The fascination and profound appreciation for the development of an individual animal in nature goes beyond mere interest; it engulfs the observer in a journey of discovery.
Upon my arrival at Londolozi, the then Ximungwe Young Male was a mere 10 months old. It has been an absolute treat to witness this male leopard’s transformation from dependence on his mother to exploring various corners of the reserve, honing the skills necessary to become an independent male leopard.
A single cub of the Ximungwe Female’s second litter. Initially rather skittish but is very relaxed now. Birth mark in his left eye.
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While general behavioural studies satiate the nature enthusiast, the current extraordinary conditions make observations even more intriguing. Yet, nothing compares to the privilege of watching an individual evolve over an extended period. Witnessing a wild animal mature amid nature’s brutal challenges is a unique experience, and when that subject is a beautiful young male leopard, the joy is amplified.
The Ntomi Male comes to a stop as he notices a herd of impala up ahead of him.
Lately, our sightings have featured the Ntomi Male to the west of camps, occasionally venturing into our western neighbour’s territory. This has prompted me to ponder when he will officially disperse from his natal territory—a process typically taking about 24 months for male leopards. As the Ntomi male approaches three years of age, his behaviour aligns with the norm of male leopards lingering around their mother’s territory and appearing in obscure places throughout the reserve. A recent sighting placed him deep into the southwestern parts of the reserve in the open grasslands far from where his mother would have ventured. Considering the limited time we spend with these animals, thanks to insights from Dan Hirshowitz’s blog, one can only speculate about the other places he may have explored.
While the Ntomi Male has provided breathtaking viewing over the last three years, the question is: what comes next?
Male leopards typically disperse far from their natal territory. If this holds true for Ntomi, it will be a sad day when we can no longer view him. However, the excitement lies in the possibility of him filling the vacancy in the southwestern parts of the reserve. Although classified as the Mawelawela Male’s territory, sightings of him are infrequent, possibly because he tends to stay south of our boundary. This presents an opportunity for the Ntomi Male to establish his claim.
With another year or two of nomadic life ahead of him, only time will reveal his fate. Personally, I hold out hope that he chooses to stick around, granting us many more years of enjoying his presence. The anticipation of what lies ahead for this remarkable leopard adds an extra layer of excitement to each sighting.
Ross Cheshire
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