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.
Hi Sean, if there’s a mother leopard that can succeed close to a lion pride it’s her, the Ximungwe female. Her courage and resilience are matched by her sister, the Nkoveni Female, whose memorable, tragic encounter with the Ndzenga males and pride made her loose two daughter and she herself escaped almost miraculously. They seem immortal. I’ll always think of them, and so excited to see what her suckle marks reveal… the hig elephant made me smile. How gorgeous the dark maned Gjima male is, and how dark his instinct revealed to be….
This is very true. We are hoping to find the den soon.
Hi Sean, this is absolutely the best news ever for 2026. Seeing those beasts of Gijima male lions I am even more excited for you to find her den. I really do hope Mom Ximungwe will be able to keep those tiny fur balls safe and feed. She is one of my all time leopardess with the Nkoveni female. Both are extremely formidable mothers.
It is such an incredible way to start off 2026. We cannot wait to find her den.
Amazing stuff Sean , i left a comment on the video , is there londalozi 100 year merch ? , would love to buy that cap you have on … Anthony from Ireland
Hey Anthony, yes there is a bunch of different merch available. Are you planning a trip out here at any point in the near future?
Love the new 100 year cap. CANNOT wait to get mine (in September). For now, your postings bring information and a smile.
Thanks so much, Elizabeth. Looking forward to having you back here, in the meantime I will keep you in touch through the videos and blogs.
Absolutely fantastic news Sean! Let’s hope that she has her cubs tucked safely into an area thick with boulders and vegetation and not a zone frequented by the lions. You referenced finding her den is like a game a chess, it can be quick or take a while, but I’m assuming the game is on – which guide/tracking team will find it first. I can still vividly recall her den site in November, 2018, deep in a drainage line. There were massive boulders stacked erratically against one another, but towards the bottom was a narrow opening. We waited patiently for some time and then were rewarded with a glimpse of a spotted fluff ball, timidly peaking out from its secure “nest”, followed by a second little cub – pure magic! This was the litter where she successfully raised the Mahlahla male – any sightings of him in other reserves to date?
The game is certainly on and yes, we are all eager to be the one to find her den.
Nice New Year’s present, to have another litter of leopard cubs.
I keep my fingers crossed that they might survive all the dangers lions, hyenas, other leopards a.s. pose.
I really hope that these cubs survive.