EMSAGWEN MALE
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Emsagwen Male leopard - Photograph taken by ranger Bruce Hedges
EMSAGWEN MALE
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May 2008 EASTERN EYREFIELD AND MALA MALA (10 Sightings) The Emsagwen male leopard has had a very good and productive month. At the beginning of the report period he was seen to have a territorial standoff with the Manyelethi male leopard in the Emsagweni area. Although the Manyelethi male was larger and ultimately the victor, it was by no means a decisive victory and the Emsagwen male is sure to keep pushing on this front. He was seen as far south as the Windmill area this month. This is the furthest south that he has been recorded. The young male leopard from the KNP that has been making in roads into the Windmill area was present but the Emsagwen male made short work of chasing him back to the KNP. Thereafter he spent some time hunting impala in the area, but was unsuccessful. Towards the middle of the report period he was seen to mate. However interestingly, over two consecutive days, he mated with two different females. The first was the Daughter of the Campbell Koppies female (the one with the prominent stripe) and the next day with the Matshapiri female. This changing of partners is almost unheard of and is almost surely the result of the larger more dominant Matshapiri female fighting off the younger, less experienced leopard during the night. A few days later the Emsagwen male was again found mating with the Matshapiri female close to the Clarendon dam area. It is becoming obvious that the Emsagwen male is here to make his mark and he has found a niche that is quite suitable for him and is making himself comfortable. April 2008 EMSAGWEN MALE +/- 8 YEARS EASTERN EYREFIELD AND MALA MALA The Emsagwen male leopard has had a very good and productive month. At the beginning of the report period he was seen to have a territorial standoff with the Manyelethi male leopard in the Emsagweni area. Although the Manyelethi male was larger and ultimately the victor, it was by no means a decisive victory and the Emsagwen male is sure to keep pushing on this front. He was seen as far south as the Windmill area this month. This is the furthest south that he has been recorded. The young male leopard from the KNP that has been making in roads into the Windmill area was present but the Emsagwen male made short work of chasing him back to the KNP. Thereafter he spent some time hunting impala in the area, but was unsuccessful.
Towards the middle of the report period he was seen to mate. However interestingly,
over two consecutive days, he mated with two different females. The first
was the Daughter of the Campbell Koppies female (the one with the prominent
stripe) and the next day with the Matshapiri female. This changing of
partners is almost unheard of and is almost surely the result of the larger
more dominant Matshapiri female fighting off the younger, less experienced
leopard during the night. A few days later the Emsagwen male was again
found mating with the Matshapiri female close to the Clarendon dam area.
It is becoming obvious that the Emsagwen male is here to make his mark
and he has found a niche that is quite suitable for him and is making
himself comfortable. January 2008 EMSAGWEN MALE +/- 8 YEARS Location: EASTERN EYREFIELD AND MALA MALA This large male has been seen regularly around the Emsagwen and Matshapiri areas. His territory appears to run north/south along the KNP break from Gowrie down to the MalaMala/Flockfield boundary. It is a large area and he does well to protect it. It is assumed he came from the KNP as he is not completely relaxed around vehicles, however he is not aggressive and with time and care should settle down completely. Towards the middle of January this male was seen to mate with the Matshapiri female. This mating went on for two days and confirmed his status as the dominant male leopard in that area of MalaMala. It appears he has kicked the Newington Male out of this area.
December 2007 The new young male taking control of the Emsagwen, Ostrich Koppies region had a fairly successful month with him being viewed six times. A good sign of him becoming a dominant force is that the daughter of the Campbell Koppies female (stripe) sought him out to mate with. Although no mating was witnessed she was confident in his ability to provide protection to the cubs which means another leopard might soon have to be named at MalaMala. November 2007 A large young male leopard that has been seen to frequent the region of Emsagwen and along the Matshapiri River has been seen on seven occasions this month. He is of a relaxed disposition, and has been seen to scent mark frequently. The highlight for the leopard this month was when he was found to be feeding off the carcass of an adult female warthog, close to Matshapiri dam. The male was seen on three consecutive days on the carcass. One hopes to see more of this male in the future, and perhaps develop into a dominant male of MalaMala. Perhaps the Newington male is sporting wounds inflicted by this young male. MalaMala Game Reserve, PO Box 55514, Northlands, 2116, South Africa. Copyright © Rattray Reserves |
