For the past year, cheetah sightings in this area have been few and far between. In that time, most of our encounters have been with the resident male, while the female seemed to have disappeared completely. Given how elusive cheetahs can be, we had begun to wonder whether we would see her again.
Fellow Ranger Kate Tennick took a photo of the female cheetah in the recent sighting. This is just after she was perched on top of a termite mound.
The other morning, we were on our way to see the white zebra foal when tracker Life made an incredible spot. Resting on top of a termite mound was a cheetah. At first, we assumed it was the male, but as we got closer, we realised that it was in fact a female. This immediately made the sighting even more exciting.
Could this be the Makhatini Female?
About a year ago, our last sighting of the Makhatini Female was when she was raising her three sub-adult cubs. She had done an impressive job of getting them to this age, and they were beginning to become more independent. Shortly after that, we received a report from a neighbouring reserve that she had been seen heading east towards the Kruger National Park. Since then, there had been no confirmed sightings of her.
Makhatini Family walking through green grass. This photo was taken about a year ago, before the youngsters would have gone independent.
Looking at this female carefully, I believe it was her. She has a very pale coat, and her spots are particularly dark and stand out clearly against the lighter fur. These markings matched my memory of the Makhatini female.
This is also a photo from the recent sighting. Here you can clearly see the pale front and the very dark spots on her back. Could it be her?
If this is indeed her, it is likely that her cubs have now dispersed. This is the natural next step for young cheetahs once they become independent. The two males have most likely stayed together and formed a coalition, which is common for brothers. We have also heard that two young and incredibly relaxed young male cheetahs were seen outh of Londolozi, so this could quite likely be the Makhatini Female’s two sons. The female would almost certainly have gone off on her own to establish her own territory.
The three youngsters and their mom on a fallen tree using it as a vantage point.
The return of the Makhatini Female would be a very exciting development. Not only would it mean that one of the area’s most successful female cheetahs is back, but it would also raise the possibility of future litters. Female cheetahs play a critical role in maintaining the population, and having her back in the area would be excellent news.
This is a photo from a while ago of the Makhatini Female on a fallen tree.
For now, we cannot say with complete certainty that this was the Makhatini Female, but all signs point in that direction. After such a long absence, seeing a female cheetah again was a special moment and one that gave us plenty of hope for what lies ahead.
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