A grey, cloudy morning hangs over Londolozi. The dark skies threaten but the rain holds off for the moment. It’s been some time since we’ve seen the Nkoveni Female and her two cubs. Rob Hlatshwayo and I decide it’s worth having a look around her usual haunt. It’s a tough start and we can find no sign of her anywhere.
“Let’s have one last look along this drainage line,” I tell my guests,
“She often uses this drainage to stash her cubs while she is out hunting.”
It’s our last-ditch attempt before we would call off the search and move on to look for something else. Tracker Rob Hlatshwyo’s eyes bore a hole into the hard surface of the road in search of tracks as I scan left and right, determined to find even the barest hint of this leopard.
While Prof scans the road, we scan the surroundings. Trying with all our might to will into being something like this.
And then that magical moment; I hear a gasp and a quiet…
“Is that her?”
One of our guests miraculously spots her draped over a branch far in the distance. Laying just below the canopy line of a tree was the exact female we’ve been searching for. As we approach closer we notice the remains of a young impala hanging from a nearby branch.
As comfortable a branch as she could want.
A gorgeous female who is found to the east of camp. Easily recognised by her 2:2 spot pattern she is often to be found in Marula trees.
But where are the cubs? After viewing her for some time, looking as comfortable as I’ve ever seen a leopard in a tree, we decide to try and find the little ones. We backed out of the tight viewing spot and drive back towards the road. I heard a chuckle from Rob as he points towards a Torchwood tree right at the point in the road where we turned off when we saw the female; there, lying on a perfectly horizontal branch out in the open for all the world to see, was perched one of the cubs.
It was such a special sight to see that little cub staring down at us, completely unperturbed. This was another spectacular moment filled with all the gasps and “awws” that one could expect.
And then, the icing on an already magnificent cake; we turn to see the mother had moved from her perch. We could see something else moving though, the kill seemed to be swaying. Was this from the other cub?
Yes, there the other one was. Feeding on the kill while the mother watched from a higher perch.
The enthusiastic cub was doing its best with what little jaw strength it could muster.
We watched as it fed, the most adorable feeding I have ever witnessed. The cub feeding was too much; the kill’s centre of balance shifted and it began to slip from the branch! The cub paid no heed and fed on with reckless abandon. At the last the mother caught the movement and sprang into action, circling around the trunk just as the kill began to slide off the branch and clawed at it to bring it to her jaws before the carcass could fall to the hyena waiting below.
We all chuckled as the cub still held on to its end of the meal and played havoc with the mother’s rescue attempt. But she was successful in the end, carrying it up to a safer branch.
The cub, vastly unimpressed with this new development, began its somewhat precarious climb up to the mother to try and steal a few more mouthfuls. The mother growled a warning hoping to halt the cub’s advances. Emboldened by its earlier feeding frenzy, the cub leaped brashly onto the kill as the mother fed. This was the final straw and the mother snapped at the cub, growling savagely.
Not impressed.
This time the reprimand was understood in full and the cub quietly curled up on the branch next to the mother, only a quiet hiss and a snarl to declare its dissatisfaction at the injustice of it all.
The cub watching the mother feed.
Seeing leopard cubs is always magical, but after this particular morning’s events we were lucky to witness, it was unanimous amongst the vehicle that it had been an exceptional sighting. To be rewarded with such excitement after a long difficult tracking mission made it so much more special. To warm our spirits and digest what we had just seen we left the mother still feeding and settled over a warm cup of coffee next to the Sand River.
Kyle, that was a brilliant sighting! I was chuckling whilst the cub was desperately trying to keep feeding as mom was rescuing the kill from a fall to the waiting grasp of a hyena. Poor mom works so hard to catch a meal, only to have a cheeky cub pay no attention to how she’s tugging at the carcass. The reprimand was classic and you captured the face of the annoyed cub-bravo.
It was a fun sighting for sure, Denise. We loved every second of it.
Dear Kyle, thank you so much for sharing this experience! Much appreciated.
Hi Kyle, you are a prize- winner photographer! Leopard cubs are among the most expressive animals I’ve ever seen, your collection is marvellous! They made me smile. Great mum, she war in perfect time with two trouble makers! Bravo!
Thank you so much, Francesca! The Nkoveni female definitely has her hands (or paws) full with those two!!
Magical sighting! A slice of leopard family life!
A great sighting. Those mothers are always very busy with their cubs’ antiques and adventures. Good that she was able to save the prey from the hyenas. I saw her and the cubs in April and was very much impressed by her love and playfulness towards her cubs.
Hi Christa, her cubs really are stunning animals and an absolute joy to watch. Hopefully you’ll see them again soon!
That was a stunning sight to see Kyle. Felt sorry for the little cub that still wanted to feed after mom rescued the kill. She was quick to help and save it, but the little one did not realize what was going on. The other cub lying so openly on the branch makes a beautiful foto. Good footage thanks.
We also felt a little bit sorry for that cub! (It was still pretty funny to watch though) Thanks for reading
what a fabulous morning! watching leopards big and small are always fascinating but when you add the family spat and near disaster with dinner it is like watching humans ( minus the animals ) having a family spat!! thank you Victoria
It was exactly like that, Victoria! Had us all chuckling.
Great storytelling Kyle and what an exciting morning! Terrific video! Very similar to one we experienced … checkout the blog entry we wrote about. Travel safely! Our best to Prof & C!
Ah thanks guys, it was a special morning for sure. Well worth sitting in the rain for!! Just checked out your blog, loved it!! Miss you guys and hope you are all good your side.
Oh and H also sends her love!
Leopard manners need to be learned sometimes the hard way. Glad that all get at least a mouthful every now and then.
Agreed. Thanks for reading William.
Too cute for words Kyle and a lucky find for you all. It was amusing to watch Mum trying to relocate the carcass and the youngun determined to keep eating. Thanks for sharing with us – very enjoyable.
It was such a fun sighting, Leonie!
What a WONDERFUL day you experienced! Those cubs are too cute!
Woops. C was supposed to be H!!!!
hahaha don’t worry, I realised!
Lovely blog, thank you! Nice cubs and the little girl is quite at ease with people, nice!
Kyle, this is truly fabulous – lucky, lucky guests!
Wonderful
Lovely writing and those photographs were fabulous! Great post!
outstanding video!
Kyle, It was so awesome to see the Nkoveni cub and mom in action! Mom saved the day and the cub learned a great lesson! The video is a classic!! Thanks!
What a fantastic sighting! Actually any sighting with a leopard and cubs is wonderful anytime!
I’ve been out of touch for awhile and so your fabulous day spent with the Nkoveni female and her beautiful cubs was extra special indeed ! Thank you Kyle 🙏❤️
The BEST! That’s it. Nothing more. Lucky lucky guests!