Sun Destinations

Nicki Steenberg, a ranger from Umkumbe Safari Lodge, has kept us in the loop with the latest leopard stories straight from the Sabi Sand, a rich and diverse reserve teeming with leopard activity. A while ago we introduced you to a few new leopards on the Umkumbe traverse, which certainly added a different dimension to game drives. Each leopard exploring a potentially new turf brings with it its own skill set, personality and distinct markings; which always makes things interesting. When we receive leopard reports from our Umkumbe rangers, there is always one thing which seems to be a constant : the presence of Toothfairy, the notorious hyena adept at stealing kills from leopards! This week was no different. Mxabene, Tatowa, Ndzandzeni, Inyathini and Toothfairy were all seen during the course of the week.

Nicki Steenberg says, “Ndzandzeni strolled through our property on the lookout for something. We think it was Mxabene the male because he strolled through a few minutes before she did – in the exact same spot! Tatowa was moving through a few days before but she was chased away by Toothfairy and her clan. They had a bit of a stare down, but Tatowa eventually moved away from the scene. She was actually on a kill, which is why the hyenas were around. Inyathini has been spotted briefly over the past few weeks.”

Here’s a quick reminder of who’s who:

Tatowa: Game drives often deliver sightings of Tatowa. Tatowa is a slender and beautiful leopardess who crossed over from the northern boundary onto the Umkumbe traverse. She’s built a name for herself as quite a tough cat and is the only surviving leopard from a litter of 4. At this stage she appears to be after Mxabene; but then again, most of the leopardesses in this area enjoy chasing after Max!

Mxabene Male: Over the weekend, firm favourite, Mxabene was spotted out on patrol. Sightings of Mxabene are generally when he is marking his territory and patrolling his turf to prevent unwanted visitors. Rangers haven’t seen him in a while, but that’s because he covers huge ground with his patrolling tactics. Male leopards guard their territory against other males but their traverse overlaps with, on average, 3/4 females. Their scent marking activity normally happens in the dead of night and they spray urine and disperse droppings over vegetation.

Nzandzeni Female: Ndzandzeni appears to have moved from the north (born in 2012) of Umkumbe traverse. Marius sent through a report about the first sighting, which happened about a month ago.

Inyathini Male: This elusive but rugged male remains an enigma. Not much is known about him because he wasn’t born in the Sabi Sand. It’s speculated he wandered over from the Kruger National Park early to mid 2014.

Male leopards have a wide range and seek out areas rich with females. Female leopards are often on the move in search of new den sites and will seek out areas rich in food sources. A male’s territory can overlap with up to 4 females, which is why we might enjoy sightings of one male in many different areas. Females cover less ground and will remain in an area for quite sometime with their cub, which is why you often see two leopards on patrol together.

Thanks to Johan and Nicki for the update.