There are some leopards you see often enough that they become part of the fabric of the reserve. Others remain elusive appearing only every now and then before disappearing back into the bush. The Mawelawela Male was certainly the latter.
The Mawelawela Male stares at us from a vantage point. His coat contrasts with the surrounding gabbro rocks behind him.
Born 2013, initially a fairly aggressive elusive male that has somewhat relaxed. Found in unconventional leopard territory of the grasslands
Mawelawela’s Passing
News of his passing has reached us recently, and it is difficult not to reflect on just how special some of those rare encounters with him were.
Born in 2013, the Mawelawela Male became a successful territorial male in the southwestern reaches of the Londolozi. His territory was somewhat unusual leopard habitat, consisting of large open grasslands where simply finding a leopard can be a challenge. A perfect example showcasing the adaptability of these incredible cats. He was a big, powerful male who seemed to carry himself with the confidence of an animal that had spent many years navigating the pressures of being territorial.
An Incredible Morning
I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of hours with him last year after Reece found him. It was one of those sightings that felt particularly special because of how rarely we saw him. He moved quietly through the grass, climbed onto some rocky formations and eventually settled into a vantage point. There was something about him. A presence that I to this day won’t forget.
Mawelawela male pauses as we left him walking away from us down the road
A Fierce Capable Male Leopard
Mawelawela had a reputation for being a leopard that commanded respect. He was not always particularly tolerant of vehicles and had been known to give the occasional growl even when we were some distance away. That confidence seemed fitting for a male who had spent years holding his own in a part of the reserve where competition was never far away.
Sadly, his story has now come to an end.
A rare sighting of the elusive Mawelawela Male as he scent-marked in the open grasslands before resting in top of a termite mound. This area has long grass and can be difficult to find this leopard.
How it Happened
Mawelawela was recently involved in an encounter with lions. To my knowledge, he had taken refuge in a tree while a group of lions remained below. At some point he attempted to leave the area, but the lions gave chase and caught him. Remarkably, he managed to fight them off and scramble back to safety in another tree. When the area was checked again a few days later, there were no fresh tracks and it became apparent that he had succumbed to the injuries sustained during the encounter. It is a brutal reminder of the reality faced by even the most capable leopards.
Mawelawela was more than twelve years old. He had survived years of territorial competition, found ways to hunt successfully in unusual habitat and held a large area for himself. Yet none of that makes a mature male leopard immune to the dangers that surround him.
Stares at us through the long grass
Lions remain one of the greatest threats to leopards, particularly when the two species compete for space or come across one another unexpectedly. For a leopard, a single encounter can be enough.
Enjoy Every Moment Out There
I find myself thinking back to that morning when he stared directly through my lens. At the time, I remember feeling incredibly fortunate to have finally spent some meaningful time with a leopard I had seen so rarely.
![Mawelawela Male Lying In Marula Tree [rcb] (2)](https://media.londolozi.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/14141432/Mawelawela-Male-Lying-in-Marula-Tree-RCB-2-1598x1065.jpg)
Now, knowing that was one of our last encounters makes the memory feel even more significant. The bush does not give us guarantees. Animals that become familiar to us can disappear almost overnight and sometimes we only realise how important a sighting was once it has become a memory. Mawelawela was one of those leopards. A big old male who lived life on his own terms and remained elusive right until the end.
I am grateful we got to see him.
Sad. I saw the tree he went up in. I believe this happened sometime in June. Another leopard lost to lions ..
A real shame…
No matter the life, its up and downs, I find it so hard saying goodbye to such majesty!
Completely agree!
This is sad news. I know it’s an exaggeration, but it seems like leopards have been dropping like flies lately. But for all the leopards that are known to us, witnessed, and loved, there are countless others across the world who are never seen, so in that regard, we are luckily to have had the privilege of viewing him, even rarely. Do you know about how many cubs he’s presumed to have fathered?
Hi Chelsea, certainly been a bad patch for the leopards! I am not entirely sure but will try do some digging.
Hi Nic, he was one of the most striking males to me, after or similar to the Nweti male. A loss. I loved the way he acted like a phantom of the opera…. fantastic.
Agreed Francesca, a real loss…
Afternoon LGR. Yet another greatly interesting blog which I should say thank you to you for putting it up. I don’t know an awful lot about the big Manwelawela male leopard, but if you know where he came from and who his parents were as well as whether he had any older siblings before his time, litter mate siblings and also younger ones as well, then all of that would be so interesting to know. I’m not so sure why he had such a thing about vehicles when they came across or just stumbled upon him there and alsomaybe in the area he originated from. I can only guess he possibly had very little exposure to game drive vehicles when he was a young cub and maybe one or both of his parents had the same temperament about them as well, and he might well have inherited his surely temper and attitude from them when a cub.
I do know one thing about him that happened towards the end of last year, was when he was suspected of been responsible for the disappearance and death of the nearly one year old male cub of the Ximungwe female when she couldn’t see or find him. But as his body was never found and discovered there, I don’t think anyone knows what happened to him exactly and probably never will know.
As far as I know, I don’t think he ever mated with the Ximungwe female at all, in his time as a territorial and temperamental big male leopard. I know from what you said in the blog about him not always been particularly tolerant of vehicles, but I don’t know if he was more relaxed with them viewing him at night time instead of during the day. I wonder if that was also quite a good possibility.
Although I don’t and didn’t know all of the leopards from the past, but I’m sure there have been some that have preferred to been viewed at night time when it was dark as opposed to during the day. That sort of thing might well have made him a bit more tolerant of game drive vehicles and maybe that is what made him rather annoyed and immensely wound up and aggressive when discovered. You probably know more about him then I do, but I suppose there were very few occasions when he was relaxed in and during the day. I’ve also got no idea if he ever sired any cubs with which females if he ever mated with any at all that liked and preferred him.
I think his last ever day was at Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve a couple of months ago, when he was trapped by 3 of the 4 N’waswishaka males and 3 lionesses from the Southern/Selati pride, and when he thought the coast was clear, he jumped down and out of the tree and was chased after and caught by the lions, and as far as I know, was found dead having succumbed to his injuries a couple of days or so later. If you’re not so sure if the details of his passing, then why not contact the rangers at SSPGR who saw and know what happened and what the discovered? A sad end to what could well have been a good and glittering life. Long may he rest in peace and suffering no longer.
But if you could find out more of and about his history, life and family for ne then let ne know as soon as possible, then that’ll be greatly appreciated please.
Hope to hear from you shortly.
Robert 28.9.26
Hi Robert, thank you for your detailed comment. I am doing some digging will loop back to you if I find anything!
Sorry to hear of his passing, but grateful for your memories of him, Nic.
Thanks Paul. A great male if you were lucky enough to view him!
Tragic news that another leopard has been lost due to a lion encounter. He was elusive but if one encountered him, it was a sighting you’d never forget. Additionally, your images of Mawelawela are stunning, especially the third one where he is looking directly into your lens, framed by the long golden grass. You were fortunate to spend a bit of time with him and now that he’s gone, you will always have the memories and photos from that day and that’s all we can ask of the bush.
Thanks Denise! Completely agree.
The Mawelawela male was one of the leopards I’ve been part of searches for but never did see. I’d seen his father, the Nyelethi male, when he was young but never saw him again as an adult either. Those southern grasslands make for difficult leopard viewing for sure! Congrats, Nic, that you had the chance.
A tricky customer to find! Thanks Mary Beth
Hi Nic, this is so very sad hearing that he is no more with us. Lions have killed yet another 🐆 leopard. It really is very heartbreaking to hear this news, although I have never seen him, it still does not make it easier to accept he does not live any more.
Sad news indeed Valmai.
Beautifully written, Nic. R.I.P. Mawelawela.
Thanks Matthew. A real loss!
Thanks,Nic, for this great blog on the Mawelawela Male. I never saw him and so it is especially interesting to read about him though his end is tragic like so many encounters between leopards and lions in the bush.
I am so very fond of these fabulous animals and love hearing about them.
Thanks Christa! A tricky leopard to find but nonetheless a incredible animals to spend time with.