Having just returned from leave, I hear over the radio that a seldomly seen female leopard has been seen way down in the deep southern parts of the reserve. More than that she has a carcass hoisted in a tree and her two cubs with her. Having not seen this leopard for probably a few years and obviously having never seen these cubs, I was excited to get there. On the long journey down there I took the opportunity to let everyone in on a little internal birding competition that the rangers are competing in again this year and I look forward to taking everyone along on my birding year through the virtual safari.
Finally making it down to the leopards we are elated to find the mother in the tree feeding revealing herself from the tall, long and lush grass. Eventually, after a bit of patience, we see the cubs and are spoilt to a fantastic finale of the three leopards out in the open after the mother has a drink close by.
Enjoy this Virtual Safari…
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Hi Sean, hope you had a wonderful holiday in the Cape and know that the you and the Rangers have a birding competition on, I am sure you saw quite a few birds down there. Beautiful mother leopard and the cubs are gorgeous. Listening to the mother drinking water is so awesome and looking at the cubs was just an extra bonus.
We did have a lovely holiday thank you. She is a stunning leopard and we were so happy to see the cubs.
Thanks for another lovely Virtual Safari, Sean. So Kigelia is about 10 years old, do you know if she’s managed to bring any cubs to independence previously?
Did you see her anywhere near Ndzanzeni’s territory (assuming she’s still in Dudley – haven’t heard anything about her for some time?)
Yes, she has raised two other daughters recently, one known as the Jacana Female, who we have featured before not so long ago. Then her other daughter from the same litter is known as the Tsatsuma Female, we have not seen her yet. Ndzanzeni Female is being seen just south of our boundary a bit further east. Every now and then we see her and she is also doing well.
Sean, thank you for introducing us to the two new cubs. Wonderful video.
You are most welcome.
Hi Sean, there’s always a surprise in the weekly video, this leopardess bears many spots in her forehead like the Three River female, she’s beautiful and her cubs so adorable, especially one has such large paws and the look in their innocent blue eyes is priceless! It’s hard to believe how much this mother trust you. A once-in-a-million experience, thank you so much for sharing! Can you tell the sex of the cubs?
She is a stunning female leopard and it was so nice to spend so much time with the three of them. One cub is definitely a male, the other based on it being a bit smaller, I am assuming that it is a female.
Hi Sean, I really enjoyed to see the mother leopard and the two cubs! Fantastic virtual safari! Thank you for sharing!
I have two question, the Ottawa male that was killed in may 2021 how is his ”cub”, offspring doing?
The leopard should be around three years old now?
And how is the Mangheni pride doing?
You are most welcome. I must be honest, I don’t know of any Ottawa Male Leopard. If you give a little more information I could have a look and see.
The Mangheni Pride are doing ok, we haven’t seen them on Londolozi in a while though.
I live the virtual Safaris and I’m especially excited that the rangers are doing a Big Year. I look forward to the birding updated
I look forward to updating you as we go.
Beautiful cubs
Stunning! I love my daily dose of Africa 🙂
Thanks, Sean, for this lovely video of this rarely seen female and her two cubs.
You are welcome. I hope you enjoyed it.
Sean, first of all, such a great video today. I’ve seen Kigelia a few times in SabiSabi but never with cubs so this was exciting. Her counterpart, Ntsumi also has two cubs a bit older, both males, and these two mothers have been quite successful in raising their offspring. I found it curious that after Kigelia quenched her thirst, her two cubs joined her, but neither drank from the pan. Is it they are too cautious?
I’m looking forward to the future blogs that introduce us to the many bird species you see throughout South Africa. I was recently in Baja, Mexico and saw my first falcon perched on the top of a saguaro, and then quickly chased away by two crows. My visits to Londolozi have instilled a new passion for bird watching and sometimes catching them on my sd card.
I think they are wary of the vehicles but not too badly. I am excited to share a little bit of the birding that we do here with everyone on the virtual safari.
Great post Sean,
Would you by any chance know the lineage of this Leopard mom is?
Thanks
Howard Kelly
She is from the Little Bush Lineage.
Kigleia B: 2015 > Little Bush 2005-2018 >Magondzwane that is as far back on the maternal line that I have.
Thanks for this.
those little faces!!! so cute!! the smaller cub has a much darker face/nose or is that from feeding on the carcass? so precious! glad you got back from leave in time for this!