Kikilezi FEMALE
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(Daughter of the Ngoboswan Female Leopard)
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| December 2005 Kikilezi FEMALE *4 YEARS 2 MONTH
AND 2 WEEKS till showing a strong presence along the Sand River in the vicinity of Mala Mala Main Camp, the Kikilezi Female leopard appears to have taken control of the territory previously inhabited by her mother, the Ngoboswan female. Although she was seen mating with 2 strapping young males, the Newington male and the Manyeleti male during the previous month, she still has not fallen pregnant. She was seen to have an altercation with her father, the Newington male, over an impala kill that she had just made. Being much smaller she was chased off, but in the process a hyena stole the kill. Upon returning the Newington male pursued the hyena and claimed the prize for himself alone, not being prepared to share any of it with his daughter and former mating partner. November 2005 Kikilezi FEMALE *4
YEARS 1 MONTH AND 2 WEEKS The Kikilezi Female had another good month and is still in the process of consolidating her status as a territorial female leopard. She is venturing further and further afield, but of course the map gives a somewhat distorted impression of her territory because she followed the Newington Male all the way to Ostrich Koppies when she was mating with him. This took place the day after she had been mating with the Manyeleti Male near Bicycle Crossing. Having been covered by both these male leopards, if she conceives and gives birth, the Kikilezi Female may be able to safely raise her cubs within the territory of either male. October 2005 Kikilezi FEMALE *4
YEARS AND 2 WEEKS The Kikilezi Female must have lost whatever cubs she had given birth to in late September or early October, because she was again seen to be mating with the Manyeleti Male around the middle of the month. This took place on the southern bank of the Sand River , just upstream of Bicycle Crossing. Apart from this sighting of the mating pair, the Kikilezi Female was seen on 6 other occasions, mainly during daylight hours and she was often on the hunt.
She was seen close to the Bicycle Crossing Male who was feeding on a kill in a tree on one occasion. It is not known whether the male or female leopard had made the kill, but it was clear that the Bicycle Crossing Male had decided that it was for his personal use! September 2005 Kikilezi FEMALE *3 YEARS 11 MONTHS
AND 2 WEEKS There was good viewing of the Kikilezi Female in September, and she seems to be growing in confidence and stature as a territorial leopard. Early in the month, she was seen with a young bushbuck kill in a tree just across the river from the camp. Some lions approached the tree, and the leopard hoisted her kill to the very highest branches, and she herself spent much of the day way up there, very wary of the lions. That afternoon, the leopard and lions were still in the same position, and when the large herd of buffalo as well as a large herd of elephants moved north along the flood plain in late afternoon light, guests were treated to an awesome sight. The Kikilezi Female was seen in the vicinity of Elephant Rock on a few occasions, and this is an area which she contests with her older sister, the Campbell Koppies Female. The older sister has been coming into this area through necessity, as there is no water in her more traditional range along the upper reaches of the Mlowathi. Late in the month, the Kikilezi Female was showing visible signs of being in the advanced stages of pregnancy, but it looked as if her litter would be small. August 2005 Kikilezi FEMALE *3
YEARS 10 MONTHS AND 2 WEEKS Seen on five occasions in August, the Kikilezi Female was not involved in any dramatic sightings, but nonetheless provided some good viewing. Most of the sightings were in daylight hours, and she was active. On one occasion, she was high up in a tree, watching some lions (Styx Pride) on the ground about 70 metres to her north. They were not seen to harass her at all, but she was very wary of their close proximity. There is still no indication that she may be pregnant, but it is quite likely that she will mate again in the months ahead, and often female leopards have their first cubs when they are between four and five years of age. July 2005 Kikilezi FEMALE *3
YEARS 9 MONTHS AND 2 WEEKS Quite surprisingly, the Kikilezi Female leopard was only seen on three occasions during the July game report period. On the first occasion, she had killed a duiker, and had unwillingly “shared” this kill with a sub-adult male leopard, thought to be the son of the Hlabatini Female. There was a measure of aggression between these two leopards. The second sighting was just a day later, and the third one was three weeks after that, when the Kikilezi Female was followed on the move for several hours during the course of the morning and evening game drives.
June 2005 Kikilezi FEMALE
*3 YEARS 8 MONTHS AND 2 WEEKS The Kikilezi Female leopard continued to deliver some very good viewing during the month of June. One morning she killed an impala in the Picadilly area, and that afternoon was still with the kill, which had been dragged under a bush. That afternoon, a young male leopard appeared on the scene, and moved in to feed on the kill. He seemed to dominate the kill, but the Kikilezi Female remained in the area, and was most indignant. There was a good deal of growling, with both leopards involved. As darkness approached, the young male leopard (thought to be the son of the late Hlabatini Female) took the kill up a large tree. Over the next few days, both leopards fed on the kill. Inevitably, a couple of hyenas appeared in the area, and waited for something to fall out of the tree. At one stage, one of the hyenas got more than he bargained for, because the two leopards were in the tree together briefly, fighting over the kill. This physical conflict was brief, and ended with the two leopards falling out of the tree together, and landing on top of the hyena! There were no casualties, but all three startled animals scattered. The remains of the kill still hung from the tree, and the Kikilezi Female eventually returned to feed.
A little later in the month, the Kikilezi Female was seen with the newly-named Manyeleti Male, and the two were seen mating on two consecutive days. The Kikilezi Female has certainly done her share of mating since she started, and she should be about ready to conceive. It seems that quite often young female leopards do not conceive when they first mate. May 2005 Kikilezi FEMALE
*3 YEARS 7 MONTHS AND 2 WEEKS May was a busy month for the Kikilezi Female, and she gave us some good viewing. She killed an impala to the south of Campbell Koppies, but later lost this kill to the Newington Male (her father). The Kikilezi Female is most frequently seen quite close to the camp, which probably lies in the heart of her territory. On one occasion, however, she was found way out of her territory, on northern Eyrefield. The reason, however, was that she was mating with none other than the Newington Male, and she had obviously followed him. April 2005 Kikilezi FEMALE
*3 YEARS 6 MONTHS AND 2 WEEKS The Kikilezi Female continued to spend much time fairly close to the camp, and delivered some good viewing, although not doing anything dramatic. There was no obvious indication that she is pregnant. March 2005 Kikilezi FEMALE *3 YEARS 5 MONTHS AND 2 WEEKS Location: NORTH-WESTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN MARTHLY Once again, the Kikilezi Female was seen fairly frequently during this game report period. Although it was not confirmed, because of the distance at which they were being viewed, a pair of mating leopards seen in the Sand River south of Elephant Rock may well have been the Kikilezi Female and the Bicycle Crossing Male. The following day, the Kikilezi Female was seen within 300 metres of the Bicycle Crossing Male, close to Bicycle Crossing. A week later, the Kikilezi Female had the indignity of being chased high up a knob thorn tree by lions. This took place after dark, while the lions were hunting, and the leopard took very few seconds to ascend the tree to its highest branches! Once the lions had moved on, she descended the tree and vanished into the bushes. February 2005 Kikilezi FEMALE *3 YEARS 4 MONTHS AND 2 WEEKS Location: NORTH-WESTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN MARTHLY
February was yet another good month for the Kikilezi Female, and she delivered fine viewing every time she was seen. On just one occasion she was seen with a kill (a juvenile impala in the Picadilly area), but all active sightings were of good quality. She is a leopard with a fondness for climbing trees, and, having inherited much of her mother’s beauty, is a wildlife photographer’s dream! January 2005 IKELEZI FEMALE (daughter of Ngoboswan Female) *3 YEARS 3 MONTHS AND 2 WEEKS Location: NORTH-WESTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN MARTHLY(10 sightings)
January was yet another busy month for the Kikilezi Female leopard. As was the case with the Bicycle Crossing Male, all the sightings were concentrated in a fairly small area. She was seen to mate with the Bicycle Crossing Male on 3 days, and also to feed on a nyala kill which had been made by the male leopard. Typical of young female leopards, the Kikilezi Female is highly photogenic, often offering excellent photographic opportunities of her in trees. MalaMala
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