The Nkoveni Female has been doing a stellar job as a mother leopard, raising her three very cute and playful cubs. We have been blessed with some breathtaking sightings of them lately, and today’s story is going to highlight one of those magnificent moments.
The Nkoveni Female rests on a fallen tamboti tree with her tiny cubs.
A gorgeous female who is found to the east of camp. Easily recognised by her 2:2 spot pattern she is often to be found in Marula trees.
My fellow Ranger Reece Biehler and I were driving a group of guests staying at Pioneer Camp in March earlier this year. Upon their arrival, they asked us if there were currently any leopard cubs on the reserve. This did not come as a surprise because seeing leopard cubs is probably at the top of most people’s list of “must-see animals” in the bush. It’s the pinnacle of leopard viewing! Little did they know that we had been monitoring the Nkoveni Female closely and knew of her whereabouts on the reserve. Our guests were going to be in luck, but just how lucky were they going to be…?
On the third morning of the guests’ safari, at the crack of dawn, we departed from the parking lot. We told our guests that the plan for the morning was to continue the search for the Nkoveni Female. We had already been unsuccessful the previous afternoon because we had followed her tracks across the Maxebene Riverbed and into a deep thicket. She did not want to be found or seen. But we were adamant that our trackers would prevail and find her in the morning.
After 20 minutes on drive, Joy spotted some fresh tracks of her and two of the cubs exiting the dry river bed and back onto a road that lead us towards a waterhole. We knew the leopards were close by.
The trackers were on fire, hot on the fresh tracks left behind by the family of leopards. They managed to track them down within fifteen minutes in a shady area of a tamboti grove. All of my guests piled into Reece’s vehicle, myself included, so that we could enjoy the sighting together and squeeze one vehicle into the thicket.
As we came across the Nkoveni Female in a beautiful tamboti thicket, two little heads peaked over her stomach. The two cubs then began to play with one another. What a special sighting.
Concern for the third and missing cub was short-lived as we managed to spot him lying in a hole in a tree nearby!
At this age, the cubs are slowly being weaned off their mother’s milk and experimenting with their new carnivorous diet. With this being said, the Nkoveni Female is now having to provide food for three hungry mouths, excluding her own, so she is hunting just about every other day. We noticed she had a full belly from the large impala which she managed to catch two nights before. This, and her milk pouch, made her look very well-fed. But leopards are very opportunistic hunters, and what happened next left us completely speechless.
We heard a faint rustle in the bushes nearby and an Impala lamb scampered through the Tamboti grove towards our vehicle and across the path of the Nkoveni Female. Big mistake.
The Nkoveni Female shot to her feet and, in a split second, was alert to the lost and unsuspecting lamb. She then progressed into a leopard crawl toward us and used a thick bush as a perfect hiding spot. The impala lamb took a few steps to the left and then disappeared behind a row of trees and the Nkoveni Female followed her in absolute silence. An agonising 20 seconds passed and then we heard a series of footsteps and then a distress call coming from the lamb. Another successful hunt for this hard-working mother leopard!
Here are a few more pictures from a memorable encounter with the Nkoveni Female and her three cubs!
During all the action, one of the cubs was fixated on its mother and watched her tackle and subdue the Impala lamb. This was such interesting animal behaviour unfolding right before our eyes. While Leopard cubs are instinctively born with the skill of hunting. This is a skill that will be developed much later on in their adolescent lives.
As we manoeuvred the vehicle out of the Tamboti grove and moved in the direction of the distress call, this was our view. We watched her as she powerfully hoisted the impala lamb up into the safety of an Apple Leaf Tree. Leopards are such strong predators and are able to climb and carry 1.5 times their own weight with their jaws. Incredible!
As the Nkoveni Female suffocates the Impala lamb in a tree, you can notice on the flank of the victim where a sharp puncture wound is bleeding. This is a result of the incredibly sharp claws that leopards possess.
Once the lamb became motionless, She took a moment to recover and glanced towards the rest of the herd of Impala in the distance.
The Nkoveni Female takes a rest after successfully hunting and hoisting the young Impala. She would have exhausted a lot of energy doing so, especially having to carry the kill up the tree.
After five minutes of viewing The Nkoveni Female with her latest victim up in the tree, she managed to secure the lamb around a large branch in the tree far away from any opportunistic hyenas. She then took a much-deserved rest by laying next to the carcass in the tree which provided us with an exceptional photographic opportunity.
It is a huge privilege to see a leopard cub in the wild – let alone three in the safety and company of their mother but to see the Mother actively hunting in her cubs’ presence was a surreal moment for me and my guests.
What a memorable sighting Nick – Nkoveni, her three cubs and then her kill of the Impala lamb. Loved the accompanying photos that completed your story. I’m sure your guests will never forget this experience!
Indeed Denise. I certainly won’t forget this particular sighting either!
Sitting here in NY and I cannot believe how this has made such a positive impact on my morning. Momma taking care of her babies will always be a blessing to see. Thank you for sharing this!
Im thrilled this story made your day! thanks for the comment.
A Platinum level sighting for some extremely fortunate safari guests! Wow wow wow
It really was! so lucky to be in the right place at the right time.
Nick you and your guests had the best sighting of the three cubs and mommy Nkoveni. That little cub lying in the tree hole is absolutely gorgeous. So the cubs saw their mom kill the impala lamb right in front them. Their memory will keep that in remembrance for their day of hunting. Such a privilege to be able to see the wild enfold right in front of you.
We are very privileged to get to experience sightings like these Valmai.
The Novena Female is indeed a very good hunter and provider of food for her cubs.
So, I hope that she will be able to raise them to adulthood. A lot of work for a mother of three. Amazing animals these leopards. Looking forward to seeing all four of them in a few months time.
Thanks Christa for the comment. She is doing an excellent job so far. I hope she can keep them alive and healthy for your return trip.
What an amazing sighting! You mentioned that was back in March, what’s the latest news on them?
Hi Suzanne, She still has two cubs that are doing very well.
It’s such a rare event and she’s formidable. Their lives symbolise the strength and perseverance as an example for us all, the joy we all feel in watching those pictures and reading it’s immense. Poor.impala lamb it had a mother as well, the victim of nature’s play of life and death
Wow Nick! Seeing 3 cubs and a kill in one go is the sighting of a lifetime! That impala lamb looks very small for this time of year, am I right? Impala lambs born too early or too late in this case get hunted more readily.
Incredible sighting Nick, with equally incredible images to go along with the thrilling account!
Hi David, Yes this was a top sighting and one I won’t forget for a long time. The impala lamb was likely born quite late in the season towards the end of 2023.
What a great story Nick. I am sure it was a memorable safari for your guests. The photos were spectacular, thanks for sharing.
Loved the blog – always enjoy reading about Nkoveni! She has a successful record as a mother and I’m rooting for a 3-cub survival this time!
Nkoveni continues to provide incredible sightings. Can’t wait to see her and hers in a few months.
Hi to you and Joy!
Hello Vin! thanks for the comment. We can’t wait for your return and will be in search of the Nkoveni Female for sure.
The perfect example of being in the right place at the right time. I’m sure no one present will ever forget it!
Absolutely Chelsea! it was a sighting that brought all the action as well as the emotions.
Nick, what an amazing story! So exciting to see those cubs thriving and we really hope that they will make it through! Nkoveni is truly amazing – just like her mother!
Thank You Michale and Terri! It was an awesome experience. The Mashaba Female has also been seen again recently which will make you glad.