Still licking his wounds from an epic battle with Camp Pan no more than 3 weeks ago, the Dudley Riverbank 5:5 Male appears to be well on the mend. His neck and face still bears evidence in the forms of cuts and scars but at the end of the day success, in leopard speak, is judged by the territory you occupy and the females you mate with. So far so good for the 5:5 Male! He is currently strutting his stuff in the eastern sections of Londolozi and mating with the Vomba 3:2 Female.
Vomba and Dudley 5:5 Mating
One take on this development is that Vomba is merely trying to keep this young male happy whilst another suggest that she is viewing the 5:5 male as the dominant male of the area when she potentially gives birth in 3 months, and that he is the best suitor to protect her cubs. Could this be yet another sign that the legendary Camp Pan Male is losing control? Does this experienced 11 year old female know what she is doing mating with a male 5 years younger than herself? What do you think the reason for her mating with the 5:5 Male as opposed to Camp Pan is? Let us know in the comments section below…
Vomba and Dudley 5:5 walk by the vehicle
Incredibly, the 5:5 male was adopted as a cub by his grandmother, the 3:4 female, and raised by her to adulthood.
The Vomba female was a leopard with an instantly recognisable rich golden coat. She spent much of her life around the Londolozi Camps.
Written and Photographed by: Adam Bannister
Filmed by: Rich Laburn
Great story! I agree – Vomba has ‘chosen’ Dudley! Hope we see little cubs in a few months.
Thank you so much for this great blog and for the footage!
Dudley 5:5 male has become one f my favorites. 🙂 This boy is so amazing, powerful and beautiful.
Vomba must know, that he is an up and coming dominant male and the best option for her coming cubs. What he just need is a bit more experience. It was no wonder that good old Camp Pan beat him up. But that was another lesson he learnt.
Hope the mating is successful
If she’s an older experienced female then she will have mated with boh males, that way they both think the cubs are theirs and it keeps them safer 😉
News update: This morning Vomba female was found mating again in the Sand River! This time, however, it was with the Marthly Male a.k.a. Tyson. So after 4 days with 5:5 she simply seeks out another big male and the show continues. Is she trying to keep them all happy? Is she trying to con them all into thinking they are the fathers? Will Camp Pan be next on her list?
Hi Adam!
So Vomba is on the move again. She is quite the clever one, isn’t she? Hope her plan works….and you guys see some cubs as well 🙂
I’m glad that Rich was taking the video…otherwise the comments from your rover full of “women gone mad” would have ruined the beauty of the footage 🙂
Thanks for everything!!! You are an amazing ranger…and quite patient.
love and light, denise
p.s. those photos are fabulous….well done. also, you are going to have to tell me what adjustments you made to my camera….your shots (on my camera) are much more vivid than mine.
Hi Adam!
Great blog and incredible photos… and even more amazing that I actually was there to witness it! Thank you for making Londolozi come alive for me and everyone else on the trip. I’ll remember that African stargazing evening forever… and yes, you are an amazing ranger!
Is great to see Dudley back
even when he lost that epic battle with camp for now
It something in the young male Dudley 5:5
that others male leopards fear him and female leopards love him
soon we will know what it is
Im with Rosie 🙂 Vomba is smart. and will do anything to protect her cubs. Who she believes to be dominant will soon play out..
Amazing footage!
Another update: Vomba Female was seen last night, alone, hunting very close to Tree Camp. 5 days of mating has left her hungry…
Every time i see Dudley in videos posted, seems to me that is growing in muscles, it is possible or is it just my imagination? Vomba does not lose no time! Very nicely the image of Dudley fixing with the tourists on the jeep, it almost seems intrigued by many eyes of himself
Could one of you rangers tell me which leopard cub (female) this is? we saw her in Sept 2010. How is she doing?
http://www.debbygoldmanphotography.com/Africa/Big-Cats/16232681_cgZVd#1219423235_dppwL