It is with great excitement we bring another introduction; however, this one feels weird to be giving at this stage, and I cannot believe this is the first we are breaking this news. The Three Rivers Female Leopard has finally brought her latest litter onto Londolozi.

Initially keeping her cubs on our friendly neighbour’s property to the east, she has finally started to move this litter around a little bit. One morning a little while ago, Barry was following the Three Rivers Female as she headed towards an area where we were hoping she would bring her cubs at some point. Excitement levels in Barry’s vehicle skyrocketed when she turned off the road towards a cluster of boulders and began giving off a gentle contact call. She then proceeded up onto a boulder and was greeted by two adorable, roughly two-month-old cubs.

Of course, I did my best to get down there straight away, but by that stage, the Three Rivers Female had moved on, and I could not get a view of them. Subsequently, she moved her cubs into a small burrow on the banks of the Maxabene River as a transient den before moving them further into a more suitable spot a little further upstream from there.

During this time, the mother managed pretty well to evade me in my persistent searches for her. However, a few of the rangers managed to capture a few decent views of her and her cubs. Sadly, as much as this is a blog with a tremendous amount of excitement behind it, she has sadly lost one of her two cubs and is now left with one.

Now, at the age of roughly three months, this cub is being led to carcasses and is feeding on meat, presenting some exciting prospects for the viewing going forward along with it a significantly higher risk profile as they may encounter many other threats en route to carcasses or while feeding. I sincerely hope they don’t avoid me for too much longer.

A New Chapter for the Three Rivers Female Leopard

The introduction of the Three Rivers Female Leopard’s new cub to Londolozi marks an exciting moment for all of us. With a history rife with tragedy, from losing her mother at a young age and being forced into early independence, to the harrowing encounter with the Nkoveni Female last year, all showing as a testament to the resilience and adaptability of these magnificent creatures. Her story is a remarkable one and having already raised the Nsuku Male to independence, we can only hope that she has success with this litter. And now her decision to move her cub to Londolozi offers us the opportunity to keep close eyes on her and document the cub’s growth and development closely.

The Challenges and Triumphs of Raising Leopard Cubs

Leopard mothers face numerous challenges in raising their cubs. From finding safe den sites to ensuring a steady supply of food, the journey is fraught with dangers. The loss of one of the cubs is a stark reminder of the harsh realities of life in the wild. Yet, the surviving cub is a victory in itself given how densely populated with danger the Three Rivers Female’s territory is. The Kambula Pride and Ndzhenga Males spend the majority of their time along the Sand River in close proximity to the Three Rivers Female. The Nkoveni Female occupies the territory just to the north and there is a significant overlap in their territories. The presence of the Xinkhova Female seeking out a territory for her own in this area presents a huge threat. And lastly, the Nottens Young Male has been seen hanging around this area a lot. So it is not going to be an easy road ahead for the Three Rivers Female, not that it ever is for a mother leopard.

At three months old, the cub is beginning to learn essential survival skills. Feeding on meat and following its mother to carcasses are critical milestones. These moments are not only crucial for the cub’s development but also provide us with thrilling viewing opportunities. The prospect of watching this cub grow and learn under the watchful eye of its mother is something we eagerly anticipate.

Looking Ahead: Future Sightings and Observations

As the Three Rivers Female Leopard and her cub continue to navigate their territory, we remain hopeful for many more magical sightings of this mother and cub and will be sure to keep you in the loop with any further developments over the next while. But for now, we can confidently say that we have been absolutely spoilt with the leopard viewing on Londolozi and with yet another leopard cub in our midst, this is only going to improve. For now, hang tight until Friday, when Matt Rochford shares some magic of this cub, and in Sunday’s Virtual Safari, I share with you the first sighting that Barry had of the cubs.