What’s Next for the Nkuwa Female’s Cubs – Londolozi Blog

It has been a few months since the last update on the Nkuwa Female leopard and her two male cubs. Her two sons are approaching an important milestone in their young lives, so I thought it would be equally important to look at what’s next for this trio of leopards.

One of two sisters born to the Nhlanguleni Female, both of whom made it to independence, the first intact litter to do so in 7 years.

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The Last Few Months

Our sightings of the three leopards have been few and far between. This in part is due to the area that their territory lies that is quite thick but also I think that they have been spending more time further west of our boundary into our neighbour’s property. That being said when we have seen them it has been very noticeable that these two young males are about the same size as their mother now and one can only imagine the pressures that this now places on their mother to provide for them.

A glimpse into the Sand River. This is right in the heart of the Nkuwa Female’s territory showing how dense the vegetation around the river is and one of the reasons it is quite difficult to find her.

Maternal Success Amidst Adversity

At just six years old, the Nkuwa Female has defied the odds by successfully raising a litter of two male cubs. Even though leopards will have two or three cubs per litter it is not that common for them to be able to raise more than one to independence. Her cubs, now approximately 14 months old, continue to thrive under her watchful eye.

Observing the Cubs’ Growth and Independence

The two cubs are spending more time apart from their mother, exploring their surroundings and honing their hunting skills, as well as more time apart from each other. Up until now, they have been almost fully dependent on her for food only catching some small prey while she is out hunting. This gradual shift towards independence is a natural progression for young leopards as they prepare to fend for themselves. Independence doesn’t happen overnight and their mother will slowly spend less and less time with them.

The Nkuwa 3:3 Young Male is now the same size as his mother and spending more time alone and away from his brother.

Encounters with Rival Leopards

As the cubs grow older, they face new challenges, including competition from other leopards vying for territory. The presence of the Ntomi Male, a young male leopard with familial ties to the two cubs, adds an intriguing dynamic to the situation. The Ntomi Male shares the same father as the two cubs of the Nkuwa Female and he has been moving further and further west right into the heart of the Nkuwa Female’s territory. Although not yet a fully territorial leopard he certainly still poses somewhat of a threat to the two younger cubs.

The Ntomi Male is now fully independent from his mother, the Ximungwe Female, and is moving further and further west into the heart of the Nkuwa Female’s territory.

Looking Towards the Future

Usually, male leopards become independent a little later than female leopards. What I have observed in my time here at Londololzi is that at only around two years old will the sub-adult males gain full independence whereas their female counterparts are closer to 18 months. I think, however, that with the Nkuwa Female having two male cubs that are already her size, if not bigger, they will most likely be forced into an earlier independence which would mark an important milestone in their lives. Post-independence they will most likely disperse into new areas far afield from where they have been raised. This is a natural move to ensure genetic diversity within the population combined with the fact that their father, the Senegal Bush Male, and the Ntomi Male are already laying claim to the territory west of our camps.

The Next Steps for the Nkuwa Female

The Nkuwa Female still has a few more months to ensure that all of her hard work and effort in raising her two sons will come to fruition. Post her sons’ independence she will more than likely continue to hold her current territory as her sons move off. What we always hope for is that a female leopard will successfully raise at least one daughter to independence for her lineage to continue at Londolozi. Only time will tell but at only six years old the odds are certainly in her favour.