Where has the Nhlanguleni Female gone? – Londolozi Blog

As I reflect on the past six weeks of being at work’s wildlife sightings, it’s impossible not to feel a sense of fondness for the memories created and the remarkable wildlife encounters we’ve been fortunate enough to witness. However, amidst the excitement, there’s one notable absence: the Nhlanguleni Female leopard, has not been viewed nearly as much as we are used to.

Initially skittish she spent a lot of time in the Sand River, now relaxed she makes up the majority of leopard viewing west of camp.

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Born in 2011, the Nhlanguleni Female is reaching the tail end of her prime. While she hasn’t been the most successful at raising cubs, having only raised one litter to independence in early 2018, her legacy lives on through her two daughters, the Nkuwa Female still viewable on Londolozi and the Finfoot Female who moved further south after independence.

The Nkuwa and Finfoot females, the last and only successfully raised litter by the Nlanguleni female.

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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A daughter of the Nhlanguleni female, born into a litter of two, both of which survived to independence.

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Her territory along the Sand River to the west of our camps provides an ideal habitat for leopards, allowing them to exhibit their elusive behaviour. Over the years, we’ve been blessed with incredible sightings of her. Yet recently, her appearances have become sporadic. Although she has been known to do this before; during the global pandemic lockdown in 2020, she surprised us after an extended absence by appearing with two cubs, despite us being unaware of her pregnancy. Sadly, neither cub survived.

The Nhlanguleni Female and one of the cubs that she had in the global pandemic.

The question of why we haven’t been seeing her as frequently remains a mystery. On the few occasions we have spotted her, she’s been venturing farther west than usual, even crossing into our neighbouring property. While it’s unlikely that younger females are pushing her out of her territory, she may be exploring new areas or seeking mates.

If anything she is venturing more into the territory of her daughter the Nkuwa Female who is territorial further west along the Sand River. If she is seeking out a mate, the shortness of typical mating periods suggests this might not be the case.

Given her territory’s location along the river, it’s plausible that she’s favouring the dense vegetation there, this suits a stealthy yet ageing leopardess. However, her elusive behaviour doesn’t surprise us ahead of her likely having another litter of cubs.

The speculation continues, with the possibility of her quietly raising cubs once again, unbeknownst to us—a scenario that would be a delightful surprise. I’ll be sure to keep you updated on the whereabouts of the Nhlanguleni Female. As we all know, the bush ebbs and flows, and I remain hopeful that her appearances will become more frequent once again.