MANYELETHI MALE
Archives: 2005 || 2006 || 2007 || 2008
Manyeleti male leopard - Photographed by ranger Tim Gaunt
| MANYELETHI MALE Archives: 2005 || 2006 || 2007 || 2008
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| December 2006 MANYELETHI MALE Location: NORTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, SOUTHERN MARTHLY The Manyelethi Male provided good viewing throughout the report period. Initially he was seen hunting impala in Picadilly Triangle, and several days later he was seen approaching the Kikilezi Female and her cub, who were feeding on a female nyala carcass near Manyelethi Crossing. It was interesting to observe that the female leopard and her cub were not perturbed by the presence of the male in the area, and he showed no obvious aggression towards them. (He obviously believes he is the father of the cub, however it is possible that this is not the case, as the Kikilezi Female mated with the Bicycle Crossing Male and the Manyelethi Male). On this occasion the male leopard fed off the Nyala and then moved away without incident.
November 2006 MANYELETHI MALE Location: NORTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, SOUTHERN MARTHLY
The Manyelethi Male continued to be seen with high frequency during November. The first part of November saw the Manyelethi Male doing what all dominant leopards do with much vigilance - patrolling his territory. He was also seen in the company of an unidentified female leopard at Wildebeest Crossing. No mating was seen to occur. A few days later the Manyelethi Male made an appearance at an impala kill with the Kikilezi Female and her cub. It could not be determined which leopard made the kill, but in true male fashion the Manyelethi Male ate most of the kill. As with previous months the Manyelethi Male interacted with the Kikilezi leopards, once when he fed with them and another time when he simply bumped into them whilst patrolling his territory.
But the highlight of the month for the Manyelethi Male was when he and the Campbell Koppies Female were found together at Bicycle Crossing on a rainy afternoon. Good mating was witnessed throughout the afternoon and evening. This is not the first time that these two leopards have mated, and they certainly know each other well. So a fine month for this confident male leopard, eating well and ensuring that his genes are well established in the north-western parts of Mala Mala. October 2006 MANYELETHI MALE Location: NORTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, SOUTHERN MARTHLY
The Manyelethi Male had a fine month and provided some excellent viewing. Sightings of this stocky leopard were concentrated along the Sand River between the causeway and the Mala Mala Bridge, and October was certainly a month of plenty for him. Again the leopard was seen to interact with the Kikilezi Leopards when he stole a bushbuck kill from them. Later in the month the leopard was found close to No Name Drift with another bushbuck kill. Drag marks and tracks indicated that the leopard must have had a tussle with some hyenas, but the kill, when found, was secured in a tree and the leopard fed from it at leisure.
Then on the last day of the report period the leopard was found north of the Bridge resting. That night the Styx Pride ran in on a leopard that was dragging an impala towards a large tree, and this leopard turned out to be the Manyelethi Male. The leopard simply lay in the tree and watched the lions devour his kill, unable to intervene in any way. So a frustrating end to a good month for this leopard. September 2006 MANYELETHI MALE Location: NORTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, SOUTHERN MARTHLY As with previous months, the Manyelethi Male provided some fine viewing and his association with the Kikilezi Family continued into September. The month started off with this male leopard being chased around by a large herd of buffalo that could not have been happy to encounter a predator such as a leopard whilst foraging. The leopard however easily evaded these large bovines and scrambled up a tree to safety. A week later drag marks made by a female leopard led to the Manyelethi Male being found with the Kikilezi Female and her Cub with a male bushbuck kill near Wildebeest Crossing. All signs indicated that the female leopard had made the kill and the male had once again arrived on the scene and helped himself to some of the meat. The Manyelethi Male displayed some intimate behaviour with the Kikilezi Cub and he most certainly assumes that the cub is one of his offspring. The youngster followed the male leopard around and played with his tail, and all three leopards fed from the kill over a three-day period. A few days later the leopard nearly encountered the Styx Pride whilst out patrolling territory, but luckily saw the lions and bypassed them without being noticed. That evening he was seen in the upper reaches of the Mlowathi River, as far north as he has been recorded to date. This is prime Newington Male territory. Could the Manyelethi Male be exploring and expanding his territory to encompass this area? In any case, when found, the leopard had a dead monkey in its jaws, and quickly ate the little ape. However the highlight of the month for the Manyelethi Male was of him killing a male impala right at the end of the month. He was seen in the morning resting near the Main Camp, but guests and rangers out on a walk were surprised by the sudden alarm calls of impala nearby and upon investigation found the leopard strangling a male impala not far away. Once back in the landrovers, the leopard was seen to drag the kill towards Planks Pan. He fed from his kill for a three-day period. Another action packed month from this stocky young leopard! August 2006 MANYELETHI MALELocation: NORTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, SOUTHERN MARTHLY (15 sightings) The Manyelethi Male provided some excellent viewing during August. This leopard was very active around Marthly, and as usual was frequently sighted around the Main Camp. The month started off well for the Manyelethi Male when he was seen to appropriate a kill from the Kikilezi Female near Picadilly. The female leopard and her cub remained in the area for the following two days. The Manyelethi Male must consider this cub to be his own as he completely ignored the two leopards and fed from the kill at his own leisure.
Then towards the middle of the month the Manyelethi Male had some trying times when he was first nearly caught by the Styx Pride, this after he had finished feeding from a baboon kill that he had made near the Main Camp. The leopard was forced into a small tree, but managed to evade the lions. Then two days later he crossed paths with the Bicycle Crossing Male around the Mala Mala Bridge. The meeting was very vocal, but both leopards turned and went in the opposite direction scent marking as they went. But other than those incidents the Manyelethi Male had a relatively carefree month patrolling his territory and hunting when needed. He was seen to steal another kill from the Kikilezi leopards towards the end of the month, this very close to the entrance of the main camp, and again fed from the kill at his leisure. The Manyelethi Male has matured into a very nice and confident territorial leopard and should provide some excellent viewing in the future.
July 2006 MANYELETHI MALE NORTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, SOUTHERN MARTHLY (12 sightings)
The Manyelethi male had a busy month, and was seen more frequently than in other months. Perhaps the most interesting sighting of this stocky male leopard during the report period was that of him being discovered with an impala carcass on Marthly. The following day he was found in the same area, but with the Campbell Koppies Female and her daughter in attendance, and the young female leopard had a duiker kill up in a nearby tree. In any case the Campbell Koppies Female followed the male leopard when he left the area and flirted with him all day. However, no mating was witnessed. The rest of the sightings of this male were of him doing what any young territorial leopard would do, hunting and patrolling.
He was sighted very close to the main camp on several occasions, which must lie in the very heart of his territory. On the very last day of the report period the leopard was found with an adult female impala carcass in a tree, and fed from it at leisure.
June 2006 MANYELETI MALELocation: NORTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, SOUTHERN MARTHLY (8 sightings) The Manyelethi Male had another good month, and was seen on several occasions. All indications are that this young male is well established in the north western parts of the reserve. He was seen very close to the camp on 4 occasions, and as far south as the Mala Mala Bridge , which seems to be the boundary between him and the Bicycle Crossing Male. When seen he was scent marking and patrolling as male leopards do.
May 2006 MANYELETI MALE Location: NORTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, SOUTHERN MARTHLY (4 sightings) The Manyelethi Male had another good month, and from the sightings that were had of him he is still doing well for himself as a dominant leopard. At times he was seen very close to the Main Camp, which would certainly be in the middle of areas that he patrols in, and four sightings would probably not accurately reflect his presence on MalaMala as he was almost certainly active and around for more than these sightings suggest. Perhaps the finest sighting of the Manyelethi Male was on the evening of the 16th of May. Initially found in the Picadilly area in the morning, an area hotly disputed between him and the Newington Male, he was relocated on the western bank in the evening, close to the main camp booms. After dark the leopard came across some impala, and immediately started stalking them. After a short while the leopard charged in on the impala and managed to catch a young male, which he quickly killed, before dragging the kill a fair distance towards some large trees, but did not hoist the kill immediately, preferring to feed on the ground. The next morning there was no sign of either the leopard or his kill, but tracks indicated that lots of hyena and a pride of lions had bypassed the area. Perhaps the leopard had not hoisted his kill and one of these two predators had appropriated it from him, or perhaps the lions had even climbed up the large tree and stolen it from him. Or perhaps he had by then finished off the sub adult impala, and abandoned the area. In any case a few days later the leopard was again seen in good health and patrolling as all dominant leopards do. April 2006 MANYELETI MALE Location: NORTH-WESTERN MALA MALA, SOUTHERN MARTHLY (5 sightings) The Manyeleti Male was not as prevalent in April as he has been in previous months. Towards the end of the game report period, he was seen sporting a few bad cuts, no doubt picked up in the quest to maintain or even expand his existing territory. While not seen to fight with his adversary, the Newington Male, the Manyeleti Male and the Newington Male were seen roaring at each other one afternoon in the Picadilly region. However, both leopards moved off in opposite directions without the situation escalating into violence. There is no doubt as to the ongoing struggle between these two large male leopards for dominance in the north of Mala Mala.
Late in the game report period, the Manyeleti Male had an impala kill stolen by the Split Rock Males and a Styx lioness. This trio of lions chased the Manyeleti Male up a Jackalberry tree, where he calmly waited until the lions moved off after finishing the stolen kill. March 2006 MANYELETI MALE Location: NORTH-WESTERN MALA MALA, SOUTHERN MARTHLY (7 sightings) Apart from being involved in the territorial battle with the Newington Male, the Manyeleti Male was also seen with an impala kill on the eastern floodplain. While still feeding on this kill, he opportunistically caught another impala as it ran past the area of the first kill. Having the kill so close to the Sand River evidently attracted the crocodiles nearby and some large crocs were seen at the base of the tree with the kills in it. No interaction was observed between the crocs and the leopard, and the Manyeleti Male eventually vacated the area when the Sand River flooded to the extent that the eastern floodplain was covered in water.
As mentioned earlier, this leopard is providing stern competition to the Newington Male in the struggle for supremacy in the areas around Mala Mala Main Camp. February 2006 MANYELETI MALE Location: NORTH-WESTERN MALA MALA, SOUTHERN MARTHLY (6 sightings) The Manyeleti Male was seen on many occasions on the eastern bank of the Sand River this game report period, suggesting that he is looking to expand his territory eastwards. He was seen to scent mark and roar unashamedly in the Picadilly area, which is prime Newington Male territory. As eluded to earlier, competition between the large Newington Male, who is in his prime and the young, heavily built Manyeleti male may escalate in coming weeks. This may prove to be a fascinating contest. January 2006 MANYELETI MALE Location: NORTH-WESTERN MALA MALA, SOUTHERN MARTHLY (4 sightings) All four sightings of this leopard in January were of a relaxed male leopard and were largely uneventfulMalaMala
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