The bush has a way of keeping you humble. You can head out with a plan and a mission, but the “machinations” of the wilderness always have the final say. This week, we found ourselves revelling in some fantastic news that will likely transform our entire mission for the next few days or possibly weeks.
The morning began in the presence of the Gijima Males—the current kings of the south. Watching them sleep, it’s easy to forget the brutal reality of their power; only weeks ago, they ended a bloodline to secure their own. But as the afternoon approached, our focus shifted to a different kind of excitement, the resilience of a mother.
We were looking for the Ximungwe Female. We knew she was pregnant, and the math suggested she should be due to give birth in the first half of January. But in a landscape patrolled by the Gijimas, a mother leopard cannot afford to be seen. What followed was a lesson in patience, a “traffic jam” courtesy of a sand-bathing elephant, and a sunset revelation that changed everything. When she finally climbed into that marula tree, the marks on her belly gave us the proof we needed. The search for the next generation has officially begun.
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Having been viewed by vehicles from an early age, this leopard is supremely relaxed around Land Rovers.
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on The Search For Her Den Begins | Virtual Safari #305