The past few months have been rather turbulent for the Makhatini Family. Ranger Harry Newman gave a recent update on these four cheetahs after finding the two young males in the south western part of our reserve. It seems these two brothers have formed a great partnership and we have been seeing them more regularly in the open grasslands.
Now as independent males they have been roaming the open grasslands together.
Since then it seems the Makhatini female has somewhat returned to her territory in the south western part of the reserve where we can only hope she may raise another litter in the future. Although we haven’t been seeing her very regularly as she has been spending more time further west of the reserve, it is great to know they she has once again returned.
After initially spending some time around our airstrip and camps, she has since returned back to her territory in the south western part of the reserve.
Initially all three sub-adults were seen together but as of late the two brothers have split off and formed a coalition which no doubt will be of benefit for them going forward. With the mother having returned to her territrity it begs the questions as to where the young female has been.
These young cheetah cubs have defined the odds with all three of them making it to adulthood
The young female has been somewhat nomadic as she has been seen over a very large area moving through reserves quite regularly and spending little time in one place. She spent some time in her mother’s territory but has been on the move a lot. Unexpectedly this morning we were able to view her as she moved through the central part of Londolozi and then crossed east into the next reserve.
Smelling the base of this Long-tailed Cassia tree before wandering off into the thickets to evade the alarming impalas.
We followed her as she meandered through the open clearing near the Sand River. Hopefully we will be able to continue to view this young female as she begins to navigate this next independent chapter on her own.
Making her way from termite mound to termite mound as she scans her surroundings.
With a lot of pressures from other predators in the area, lion dynamics ever-changing and little available territory as a cheetah to compete with, who knows where this young female will end up. One thing for sure is its always exciting to be able to see this incredible animal and to have been able to watch this cub survive to adulthood.
Thanks for the update, Kirst. It’s wonderful that all 4 of them are still being seen on Londolozi.
Hi Kirst! It’s always so nice to read your blog edition. The Makathini family is a guess against all odds… well, so many doubts about this young exquisite creature that’s making her way to independence… as her mother had a great success, maybe she will not at her first litter, but, who knows… may luck be with her! Thank you so much for those mesmerising images!
It has really been an amazing achievement of their mother that all three youngsters have made it to adulthood.
So good that they are still around somewhere on Londolozi itself or the neighbouring camps.
Lovely to hear that they are fine.
Thanks for your update Kirst on the sub-adult female in the Makhatini family. It appears she has challenges ahead of her as a single young female – firstly locating a territory that will offer her a degree of safety and prey. She may have to leave the SabiSand reserve, away from her mother and brothers, but that’s normal for a single female cub. You’ve followed this family since the cubs were just a couple weeks old so I hope Makhatini as well as the brothers stay in the area to write their next chapter.
Thanks for the update on the young Makhatini female cheetah Kirst! I hope she can navigate the dynamics you spoke of and finds her place on Londolozi, as her brothers seem to have done.
Hi Kirst, thanks for the update on the Makathini family. Let’s hope the young female does not stray too far from Londolozi ground so the Rangers and Trackers can still keep an eye on her. The brothers that stuck together are better off, 2 are better than 1 in the bush. As far as Mom goes Hopefully she will find a mate again and have another litter of cubs.
Here’s wishing her well,