This week among Kyle Gordon and I, we enjoy some amazing sightings of a handful of leopards where they come through strong in this post. The Three Rivers Female and her young male cub are spending a lot of time around Tortoise Pan and providing us with some unbelievable viewing. The Plaque Rock Female features in another sequence of images where Kyle and I both had different takes on the lighting and allowed for very different results. Kyle shot with the golden light behind him and I shot into the golden light getting a backlit image. The joys of modern photography are that you are able to get creative and try things.
The Tsalala Female popped up for a very brief morning but is still looking in brilliant condition, laying everyone’s concerns about her to bed. She is thriving for the time being. Amongst the sightings of the large cats, we enjoy the smaller things and the scenery. A Grey tree frog warms up in the afternoon light. The Full “Blood Moon” was stunning. A zebra nursing her young with a beautiful backdrop, a hyena cub and one of the young Ntsevu cubs looking incredibly cute make up the rest of this week’s images.
Let us know your favourite image in the comments section below.
Enjoy this Week in Pictures…
The Tsalala Female has been keeping well beneath the radar over the last few weeks, with sightings of her being few and far between. However, this particular morning last week we found her moving along the Sand River with a belly pretty full. Indicating that she is still thriving and keeping in fantastic condition.
A young and fluffy foal nurses from its mother.
While in search of a leopard in the late morning we came across a stunning scene of a mother zebra nursing her foal with a backdrop of the rolling hills and large koppies.
The Three Rivers Female and her youngster have been a pretty regular duo to find of late and each time they have provided some great sightings.
Forced into early independence as her mother was killed by the Southern Avoca Males.
Scratching his head on a stump, you can already notice the male leopard physique of this young leoaprd, the thickset frame and large neck with a big head.
The dainty Three Rivers Female attention is quickly focused on a couple of rutting impala in distance
Moving along the Maxabeni Riverbed is prime habitat for a leopard, the dense vegetation and large trees surrounding it make for many places for leopards to find sanctuary.
Shortly after sunset this deep orange “Blood Moon” rose. This colouration is a result of sunlight that shines directly through the Earth’s atmosphere and is projected onto the moon — giving it a red tone.
One of the last remaining Ntsevu Cubs stares straight into the camera with a blood stain from a recent feed on it’s cheek.
As the winter rapidly approaches and as the bush begins to wither, the smaller moisture dependent creatures need to adapt their strategy in order to make it through. This Grey Tree Frog (Foam Nest Frog) was making the most of the late afternoon light to warm up but also huddles itself together reducing the amount of body surface area exposed and in turn reducing the moisture lost to the environment.
A number of hyena dens have been found recently allowing some amazing viewing of these tiny inquisitive hyena cubs.
The Three Rivers Duo on another occasion rested and groomed into the late morning.
Photography is an amazing example of a different perspective on things. Kyle and I were in the same sighting here of the Plaque Rock Female. The next few images were all from this sighting as she walks down the road along the Sand River.
A late afternoon mission of the Plaque Rock Female returning to a carcass she had stashed in a tree with the sunset behind her giving a gorgeous golden backlit opportunity.
Photography is an amazing example of a different perspective on things.
Shortly after that, we ended off the day with this spectacular red sunset.
So delighted to receive a positive update on the Tsalala female. It truly warms my heart. I’m still praying that she will have some good companionship soon in the form of another lone lioness. Thank you!
It is indeed great news that the Tsalala Female is thriving.
Greetings from Canada,
Wonderful photographs, I have a very special place in my heart for big cats, specially lions, so for me, lion photos are number one !
Keep up the fantastic work !
Stay safe,
Denys Sarazin.
Greetings Denys, I am so glad that you liked our photographs. Lions are fantastic.
Can the tsalala female ever be accepted into a pride or have a couple of males stick out life with her or will she always be a target for other lions
It is very unlikely that she will be accepted into another unrelated pride but not completely out of the question. She will most likely try to meet up with the dominant males and have some cubs of her own and hope that this then boosts the numbers in her own pride.
The moon shot is spectacular, but since I never get tired of leopard photos, I pick the backlit Plaque Rock female walking down the road as the ‘pic of TWIP’. I enjoyed the lion cub and hyena cub photos as well along with the zebras and the beautiful Three Rivers female and her fast growing cub! Thanks for sharing all the photos!
Thank you so much, Darlene. Leopards are always so beautiful so we love to share a lot of images of them.
Sean wonderful foto’s this week in TWIP. I loved the foto of the leopard scratching his head on a stump. Is it the Ximungwe young male cub. All the other foto’s are stunning and I also quite like the Zebra mom nursing her foal, with the greenery and large koppies behind as a beautiful back drop.
Thank you so much, Valmai. No the young leopard scratching his head is the Three Rivers Young Female.
I always love photos of the Tsalala lioness. It’s so good to hear that she is doing fine. The same can be said about the Ntsevu cub: such a cute little lion!
The full moon picture is beautiful, as well as the spectacular sunset!
The hyena cub, the zebra foal feeding in this beautiful landscape, the little frog, and last but not least the great photos of so many leopards: I just love all of them!
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much, Christa. I am glad you enjoyed all the pictures.
Terrific photos this week! I was going to pick the little Hyena baby, they are so cute and curious, but then I saw your red sunset, Sean, and that did it for me! BEAUTIFUL!
Thank you so much, Debra. I love watching the sunset.
Sean, you’re my winner again this week for your shot of Plaque Rock walking with the sunset behind her – firstly because that gorgeous golden light makes her even more beautiful, and 2ndly she’s my 2nd favourite leopard (Ndzanzeni is still my no.1 but I haven’t heard her mentioned for a very long time on the blog?)
Thank you so much, Suzanne. I am so glad that you loved that picture of the Plaque Rock Female. Sadly, the Ndzandzeni Female is not seen too often. I will try put a story out on her sometime soon.
Have to pick the Tsalala female because I’m so thrilled to see how well she is managing on her own Sean 🙏🏻💗‼️However if I was to pick from any of the leopard photos it would pretty damn difficult – stunning light and captures as always team. thank you so much 🙏🏻
Thank you so much, Cally. It is great that the Tsalala Female is thriving.
Hi Sean, I think the Red Moon was viewed by many of us all around the world, a universal spectacular event you managed to photograph perfectly. The sunset leaves in awe. We’re never tired of big cats especially leopards that are so different from each other,beautiful and expressive. The lion cub photo hit me because it looks older in its eyes, as if danger he’s been through had made it wiser. Hyenas surely are not beautiful but are funny creatures sometimes! The zebra with her foal are adorable. The frog is a peculiar character not often seen I wonder how many of smaller creatures are in the shadow
Thank you so much, Francesca. I believe the Red Moon was spectacular everywhere. Glad you enjoyed the other pictures too.
The female lion’s attitude is precious. I am going to channel her at the next Women’s March.
It is a great image indeed.
Sean, TWIP is beautiful as always. Thanks for the wonderful shots of the Tsalala female lioness and the leopards.
Thank you, William.
Some beautiful pics Sean and love the sunrise/sunset – spectacular. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much, Leonie.
Sean and Kyle-fantastic week in photos highlighting all the sighted leopards. I thoroughly enjoyed your different views of the Plaque Rock female and have noted the growth of her cub. Like the Ximungwe male cub, he is almost as large as his mother. Soon I’m sure he’ll surpass her size.
It was a cute hyena pup image and that frog – not the most attractive member of its species. I’m looking forward to Sunday’s virtual safari.
Thank you so much, Denise.
Awesome selection Londolozi team, would have to say my favorite is between the photo of the PRF looking out into the distance or the close up by Kyle. Are the hyena dens that you have found in the north of the property or spread throughout the different clan territories?
Thank you so much, Michael. Those are some epic shots. There are currently three different hyena dens that we know of. One in the north-west, one just south of our camps and then the third is deep south-west.
As always, super photos
Sean, we are thrilled to hear that the Tsalala female is doing so well. What a great story! Our favorite image is the Ntsevu Cub – so cute!
Thank you so much, Michael and Terri. The Tsalala story is such a great one.
I forgot to mention, my favorite photo this week is the sunset – the vibrant colors!
Thank you so much, Denise.
The blood moon was spectacular in the Northern hemisphere as well!
It was spectacular here.