Three hundred weeks. That’s roughly 2,100 days of showing up on a Sunday, whether the sun was shining, the rain was coming down in sheets, or the Wi-Fi was being particularly temperamental. When we started this whole ‘Virtual Safari’ idea, I don’t think any of us truly expected it to last this long, but here we are. It speaks to the commitment of the team here, the magic of this patch of land, and, most importantly, the fact that a whole community of online fans out there is just as invested in the lives of the animals as we are.
For a milestone like this, just rolling out of bed and heading out for an ‘ordinary’ drive felt a little anticlimactic. So, I’ve decided to put a slightly uncomfortable, slightly ridiculous task on my own shoulders: The Five Leopard Challenge. Yes, five. And no, I won’t be racing around the reserve to achieve it.
The objective is simple: find, or at least be deeply involved in the process of tracking and finding, five different leopards this week. It’s a way to force a deeper drive, to honour the unpredictable narrative that the bush always delivers, and to remind myself that the best sightings are almost always earned. That said, if one of the guys radios in with a sighting too good to ignore, I’m not going to sit back and sulk because I wasn’t part of the search. The ultimate goal, as always, is to share the story.
So, buckle up. We’re leaning into the tracking, the near misses, and the small victories that make this job what it is. Let’s see if we can hit this ridiculous target.
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Born 2021, daughter of Nkoveni. Young dynamo actively claiming territory near camps, showing promise as next generation's dominant female.
Londolozi's most viewed leopard and prolific mother. This gorgeous female has raised multiple cubs to independence.
Forced into early independence at 11 months. Despite her small size, she's proven resilient, currently raising a cub in SE Londolozi.
The last surviving cub of a litter of three, he is on the cusp of independence.
A confident and curious young leopard, that is nearing independence after a remarkable start to life alongside her resilient mother.
Congratulations on yet another brilliant story, and on reaching 300 weeks! We remember that time in early 2020 so vividly, as it marked the beginning of COVID. The emails and videos from Londolozi during those uncertain days were truly a blessing. They kept us grounded in something positive, and staying connected to Londolozi became both our passion and our respite.
We also loved your goal of finding five different leopards in the video… what an adventure. Thank you for taking us along for the ride; we enjoyed every moment!
Thank you so much. We are so glad that the blogs and virtual safaris helped get many people through that uncertainty.
Hi Sean, well done with your challenge of finding 5 leopards in a week. You nailed it and you deserve a medallion. Thank you for this Virtual Safari, very exciting to see how you were looking all over for the leopards. The Three Rivers female has her new name and it is a beautiful name. So upset about the lion cubs that have been killed by the huge Gijima males. So heartbreaking to see them killing the cubs. But that is nature and we cannot interfere with nature. You have a wonderful family and your children are growing up so fast.
Thank you so much, Valmai. It was a week filled with a lot of excitement and drama.
What a great way to mark the 300th virtual safari – thank you Sean. I remember well the very 1st one, when Covid had locked us all down. Can I view those early ones again, if so, how?
Thank you so much, Suzanne. Yes, you can still view them. You can either go on to the blog and in the top right corner click the three horizontal lines, then search for Virtual safari or The Week in Video, however here is the first episode
Well my challenge in locating the virtual safari this week paled in comparison to yours, although I finally found it and wrote a response, only to have it canceled, because there was no log in. Anyway, although your experience and knowledge of bush behavior can be an asset, rain can trump drives making the search more complicated. I knew you could do it plus ended on high notes with the fabulous sighting of Shingi male at his best (play) and the gorgeous Tinxiya. Driving can’t be easy given the muddy roads, long grasses that can hide pools of water, full drainage lines – no one wants the pink pouch! I remember spending a week with Kirst a couple of years ago when we had 13 leopard sightings (7 different leopards) during my stay – it was insane and hasn’t happened since then. Thanks also for sharing a bit off what its like to be out during those rain bursts, knowing equipment has to be protected, whilst you’re getting soaked and also giving a peek into your family (adorable).
On a more somber note, it was difficult to listen to and watch the Gijimas and Kambula lionesses altercation, knowing cubs were at risk. For all the highs experienced during a drive, there are also the lows and that is how it is.
I had thought the Gijimas mated with these two females, after their sisters had their 6 cubs and kept away from them. You showed us the newest cubs 2-3 weeks ago by one mother and the other was ready to give birth. At any rate, it is tragic but mating will begin and new cubs will be on the way by March or so.
Congratulations on passing this first challenge and I have a suggestion for another one at your leisure. How about the “Little Five”, the animals with the characteristics of the Big Five: Elephant shrew, Leopard tortoise, Buffalo weaver, Ant lion, and Rhino beetle. It could be fun! Cheers.
Thanks so much, Denise. This week’s video was filled with so much excitement and drama.
Thanks for your suggestion, we might have a difficult time with the little five as we don’t get the elephant shrew here, but I am sure we could make a plan.
Lovely to see the spark in your eyes again and great job on the challenge! When you were asking for leopards, nature also gave you the Tsalala female, Otters, the Ndzenga’s, and rain. That’s the beauty of nature, it offers exactly what you need in any given moment. The surroundings look stunning out there after the rains. Take care of your wonderful family!
Thank you so much, Camilla. We were spoilt with what we saw during the week and everything is looking stunning with the greenery coming through after the recent rains.
You did it! Congratulations! So sad about the Kambula cubs, although we saw it coming. Have both litters been lost, or just the one?
Thank you so much, Chelsea. We only know of one litter being killed, but if the other has not yet been killed then I have a feeling it is only a matter of time.
I am so grateful for all the work that goes into making a virtual safari. I look forward to them every week. They help me remember my time at Londolozi. Hopefully I will be back soon.
I am so glad that you enjoy the Virtual Safaris. We hope you will be back soon, too.