The plan for the afternoon was to cross the river and go north to try and find any signs of wild dogs. As is the nature of the bush, plans don’t always work out… We were approaching the concrete bridge that crosses the Sand River to the north of our property when Mike Sithole (my very talented tracker) pointed and said he had spotted a leopard just meters off the road behind a guarri bush.
The Tutlwa female sitting and listening for any movement from the bush.
It was the Tutlwa female and she was casually grooming herself and treating us with complete disregard in a way that only a leopard can do. We sat with her for about 15 minutes while she scanned the surroundings for any movements in the bushes and then slowly stretched, walked past our vehicle and disappeared into the bushes. We followed her, getting the occasional glimpse of spots moving behind brown grasses and green bushes. And then suddenly she was running, a flash of rosettes in the bush, kicking up dust behind her in her pursuit of a bushbuck just meters in front of her. A distress call, an explosion of dust, and then silence…we rounded a guarri thicket to see her clamping onto the neck of the young female bushbuck whose legs were kicking desperately and hopelessly to get away. There was no hope. We watched as the life in bushbuck’s eyes slowly faded while the Tutlwa female continued to do what leopards to best.
The Tutlwa female squeezes the life out of the bushbuck with her powerful jaws
A few minutes past, and eventually she sat up and looked around for a good spot to drag her kill. She decided to drag the carcass underneath a gardenia tree just meters away, and then began to pluck fur from the bushbuck in order to start feeding. While she was doing this her body language suddenly changed as if she had seen a ghost. We looked behind us only to see the Mashaba young female casually strolling up a game path in the direction of the gardenia. As if this was not unbelievable enough on its own, the 4:4 male was following her to. So within the space of 20 meters we had seen three leopards and a fresh carcass. Tutlwa turned and ran into the bushes which attracted the attention of both of the other leopards who started to follow in the hope of getting a piece of the kill that was left beside our car under the tree.
Keeping up with leopards at the best of times is tough but as the Tutlwa female was trying to avoid the attentions of the other two leopards, she disappeared and we lost sight of all three animals. We searched for them for about five minutes before we saw spots coming out of a drainage line. I pointed the animal out to my guests and said, “ah there is one of our leo… no wait, that is a cheetah!!” A cheetah had now joined this unbelievable afternoon and she was covered in blood and was looking very well fed. I was later to learn that she had a kill about 200 metres away from the scene that we had just witnessed and had just been robbed by hyenas. We followed her for a little while until she settled down in the shade and then returned to where the leopards had been.
A full cheetah settling down in the shade after a good meal
The Tutlwa female was back under her tree and was feeding on the bushbuck. We sat and watched for another 10 minutes or so. Once again her body language changed and she sat up and then ran off into the Sand River. The 4:4 male approached the carcass, looked at us, and then also ran off with his stolen prize towards the river. The Mashaba young female followed trotting casually behind him.
The Tutlwa female enjoying the little bit of the kill that she could before she got robbed
Not many words were spoken in this period but the enormity of what we had witnessed could be felt quite clearly in us all and we decided it was time to go and have a drink and watch the sunset. This was an afternoon that I will not forget and will most likely never repeat again…
Written and photographed by Londolozi Ranger Nick Kleer
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Awesome experience Nick. It just shows never know what happens in the bush. Every drive is a surprise.
What an amazing drive, Nick! Wish I’d been there!
Wow, what an extraordinary afternoon Nick! Great blog and fantastic images! Thank you so much for sharing.
Wow!! An unusually “busy” afternoon!!
Awesome photos.
I just could not believe my eyes. Seeing such photos brings back nice memories of most of the big 5 I’ve seen up to last year 2014. I can’t wait for the next visit to the SANPARKS.
What an amazing drive!! Can’t wait to be with you in a few days!!
Descriptions like this one make me wanna go to Londolozi even more.
A fantastic sighting! Hope Tutlwa found another meal. Is Mashaba Young female trying to mate with 4:4 male? Or is she still a bit too young?
Awesome post Nick and what an incredible sighting!
Thank you very much for the comments everybody!! Brian to answer your question she has been trying to mate with the 4:4 male for some time and has been seen with him on and off for roughly a month or so now. He has shown no interest as I believe she is a little young but not far off now she actually turns 3 years old this month if i’m not mistaken.
Previous reply was from me not Anna, i’m not to gifted on a computer 🙂 haha
What an amazing afternoon Nick! Cannot wait to get back to Londolozi – going to book our next trip right now.
Ever increases the desire to return to Lonodlozi, heartland of the leopard!