Another remarkable week behind the lens. As lush and green as the landscape still is, the seasons are beginning to shift. The morning light is softer, the sunsets are starting to stretch a little longer, and the wildlife seems to carry a renewed intensity. This past week delivered a wonderful variety of sightings and moments. Some included intense predator encounters, while others reminded me to slow down and take it all in.
An impressive array of different leopards were on display this week. The two newly independent leopards, the Tinxiya Female and Shingi Male, are looking better than ever, both showing signs of continued growth. The northern parts of Londolozi have been showing off; the Ngungwe Female was a common denominator this week, displaying her beauty across several trees along the northern boundary. The elusive Makomsava Female made an appearance near a waterhole on our northern boundary — keep an eye out for some potential news on her in the weeks to come — and the Nkoveni Female killed an impala lamb.
As many of you know, the lion dynamics at Londolozi are forever shifting. The Gijima Males have found themselves in a spot of bother with the young Nkuhuma breakaway Male. The Msuthlu Pride has decided they love Londolozi and have been with us for two weeks straight. The Ntsevu Pride put on a display, killing a zebra foal in broad daylight — stay tuned for the full story. Lastly, is there a new threat to the male lions of Londolozi? The Nwasitshaka Males have slowly started moving further and further north…
As exciting as the predator encounters are, the smaller, more tranquil moments are the ones that stay with you. The sunsets were unforgettable this week. Our Giant Kingfisher friend posed yet again, and on my way back to my room one evening, a chameleon crossed my path.
I’d love to know which picture is your favourite – let me know in the comments.
Enjoy This Week In Pictures…
After a sharp-eyed find by master tracker Freddy Ngubene, we followed the Shingi Male as he moved from impala herd to impala herd without success. After a while, he decided that this Weeping Boerboon tree was going to be his place of comfort.
The last surviving cub of a litter of three, he is on the cusp of independence.
Winter sunrises and sunsets are here and I couldn’t be happier. The photographic opportunities are endless, and when we came across this Saddle-billed Stork, I could not help but stop and take the shot.
The Tinxiya Female has been a relatively elusive leopard over the last few weeks, but when we do find her, she never disappoints. Strikingly green eyes, a pink nose and ears still unweathered by time. She is slowly becoming a favourite amongst the most-watched leopards on the reserve.
A confident and curious young leopard, that is nearing independence after a remarkable start to life alongside her resilient mother.
An interesting new addition to the lion dynamics of Londolozi. The Nwasitshaka Males are slowly making their moves. Originating from the same pride as the Ndzenga Males, these four young brothers are starting to pose a threat in the southwestern parts of the reserve.
As I said, the winter sunrises are here. The airstrip is famous for its photographic opportunities, and when this wildebeest posed against the sunrise, he was asking for his photo to be taken.
My favourite. The Ngungwe Female was a common sighting this week. Her cub has reached independence, and she is now roaming her territory alone again — her striking personality keeping us thoroughly entertained throughout.
What a morning this was. The Ntsevu Pride taking down a zebra foal. Stay tuned for the full story, because this has been a highlight of my year so far…
If you are a regular here on the blog, you will know the story between one of the Gijima Males and the Nkuhuma breakaway Male. A few scars tell the whole story.
The Msuthlu Pride has been gold again this week. Featuring on many occasions, this pride is looking as strong as ever. The concentration in the eyes of this lioness tells you exactly what was going on. The hunt begins.
My favourite photo of the week. The Ngungwe Female descends a Marula tree on Ximpalapala Crest in the north. The rolling hills in the background, the contrast of her coat against a neutral sky, and the natural framing from the horizon and the trunk of the tree — this one had to be the closer.
Seeing double. Two Msuthlu lionesses fixed on a wildebeest in the distance, plotting their next move.
Arguably one of the most photographed leopards in the world. The Nkoveni Female poses beautifully in the morning light on a fallen Marula tree. With a kill not too far away, she rested here for a good 45 minutes before returning to feed.
Londolozi's most viewed leopard and prolific mother. This gorgeous female has raised multiple cubs to independence.
The eyes of a cheetah are unlike any other animal. The hazel glare against the golden coat is always a photo worth sharing.
Over the past few weeks I have been experimenting with black and white edits more and more, and I am loving them. Another shot of one of the Msuthlu lionesses as she peers over a termite mound, watching a warthog drink from a nearby waterhole.
A leopard quite rarely viewed here at Londolozi, as her territory stretches north of our boundary. The Makomsava Female is known for her pale coat – not as golden as most, but striking in her own quiet way. Last time I saw her, she was riddled with open wounds, so it was good to find her looking healthy again.
The only surviving cub of the Nanga female, currently territorial northern Marthly. Currently denning north of boundary
The hyena den is always a good place to visit. In this instance, a cub decided a little piece of bark was the perfect chew toy — and it wasn’t wrong.
For any photographer visiting us, I highly recommend making a stop at the causeway. Life in the water, the air and on the ground is always captivating. Whether it is a crocodile in the water, an elephant feeding on the bank, or the resident Giant Kingfisher perched above the reeds, there is always something worth pointing a lens at.
Another beautiful scene. A herd of elephants moves over a crest, the rolling hills in the background creating a backdrop you can only dream of.
Another black and white edit I just had to share. This elephant bull was in the height of his musth, so we kept our distance – but he would not let us past. Strolling down the road, trunk lifted off the ground and a head big enough to stop you in your tracks.
As I said, the Ngungwe Female was a common sighting this week — and boy did she put on a show.
We had a look at the Nkuhuma breakaway male, and now we had the chance to see what the other guy looks like. The Gijima Male’s wounds look like they are healing. With a big meal in his belly and his brother nearby, he now has the time to rest and recover.
Last but definitely not least, a big Flap-necked Chameleon stopped us in the middle of our game drive and we had to take a few shots. The colours are extraordinary and those eyes were locked on my lens as he strode across the road.
Hi LGR. As usual, the TWIPs you put up each Friday are always so interesting to see and read, so thank you so much for putting it up. Now that the 6 year old Ngungwe female has got her just over 1 year old daughter to independence, I expect she’s enjoying having a nice quiet and undisturbed little break for now, before she’s ready to start contact calling for a male to mate with to advertise that she is ready for another bout of mating. Isn’t she? Just where her daughter has been and what she’s been up to with herself for the last couple of weeks, I’ve got absolutely no idea at all. But at six years old, I bet she possibly feels quite pleased with herself that she’s raised her own very first sub adult cub to independence. It is still a bit of a mystery as to which male leopard is the biological father of the now newly independent young lady.
The Ngungwe female herself has got quite a selection of male leopards to mate with once she’s announced that she’s ready for mating. There is the massive Maxims male, Flat Rock male, Ntomi male, Manwelawela male, the first and eldest son of the Ximungwe female (though I can’t remember his name), the Nsuku male, and quite possibly a few other territorial male leopards as well. So that is quite a selection of large male leopards for her to choose from.
Even though it wasn’t mentioned today, but I’d assume the Nkoveni female is still very heavily pregnant with her sixth and last litter of cubs today. Isn’t she? She also must be glad to be rid of her greedy, scrounging and dominating son, the Shingi male now, too. Especially as it has been quite a while now since he was last seen with his poor aging mother. Though she will be 14 years old in August, it will still be great to see and watch her raise a new and final litter of cubs there, before it’s to late and she’s fully infertile.
Although we won’t know how many cubs she will have to feed, raise and protect in her last and final litter until she’s given birth, but I’m guessing she might have another litter of two or three. It won’t just be other predators she’ll have to protect them from, but also other leopards including her independent son as well. If there were other leopards in the same area as she will be when she’s raising the cubs, then I expect she’ll be instantly in front of her cubs, and defending them.
But besides fighting with the other leopards that come across her and her cubs, I also expect she will probably chase them out of the area and well away. I do know she is and has been in the past, a very good, caring, protective, successful and exceptionally patient mother to all of the cubs she’s given birth to and raised very well and successfully as well as the ones she’s lost as well. Though we don’t know yet, but I hope she’ll be as successful in raising her new litter to independence.
I’ve got no idea what she’ll do if her son, the Shingi male, found and discovered her new cubs, but I shouldn’t think she’ll be very pleased and happy to see him, as he’ll pose a threat to her new cubs and he possibly might well kill them if he saw and found them ungaurded, but I know she wouldn’t leave them if she knew that danger was around in the area. I have got a funny feeling that she will give her son quite a tough hiding and a loud duffing up if he kept on getting in her way. But though she hasn’t given birth yet and I don’t know how far away she is from giving birth, but it will be fingers crossed for her that she will raise them ever so very successfully.
And even through the Tsalala lioness so hasn’t featured in a new TWIP for quite a long period of time now, but this is just to let you know in case you don’t, well a few days ago, I saw a advert put up by your neighbours at Singita saying that she does indeed have cubs, and as the rangers over there watched her move them presumably to a new densite, I think they said that they could count at least 3 tiny cubs she was moving there at the time. But however many cubs she’s got, I expect it’ll be clarified and cleared up on the very day when she decides to bring them onto your property at long last very soon one day. But after having 2 very unsuccessful litters in a row, let’s hope that she’ll be more successful and lucky in raising this lot then she ever has been before. As we know all to well, it’ll be so nice and good to see and watch her raise her new cubs and rebuild her birth pride back up to what it once was before so many long years ago. If she does beat and defy the odds stacked against her, I will not only be delighted to know that she has or had achieved the impossible, but I hope it will be a nice strong and healthy pride with her at it’s head and also as the pride’s good matriarch. If you ever do get any news or updates on her from your neighbours, then do let me know as soon as possible please. That will be so very helpful indeed.
Hope to hear from you shortly.
Robert 29.5.26
I love the chameleon. They look permanently peed off 🙂
And the wildebeest silhouette is incredible – very atmospheric. The colours are stunning.
Great grouping of photos!!
Nice update to our recent visit. Love your B&Ws
Think my favourite is Seeing Double.
Thanks Bryce, a great selection. For me the “seeing double” with the Msuthlu females takes the biscuit with an honourable mention for the chameleon striding across the road.
Amazing photos , imposible to pick one or two.
As you suggested ,on our recent trip we did make a stop by the causeway and I have some special photos of the resident Giant Kingfisher and a giant crocodile 🐊.
All your photos keep us all close to the bush!!
Exceptional portfolio with your wildlife photographs Bryce! Loved the array of animals and contrasts with sunsets and gray skies, Marula trees and airstrip poses, but those intelligent eyes with my favorite description, “ears still unweathered by time” touched my soul!!
Wow! What an amazing collection of images, Bryce!! I can’t choose a favorite: love seeing Makomsava and Ngungwe both of whom were invisible when I was there, the bloodied Ntsevu lioness, Shingi stretched out gracefully. A wonderful week of pictures!
Cracking photos , all the big three cats .
This is my favourite email of the week. Never disappoints
Hi Bryce, I totally agree! The Ngungwe female is beautiful and just adorable! What a character! She bears the “let’s play” expression! The Makomsava female! What a surprise! I missed her ans I’m glad she decided to make a turn. The Nkoveni Female looks the queen in the jungle once more. The two young guy are a great satisfaction! I also love the picture of the cheetah ( always mesmerising), the elephants among vegetation it seems there are elephants in the outside until the unseen…the two lionesses as one, very beautiful but also the atmosphere, the air and vegetation melts wonderfully with them .fantastic the wildebeest silhouette! Also the saddle billed storks in a shining photo… all felines and in the end the minstrel of Londolozi in pose, ho great,! Thank Bryce for such a colourful, poetic and funny gallery!
Something about the photo of the Nwasitshaka Male I love. The b/w of the big bull is awesome. Also the hyena cub is too cute. I have the kingfisher (in color) as my latest screensaver…just a super cool shot!
Fantastic photos, Bryce!
Good to know that the Gijima males wounds have healed.
Your leopard photos are so great and I love the Tinxija Female; she has this special look with her prominent eyelashes- a real Beauty.
And all the other beloved leopards…
I think, my favourite photo is the one of the two elephants in front of the misty sky and the wonderful rolling hills. So Beautiful!
Thanks for this great photos of the week collection!
Hi Bryce, all your images in this week’s TWIP is stunning. Loved the image of the two lionessess next to each other and also the Shingi male lying in the tree. Wow the two male lions are healing slowly after their altercation.
As much as I love your leopard photos, especially those of Shingi and Tinxiya, my favorite this week is that of the Ntsevu lioness looking up from the zebra carcass – fantastic capture of this raw moment. All in all, terrific group of images Bryce!!
Thank you Bryce for a photo of the Makomsava! Was fortunate to see her emerge from her den as a very young cub and only seen her a few times since. Her mom was my favorite leopard. Keep an eye on her for me until I get there in August. 😂