The Northern parts of Londolozi are quickly becoming my favourite regions of the reserve, and it is all because of one animal, the Ngungwe Female. Not just because of her striking coat, her glistening eyes or her resemblance to her mother, the Piccadilly Female. But, it is more because I feel like I’m really getting to know this beautiful leopard more than I ever have before, and right now, there is even more reason to celebrate her.
The beautiful Ngungwe Female resting in a marula tree after feeding on her kill that lay at the base.
As many of you know, the Ngungwe Female gave birth to two little cubs back in the early days of December 2024. The first time she was spotted with them was on the 6th of December, moving her cubs from one rocky outcrop to another. They were tiny at that point, maybe only a week old at most. Just a few months later, she was seen with just a single cub and for reasons we do not know, she had lost the other.
One of the first photos of one of Ngungwe Female’s cubs taken back in in the early months of 2025.
This is not uncommon amongst leopards and for a first-time mother, where instinct plays the most important role in raising a cub, losing one cub meant she could put all her attention and focus on the one she had left. And that is exactly what she did. Fast forward nearly 18 months since the first sighting of her and her cubs, and she now has a fully grown female cub at the brink of reaching independence, or has she already decided she can defend for herself?
This year, I have had more sightings of the Ngungwe Female already than I did the whole of last year. The first two sightings she was found alongside her female cub, and the last few times have been a little different. The most recent sighting surprised me the most. About 3 weeks ago, we found her on Ximpalapala crest, up in a marula tree, but all alone. Which at first felt a little weird to me, but the more I thought about it, I assumed she was out hunting and had left the Ngungwe Young Female somewhere so she wouldn’t spoil any potential opportunities to get another meal. But three days ago, my mind swayed.
The Ngungwe Female descends the marula tree on Ximpalapala crest
After hearing over the radio that the Ngungwe Female had been found, again in a marula tree on Ximpalapala crest, but this time with a kill I thought for sure I was arriving to a sighting with two leopards. But this was not the case. An impala ram, half eaten at the base of the marula tree, and the Ngungwe Female slept alone in the canopy. No cub to be seen yet again. She lay up in the tree for about 45 minutes before we left. She did not contact call to find the cub, nor did she have any intention of going to look for her. This confused me before I did the math.
The Ngungwe Young Female all grown up lying in a Jackalberry tree as she waits for her mom to return from her hunt.
The Ngungwe Young Female is 18 months old… The slightly on the earlier side of the normal age of a female leopard to start parting ways with her mother. Maybe it wasn’t a coincidence that she was by herself this whole time? Maybe she herself is celebrating the fact that she has successfully raised her first-ever cub, from her first-ever litter, to independence? Time will tell if this is the case, so stay tuned for future updates but I feel optimistic we too have a reason to celebrate, the Ngungwe Female is a successful mother.
Always nice when a mother leopard manages to raise a cub successfully. Hope to hear more soon.
Hi LGR. That was one if the most good and interesting blogs I have read for a while now. The Ngungwe female, who was born to the pretty Piccadilly female in April 2020, was a very nervous young cub herself at first, but after a lot of very careful viewing and patience as well as keeping a safe and respectable distance to view her from, she has turned to be just as highly relaxed as her mother, the Piccadilly female, who will be 13 years old in November later this year. But I do think it is fair to say that she’s taken after her her good and experienced mum, as she’s possibly raised her very first cub to hard independence successfully. It is so hard to believe that the Ngungwe young female will be 18 months old in just a couple of weeks time from now.
It is still a unknown mystery as to who the biological father of her daughter is, but if her little girl is almost fully independent now, then I’m sure it won’t be long before she’s yet again, ready to mate. She’s got quite a variety of males to choose to mate and sire her next new litter of cubs with over there as well.
I bet she feels very pleased with herself for raising her own very first beautiful teenage cub to independence. She can now have a little break, before contact calling for a male to tell one that she is ready for mating purposes for the second time in her short lifetime as a young adult. I hope she’ll raise a lot more well.
Although the Ngungwe female herself killed yet another very unlucky and unfortunate adult male impala which can’t have felt very nice for him to have her 4 – 32mm long sharp canine teeth sunk into and wrapped tightly around his throat to suffocate him, I was a little bit on the surprised side to read that she didn’t think of contact calling her young daughter to the substantial kill and invite her to have some of it. But it would have been sensible and ideal if she had thought about hosting it high up into a tree to keep it safe from lions, wild dogs and hyenas prefably. I hope she did do it.
Despite the fact that you’re fans of the African wildlife as much as I am, did you know that the 4 long canine teeth of every leopard is about 32mm long? And just in case you’re wondering how I know that, it is because I’ve got a video tape that I can play and watch, and the presenter in that film says that is how long they can get upto. But that won’t stop them from been successful in their own right whenever they do catch themselves a good and substantial meal. But I hope the 6yr old Ngungwe female continues to be successful in and will raise a lot more cubs to independence just as well as she did with her very first sub adult cub in the years & months that are to come and go. It’ll be interesting to see which male leopard she chooses to mate and sire her very next litter of cubs with there. Wouldn’t it? I think she has got a very good selection to choose from. It’ll be so interesting to see and read more updates on her in the distant future.
Hope to hear from you shortly.
Robert 18.5.26
Hi Bryce! She’s delightful! I remember well her first pictures, her mother has a striking look and resemblance to the Piccadilly female, who knows if this young leopard will be the same! Anyway she’s a treasure. Their expression sparkles curiosity and it’s full of life. What a dynasty! Thank you so much for sharing such precious news!
I wonder what the stats are for first time leopard mothers? Raising a cub to independence is worthy of celebration at any time, but with the very first litter—that seems especially fortunate!
Thanks for your story Bryce and fingers crossed that Ngungwe’s daughter has in fact left her mother to embark on her life of independence. Piccadilly female was always a favorite of mine to view and then she crossed the border, it seems in part to cede some of her territory to her daughter, Ngungwe. Ngungwe was an extremely skittish cub and it’s great that she has become quite habituated so that you have the opportunity to view her more often now. Now only time will tell if you find the Ngungwe young female and she will be given a name.
Hi Bryce, this seems to be a leopard cub coming into independence. Not everyone wants to see this as we are so used to seeing Mom and cub together. Female leopard cubs usually leave their mother early than what the male cubs do. Both mother and cub are beautiful and cub needs to get a new name as well.
It’s so nice, Bryce, that after yesterday’s sad news about the Xinkhova Female’s cubs, there is some good news about the Ngungwe Females daughter.
Another beautiful young adult leopard added to the wonderful territory of Londolozi.
I am looking forward to hearing more news about this mother and daughter pair.