Witnessing young animals in Africa is a rare and extraordinary experience, one that offers a glimpse into the most tender and captivating moments of the wild. The sight of cubs, whether hyenas, leopards, lions or cheetahs adds a touch of magic to any safari. These young creatures, often hidden from view or seen only fleetingly, represent the future of their species. At Londolozi, we are sometimes treated to magnificent predator cub viewing which for me is often the “slam dunk” of a safari experience. In the last two weeks, I’ve been fortunate enough to capture some photographs of many of the cubs at Londolozi and share these special sightings with our guests. Each encounter is a precious privilege, as these cubs face immense challenges in the wild.
If you’ve ever been on safari before, you’ll know that we are by no means guaranteed to see cubs every day on a game drive, which makes each sighting of these little animals even more special. Sometimes, it can take three or four days of tracking and searching for their mother, only to be rewarded with a brief glimpse of the youngsters. Three sightings from the past two weeks that stand out for me feature three of Africa’s most iconic predators: the spotted hyena, the cheetah, and, of course, the leopards of Londolozi.
Hyena and cubs at the den
Hyenas are one of the most fascinating predators, and indeed one of the most intriguing animals in the bush. Their complex social structures, dynamics, and crucial role in the ecosystem never fail to captivate me. However, the intention of this blog is not to delve too deeply into the facts about these remarkable creatures but rather to highlight how incredible it is to spend just a few moments observing them and their youngsters. Hyena cubs are confined to a den for at least the first year of their lives. At Londolozi, their dens are often found in old termite mounds, where the young cubs can retreat into the safety of deep burrows if danger approaches.
Enjoy this selection of images from a recent visit to the local hyena den…
A mother and her two cubs lounge about at the entrance to the den. Hyena’s mothers will on average give birth to two cubs and she will take sole responsibility for raising them.
Although forming part of a larger clan, hyenas do not allo-suckle and will offer very limited care for the other cubs in the den.
Here, one of the cubs nuzzles into its mother, who appears to be a very old female based on how yellow and worn her teeth are.
The Mother Cheetah and her three cubs
Cheetahs are one of the rarer animals to spot on safari here. I may be slightly off with this statistic, but based on my estimation, I’d say that fewer than 20% of our guests get to see a cheetah during their stay. There are many reasons for this, but the most obvious is that cheetahs are vastly outnumbered and out-competed by other predators in the area. However, recently we’ve been fortunate to experience some of the best cheetah sightings I’ve had during my time as a guide. A female cheetah has been roaming the southwestern grasslands with three young cubs. Though still incredibly difficult to find, often compared to searching for a “needle in a haystack”, this past week we were treated to what has become my favourite cheetah sighting to date.
Some of these photos I will cherish for a lifetime:
We initially saw them resting on top of a termite mound, the third cub just out of frame.
They then settled down while continuously scanning their surroundings.
The mother then spotted a herd of impalas in the distance changing her focus. Her posture then framed the one cub under her chin perfectly while the other two cubs snuggled beneath her belly.
They then descended the mound and the cubs found a fallen tree which they began to play on for a while.
The Nkoveni Female Leopard and her two cubs
It goes without saying that leopards and Londolozi are synonymous. However, as mentioned above, one can never be guaranteed to see leopard cubs. Their viewability often depends on the dominance of male leopards in the area (keeping young males looking to establish their territories at bay) and sometimes just a bit of luck that some of the mothers have cubs at an age where they begin to feel comfortable with viewing. The Nkoveni Female and her two cubs continue to impress us with what I believe is some of the best leopard viewing on earth (yes, that’s a bold statement, and I apologize if I’m slightly biased). Over the past two weeks, we’ve had some incredible views of this leopardess and her two cubs, who are now approaching one-year-old.
Enjoy these images of the Nkoveni Female and her two cubs…
While the Nkoveni Female rests on a branch of a large dead leadwood, one cub attempts to climb further up the tree.
Londolozi's most viewed leopard and prolific mother. This gorgeous female has raised multiple cubs to independence.
This entire scene was spectacular, with the fading light we enjoyed watching them move about in this tree.
The larger male cub, who is growing rapidly, peers towards us through a bit of green foliage from a low branch of a tree with it mother resting in the background.
A different angle now with a full view of mother and son.
The Trio settled in for a drink in the late afternoon light.
If you ever have the chance to sit quietly and witness a mother with her cubs, regardless of the species, consider yourself truly fortunate. You belong to a select group of people who have had this remarkable opportunity. We are all incredibly lucky to be able to observe these precious moments in nature.
I love the photos of the hyena cubs. Nice blog Dan.
Fantastic photos of these pups and cubs, Dan. It’s always such a pleasure to watch these youngsters and their mothers.
We were delighted last month when Veatence and Megan sighted the cheetah with her three cubs, a hyena along with denning cubs peeking out, and the three rivers female and her cub. It was ‘little ones’ heaven at Londolozi!
You’re so right Dan! The highlight for me earlier this month was viewing Nkoveni and her cubs a couple of times. The two youngsters are so playfully, constantly chasing each other and tackling as well. The cheetahs were in Singita and we missed seeing them by minutes when a nosy hyena showed up and chased them away. It truly is rare to see cubs, especially cheetah, and it’s all about timing and luck. Seems you had both in your favor during the past two weeks and the images by you and Jess are fantastic!
Oh my word Dan, how blessed are we to be able to experience these sightings through your lens and to personally experience the beauty that is Londolozi. We never, ever take this for granted. Thank you for sharing these babies with us. The hyenas are just the cutest, and we’re green with envy at your sightings of the littler cheetahs – we’ve never seen baby cheetahs; we have however had the privilege of seeing the Nkoveni trio when they were much smaller. What a fabulous blog. Thank you Dan.
Dan, cubs are always fun to spend time with. Thanks for the great pictures.
Dear Dan, that is really an absolutly privelegue to see so many cubs- and to be so near with them. Bymyself i am so happy to have the oppurtunity to sse them, mashaba with 3 cubs, Nkoweni with Plaque Rock, and all the other exciting moments with leopards. You are lucky.
You are right Dan in saying it is a precious privilege to see cubs regardless if it leopard, Cheetah or any other cub. My favorite is the leopard and her cubs. Nkoveni is an exceptional mother and her two cubs are absolutely gorgeous. Cheetah Mom and her three cubs is a great achievement because you don’t always see Cheetah, not to talk about their cubs.
Hi, cubs are always a wonder to leave mouth-open… the sweetness and exquisite features of the cheetah and the wild elegant beauty of leopards is in dramatic contrast with the hyena, also considering the stunning beauty of the Nkoveni Female and the ugliness of the old hyena and the funny cuteness of her cubs. They look hairless… all have in common the tight relationship between mother and babies…
Great blog Dan, I didn’t realize how lucky we were as we were fortunate to see cheetah the both times we visited Londolozi. The first time was a mother with her two cubs. They are extraordinary animals.
Excellent! During my last visit I told Patrick and Dorance that I only wanted to see cubs (just to wind them up a bit). To their credit, we saw leopard cubs on 5 of the 6 drives!