Umkumbe Leopard Action: Mad Max Makes a Kill

Mxabene patrols his turf around Umkumbe Safari Lodge with the swagger of king and relaxed confidence of a born leader. This tom cat reminds us of an ancient ancestor that rule over the surrounding lands. Max, as he is fondly known, protects his turf with vigour and wards off any intruders with ferocity, true to […]

Mxabene’s Battle with Kaxane Male Leopard

We caught up with Umkumbe Safari Lodge field guide, Mauritz Senekal, and discovered some enchanting images of Mxabene male leopard from a couple of months back when he was seen patrolling his territory that crosses over our traverse. His classic, unmistakable face and domineering presence in this region of the Sabi Sand make him a […]

5 Leopards to See at Umkumbe Safari Lodge

Out of all the leopards whose territories criss-cross through the Umkumbe Safari Lodge traverse in the Sabi Sand, we’ve managed to whittle down the list to a ‘top 5’ for today’s leopard showcase! This region of the Greater Kruger is famous for unbeatable leopard sightings, and rightfully so. There is just no place like the […]

A Big Hello to Mambiri the Male Leopard at Umkumbe

Two unidentified leopards traversed their way onto Umkumbe territory, giving no indication of where they were headed. Like ghosts in the night and passing ships, the elusive disappeared without a trace. Both leopards were seen on different occasions and sightings were sporadic. There are often random sightings of new leopards and ones that don’t hang around […]

Umkumbe Leopard Catch Up With Ranger Marius

Deep in thickets walks a majestic and proud cat with acute senses, deadly prowess and lethal killing tactics. A loner, a survivor and graceful demeanour like that of royalty; this is the much revered Panthera pardus species. This super-predator possesses so much skill that it creates quite a deadly combination. The abundance of drainage lines, high […]

Leopard Leaps to Kill Impala at Umkumbe Safari Lodge

For most people, it’s a once in a lifetime experience (if that) to witness a leopard land its prey in a successful hunt. These solitary, independent, territorial cats are elusive and careful, and primarily hunt at night, so the chances of catching them making a kill are low. At Umkumbe Safari Lodge, however, one’s chances […]

Umkumbe Leopards: Toms Dominate Recent Sightings

The past couple of weeks on the Umkumbe traverse we’ve certainly not had any reason to shout “girl power”.  We normally enjoy a varied mix of both female and male leopard sightings, but recently the toms have dominated the leopard sightings. Males tend to cover a wide range and spend much of their time defending territories […]

Umkumbe Big Cat Catch-up: Lion Cubs & Leopards

There is such a dense population of cats surrounding Umkumbe Safari Lodge, each lion pride and leopard with their distinct character and story to tell. Their stories are all knitted together, with long and dramatic histories.  The fights, the birth of cubs, the splintering of lion prides and the solitary lifestyle of leopards makes for an incredible intricate big […]

Third Kill for Leopardess White Dam & Cub

White Dam is a notoriously shy leopardess roaming the traverse surrounding Umkumbe Safari Lodge. With stealth and grace she darts between shrubbery dotted along the landscape. The past week she has exhibited unusual behaviour, quite uncharacteristic of her rather coy demeanour.  You’re not going to believe this, but White Dam has been hunting out in the open together […]