Location, Location, Location

The Dumbana female leopard has, in the last few years, managed to raise two beautiful sons to independence, one of which we are still very grateful to see within the reserve today. Kalanga male has thrived, and is in very good condition, despite having had a few serious injuries along the way. He has seemingly dispersed twice, having made an appearance in the far western reaches of the Greater Kruger, and then reappearing at Singita within a few weeks.

So, it seems, there is something about this place which draws him back, whether there is less pressure from other males, or an abundance of prey, or a combination of factors, this is obviously a place where he feels he should stay. It is interesting too, to see him use the same tree to hoist two separate kills, a few months apart, a tree which his mother, had also used to hoist a few kills when he was still a cub and dependant on her. Whether coincidence, or strategy, there is something to be said about the importance of location.

In the early months of her most recent litter, the Dumbana female has been very good at keeping her cubs well hidden. Utilizing the rocky ridges of the Lebombo mountain range to keep her young safe when they were young and immobile, and even as they grew and were strong enough to follow her on her excursions, but still needed to be safe when she needed to leave them to hunt. This female skilfully conceals them, not only from potential predators but also from us, leaving sightings of the family few and far between, and very special.

As they continue to grow, so too does their confidence as we start to see them more regularly as they move along with their mother, learning from her, as her previous litter has done. Learning about the importance of location, not only for safety but also for hunting. With the water sources becoming more scarce as we near the end of winter, our dry season, location becomes everything. At a prominent drinking point, where the slopes of the banks are gradual and open and the rocky riverbed forms a shallow crossing point, animals feel more comfortable to drink with better visibility to watch for crocodiles lurking in the water. These drinking spots are frequented by antelope and elephant and even the leopard and lion, all feeling more secure. But the traffic in and out of these sections of river became the focus of this skilled hunter.

After seemingly having been separated and hungry for a few days, we were all happy to see the little family with an impala carcass hoisted in a tree on the banks of the river, which they managed to feed on for two days, resting in amongst the rocks and dense riverine vegetation between meals. Possibly as they fed, the dregs were dropped onto the floor, and soon found out and stolen by hyenas. With full bellies, they rested in a massive Schotia tree watching the hyenas scrounging for scraps, not too perturbed as there was not much in the way of scraps left anyway.

The following afternoon, in a neighbouring tree, a new impala was strung up, and the same process ensued, with each leopard taking their turn to feed and then moving down to rest contentedly amongst the cool rocks in the riverbed. By the following day all of them, and the carcass, were gone, and after some searching found with a bushbuck kill in another tree further downstream.

Showcasing her expertise and determination as a skilled mother in this harsh environment, the Dumbana female gave a perfect example of how being in the right location can bring your prey to you while you sleep off your last meal. Four days and three kills, all within the same area, and yet the one thing they all had in common was the constant presence of hyenas, which could explain why after losing their last kill, she decided to lead her cubs up into the safety of the rocky ridges once again.