The Nkoveni Female is dragging an impala carcass through the fading light, clearly intent on reaching a very specific tree. With hyenas never far behind, the pressure is on — she needs to hoist it, and quickly.
But to understand how we got there, we rewind slightly.
Following on from last week’s episode — where we watched her hunting — I set out the next morning hoping to relocate her and see how things had unfolded. Despite our best efforts, there was no sign of her, and with little to go on, we shifted focus.
We spent some time with the Gijima Males and the Msuthlu Pride, enjoying a classic interaction between the two brothers as they greeted one another and settled into the shade. A moment of calm before the story picked up again.
Later that afternoon, everything fell into place.
The Nkoveni Female had made a successful kill and was now dragging it towards a tree she knows well — one that has proven itself before as the perfect place to secure a meal. Timing was everything. Just as a hyena began closing in, she managed to hoist the carcass safely out of reach.
The following morning, we returned at first light to find her still in the tree, feeding, with hyenas lingering below. Eventually, with the pressure easing, she descended and settled into the grass — a quiet but satisfying end to a well-executed hunt.
And just when it felt complete, we revisited a moment from the past — the same tree, the same leopard, and a memory of her with cubs climbing and feeding. A reminder of how these stories layer over time.
Enjoy this week’s Virtual Safari…
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Londolozi's most viewed leopard and prolific mother. This gorgeous female has raised multiple cubs to independence.
That was brilliant Sean, thank you. It was wonderful to watch the Gijima male walking straight towards you. And then to see Nkoveni dragging the impala….how far did you see her drag it to that tree? What a perfect tree to hoist a kill, it was obviously worth the effort. As the impala had grass in its mouth it must have been grazing and wouldn’t have known what hit it.
Thanks for including the footage of the cubs as well. You said that was from July ’24, so I’m guessing 1 of the cubs is the Shingi male!
Thanks so much, Suzanne. She dragged the carcass about 120 meters or so. It did still have some grass in its mouth, it must have been caught by such surprise. Yes, one of those cubs was the Shingi Male.
Leopard 1- hyenas 0! It’s always a pleasure to see when leopards manage to secure their meal in a safe place, the Nkoveni Female is nr one in this practice like in everything she does… an ultimate, unique Leopard of a stunning eternal beauty!
Thankfully, leopards got the upper hand on this one.
I am glad you enjoyed this one.
Ps the moment of the past… moving! Thank you!
You are welcome.
Lovely to see the Nkonveni Female at two different stages in her life in the same tree.
One of the Gijima Males seems to have a broken tooth. Do lions have toothaches like we do?
A great video, again, Sean. Thanks
It was great to be able to compare the two sightings of her in the same tree.
My understanding is, yes, lions do have toothaches like us. the big difference is that we can verbalise it and seek dental treatment. Lions don’t have that luxury and have to endure it. And I am sure that their pain threshold is much higher than ours and survival depends on that.
Any post with male and female lions, just hanging out is fantastic! However, when you add in Nkoveni dragging that carcass to a stunning tree, a slight pause, and then the epic climb up the trunk to the perfect branch to secure her meal makes it the perfect virtual safari. Your perseverance paid off by returning the next morning….
Thanks for the throwback footage of Shingi and his sister – just the best!
I agree, any time with lions is great. I am glad you enjoyed the NKoveni segment as well.
Hi Sean, so good to see the Nkoveni female feeding, and she looks good. I wonder where naughty boy Shingi male was. Wow watching the Blue wildbeast running at that pace makes a person think they were running from someone. Gijima males a two stunning brothers, with 6 lionessess around them, will make them happy.
For the Nkoveni Female, I am glad that the Shingi Male was no where near. Yes, wildebeest were charging around at a great speed, just one male chasing another.
Sean, So cool that you have the content from the past. Incredible sightings that seem to get more exciting each week!
It was great to be able to draw on some older footage. Sightings are getting more and more exciting, well it feels that way to me too.