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Is The Senegal Bush Male Still Alive? – Londolozi Blog
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There is no leopard who has etched itself more vividly into my memory banks than the Senegal Bush Male. As a trainee ranger almost four years ago now, during one of our initial training drives we heard that a leopard had been found nearby. Very eager to see our first Londolozi Leopard, we wasted no time and got over to the area.
Initially seen as a young male in 2016, this leopard only properly established territory on Londolozi in mid-2019
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Upon rounding a gentle bend in the road, we saw two Land Rovers in the distance, and in front of them, heading towards us was an absolute brute of a leopard. We slowly moved out of his path and waited in silence as he approached us.
It was a still, beautiful summer afternoon. We could hear his paws against the soft sand as he came closer. His lucid pale golden coat was in full view only a couple metres away; what a sight it was. He glanced up at us for a brief moment as he walked by. The sunlight struck his eyes as they met with mine, and it felt like time stood still. A special moment I’ll never forget. This was an incredible introduction to the leopard viewing here and it made a lasting impression on me.
He has always been known for the incredible depth of his eyes.
Since then, years have passed and the Senegal Bush Male has continued to provide many of the same such experiences for countless Londolozi guests. He has occupied every square inch of the Londolozi reserve between the Tugwaan Riverbed and the Sand River throughout his days. Most recently he has been occupying a large portion of eastern Singita, and seldom venturing into Londolozi during 2024. This has been mostly because of the Maxims Male’s westward territory shift and uncontested territory for the Senegal Bush Male to his west.
Unfortunately, the last confirmed sighting of the Senegal Bush Male was on the 10th of June this year in Singita. He has not been seen since. We have had no recent tracks or signs of him on any of the routes or paths that we know he likes to use. As the days go on, we’ve started to lean more on the belief that his time might have come to an end. He was still in great condition and aside from some scars and his signature tattered ears, he showed few signs of his age.
It is anyone’s guess as to exactly what might have happened to him. But as is the case most times, it can usually be put down to a fatal encounter with lions. Leopards are masters at maintaining total awareness of their surroundings, but even they can be caught off guard sometimes. Mother Nature has no favourites.
On the positive side, his most recent progeny, the two Nkuwa Young Males and the Ntomi Male are all doing incredibly well. The Ntomi Male has gained considerable size of late and is certainly following in his father’s footsteps. These three young males, wherever they end up, will go on to continue his legacy across an enormous area one day, ultimately fulfilling his life’s purpose. I hope we are all shocked by the miraculous return of the Senegal Bush Male, but for now, we’ll hold onto the many incredible sightings and memories he’s left us with.
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Matt Rochford
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