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Spring has arrived at Londolozi, and the transformation is already underway. The first rains have washed over the reserve, coaxing fresh grass shoots from the dry earth and spreading a vibrant green blanket across the landscape. After months of muted winter tones, the bush is coming alive with colour and energy. The contrast is striking – golden winter grasslands now interspersed with patches of bright green, the air feels fresher, and there’s a palpable sense of renewal in everything around us. The light continues to be exceptional during this transitional period. The low morning and afternoon sun still provides that warm, golden glow that photographers crave, but now it illuminates a landscape that’s shifting daily. The dust has settled, the temperatures are rising, and the bush feels like it’s waking from a long sleep. It’s one of my favourite times to be out on game drive—watching the land transform before our eyes while the wildlife responds to these seasonal changes.
This week has offered a wonderful mix of familiar faces and unexpected encounters, all set against this backdrop of renewal. The big cats of Londolozi have certainly stolen the show. We were treated to a very special sighting of the Maxim’s Male mating with the Ximungwe Female—a pairing that has us eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new litter of cubs in the coming months. The Tortoise Pan Male continues to be a force to be reckoned with in the northern reaches, while sightings of the Three Rivers and Nkoveni duo continue to bring joy to guides, trackers, and guests alike. However, given their respective timelines, we’re acutely aware of the inevitable—soon, the Nkoveni Young Male and the Three Rivers Young Female will set off on their own journeys toward independence. The Nkuwa Female provided us with an incredible photographic opportunity as she lay atop a gabion, and the Flat Rock Male set the scene atop Matumi Rock in the Sand River—a true bucket list sighting for anyone who has been to Londolozi.
As the Gijima Males have pushed further north, so too has the Msuthlu Pride. We followed them through beautiful morning light as they trailed behind a herd of buffalo, their intent clear. The Ntsevu Pride have been spending more time in the north, trying to stay closer to the Ndzengha Males, and as a result have been seen frequently around Southern Cross Koppies. And lastly, a very rare glimpse of an Otter and her pup scampering across the causeway.
Let us know your favourites in the comments section below.
Enjoy This Week In Pictures…
A sighting I have longed for over the last four years! The Flat Rock Male poses elegantly in the dying light of the day on top of Matumi Rock in the Sand River. A huge thank you must go to Kirk Family for allowing me to borrow their camera to capture these shots. My 70-200mm could not do this image the justice it deserves!
Born 2013 Kruger, seized prime territory at young age. Strategic dominance led to successful lineage before current eastward shift.
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Although this was two weeks ago, I just had to include what I managed to capture from this incredible sighting of the Maxim’s Male mating with the Ximungwe Female.
Dominant since 2019. Once skittish Kruger-born giant now rules vast territory, transforming from elusive presence to formidable force.
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Having been viewed by vehicles from an early age, this leopard is supremely relaxed around Land Rovers.
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Seeing leopards mating gives you the true perspective of the size difference between males and females. Especially when it is the ever elusive Maxim’s Male!
Quite a difficult sighting to watch… A Hyena strolls away from an Elephant carcass carrying a prized possession… The foot of the Elephant!
The golden ascent. The Three Rivers Female rescues the Impala carcass after it was clumsily knocked out of the tree by the Three Rivers Young Female.
Forced into early independence at 11 months. Despite her small size, she’s proven resilient, currently raising a cub in SE Londolozi.
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The Nkoveni Young Male rests peacefully along a fallen branch. After having fed on two separate kills in the same tree, the young male needed a big nap.
The last surviving cub of a litter of three, he is on the cusp of independence.
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The Three Rivers Female stills towards us at eye-level during one of her afternoon patrols. After seeing the direction she was moving, we took a risk and decided to loop ahead in the hope that she would come through the Tamboti Tree grove and approach us at eye-level, and luckily it paid off!
A beautiful morning spent with the Ntsevu Pride, they navigated their way through the beautiful boulders of Southern Cross Koppies. A real-life “Lion King – Pride Rock” moment.
A migrant returns. A Wahlberg’s Eagle perches atop a dead Knobthorn Tree in the fading evening light.
Arguably one of his favourite trees, the Nkoveni Young Male has been seen countless times resting in the same tree and this time the setting provided the perfect opportunity to play with a high key black and white edit.
Sightings of the Three Rivers duo together are becoming less and less frequent as the young female draws nearer to full independence. The young female (right) is already larger than her mother (right). How many more opportunities will we have to capture moments like this?
A confident and curious young leopard, that is nearing independence after a remarkable start to life alongside her resilient mother.
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The Nkuhuma Breakaway Male continues to grow in both size and confidence. What a beautiful male he is.
Arguably, my favourite male Leopard at the moment. The Tortoise Pan Male is an absolute behemoth of a dominant male. Having him lock eyes with you as he walks toward you is quite the exhilarating experience.
Born 2016 to Ndzanzeni Female, royal descendant of Mother Leopard. Now a dominant force in the north.
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Spending time around water holes later on in the mornings this time of year is always fruitful, in this case, a young elephant bull quenches his thirst at Tshabalala Pan.
The Nkuwa Female treated us to the most spectacular sighting of her perched atop an old stone sign, providing a picturesque photographic opportunity.
Raised as an intact litter, first in 7 years, who has now made her own history by raising two males to independence as an intact litter.
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The Nkuwa Female is surely one of the most stunning Leopards I have been privileged enough to view and photograph.
The golden morning light perfectly catches one of the Msuthlu Lionesses as she leads the rest of the pride through Siwela’s clearings.
Still too young to have mastered the art of drinking by use of their trunk, this little elephant calf had to dip his mouth down to the water to quench his thirst before scurrying back to his mother’s side.
The dominant male Cheetah of Londolozi spends the closing moments of the day resting atop a termite mound, scanning the surrounding crests for any prey. Perhaps my favourite time of the day to view a Cheetah as the light just accentuates their beautiful amber colored eyes.
Albeit a brief glimpse, this was the last thing I expected to see as we stopped to do some birding along the causeway. An Otter mother and her young pup scampered across the waterway as a Saddle-billed Stork watched on.
The battle-hardened face of the Tortoise Pan Male on a territorial patrol. He truly is a pleasure to photograph due to his relaxed nature around vehicles.
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Reece Biehler
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