There is something about the northern reaches of Londolozi that always seems to lure you in. While the beauty in the riverine thickets astounds you, keeping your eye on any animal often proves to be a challenge. One particular morning not so long ago was no exception, but as always we were up for the challenge and our patience was rewarded.
A large breeding herd feeds in amongst the Wild Date Palms in the Manyeleti River.
We arrived on the banks of the Manyelethi River, where the Xitsalala Male Leopard had been spotted amongst the wild date palms below and had subsequently disappeared as a herd of elephants approached the area. While ranger and tracker duo Keagan Chasenski and Ray Mabilane navigated between the palm thicket below us, we patiently and eagerly used our vantage point from the riverbank to see where he might pop out again. Eventually, we got a brief glimpse as he moved along but were unable to keep our eye on him as he continued to weave his way in and out of sight.
A relatively new face to Londolozi, the Xitsalala Male is recognisable from his 2:2 spot pattern.
A handsome young male leopard that originates from Ngala in the Timbavati Reserve north of here. He had a sister who made it to independence
With his rather gaunt appearance, we could tell this young male was in need of a good meal and his behaviour suggested he was on the scent of something. At this stage, as a young male exploring unfamiliar land, hunting often becomes challenging and opportunities on the lesser suspected prey need to be taken advantage of. Very unexpectedly, the Xitsalala Male pounced right into a wild date palm and to our astonishment returned with a genet gripped in his jaws. It was an unlucky day for the genet, but the adaptability of a leopard’s diet from antelope to small carnivores and reptiles when times are tough, is a testament to their resilience.
The Xitsalala Male seizes the opportunity for a small but necessary meal while exploring new territories.
Who is the Xitsalala Male?
The Xitsalala Male (Shangaan for a Gardenia tree), is relatively unknown on the Londolozi blog. He was born at Ngala in the Timbavati Reserve- a private game reserve north of the Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, a good 30-40km away as the crow flies. So he has ventured quite some distance to be here. He was born in March/April 2019 making him four and a half now. Although this is not his first appearance on Londolozi, it was my first time seeing this nomadic young male. While sightings have still been infrequent on the northern section of the reserve, we are noticing shifts in the territory of the Flat Rock Male as well as the possible return of the Tortoise Pan Male. There certainly could be an opportunity for the Xitsalala Male to establish a territory for himself, it will be no easy feat given the age and experience of the Flat Rock Male and Tortoise Pan Male.
The genet, though ultimately prey, is a reminder of the intricate balance that defines life and survival in the African wilderness. The Xitsalala Male seized the opportunity and not only was his patience and determination rewarded, but so was ours. While he is likely to continue his stealthy pursuits after larger prey, it will be interesting to see if he continues to spend more time on Londolozi and takes on the next challenge of establishing a territory for himself.
After originally not being able to keep up with his movements, we were later able to watch the Xitsalala male feed and groom in an open patch amongst the Wild Date Palms.
Thanks, Kelsey for this exciting news of a new leopard at Londolozi.
I am looking forward to hearing more about his adventures and whether he will be able to establish his own territory.
Pleasure Christa, very exciting and we hope to see of him too 🙂
Xitsalala Male is a fine looking leopard!
I really hope that he stays in the area! We saw him on WildEarth during Covid lockdowns and all of us viewers enjoy this gorgeous cat very much!
We hope so Lisa! Will keep you updated 🙂
Is that a cat the one leopard has killed?
No it is a genet that the leopard is feeding on.
Thank you sure looks like a kitty, poor genet
Leopards have a very difficult life indeed, made of many challenges and uncertainty. This handsome male is no exception. A leopard’s look always keep me in awe. They appear more conscious and clever than other predators, so they prove to be perfectly independent even when completely on their own. Their number has been recovering in South Africa it seems… this makes life though for them. Let’s see what happens
It is a tough life for leopards Francesca, but their adaptability to changes in environments and resilience is one of the reasons they are so successful. Excited to see what happens!
He’s a pink-nosed beauty. I’ll be watching to see what happens next!
He is Mary-Beth! Hopefully we will be seeing more of him 🙂
This is fantastic news Kelsey, learning there’s a new male in the northern sector of the reserve. It will be a test of his skills in a new territory, already inhabited by two formidable males, to see if he can carve out an area for himself. He is a handsome young leopard as evidenced by your images and hopefully there will be many more sightings.
It is very exciting news Denise 🙂 Hopefully he will be able to establish more of a presence – time will tell!
Kelsey he is a stunning young leopard, and let’s hope that he does establish territory on Londolozi ground. He will have his work cut out for him with the two big males that will defend their territory. Beautiful to see the elephants in the Date palms area.
Agreed Valmai, he is a beutiful young leopard with some big challenges ahead! Hopefully there will be another update soon 🙂
Great blog Kelsey, thanks for sharing this wonderful encounter. Patience is always rewarded in the North. Very exciting to see whether or not the Xitsilala male will be a regular part of the leopard dynamics up north. he is a handsome fella indeed.
Thanks Jane, it was an exciting encounter! Patience certainly rewarded 🙂
Nice blog Kelsey. Beautiful pictures of this new young male entering Londolozi. Hope he is successful in establishing a territory of his own.
Thank you William, we hope so too!