The Privilege Of Viewing Cubs At Londolozi – Londolozi Blog

Witnessing young animals in Africa is a rare and extraordinary experience, one that offers a glimpse into the most tender and captivating moments of the wild. The sight of cubs, whether hyenas, leopards, lions or cheetahs adds a touch of magic to any safari.  These young creatures, often hidden from view or seen only fleetingly, represent the future of their species. At Londolozi, we are sometimes treated to magnificent predator cub viewing which for me is often the “slam dunk” of a safari experience. In the last two weeks, I’ve been fortunate enough to capture some photographs of many of the cubs at Londolozi and share these special sightings with our guests. Each encounter is a precious privilege, as these cubs face immense challenges in the wild.

If you’ve ever been on safari before, you’ll know that we are by no means guaranteed to see cubs every day on a game drive, which makes each sighting of these little animals even more special. Sometimes, it can take three or four days of tracking and searching for their mother, only to be rewarded with a brief glimpse of the youngsters. Three sightings from the past two weeks that stand out for me feature three of Africa’s most iconic predators: the spotted hyena, the cheetah, and, of course, the leopards of Londolozi.

Hyena and cubs at the den

Hyenas are one of the most fascinating predators, and indeed one of the most intriguing animals in the bush. Their complex social structures, dynamics, and crucial role in the ecosystem never fail to captivate me. However, the intention of this blog is not to delve too deeply into the facts about these remarkable creatures but rather to highlight how incredible it is to spend just a few moments observing them and their youngsters. Hyena cubs are confined to a den for at least the first year of their lives. At Londolozi, their dens are often found in old termite mounds, where the young cubs can retreat into the safety of deep burrows if danger approaches.

Enjoy this selection of images from a recent visit to the local hyena den…

A mother and her two cubs lounge about at the entrance to the den. Hyena’s mothers will on average give birth to two cubs and she will take sole responsibility for raising them.

Although forming part of a larger clan, hyenas do not allo-suckle and will offer very limited care for the other cubs in the den.

Here, one of the cubs nuzzles into its mother, who appears to be a very old female based on how yellow and worn her teeth are.

The Mother Cheetah and her three cubs

Cheetahs are one of the rarer animals to spot on safari here. I may be slightly off with this statistic, but based on my estimation, I’d say that fewer than 20% of our guests get to see a cheetah during their stay. There are many reasons for this, but the most obvious is that cheetahs are vastly outnumbered and out-competed by other predators in the area. However, recently we’ve been fortunate to experience some of the best cheetah sightings I’ve had during my time as a guide. A female cheetah has been roaming the southwestern grasslands with three young cubs. Though still incredibly difficult to find, often compared to searching for a “needle in a haystack”, this past week we were treated to what has become my favourite cheetah sighting to date.

Some of these photos I will cherish for a lifetime:

We initially saw them resting on top of a termite mound, the third cub just out of frame.

They then settled down while continuously scanning their surroundings.

They then descended the mound and the cubs found a fallen tree which they began to play on for a while.

The Nkoveni Female Leopard and her two cubs

It goes without saying that leopards and Londolozi are synonymous. However, as mentioned above, one can never be guaranteed to see leopard cubs. Their viewability often depends on the dominance of male leopards in the area (keeping young males looking to establish their territories at bay) and sometimes just a bit of luck that some of the mothers have cubs at an age where they begin to feel comfortable with viewing. The Nkoveni Female and her two cubs continue to impress us with what I believe is some of the best leopard viewing on earth (yes, that’s a bold statement, and I apologize if I’m slightly biased). Over the past two weeks, we’ve had some incredible views of this leopardess and her two cubs, who are now approaching one-year-old.

Enjoy these images of the Nkoveni Female and her two cubs…

While the Nkoveni Female rests on a branch of a large dead leadwood, one cub attempts to climb further up the tree.

A gorgeous female who is found to the east of camp. Easily recognised by her 2:2 spot pattern she is often to be found in Marula trees.

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This entire scene was spectacular, with the fading light we enjoyed watching them move about in this tree.

The larger male cub, who is growing rapidly, peers towards us through a bit of green foliage from a low branch of a tree with it mother resting in the background.

A different angle now with a full view of mother and son.

The Trio settled in for a drink in the late afternoon light.

If you ever have the chance to sit quietly and witness a mother with her cubs, regardless of the species, consider yourself truly fortunate. You belong to a select group of people who have had this remarkable opportunity. We are all incredibly lucky to be able to observe these precious moments in nature.