The fascination and profound appreciation for the development of an individual animal in nature goes beyond mere interest; it engulfs the observer in a journey of discovery.
Upon my arrival at Londolozi, the then Ximungwe Young Male was a mere 10 months old. It has been an absolute treat to witness this male leopard’s transformation from dependence on his mother to exploring various corners of the reserve, honing the skills necessary to become an independent male leopard.
The Ximungwe Young Male, now fondly known as the Ntomi Male, used to rest on a fallen Marula tree, watching intently as his mother fed in a nearby tree. Two hyenas circled the base of the tree, waiting for any scraps and forming a light blockade between this youngster and his mother.
A single cub of the Ximungwe Female's second litter. Initially rather skittish but is very relaxed now. Birth mark in his left eye.
While general behavioural studies satiate the nature enthusiast, the current extraordinary conditions make observations even more intriguing. Yet, nothing compares to the privilege of watching an individual evolve over an extended period. Witnessing a wild animal mature amid nature’s brutal challenges is a unique experience, and when that subject is a beautiful young male leopard, the joy is amplified.
The Ntomi Male comes to a stop as he notices a herd of impala up ahead of him.
Lately, our sightings have featured the Ntomi Male to the west of camps, occasionally venturing into our western neighbour’s territory. This has prompted me to ponder when he will officially disperse from his natal territory—a process typically taking about 24 months for male leopards. As the Ntomi male approaches three years of age, his behaviour aligns with the norm of male leopards lingering around their mother’s territory and appearing in obscure places throughout the reserve. A recent sighting placed him deep into the southwestern parts of the reserve in the open grasslands far from where his mother would have ventured. Considering the limited time we spend with these animals, thanks to insights from Dan Hirshowitz’s blog, one can only speculate about the other places he may have explored.
While the Ntomi Male has provided breathtaking viewing over the last three years, the question is: what comes next?
Male leopards typically disperse far from their natal territory. If this holds true for Ntomi, it will be a sad day when we can no longer view him. However, the excitement lies in the possibility of him filling the vacancy in the southwestern parts of the reserve. Although classified as the Mawelawela Male’s territory, sightings of him are infrequent, possibly because he tends to stay south of our boundary. This presents an opportunity for the Ntomi Male to establish his claim.
With another year or two of nomadic life ahead of him, only time will reveal his fate. Personally, I hold out hope that he chooses to stick around, granting us many more years of enjoying his presence. The anticipation of what lies ahead for this remarkable leopard adds an extra layer of excitement to each sighting.
He is just such a classic young male leopard, his body free from scars and the epitome of strength.
He has provided so many of us guests with amazing viewing and whilst I know he’s in his nomadic stage, I’m hoping to see him again during my October stay, but if not, hopefully he will have moved into a safe place to continue to hone his hunting skills. Thanks for the update Ross.
Hi Ross
On the subject of amazing leopards, do you recall who we saw last week, Friday morning to be precise? I would love to know the name of him especially as we have that stunning photograph of him lounging up the tree . I was so astounded by his sheer beauty I have forgotten his name ….and would like to keep a record for the next time we visit !
Hi Keeva, I hope Cape Town has been a treat! We saw the Kangela Male, he’s in a very similar phase of his life to the Ntomi Male.
Great story. We were fortunate enough to encounter him 3 separate occasions during our stay last July. Our last viewing was him with an impala in a tree. He is a treat so view for sure!!!
Thanks for the update Ross. The Ntomi male is a beautiful leopard and I hope he can stick around for future viewing and possibly having some offspring.
He is such a beauty and it’s really great to be able to see him again and again. That’s the great thing about visiting places like Londolozi time and again, so that one can follow the development of individual animals. That’s such a pleasure!
I hope that he will establish a territory of his own in your south western part.
Couldn’t agree with you more, Christa! It’s a huge privilege and pleasure, and draws me (and you!) back to Londolozi again and again.
I hope he sticks around and continues to thrive!
I hope he sticks around to he’s such a handsome leopard and I feel I know him
Glad to hear he is still doing well. He’s growing into a handsome leopard.
Oh I hope he sticks around and for a very long time! He’s my fave…SUCH a handsome boy! The header pic of him is amazing. Please keep keeping us updated!
I wish all the best to this gorgeous leopard. He proved to be phenomenal and even accepted to share food with another young male. Who knows what he will be up to in the future. I’m sure he will thrive.
Thanks Ross. I’ve been lucky enough to follow his development over 3 visits from Nov ’21 to ’23 and have seen him go from a gangly cub shuffling down a tree with his front legs wrapped round the trunk, to a magnificent young male. Is he still in the same area as Ximungwe?
Even by the excellent standards of Londolozi leopard photography there are lovely photos in this blog
I agree with you Ross, the Ntomi male is such a stunning male leopard and I too hope he stays on Londolozi ground. He has grown up to be such a beautiful male and he is wandering around the reserve in search for territory. Let’s hope he takes over the Mawelawela’s territory as we do not see him often. Just remembering him being a small cub, growing up and playing with his mother makes me think he will be a leopard to be reckoned with in the future.
Thanks for the update on Ntomi! We saw him in August up close, and hope he stays nearby!
Ross, how do they name the animals? The names are so incredible