With all the talk about leopards and motherhood, this week’s Virtual Safari couldn’t be more fitting as we share with you an unbelievable morning where we enjoy every second of sitting with the Mashaba Female and her latest litter of cubs. Stumbling across her den just by chance, we sit in complete silence hoping that she chooses to reveal her cubs to us for the very first time they are seen.
The next generation of the Sunsetbend Lineage is amongst us and how amazing is it to have another leopard den on Londolozi.
To close off the Virtual Safari, we spend some time with a pangolin. Initially hiding in the grass, it relaxes over time in that it moved out of the thicker grass and allows us to see its face.
Enjoy this Virtual Safari…
The Mashaba female is currently Londolozi’s best-known leopard. Her relaxed nature means she is comfortable around the vehicles.
To view the YouTube link, click here.
What a Sunday treat! As you say Sean, both sightings were phenomenal. Incredible, fabulous, wonderful…running out of adjectives here. Thank you.
Thank you so much, Suzanne. They were a spectacular couple of sightings.
What a wonderful surprise to see Mashaba female and her two beautiful cubs. They are so adorable and still scared of the vehicle. But that was a phenomenal sighting and I really do hope she can keep them safe. Love to see how she cares for them, and the one was playing with her paw. Pangolin to sweet with it’s long nose and cute face. So good to see them.
Thank you so much, Valmai. It was so special to find the Mashaba Female’s den.
Words can’t describe these incredible highlights of the week Sean ! Time spent with the Mashaba Female and her two gorgeous Cubs was so very very special indeed. How wonderful to have another den on Londolozi🙏🏻. Super too to end with the incredible close ups of the Pangolin! Out of interest, when shining a torch on them, are they apt to freeze much like a rabbit or would this not affect them in any way? Just wonderful …thanks so much Sean for this very special virtual video 👌🏻❤️
We are so thrilled that the Mashaba Female is denning again and that we have some more tiny cubs around. It was also great to see the pangolin. To my knowledge, the light doesn’t affect them much and it was a diffused light so not too harsh and bright for it.
I dedicate this day to all Mums and to Mashaba female and her wonderful cubs! I feared she would not have babies any more, but here they are all together, the best way in the world to celebrate this day. My mum was a nature lover, a teacher and a guide, when i was a child she gave me two books that are a must, Born Free and Queen of Shaba. I lived within the stories and would say that the Mashaba female is the Queen of Londolozi. Thank you for all the updates on her!
It was indeed the most perfect way to celebrate Mother’s Day.
This is such a special virtual safari today Sean, not just because it’s Mother’s Day, but due to brilliant strategy and patience, managed to find and film Mashaba and her cubs at their den site. How heartwarming to see those two little ones playing with mom’s tail and paw in between suckling. Any idea on who the father might be? Do you think at least one is a boy? I had a glimpse of one’s behind and it appeared to be a male, but they move so fast it’s hard to tell. I really enjoyed that quiet time just watching.
But then you had to go one better and film a pangolin! That was the prize of the week. They’re such interesting little animals with such a delicate head attached to an armored body. Cheers to many more sightings like this in the weeks to come.
It was such an amazing sighting and what better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than with the discovery of the Mashaba Female’s den. It is difficult to tell the gender at this stage, but one did look like a young male.
Pangolins are such stunning animals and to be able to get up-close footage of its face was special.
Thanks Sean for the great video of the Mashaba female’s cubs and the Pangolin.
It is so fantastic to be able to watch the little ones for nearly a quarter of an hour.
Obviously the mother is already a bit an older one. Might these be her last cubs?
They are really so cute.
I would love to see a pangolin one day myself. Maybe on a night drive sometime in the future. Would be great.
Thank you so much, Christa. The Mashaba Female is ageing now and so this could very well be one of her last litters of cubs that she may have. We are hoping that she manages to raise them successfully.
Sean what a nice relaxing time (for us but not Mum) watching those two cuties. Love them. Also, how neat to see a pangolin – I sincerely hope it stays safe. Thanks for the ride – enjoyed it.
Thank you so much, Leonie. It was such an amazing time spent with the Mashaba Female.
Sean – such amazingly special footage of the Mashaba Mother Leopard and her newest cubs – its outstanding. I loved the way she called them when it was safe and I gave an involuntary gasp as they appeared – imagine actually being there! The Pangolin was a bonus. Thank you.
Thank you so much, Jennifer. We were so lucky to find the Mashaba Female and her den and then to be spoilt with a sighting like that.
What a wonderful sighting. Blessed, as usual, with another episode in the leopard history in the making. Thanks so much!!!
Thank you so much, Jos. It was a fantastic sighting.
Wonderful video this week, just awesome thank you
Thank you so much, Moira.
This sighting was absolutely magical……I really love Mashaba, and wish only the best for her with these cubbies…..it is so so sad that she hasn’t had good luck with raising cubs for 7 years now. When we saw her in Aug 2019, she looked visibly heavily pregnant then, and we were hoping for good news. These little spotties are just so adorable!
Fabulous videography Sean .. and very steady handed with your iPhone!
Wow, just saw the vlog…….. love it! Too early to see whether the cubs are m/f, is it? And that sweet Pangolin face…
Beautiful! Thank you so much!!