Tintswalo Ranger's Blog: Sightings Update: 7

The bush has been a cracker over the last little while and has produced plenty of fantastic sightings in a short space of time. Much less rain has fallen and things are starting to dry up but the dams are at least still full. As we approach the end of the rainy season, it looks good for the animals going into the dry time. So far, since September, we have received 763mm of rain. There is plenty of food and water for the prey species which means that the predators will be spoilt for choice in the coming dry season.

Lion

Koppies females

It’s been a bit difficult finding these girls lately as it seem they have moved in a westerly direction into gabbro plains. Unfortunately this is clay soil and with all the water around, it’s as good as trying to drive on an oil slick.

We did have one sighting in the last four days but all does not seem well unfortunatley. When we eventually managed to find the youngest female, she was in pretty bad shape. We have been waiting patiently for her to show us her cubs, but when she was found she was no longer lactating and her condition looked a bit worse for wear. She seemed skinny and had obviously gone through a tough time.

A few things go through my mind as to what possibly happened. It may have simply been another predator that found her cubs and killed them. Another reason might be that she has been on her own now for a good two months, as lionesses distance themselves from the rest of the pride to have their cubs. This time away allows for the lioness to imprint her scent and sound on the cubs. However, this is also the most difficult time as they have to kill for themselves, by themselves. For a social hunter this is not easy! The second theory is therefore that she wasn’t able to kill often enough to sustain her lactation and in the process weakening herself. It’s not uncommon for young mothers to abandon their cubs.

Either way, we are not sure what happened, but it does seem that she has lost her cubs.

Matimba males & Nkuhuma females

We've had three sightings of these males in the last four days and as always are providing us with fantastic viewings. One concerning sighting was of one Matimba male close to Vulture pan. This is usually an area that the Sizanani males move to when the Matimba males venture into their territory. Hopefully these incursions deeper and deeper into Sizanani territory don't become habitual.

We also found the blonde male with the three Nkuhuma females just off Pungwe access and the two darker males were found close to south gate.

It seems that a pattern of their movements have emerged. The three blonde males have the southern Manyeleti firmly in their grasp and have completely tamed the Nkuhuma females. The two darker males dominate the central Manyeleti and also interacts with the these females but also the Koppies girls. Induna, the oldest male, moves further east into the Kruger area but at this stage he is only awarding us with infrequent sightings.

Nkhuhuma female movements

Matimba male movements

Leopard

Beacon male

This male is really starting to establish his territory in the central Manyeleti and we are getting more sightings of him more frequently. One of the hotspots for this male is the area around Lomfane pan, where he was seen this week. It was at Lomfane pan where he snuck up to a lion prides buffalo kill and fed from the kill a couple of months ago.

Another hotspot is the area around the lodge and once again he was seen here in the last four days. He was seen again on Panicum road and moved north towards Tamboti road.

The other identified hotspot is Main dam and I’m sure we will find him in this area soon enough.

Main dam female

At one stage we thought she had lost one of her cubs, but how wrong we were. Two leopard cubs were seen at Manor House pan and that night she was seen close to reception. Both were brief sightings but at least we know her cubs are still alive and well.

The last we know of their movements are that their tracks were seen heading towards Helens road. We will monitor the Main dam area for the next few days to see if she moves into her traditional area.