December 2011
BICYCLE CROSSING MALE 9 YEARS 11 MONTHS
WESTERN MALAMALA, WESTERN FLOCKFIELD, WESTERN CHARLESTON (2 sightings)
This large dominant male has not been seen as regularly as in the past, as his territory seems to have shifted south and west. He was seen near Flockfield Boma crossing, and then again around Dudley corner. Both times looking in great condition, scent marking and roaring his way around.
November 2011
BICYCLE CROSSING MALE 9 YEARS 10 MONTHS
WESTERN MALAMALA, WESTERN FLOCKFIELD, WESTERN CHARLESTON (1 sighting)
This large male graced us with his presence on only one occasion this month. He was found on the eastern bank of the Sand River in western MalaMala, and headed northwards from there. A female nyala was in his sights at one stage but the vigilant antelope noticed the predator and made a speedy getaway. The Bicycle Crossing male crossed westwards over the Sand River and continued in that direction, passing Flockfield Tower, and then he walked over our western boundary.
October 2011
BICYCLE CROSSING MALE 9 YEARS 9 MONTHS
WESTERN MALAMALA, WESTERN FLOCKFIELD, WESTERN CHARLESTON (6 sightings)
A return to his former glory in his northern territories perhaps? If this male keeps up his presence here, the Airstrip male - who has fought so hard to gain this territory from his father - may once again come under pressure from the Bicycle Crossing male. The furthest north we saw him was around Dudley Corner. The other times were mostly around the Tamboti thickets and Charleston north.
September 2011
BICYCLE CROSSING MALE 9 YEARS 8 MONTHS
WESTERN MALAMALA, WESTERN FLOCKFIELD, WESTERN CHARLESTON (3 sightings)
Not a bad month of sightings for the Bicycle Crossing male, especially considering that in recent months he has not been seen at all. Twice he was seen mating with the Dudley female, and on another occasion we saw him chase a young male leopard up a tree. Although this ended with him being chased up a tree a few moments later by an irate Eyrefield lioness. Whether this male chooses to stay in the south or regain his former northern territories remains to be seen.
August 2011
BICYCLE CROSSING MALE 9 YEARS 7 MONTHS
WESTERN MALAMALA, WESTERN FLOCKFIELD, WESTERN CHARLESTON (2 sightings)
The Bicycle Crossing male has made a return to MalaMala. He was found strolling down his old haunts towards West Street Bridge at the beginning of the month. This male has not been seen in many months, but he patrolled as if he hadn't missed a day. He scent marked and roared as he moved south along the Sand River, before stealing a baboon kill from the Tamboti female, who quickly scampered away from her father. The next time we saw him was towards the middle of the month when he treed a young male leopard in the Tamboti thickets. He is looking big and powerful and in excellent condition. It's a real pity that he has shifted his territory further south, but perhaps with the pressure being applied by several young males in the north he'll make a return for good to MalaMala.
July 2011
BICYCLE CROSSING MALE 9 YEARS 6 MONTHS
WESTERN MALAMALA, WESTERN FLOCKFIELD, NORTHERN CHARLESTON
(0 sightings)
There were no sightings of this male for the month.
June 2011
BICYCLE CROSSING MALE 9 YEARS 5 MONTHS
WESTERN MALAMALA, WESTERN FLOCKFIELD, NORTHERN CHARLESTON
(2 sightings)
With only two sightings in a month it is now a pretty sure thing that this male leopard is making way for the next generation. The attraction of the prime territory along the river including West Street Bridge, which allows intruders to access his territory on either side of the river 365 days of the year, has proved to be too much and he has since moved away to areas where competition is less fierce. He is still seen wandering into his old territory but these sights are very rare.
May 2011
BICYCLE CROSSING MALE 9 YEARS 4 MONTHS
WESTERN MALAMALA, WESTERN FLOCKFIELD, NORTHERN CHARLESTON
(3 sightings)
He is becoming less and less prominent at MalaMala. This might be in part to his interest in greener pastures to our south, but must also have something to do with the growing confidence of the two sons of the Dudley female, who, coincidently, are sired by him. He never really managed to chase them away, so he may well have created his own downfall in allowing his progeny to hang around. Again, winter will be able to tell us the answer. The prime river frontage is under siege at present, so the jury is out as to whether or not this favourite male will be able to hold onto it for another season.
April 2011
BICYCLE CROSSING MALE 9 YEARS 3 MONTHS
WESTERN MALAMALA, WESTERN FLOCKFIELD, NORTHERN CHARLESTON
(2 sightings)
The Bicycle Crossing male was again seen only twice this month, which is consistent with the number of sightings from last month. On both occasions he was seen on the Western bank and the very western parts of it. It seems as if he has relinquished his prime territory to one of his offspring. As he is now getting older and less powerful, he will look to inhabit territories where the competition is not quite as strong. He used to be seen regularly on the Eastern Bank of the Sand River going south from West Street Bridge, however it appears as if he has given up this are and moved further south and indeed west. It remains to be seen which young male leopard will step into the prime territory, but there certainly are some tough contenders.
March 2011
BICYCLE CROSSING MALE 9 YEARS 2 MONTHS
WESTERN MALAMALA, WESTERN FLOCKFIELD, NORTHERN CHARLESTON
(2 sightings)
This dominant males was only painfully seen twice this month, and both times it was mating with the Shaw's female. Other than that he has been spending a lot of time to our south and west. It looks as if he is shifting his territory away from Mala Mala and the Sand river. Convention states that this doesn't make sense unless he is being pushed out my someone and the only male on the western bank of the sand river is the son of the Dudley female and we have witnessed several meeting of these two, all resulting in the bicycle crossing male giving his offspring a stern clout and warning about poaching his territory. So for some other reason he has decided to shift his territory, this could in response to no dominant males to his south or perhaps more mating opportunities. Either way we are starting to see less of this male which is a great pity. Lets hope the winter season attracts him back to the river.
February 2011
BICYCLE CROSSING MALE 9 YEARS 1 MONTH
WESTERN MALAMALA, WESTERN FLOCKFIELD, NORTHERN CHARLESTON
(2 sightings)
The Bicycle Crossing male was only seen twice during the report period. On the first occasion he was found with a minor wound to his front right leg on South Western Flockfield sleeping in a large Jackalberry tree before continuing south down the river into Charleston. On the second occasion he was seen in his more usual area around West Street Bridge from where he continued South. Perhaps he is expanding his territory in different directions which may account for the relatively low number of sightings.
