Upon finding some very fresh leopard tracks one morning, a few other rangers and trackers came into the area to join me on the search. Tracks were likely of the Nhlanguleni Female, walking along the beach at Finfoot Crossing. So after a while of following the tracks and looping up ahead, we were utterly surprised at what we bumped into and as a result, this has utterly consumed me since then as the excitement amongst the ranging team escalates.
Intentionally using this write-up to leave you in suspense until you watch the video. And on a side note, all the answers to the little riddle from The Week in Pictures #603, shown again below, will be revealed.
I’ll leave this one for you all to solve. Firstly, who is this? Secondly, what about this picture is so special? Thirdly, where do you think she has come from?
Sit back and enjoy this extensive tracking mission and all the highlights along the way.
Enjoy this Virtual Safari…
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Sean, thanks for the updated video of the Nhlanguleni female. Can’t wait the see the cubs !
We also can’t wait to see the cubs. Hopefully sometime soon.
Hi Sean, that is fantastic news that you saw and tracked the Nhlanguleni female where abouts. Also back tracking till you found the Boulder where she previously had kept her cubs. Let’s hope she has used that very same den to keep her cubs safe. It is truly remarkable the way you and the Trackers found her first den, I think it is a gift to be able to do that.
It is fantastic news. I think it comes down to many years of skill and experience to be able to track things like that.
Fascinating video. I especially enjoyed the segment about backtracking. The way she walks is really fascinating too.
Thank you so much, Paul. It was fun working out where she had come from.
Exciting news about another new litter of leopard cubs. I hope that she was successful with her hunt in the end.
And I hope that the cubs will be able to survive.
I hope the cubs survive too and we get to see them soon.
What a beautiful sight, I totally share your excitement! Loved the clip of Nhlanguleni and one of the cubs from a previous litter
Thank you so much, Camilla. There was and is a lot of excitement amongst the rangers and trackers.
Fantastic news Sean, that Nhlanguleni does have cubs. It’s been a few years since she raised her two female cubs to adulthood and would be exciting if she can raise another one, or two this year. I really enjoyed seeing you and the trackers in action, diligently following her tracks as they moved away and towards the den. Tracking is truly an art, guides and trackers seeing the smallest signs that the rest of us are oblivious to – whilst on a drive we are always looking, but most of the time miss the clues as to an animal’s location as our eyes are not searching for the small details. Now that we have been treated to images of Nkoveni and her cubs, I will be looking forward to the same for Nhlanguleni and her little ones. Terrific video!!
It really is fantastic news. It has been a while since she raised a litter successfully. It was a lot of fun tracking her and so happy that we had some answers at the end of it.
Great video. Very informative, and enjoyable. Hopefully. We’ll get more exciting updates soon. Can’t wait.
Thank you so much, Jos. I am glad you enjoyed it. Hopefully, we will get to see the cubs soon.
Fantastic tracking episode Sean! I hope to see more of this leopard and her cubs =)
Thank you so much, Ann. We hope so too.
She looks as the Queen of this luxurious vegetation, an elegant leopard, looking forward to more news on her and her cubs!
She is an elegant leopardess indeed.
Sean…another excellent game drive and video
Thank you so much, Jim. It was an awesome series of game drives in search of this female leopard.
Incredible find and capture Sean! I think one of the coolest things on these videos and in blog posts are accounts of tracking in real time! Can’t wait to get future updates on the Nhlanguleni female’s den and cubs!
Thank you so much, Paul. Yes, it is great to be able to capture the story as we are in search of the animals. Can’t wait to be able to capture some footage of the cubs.
Thanks, you really could almost smell and touch the African bush
Thank you so much, Ian. It is the best being down on foot tracing the steps of these phenomenal animals.
Phenomenal news and hoping this litter survives! What litter does this make for the Nhlanguleni Female (in terms of numbers birthed)? To tell the stories of individuals is something I would love to do in the bush so thank you Sean and the Londolozi team for bringing such productions to us here on the other side of the world (although I yearn to return to safari after last month’s time in the Sabi Sand). It means so much to all of us!
It really is such great news, we were so surprised that she has cubs as the turn around since her last litter was so quick. I will have to check on the records and get back to you on how many litters she has had. But it is a lot.