The Shingi Male Leopard is now just over two years old. Born in January 2024 to the Nkoveni Female, he is at the age where we expect to see his behaviour change as he starts the process of dispersal. He was named after Shingi Dam in the southeastern part of the reserve, where he is frequently seen. Lately, we have noticed him moving a bit further than he usually does. He isn’t leaving his mother’s territory entirely—we still see him there quite often—but he is definitely expanding his range. He has been seen moving further northwest of the Nkoveni Female’s core range, testing these new areas before returning to the centre of the territory he knows.
Still being somewhat reliant on his mother, the Novena female leads the Shingi male to a kill that she had made.
The last surviving cub of a litter of three, he is on the cusp of independence.
Londolozi's most viewed leopard and prolific mother. This gorgeous female has raised multiple cubs to independence.
There is a clear reason for this shift in behaviour. We recently observed the Nkoveni Female mating again. When this happens, it is a signal for the older cub that it is time to start moving on. As she focuses on a new litter, she will become less tolerant of his presence. The Shingi Male was the only survivor of a litter of three; his two sisters were lost to the Kambula Pride. Because he was a single cub for much of his upbringing, he has had a lot of his mother’s attention, but that is naturally coming to an end.
Nkoveni Female with two of her three cubs. This photo was taken in 2024, when she had already lost one of her cubs to the Kabula Pride
Looking at his history, the Shingi Male comes from the Sunset Bend Lineage. His mother, the Nkoveni Female, is the daughter of the Mashaba Female and the Marthly Male. His father is the Maxim’s Male, who is currently one of the most dominant males in the southern Sabi Sands. You can see these genetics in the Shingi Male’s physical build; he is already a large, muscular leopard with a thick neck and broad chest for his age.
In a recent sighting of the Shingi Male he was using this fallen marula as a vantage point. For a young Male leopard, he already has a very impressive presence.
Londolozi's oldest territorial female. Distinguished by her nose spot, this Sunsetbend matriarch's legacy lives on through her daughters.
Dominant since 2019. Once skittish Kruger-born giant now rules vast territory, transforming from elusive presence to formidable force.
This male moved in from the north of the reserve in 2010, and was instantly recognisable by his unique tuft of fur at the back of his neck.
We have seen this exact pattern before with other leopards at Londolozi. The Ntomi Male, who is the son of the Ximungwe Female, followed a similar path. Since the Ximungwe Female and Nkoveni Female are sisters (both daughters of the Mashaba Female), the Ntomi Male is actually the Shingi Male’s “cousin”. When the Ntomi Male was between two and three years old, he stayed in this same kind of “in-between” phase. He spent about a year expanding his range and learning how to survive on his own before he finally dispersed for good.
Having been viewed by vehicles from an early age, this leopard is supremely relaxed around Land Rovers.
Born 2021, son of Ximungwe Female. Distinguished by eye freckle, grown into formidable male dominant in the west.
We expect the Shingi Male will stay in this general area for at least another 12 months. He is still young and has to learn how to hunt consistently and avoid bigger, dominant males. He won’t truly establish his own territory until he is about five years old, but these recent movements northwest are the first real steps in that process. We will continue to track his movements as he becomes more independent.
Ross, is the Mashaba leopard still alive as far as you know?
I bet he will fill out nicely once in his prime. Let’s hope he stays relatively close by so you can receive updates as he disperses. I’m glad to hear the Ntomi male is still thriving. During the pandemic, watching him grow up brought some much needed levity.
Hi Ross, seeing the Shingi male and knowing that soon he will be on his own, makes me sad. We got so used to seeing him at least once or twice a week. He is going to be a huge male just like his dad the Maxim’s male. Is the Mashaba female still alive? I used to love all the foto’s of the Ntomi male, for know it is the Shingi male as he is the most recent male. Nkoveni and Ximungwe females are two stunning leopardess.
Nice lineage summary, Ross! Looking forward to seeing him next month, all grown up.
Thanks for the update, Ross. Is Shingi still staying within Maxim’s territory? And I’m guessing that’s who Nkoveni was mating with?
Thanks for this update R0ss. It’s good to know that Shingi male has not left his natal area completely so hopefully we will be able to see him in a couple of weeks, perhaps lounging on one of his favorite branches. He is a stunning young male leopard and I can only imagine how powerful he could be in a few years.
He is such a huge stunning boy for his age! Saw him and his sister with Nkoveni in Sept 2024 and I cannot believe how big he is.
Super photos – as always