There’s nothing quite like the thrill of watching mating leopards. Though it can be a challenge to keep up with them as they cover considerable ground, the effort is always worth it for the incredible spectacle. Mating is a particularly intense and aggressive interaction for leopards, and it provides remarkable opportunities for photography and videography.
In this Virtual Safari, we find ourselves in the company of the formidable Maxim’s Male and the somewhat seldom-seen Piccadilly Female, far to the south in Maxim’s Male’s territory. It’s quite unexpected to see the Piccadilly Female here, far from her usual range, but as you’ll see, there’s more to this sighting than meets the eye.
Enjoy this Virtual Safari…
Fairly skittish male that is presumed to have come from the Kruger National Park.
This female is most often encountered near the Sand River to the east of the Londolozi camps.
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Wow, seeing the two of them side by side really brings focus to their size difference. Having spent a good deal of time with the Piccadilly female, I know she is an average size female and having mated with him, I can imagine what her cubs might be like – if males, then large like him.
I’ve seen mating leopards once and do remember the noise level and their movement from place to place. It’s exciting to witness to say the least!!
I’m curious….it sounds like sustained mating over a period of time is needed for the female to become pregnant, so in this case the Piccadilly female wants him to be the father (well, he is quite a catch!) So when she mates tactically with other males to protect her cubs, would she just have a brief encounter so to speak?
Yes, it is needed in order for the female to fall pregnant. It is difficult to determine exactly when she will ovulate, whether it is during the first bout of mating or subsequent ones after that, but most bouts of mating are about 4-5 days in length irrespective of if it is the first or not.
Fabulous video, Sean. I am looking forward to seeing the cubs that the two might have in a few months time!
The Maxim’s is such a productive father at the moment, siring or having sired so many cubs.
Thank you so much, Christa. The Maxim’s Male is doing a great job and has fathered many cubs.
Fantastic video Sean, thanks for sharing. I hope they are successful in mating. It will be interesting to see what the cubs ae like when they mature.
Thanks so much, William. Glad you enjoyed it. It will be interesting to see what they look like when they mature.
The Maxim’s Male is a fine-looking leopard. I have yet to see a male leopard. Thank you for this Sunday safari Sean.
Thanks for watching.
Wonderful to capture the wilds of the bush in South Africa. Takes me back to exciting times when I came to SA annually. Thank you
Thanks for watching, I am glad you enjoyed it and that it could remind you of fond memories.
Hi Sean, such good footage of these two leopards mating, means new baby cubs in the future. Maxim’s male is huge compared to the Picadilly female. Quite a noisy affair these mating bouts. Never the less this was stunning footage, thanks Sean.
Thank you, Valmai. I am glad you enjoyed this virtual safari. It does mean cubs in the future, I just hope that we are able to view the cubs. He is a lot larger than she is.
Fantastic, hopefully she may have cubs and be successful, they mated for a long time, perhaps they want to assure all the chances to their dna to be replicated… or, easily, just procreate. I always wondered as a young girl why do leopards mate for so long and have just two or at best three cubs….
I hope that she does have some cubs soon and that we are able to view them.
Hopefully it will be successful. So an impressive male. I never know that the female comes so deep in the territorium of the male. Very intersting story, thanks for share and exciting what is coming out in the future.
Hopefully, we will have a few more cubs in the up coming months.
The leopards are so beautiful to behold.