Timing feels right to provide an update on the Three Rivers Female. After seeing her mating with the Maxims Male at the end of December 2025, it was a matter of time before we were full circle with this 10-year-old leopard being a mother again.
Incredible image Ranger Dean Jenkins managed to capture of the Maxims Male touching noses with the Tinxiya Female AND the Three Rivers Female camouflaged in the foreground. The Tinxiya Female is a newly independent female in the southeastern parts of Londolozi and the Three Rivers Female did an amazing job raising her to independence.
Dominant since 2019. Once skittish Kruger-born giant now rules vast territory, transforming from elusive presence to formidable force.
Forced into early independence at 11 months. Despite her small size, she's proven resilient, currently raising a cub in SE Londolozi.
A confident and curious young leopard, that is nearing independence after a remarkable start to life alongside her resilient mother.
And we’re excited to say with certainty that the Three Rivers Female leopard is a mother again to two very small cubs (we assume they are between 6-8 weeks old).
This is an image of the Three Rivers Female when she denned the Tinyixa Female almost two years ago to the day. We believe she is denning her new litter in a similar place. Hopefully not too long before we can capture images of her new cubs!
Unfortunately, we have not yet been able to have a clear sighting of the cubs just yet, as we believe her to be denning them at the top of a cluster of boulders near the Sand River, but we are hopeful that its only a matter of a few weeks before she might be ready to start moving them to kills.
This was a sighting we had about a month ago of the Three Rivers Female defending her territory and pushing the Tinxiya Female further away from this particular area. It’s not very clear but you can see the Three Rivers Female’s milk pouch in this image (leopard in the foreground).
Being a mother again, the Three Rivers Female has been spotted reaffirming her presence in her territory, taking every opportunity she gets to stalk and hunt and when she’s away from the den, and she has provided us with some amazing leopard viewing.
On a territorial patrol in golden hour.
Sightings of recent, away from the den, have often been of her walking on the roads, covering ground as she marks her territory. Opportunities to hunt may appear out the blue, and just like in this image, she pauses with intent as she looks ahead at a herd of impala.
Having watched her raise the Nsuku Male to independence, then the Tinxiya Female in my time here at Londolozi, fingers are crossed she’ll successfully raise another litter to independence! We’ll be sure to keep the blog updated when we start seeing her cubs.
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