Today’s blog will provide an update on the Plaque Rock Female’s Fourth Litter. Sean Zeederberg‘s recent sighting of them at their second den site in the Sand River was nothing short of magical. The cubs, playful and carefree on the stunning boulders, painted a heartwarming scene. However, the unexpected discovery that she had relocated the cubs to a third den site within a month left our ranging team puzzled.
One of the three cubs, set about exploring the den a little more eagerly than the others.
Fast forward to the new year, and the whereabouts of the Plaque Rock Female’s cubs still remain a mystery. Recent sightings of her on Londolozi with a hoisted impala kill sparked curiosity. Rangers closely examined her belly for a milk pouch and suckle marks, but the results were inconclusive. Perhaps her recent hunting activities kept her away from the den. The last known den site was at the magical set of granite boulders on the southern bank of the Sand River, east of the Londolozi Camps. Sean’s Virtual Safari which went out on Christmas Eve, was in fact filmed at the beginning of December.
The Plaque Rock Female feeding on an impala that she successfully hoisted.
The last den site she used and featured in Sean’s video was established by Ranger Robyn Morrison as she watched in awe of the Plaque Rock Female gently carrying her cubs towards the set of boulders on the banks of the Sand River.
What We Know
She has abandoned her second den site and we presume she has since moved the cubs further north into the river because we found a number of her tracks moving in and out of the river north of the second den.
We have not been seeing her as much near the old (second) den site. Sightings of her have been less frequent in the last three weeks, indicating that she may be spending a lot more time either in the river or on the northern bank, an area on our neighbour’s property.
The Rising River
During the summer months and in particular January, we expect an increase in rainfall. This season has been no different, and a tremendous amount of rain has fallen recently, which saw the water rise a considerable amount, raising concerns that if a new den was established in the middle channel, this may have been washed away. On a more positive note, our neighbours in the east reported that the Plaque Rock Female was spotted north of the river on more than one occasion without any sign of the cubs. This could mean she had successfully moved the cubs across the river before the rains.
Age of Cubs
Discovered in early December 2023, the cubs appeared to be around three weeks old. Now, at two and a half months, they are growing rapidly, demanding more sustenance. The Plaque Rock Female must spend more time hunting to provide sufficient quality milk. This results in longer periods away from the den, potentially leaving the cubs more exposed to potential dangers.
At this stage, we remain hopeful that the cubs are alive, and that the rangers are committed to the continued search for her den. Stay tuned for more updates as we closely monitor this fascinating chapter in the life of this incredible leopard.
Thanks for the update, Nick. Paws crossed that they’re all ok.
Hi Nick, she does keep you and the readers in suspence! She’s been successful in life and hopefully her cubs will have more chances thanks to her, after all her mother has been a great teacher! Looking forward to news…
Thank you for the update Nick. I hope she is successful in raising this litter.
It’s really wonderful that there are so many new leopard cubs at Londolozi again. It is to be hoped that at least some of them will survive and grow into adulthood. I am looking forward to hearing more about the Plaque Rock female’ cubs and all the others on Londolozi
why do you think she moved them from the boulders? they seemed good there? the rising river would not have been an issue there no? maybe a predator was lurking around? lack of food in the area? I sure hope they are ok!
Paws crossed all three are still alive and well. 🙏
Hi Nick, I really do hope the cubs are all still alive. We know that she is okay but don’t know if the cubs are alive and well. I wonder why she moved the cubs to the third den. Hopefully the neighborly Rangers will check up on her and give you feed back on her where abouts and if they have seen the cubs. Thanks for the update.
My fingers are crossed, hoping that the Plaque Rock female was able to successfully move the cubs away from rising waters and threatening predators – a very tough job with three little ones!
Thanks so much for the update Nick. With three cubs to look after, she would be spending a great deal of time hunting in order to produce enough milk for them and keep herself healthy. It did seem as though the second den was the perfect place to hide them away given the configuration of the boulders and vegetation. But if she was spooked by other predators, who knows where she might go and at this point in time, no one knows if her cubs are still alive. It is tragic the mortality of cubs is so high, but then in order to keep balance in nature, not every creature can survive to adulthood….
If she and the cubs are findable, my money’s on Nick and Joy making the discovery!