Ask Ranger Tayla Brown and Tracker Freddy Ngobeni; they’ve turned the area inside out looking for these elusive leopards.
Summer is here and with it have come all the things that make finding very small leopards difficult; long grass, thick bush and road surfaces baked to concrete by the sun, necessitating superhuman eyesight (enter Freddy) to even think of spotting a track.
Yet find multiple tracks Freddy and Tayla did, in and around the Manyelethi River in a few different spots, quite far north of where the Makomsava female was previously keeping her litter.
The only surviving cub of the Nanga female, currently territorial northern Marthly. Currently denning north of boundary
Red, blue, green dots: First, second and third dens. Black dot: Last tracks of the cub.
The Makomsava female has been proving particularly elusive of late.
To be honest, we don’t even know if both cubs are still alive. The last time they were seen they were found in a small bank of rocks on the edge of the Manyelethi, but they were only viewed there for a couple of days (although we believed they had been kept there for a couple of weeks before) until they were moved. Since then they have not been seen for over two weeks.
Freddy and Tayla have been working the area extensively with their current guests, and on a number of occasions have been within a whisker of finding the leopards; fresh tracks of the mother and at least one cub led them into a thick block near the Leadwood forest, then squirrels started alarming and then a kudu started barking, sure signs that the leopards were close. But then nothing. Silence. Only the cicadas buzzing in the drowsy late morning heat.
Heading back there later that afternoon, tracks of a cub were clearly visible imprinted in the sand on top of Tayla’s track! The leopards had walked out behind the ranger/tracker duo just after they had moved off.
The cub/s is/are old enough to be taken to kills now. They’re over three months, which also means that proper, stable dens become less used by the mother. These days it will be more of a case of stashing the cubs in some convenient orifice like a hollow log or a hole in a termite mound until she’s back from hunting. Then she’ll move them again and the search begins once more.
It’s frustrating knowing that at least one cub is out there yet eluding us, but if Tayla and Freddy keep at it like they have for a week (they’ve found the mother on a couple of occasions, but not the cub), we should hopefully know soon.
First prize is obviously both cubs alive and well, but right now we’ll settle for just a glimpse of only one…
Good luck Tayla and Freddy! Presumably (or as far as you know) there are no other cubs likely to be in that area?
I’ll always bet on Freddy Ngobeni –the best!
(Love the last 4 letters of his name!)
Haha nice one Vin!!
Fingers crossed
At least one is certainly alive. Would be really great if you could find both cubs.
James, I saved the cubs🤗
Fingers crossed for these cubs!!
I hope that all is well with Makhomsava and BOTH cubs and that she is just being a super cautious elusive mama!
Well, it seems she’s living up to the reputation of leopards as being elusive. Londolozi’s guides and trackers are some of the best in SabiSand, yet some leopards have become adept at the “hide and seek “ game, especially females with cubs. I trust the teams will continue their searches and eventually will report back good news!
Makomsava Female is one good looking Leopard
Hoping for the best for the Makomsava cubs. Here’s wishing for “first prize”!!!
If anyone can fine them…..FREDDY can!!!
Here’s to you all finding them James! Speaking of Makhomsava, have you all seen any signs of her mother lactating or having cubs or has she lost her most recent litter as well? And any sign of the Mashaba Female?
I’m keeping my fingers crossed!
James, fingers crossed that they track them down. We know Freddy is one of the best!