When you spend enough time in the bush, you begin to read the landscape like pages in a book. Small details become stories. A rhythm starts to emerge. And right now, on the south-western side of Ximpalapala koppie, the landscape is whispering something quite exciting. Well, we presume.
In early March, we began noticing something different about the Xinzele Female. Her behaviour had changed in a way that we have come to recognise. Over the course of a few days, we noticed her making her way down from the rocky boulders on the south-western face of the koppie, moving in a straight line. Down and back hours later. It was this pattern, coupled with something far more obvious, that made us sit up and take notice.
A stunning female found in the north. Successfully raised the Thumbela Female while establishing dominance in NW Marthly.
Usually, a milk pouch and suckle marks are the sure-tell sign that a mother leopard has cubs. This time, however, with the grass incredibly long and her constant movement, coupled with the fact that she only settles when some distance away on the boulders, we haven’t been able to 100% positively identify those signs. The mind can play funny tricks on hopeful rangers when staring through binoculars.
Here you can very evidently see the milk pouch and suckle marks which are very clear signs of her having a new litter. At this stage we were still not sure where the cub was and if it was still alive.
The Territory of Mothers
For those who have followed her story, this wouldn’t be entirely surprising news. The Xinzele Female has a history of choosing this very spot. Back in 2022, it was here at the same boulders that we discovered her with cubs. The same location where the Ingrid Dam Female had previously raised her own young. There is something about this place that speaks to motherhood. Perhaps it’s the labyrinth of nooks and crannies among the boulders. Perhaps it’s the dense grass and thick vegetation that provide cover.
The Ingrid Dam Female rests on a boulder near the top of Ximpalapala Koppie with her new cubs stashed somewhere in the crevices below.
That first litter back in 2022 wasn’t without its challenges. Of the two cubs that were born, only the Thumbela Female survived to independence. Perhaps this is the start of another long journey ahead for the Xinzele Female.
Born 2022, playful daughter of Xinzele. Named for her hide-and-seek games, now confidently establishing independence in Marthly's terrain.
But here’s the thing: we haven’t actually seen these new cubs yet.
A Game of Patience
It would be easy to get frustrated by this. We know she’s in there. Every morning when we head towards Ximpalapala, there’s a quiet anticipation. Today, perhaps. Today might be the day we finally catch a glimpse of them venturing out onto the rocks. So we sit and wait.
The Question of Paternity
Here’s where things become particularly interesting. We never witnessed the Xinzele Female mating. The likely father? Everything points to the Hlambela Male.
An impressive male, appearing as a rising force in the north. Making a name for himself by pushing other males out.
Since August 2024, this impressive male has become increasingly established across the northern reaches of Londolozi, and his territory now encompasses the areas where the Xinzele Female makes her home. He’s the new dominant force over Ximapalapala koppie.
But that’s the thing about certainty in the bush: there isn’t any, not really. The Xinzele Female’s territory also abuts that of the Tortoise Pan Male. He, too, could be the father. Without having witnessed the mating itself, without any form of genetic confirmation, we can only work with probabilities and territorial overlaps.
Born 2016 to Ndzanzeni Female, royal descendant of Mother Leopard. Now a dominant force in the north.
Which is why what happened last week was so intriguing – so stay tuned for Bryce’s next blog.
Eyes on the Koppie
So that’s where we are. The Xinzele Female is almost certainly denning on Ximpalapala koppie. Her cubs, likely fathered by the Hlambela Male, are hidden somewhere among those southwestern boulders. They’re probably only a few weeks old. They’re probably still in that stage where the world beyond the den is a fearsome place, where their mother’s judgment about safety is the only barrier between them and the unknown.
And we are watching. We are watching the koppie. We are watching the paths that lead to it. We are watching the Xinzele Female as she moves off hunting. We are watching the Hlambela Male for any further visits. We are waiting with the kind of patience that only comes from knowing that something special is unfolding, even if we can’t quite see it yet.
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on Signs of a New Beginning: The Xinzele Female’s Suspected Litter