Some discoveries in the bush happen by pure instinct.
Others… happen 17 days later.
This week’s Virtual Safari comes with a confession.
While searching for the Ximungwe Female’s den a few weeks ago, I came out with plenty of footage and photographs, but I didn’t properly comb through them. It was only over two weeks later, while scrolling through images in search of a landscape shot for a blog, that I noticed something subtle. A flicker. A movement on a boulder between two frames.
Zooming in, my heart skipped.
It wasn’t a trick of the light. It wasn’t a bird.
It was a leopard.
Seventeen days earlier, I had unknowingly photographed the exact spot where the Ximungwe Female had tucked her cubs away.
Armed with that knowledge, we returned to the area, this time knowing precisely where to look. And the turnaround was mercifully quick.
What followed was one of those mornings that makes you quietly grateful for second chances. The Ximungwe Female, moving carefully through the grass, and her two six-week-old cubs tumbling about. She has chosen her den site well, and it’s incredibly difficult to view properly, perfectly protected, and clearly serving its purpose.
She has done a sterling job.
So while I may have been 17 days late to the realisation, I can now rest easy knowing the den has been found, the cubs are thriving, and the story continues.
Enjoy this week’s Virtual Safari…
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Whoop whoop congrats to the Ximungwe female on her cubs and you, Sean, on finding the den. I recall a blog post from a while ago alluding to the possibility of her being pregnant. Wish them all the luck in the world and very excited to hopefully see them in late April, by which time they are hopefully more relaxed and confident.
Definitely NOT a 17-day mistake. The timing was meant to be. 17 more days for the Ximungwe Female to den with the cubs uninterrupted to bond. 17 more days for the cubs to grow, learn, and gather more strength. Sean, thank you for your perseverance and your ‘find’.
It was worth the wait, Sean! Has Ximungwe used this den before?
Dear Sean , wonderful news, and thanks for that few amazing views of the cubs.
Sean you’re a champion! It’s great to see the Ximungwe female with her 2 new cubs. She’s had a challenging life & its so good to see her not only surviving but bringing in new life.
SUCH incredible news! It is sooo wonderful to see how life continues for the sweet Ximungwe girl! Sean, thank you for the amazing news and I wish nothing but the best of luck to this resilient momma leopard. May both her cubs make it far into independence! 🍀
What would we do without drone footage? So thrilled for this new discovery. Wishing this new little family well!
Hi Sean, we are so excited to see 2 more little fur balls and know we now it is the Ximungwe females cubs. Don’t beat yourself up about not seeing them 17 days ago. It is certainly not easy looking for a leopard with tiny cubs in the bush with the grass being so long. In the meantime the cubs have grown a little and are super cute. I am sure you will get your footage of her and the cubs soon and it will be stunning. Thanks for sharing this amazing footage.
What can I say Sean? Truly wordless…. nature speaks by herself, those cubs are the best symbol of life that thrives and their mum as well, I had time to appreciate her incredible beautiful coat, when usually I looked at her silhouette, movements, muzzle and eyes… what a luxurious green place! Nothing but a marvel to look at in reverence…
Wonderful that the Ximungwe’s cubs are fine. What a clever leopard mum she is, to hide her cubs in such a safe place. By now they must be about eight weeks old, still so tiny. Hopefully they will make it.
Sean, We are late seeing this, but bravo for finding the den and cubs! So cool that the drone could watch them. I wonder if she can hear any noise from the drone?