I thought I’d put together a bit of an update on the Ndzanzeni Female, as she’s been on my mind more and more lately.
With the reserve drying out again after the heavy February floods, we’ve finally been able to start pushing back into the Deep South, venturing onto roads that, for a while, were simply out of reach. And with that, renewed access has come a familiar question that seems to resurface every so often:
Where is the Ndzanzeni Female?
For those of you who have followed her story over the years, you’ll know that she has never been the easiest leopard to find. She moves through some of the thickest, most difficult terrain in the south, and it’s not unusual to go for extended periods without so much as a track or distant alarm call to hint at her presence.
But for those lucky enough to have spent time with her, you’ll also know just how special she is. She’s one of those leopards that feels like a real privilege to encounter—never taken for granted, always a gift. And for me personally, she remains my favourite leopard of the Deep South.
Every time I head down there, there’s always that quiet sense of anticipation…
Maybe today’s the day.
Maybe I’ll round a corner and find her walking down the road—that familiar, slightly uneven gait from her old injury still visible, a reminder of the incredible resilience she showed in making such a recovery. It’s something that has always made her stand out.
But despite a fair number of drives through her territory recently, we’ve had no luck.
No sightings.
No tracks.
Not even the faintest sign.
And so, naturally, it leads to a bit of wondering.
What’s going on in her world at the moment?
Could she be denning somewhere deep within that thick vegetation, or around boulders close to the Sand River, raising another litter out of sight? It wouldn’t be the first time she’s disappeared like this, only to re-emerge weeks—or even months—later with cubs in tow.
Or perhaps there’s been some pressure from surrounding females. With individuals like the Tinxiya Female Leopard pushing in from the north, the Kharula Female Leopard from the south, and the Ximungwe Female Leopard to the west, it’s entirely possible that her territory has been squeezed, forcing her to shift into a different area altogether.
At this stage, all we really know is that our last recorded sighting of her was back in November last year.
Of course, there’s also the very real possibility that she hasn’t gone anywhere at all.
The area she occupies is incredibly dense and difficult to traverse, one of those places where a leopard could quite easily be watching you without you ever knowing. It’s not hard to imagine her lying up on a hidden termite mound or tucked into a thicket, quietly observing as we drive straight past.
Sometimes, the bush reminds you just how much goes unseen.
For now, we wait. And we keep exploring.
I think that’s part of what makes a leopard like the Ndzanzeni Female so compelling. There’s an element of mystery that never quite leaves her. You don’t get regular, predictable sightings; you get moments. Hopefully, we will get another special moment with her soon.
So I’ll keep heading south, holding onto that small bit of hope that one day soon I’ll crest a rise or pull up at a waterhole and find her there again, resting effortlessly on the bank, or moving through the grass, pausing to scent-mark as she goes.
Until then, we can only be patient and trust that wherever she is, she’s continuing to navigate her world in the same quiet, resilient way she always has.
Hey Mega, what a lovely story – unlike most blogs not a fa tual report but a story tinged with a veil of mysterious excitement about a personality who chooses her own path. I have never seen her. Maybe, just maybe …. in a few weeks when I will be there? You never know!
Morning LGR. That was such a very good and interesting blog in the elusive Ndzanzeni female leopard. I know she was born to the Dudley female and Bicycle Crossing male in April 2012, which means she will be exactly 14 years old this month. Even though she’s not the oldest, she’s occasionally seen a bit more often than a older elusive rival of her’s, the elderly coming up 18 year old Mashaba female. It might not be unusual or uncommon for her not to be seen for a long time, but she’s still a very special old leopard. I’m not suggesting she has, but if she’s got a new litter of cubs, then it possibly might well explain why she’s been awol (absent without leave) for such a long period of time. Wouldn’t it?
I know she’s the mother of the 10yr old large Tortise Pan male, but I don’t know, which I’m sure you will, is if she’s given birth to and raised any other offspring to independence and adulthood very well.
Her son, the large Tortise Pan male, is the only one of her offspring that I know even though he’s at least double the size of his mother. It will be nice and good to think she may well have a new family.
If that is the case, then not only will it possibly explain why she’s been awol for so long, but it’ll mean she’ll be seen a lot more frequently as she goes out hunting for food to provide enough milk and meat for her new family. Though the Nkoveni and Ximungwe females are both highly experienced mothers, but so is the elusive Ndzanzeni female. If she’s got and raised a few other cubs all the way to independence and adulthood, then I hope you can and will be able to tell me as I’m interested to know.
On the other hand, it could well be that she has been playing game of hide and seek, as she could have been hiding and lying low in some bushes just watching you all going by looking for her. I know she isn’t a shy leopard, I get the feeling that she fancies a bit of fun by playing not just hide and seek, but also a game of see if you can find me or not. I think it is just best to be optimistic as I’m sure she will resurface and pop up again in the next few weeks or couple of months or so. But if she’s got a good record for cub raising and she’s raised others all the way to independence, then do let me know as soon as possible please. I’d like to know who they are, their ages and how many litters she’s had in total.
Hope to hear from you shortly.
Robert 11.4.26
Hi Megan, I’ve been waiting for news about her, you described her so perfectly, she bears a charm that’s opposite to other great leopardess, like the Mashaba female or her daughters. She’s exquisite, a refined beauty in a body and mind full of resilience and courage. It’s a pity she couldn’t raise to independence a daughter. Her pictures are pure poetry. Thank you so much for looking for her! Your lovely blog will stay among my best choices. Waiting forward to good news!
I think I had a fleeting glimpse of her a couple of years ago. But maybe it was also another leopard.
As you say: there’s always hope to see one of one’s favourites. I hope that will happen to you soon
Thank you for this update, Megan. I do hope she is just staying well hidden or denning new cubs and hasn’t perished. The Mashaba female is another we haven’t heard about in some time. Is she still alive?
Thank you Megan, I’ve been wondering about her lately. She’s been my favourite leopards ever since I saw her at 1 month old in 2012. As you say, she’s always been very elusive and the Dudley area is notoriously tricky for leopard spotting. I shall keep my fingers firmly crossed that she’s OK.
Hello Megan, Please post a portrait profile on the Ndzanzeni Female Leopard. I would like to see her background. Thank you!
Hi Megan, it was so nice to read a story about your continued efforts to find the Ndzanzeni female, a favorite of many Londolozi leopard followers. Given the density of her territory, and her elusive nature, it is not unusual for her to live off the radar. I’ve not seen her in a couple of years but it would certainly be a highlight if she walked out of the grasses during my next visit – one can hope, like you. In the meantime, her only cub raised to independence, Tortoise Pan, has certainly become a successful dominant male in the north, following in his father’s footsteps.
Five months is a long time to have not seen her, especially a 14 year old leopard. I have memories of a wonderful sighting of her when the Tortoise Pan male was about 12-14 months old, each in adjacent trees, while she fed on a kill. But I’ve also been on hunts for her down in the southeast, so elusive. My fingers are crossed that she’s still there!
Hi Megan, wonderful story and your anticipation on waiting to see the Ndzanzeni female again is a magnificent way of framing your love for her. She is a stunning female and yes she has a mind of her own which makes her even more special. Hopefully soon Megan your wish will come true and you will see her again and take beautiful photos of her for us to see.
What a beautiful leopard. Is it possible to link other stories about here in this post. You mentioned an old injury; it would be interesting to know more about that.
Having had some memorable sightings with the Ndanzeni Female, I was looking forward to this article and obviously pleased to see one of my photos. That photo was from a unique sighting where the Inyatini Male called out for her and the then Ndzanzeni young male (now Tortoise Pan male). The 3 meet up briefly and then went their separate ways.
In line with your comments, I always hope I get a glimpse of her during my visits as she has provided me some hard earned memories.