanted to see what I was missing.
Nick Sim’s April 1st blog about a mother leopard, her newly independent daughter and her new cub clearly struck a chord as it jostled my memory about a sighting I had last year with similar dynamics.
With Ranger Nick Kleer and tracker Ray Mabelane leading the way, we set out to find the Ximungwe leopard. After a thorough but unsuccessful search we went to the Sand River to look instead for the Nhlanguleni leopard and/or her two female cubs.
Again, nothing.
Initially skittish she spent a lot of time in the Sand River, now relaxed she makes up the majority of leopard viewing west of camp.
Never being ones to give up we made the crossing north as Ray promised, “There is always a leopard in the Leadwood Forest.”
We were making our way on the track on the south side of the Manyelethi River just prior to the turn north to the Leadwood Forest when Ray raised his arm. He pointed across the riverbed where there are a few prominent trees on the bend of the river. It was several hundred yards away in tall grass but Ray said there was a leopard at the base of the tree and another in the canopy (how he saw this I will never know).
We made our way into the riverbed and noticed that the leopard on the ground was very agitated, often looking back across to the other side of the river. The scene was a bit hectic with the other leopard high up in the tree. Was this a male and female? What was happening across the river? After some to-ing and fro-ing, Nick and Ray identified the leopards as the Ingrid Dam female (on the ground) and the recently independent Ingrid Dam Young Female (in the tree).
The Ingrid Dam Female made several passes of the riverbed to investigate the other side and seeming source of the anxiety. Perhaps it was a male and the two females were vying for attention? On the third trip to the south side of the Manyelethi, we caught a brief glimpse of a brown flash in the tall grass at the river’s edge. At last mystery solved. The Ingrid Dam Female had a cub and her older daughter had encroached back on “home territory.”
The Ingrid Dam Young Female came down from the tree and crossed the riverbed and actually began contact calling for the cub. We have no way of knowing but assumed that this was not a threatening action. However, mom had had enough. For the next 20 minutes, the Ingrid Dam Female growled, hissed, bellowed and chased her daughter, forcing her to eventually move off and not return.
Afterwards, we were treated to an afternoon with the Ingrid Dam Female and her cub. I have been fortunate to see many leopard cubs at Londolozi, but never had I been witness to such a relaxed mom and young cub (estimated at 3 months old) out in the open. They indulged us with some great photographic opportunities as well as providing an amazing memory.
She is occasionally seen around the far north west corner of Londolozi, and is generally quite relaxed around vehicles.
![Kambula Pride Playing On Riverbank (6) [rcb]](https://media.londolozi.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/13085423/Kambula-Pride-playing-on-riverbank-6-RCB-280x178.jpg)
Absolutely beautiful what a tender moment with mom and cub such a special bond. Thanks for sharing
It is one of life’s great pleasures (if it is possible) to sit with a leopard and her cub watching them interact and play.
I couldn’t agree more Marinda
I agree! Got to spend some quality time in August 2019 with Xidulu (an older daughter of Ingrid Dam Female) and her cub (now called Cara) and it was really magical….and I got some great photos of the whole relaxed encounter!
It is so sad when it’s time for a mother to chase off an older cub. The older cub must wonder what has happened after being the apple of her mothers eye for so long. Nature is harsh but that is the way it is in the wild….. Its always such interesting reading here at Londolozi. Thank you.
Al, what a wonderful blog, we were there 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018, and we are supposed to go 2020, for our 50 50th wedding anniversary Sept 5
Super photos, please keep accounts like that coming. Very sorry that Al did not make it to Londolozi.
Stay safe
I have such great memories, and photos of the beautiful Ingrid Dam female taken a year and a half ago. It was suspected she had a cub stashed somewhere, but we weren’t successful in finding it. Fortunately, you did!!
I too was supposed to be in Londolozi but life had other plans, so time to reschedule!! Good luck and keep well.
Thanks Denise. Stay safe and healthy.
Wow! Great pictures Al. And yes, the Bush does turn some people into Bush Fanatics (like me, for example!). Been going there (sadly not to Londolozi – yet) since I was 4 and I am now 82. Wendy M
What an amazing account! Looking forward to visiting Londolozi sometime in hopefully the not too distant future. Thank you for posting Al Kaiser!!
What a fascinating story, Al. I’d never thought about the mother-daughter-new cub dynamic with leopards. It’s surprising but in the end makes sense that the mother would be fierce in deterring her daughter from interacting with half-sibling (potentially full). Was the young female possibly contact calling for her mother rather than the cub? Only to find that her affections have been replaced?
Funnily enough I have also settled in Hong Kong, having moved here from NYC (although British by birth).
Thanks Alex. She was definitely calling for the cub as her mother was right nearby. See you in HK when the dust settles.
Beautiful cats I just love them all if life could be easier for them wow so great. That would mean humans would have to leave the big cats alone all wildlife would be awesome. Everything has a purpose in keeping this planet running smoothly. Ours is to protect care for help and love all animals. Instead humans kill and destroy even with all the warning we get
Hello Al! Beautiful pictures! It must have been fantastic to see them so relaxed and tender with a strong bond. Thank you for sharing!
Shame about your trip Al, have you rescheduled yet? Love your photos, especially the one with mother and cub drinking together – the cub’s blue eyes show just how young it was, wonderful sighting for you. James, do you have any updates on the cub?
Hello Suzanne. I hope you are keeping well. I’m hoping to reschedule for end of July or August. We shall see. It was thought that the Ingrid Dam female had two cubs but we only saw the one. I believe that this cub was lost soon after this visit. As you know, she isn’t seen so frequently at Londolozi.
It’s so special to see a mother and her cub for an expended period of time. Your images are touching!
Loved the story. Have followed Ingrid Dam for some years now. Thank you for sharing with us.
So would the older independent daughter be the female now known as Xinzele? We saw her last August 2019 too, but a bit further north on the boundary.
Hello Lisa. I don’t know if Londolozi or one of our neighbors has named the Ingrid Dam Young female now that she is independent.
I will defer to James.
Hello Lisa. You were correct that the Ingrid dam young female is now called Xinzele. Some great photos of her in TWIP.
That sounds like it was a truly memorable sighting!!