KAPEN FEMALE   

December 2002

KAPEN FEMALE * 9 YEARS 3 MONTHS
1 FEMALE CUB * 14 MONTHS

Location: W & CENTRAL FLOCKFIELD/ SW MALA MALA (east of the Sand River)

(10 confirmed sighting of the female, 7 of these with her cub, 4 of the cub on its own)

There were good sightings of this mother and daughter pair of leopards this month. As the food requirement for the youngster increases, so the Kapen Female will have to work harder to satisfy the demand and of course this means more time out hunting and hence usually a better viewing opportunity. Although she and her cub certainly were seen eating different types of prey this month, as with most other leoaprds, it is quite likely that baby impalas featured highly on the Kapen Females list of animals killed during December. Such small prey animals, although relatively easy to catch, seldom last long and hunting has to start once more.

One notable feature of the Kapen Females' movements this month was that she was seen once more somewhat north and east of the area considered to be the common border separating her territory from that of her sisters' the White Cloth Female. This same behaviour was seen around April last year when the White Cloth Female left her territory for several weeks and moved to the south of the reserve. When the White Cloth Female returned, it took some weeks for borders to be reestablished.

Kapen females cub

Over the last couple of months the White Cloth Female has again sort of neglected some of her central territory, this time moving more north and east, perhaps in an effort to either get her recently independent cubs to forget about her or perhaps to allow her 26-month-old daughter to estabish a territory which would include some of her old domain.

But, whatever the reason - and it may simply be the need for more food for herself and her cub - the Kapen Female is once more venturing into her sisters territory. Whether this will last waits to be seen.

November 2002

KAPEN FEMALE * 9 YEARS 2 MONTHS
1 FEMALE CUB * 13 MONTHS

Location: W & CENTRAL FLOCKFIELD (east of the Sand River)

(8 confirmed sighting of the female, 2 of these with her cub, 2 of the cub on its own)

As the Kapen Females' cub gets older, so it can be expected that it will spend less and less time with its mother. This months viewing seemed to indicate just this. Not only would the Kapen Female have to find more and more food for her growing daughter and so spend more time away searching for this food, but there would also probably be a natural tendency to start minimising contact with her offspring in order to prepare her for independence - this now probably less than a year away.

At one of the sightings involving both the Kapen Female and her cub, the mother was seen leading her daughter to the carcass of a baby impala which she must have just killed. The youngster was allowed to feed first, but then completely dominated the kill, growling threateningly at the Kapen Female whenever she approached. When she behaved like this, the Kapen Female backed off, this reaction perhaps designed to increase her daughter's sense of confidence, something so vital when she would ultimately be independent.

But aside from raising her daughter, the Kapen Female this month found some of her time taken up by her recently independent niece, the two-year-old daughter of her sister, the White Cloth Female, which occupies the area of land immediately to her north and east. Now that she is alone and her mother is overtly hostile towards her, the daughter of the White Cloth Female would be looking to form a territory of her own and it would not be unusual for her to try to establish one as close to her mothers' territory as possible. No doubt quite aware of these goings on and the potential, the Kapen Female was this month seen doing a fair amount to discourage her niece from taking her on. The two female leopards were found together three times and on all occasions the Kapen Female was clearly the dominant. The daughter of the White Cloth Female appeared simply to look on as her aunt displayed her power, no doubt a clear message for her to look elsewhere when she ultimately decided to find a place of her own.

October 2002

KAPEN FEMALE * 9 YEARS 1 MONTH
1 FEMALE CUB * 12 MONTHS

Location:W FLOCKFIELD (east of the Sand River)

(7 confirmed sighting of the female, 6 of these with her cub, 2 of the cub on its own)

The Kapen Female and her one-year-old daughter seem to be prospering, with the cub maturing rapidly. One of the best encounters with these leopards during October also involved the Rock Drift Male, almost certainly the father of the Kapen Females' cub. The get-together of these three happened after the Rock Drift Male arrived at a bushbuck kill which the Kapen Female and her cub were feeding from. Little aggression was evident, but Rock Drift Male completely dominated the kill. Once the carcass had been completed, the leopards went their separate ways.

September 2002

KAPEN FEMALE * 9 YEARS
1 FEMALE CUB * 11 MONTHS

Location: NW FLOCKFIELD (east of the Sand River)

(10 confirmed sighting of the female, 3 of these with her cub, none of the cub on its own)
This month saw the Kapen Female leopard carry on with life much along expected lines - caring for her cub and patrolling territory. There were no sightings of the cub on its own, but several of the Kapen Female out on patrol.

Even though the Kapen Female and her sister the White Cloth Female no longer seem to overlap their respective territories as much as was the case several months ago, there were several instances this month when the two were found within only a few hundred meters of one another, almost certainly aware of the presence of the other, but satisfied with the distances and boundaries being maintained.

August 2002

KAPEN FEMALE * 8 YEARS 11 MONTHS
1 FEMALE CUB * 10 MONTHS

Location: NW FLOCKFIELD (east of the Sand River)

(4 confirmed sighting of the female, 3 of these with her cub, 2 of the cub on its own)
Sightings of the Kapen Female during August suggest that she is perhaps using less of her sisters' territory than was the case a month or two ago. This may be because of the dry conditions causing prey animals to keep more to the Sand River and its immediate environs. Also, the Kapen Female may be patrolling her western border along the Sand River with greater gusto, this as a result of a young female leopard which appears to have evicted the Newington Female from the area to the west of the Sand River adjacent to the Kapen Females' territory. This young female, which has yet to be named, has already interacted with the Kapen Female, and will surely continue to test her strength. On one occasion this month, the cub of the Kapen Female was found resting up not far from where this other leopard was wandering around. The two were not seen to make contact, but the presence of the other leopard would no doubt have been detected by the Kapen Female, something certain to make her livid.

July 2002

KAPEN FEMALE * 8 YEARS 10 MONTHS
1 FEMALE CUB * 9 MONTHS

Location: NW FLOCKFIELD (east of the Sand River)

(4 confirmed sighting of the female, 3 of these with her cub)
The few encounters with the Kapen Female, most of these with her cub in attendance, were of good quality. It seems that, although she and her sister (the White Cloth Female) continue to have a large overlap in their respective ranges, there are certain areas which are for each other's exclusive use. Perhaps one of the finest pieces of viewing involving the Kapen Female took place opposite Harrys Camp and started off with finding the Kapen Female up a large leafy tree from where she saw another female leopard approaching from the western side of the river. This other leopard turned out to be one which seems to have replaced the one daughter of the Ngoboswan Female as a territorial contender for this particular area. By moving east, the young female was suddenly just within the area controlled by the Kapen Female. The two leopards confronted one another and, after much spitting and growling, parted ways. Not far from where they were so engrossed in each other and making a fair amount of noise too, were two lionesses and five cubs from the Eyrefield Pride. Fortunately for the leopards, the lions did not come across to investigate. If they had, they may well have tried to catch and kill the leopards, not to eat them, but to remove another meat-eater from circulation. The young female leopard moved back west, marking territory as she went, and the Kapen Female vanished in the thick reeds.

An hour or so later the Kapen Female reappeared, back in the tree in which she was first found and here it was discovered that she had the remains of a young bushbuck, carefully hidden high amongst the leafy branches. Perhaps the other female leopard had been tempted into the area by this kill. For the Kapen Female, however, the day's excitement was not yet over. No sooner had she started to feed on the kill, than the two lionesses which had been lying in the reeds not far from the tree, wandered over, no doubt attracted by the crunching of bones. The leopard did not appear at all concerned, but the lions wanted the meat. They found the intestines of the bushbuck at the base of the tree where the Kapen Female had covered them up with brush. These they ate with little enthusiasm, before turning their attentions to the leopard above them. One of the lionesses then tried to climb towards the leopard, but only humiliated herself, first by climbing the wrong tree (one growing next to the one in which the leopard was in) and then unceremoniously falling when she was only a few meters off the ground. This was enough for the lionesses and they wandered away, resting for a while on the rivers edge before returning towards their cubs.

Then, as the Kapen Female must surely have been thinking that the trials of the day were over, a male leopard emerged from the reedbeds of the river at exactly the same place where the two lionesses had been lying only moments before. And it was not a friendly leopard either, but the old male with the shorter-than-average tail, long-time adversary of the Rock Drift Male, mate of the Kapen Female. The Kapen Female did not see the leopard until he was nearly at the base of the tree, whereupon she started hissing and growling at him. Showing no concern for the Kapen Females' aggression, the male leopard climbed the tree and headed towards the upper branches. The Kapen Female then jumped to another tree and descended to the ground. Fortunately the male leopard must have smelled the meat and was not interested in following the Kapen Female. Within a few minutes he had the kill and was crunching away. The Kapen Female, meanwhile, went to lie not far away and was heard calling for her cub. Throughout the entire period there had been no sign of the youngster. It may well have been around, but had probably fled when the first aggressive encounter between the two females occurred. A busy and trying day it was for the Kapen Female.

June 2002

KAPEN FEMALE * 8 YEARS 9 MONTHS
1 FEMALE CUB * 8 MONTHS

Location: CENTRAL & NW FLOCKFIELD (east of the Sand River)

(8 confirmed sighting of the female, 4 of these with the cub)
The Kapen Female continued sharing territory with her sister, the White Cloth Female, and none of the five leopards (females and their respective cubs) likely to be most influenced by this seemed in any way concerned. Who knows when things will get sorted out into more expected leopard territorial behaviour! The Kapen Female was found on the hunt on several occasions and towards the end of the month was seen killing an impala. Unfortunately she was simply not fast enough in securing it and hyaenas appropriated the carcass.

May 2002

KAPEN FEMALE * 8 YEARS 8 MONTHS
1 FEMALE CUB * 7 MONTHS

Location:CENTRAL & NW FLOCKFIELD (east of the Sand River)

(8 confirmed sighting of the female, 5 of these with the cub, 1 of the cub in the vicinity of other leopards)
The Kapen Female spent the month in what has, up until the last few months, been the exclusive area of residence of her sister, the White Cloth Female. Although the sisters have not yet been seen making direct contact, they simply must be aware of one another. On one occasion both were seen, probably on independent hunting expeditions, and walking within only a few hundred meters of one another and in an area probably not even close to what used to be considered a common boundary. From the Kapen Females' point of view there can be some logic in moving north and out of the central and southern parts of her old territory. Her sister, the White Cloth Female, vacated the area to her north in March and moved well away, leaving it ripe for another leopard to occupy. At the same time, the 2-and-a-half-year-old daughter of the Kapen Female, abandoned nearly a year ago, is desperately trying to set herself up in the chunk of land to the south of her mother. By giving up some of her own area, the Kapen Female would perhaps make it easier for her daughter. So, what some may see as filial duty, combined with an opportunity to accomplish it, could be the rationale behind the Kapen Females geographic manoeuvrings. Whether it will last of course is another matter. How two female leopards, both with cubs, can co-exist within the same area seems impossible. But perhaps it will work - time will tell. Just before their mother, the Trollips Crossing Female, abandoned her two daughters, which then went on to become the Kapen and White Cloth Females respectively, all three leopards seemed to be hunting and coexisting within the area controlled by the mother. And this was thought ultimately to be the cause behind the old Trollips Crossing Females' demise - she continued to hunt for her daughters whilst they also hunted for themselves. So dedicated was the Trollips Crossing Female that she probably starved whilst her daughters prospered and went on to greater things. With this background then, perhaps the sisters, which have a history of territory sharing, are actually not that against it! Anyway, the Kapen Female seems to be doing well as does her cub.

April 2002

KAPEN FEMALE * 8 YEARS 7 MONTHS
1 FEMALE CUB * 6 MONTHS

Location: W FLOCKFIELD (east of the Sand River)

(4 confirmed sighting of the female, all of these with the cub)
The Kapen Female appears to be moving north, taking over some of the areas recently vacated by her sister, the White Cloth Female, around the lower reaches of the Matshapiri River. It remains to be seen whether the White Cloth Female stays away and if she does not, what will then happen between the two sisters. Moving north also allows the Kapen Females' two-and-a-half-year-old daughter an easier access into the area which she has been trying to establish for herself south of her mother. The Kapen Females' newest cub, also a female, seems to be doing well and is relaxing down nicely with vehicles. One of the finest sightings of the pair happened when they were found walking steadily towards the general area of the confluence of the Matshapiri and Sand Rivers. As they moved along through a densely vegetated gully, a young bushbuck was flushed and caught. Both leopards were already looking well fed and probably in the process of moving away from where they had just completed some or other kill. So the bushbuck was a bonus and something no leopard would turn its nose up at. Since hunger was not a priority, the leopards did not feed immediately. Instead, the young leopard spent at least half-an-hour playing with the carcass, pretending to kill it as she dashed to and fro - all part of its education as it matures.

March 2002

KAPEN FEMALE * 8 YEARS 6 MONTHS
1 CUB * 5 MONTHS

Location: W FLOCKFIELD (east of the Sand River)

(6 confirmed sighting of the female, 5 of these with 1 small cub, 6 sightings of the older daughter)
The Kapen Female and her older daughter may have at least temporarily called a truce with each concentrating on their areas of land, this allowing the Kapen Female to get on with the task of raising her single cub. This youngster seems quite happy in the presence of vehicles and even the often cantankerous Kapen Female seems to have mellowed. The most intriguing of the sightings involving the Kapen Female and her cub this month also included the two 18-month-old cubs of her sister, the White Cloth Female. All four leopards were found in an area which, certainly until recent times, has been shared by both, an area of slight overlap of territories. The 18-month-old son and daughter of the White Cloth Female had been in this area for several days already whilst the Kapen Female and her cub had been seen some ways south, finishing off the remains of an impala kill. It is assumed that the Kapen Female, after hiding her cub, had headed off hunting, made another kill and then fetched her cub to this new meal, the location of which must have been close to where the cubs of the White Cloth Female had been waiting. When the leopards were found, the small cub was as high up a Marula Tree as it could climb, whilst its mother, the Kapen Female, was at the base. The other two leopards were not far off, peering with great curiosity towards their cousin up in the tree. Genetic relations between these young leopards would be strong; not only are their mothers sisters, but they also share the same father, this the Rock Drift Male. Surprisingly, there was little aggression amongst the leopards. The young cub was clearly alarmed and had no doubt shinnied up the tree upon meeting up with these foreign leopards. The Kapen Female seemed intent on coaxing her baby down, this by making soft calling noises. But the cub merely looked back, apparently unconvinced. This continued for much of the day.

Interestingly, after this event, the White Cloth Female and her cubs left the area completely and headed far south, whilst the Kapen Female and her cub stayed in what is thought to be their usual haunts. That is except for one sighting when she and the cub were seen perhaps further north than the Kapen Female has yet been recorded and in an area which up until a short while ago would have been considered prime White Cloth Female territory.

February 2002

KAPEN FEMALE * 8 YEARS 5 MONTHS
2 CUBS * 4 MONTHS

Location: SW FLOCKFIELD/ NW CHARLESTON (east of the Sand River)

(4 confirmed sighting of the female, 1 of these with 1 small cub, 7 sightings of the older daughter)
The Kapen Female proved somewhat elusive this month and there was only one sighting of one of the small cubs, this at the remains of a bushbuck kill. When found, the kill was at least partly on the ground and hyaenas were in the area and one of the cubs was up a tree. Later on, the Kapen Female was seen running across a road with some of the carcass in her mouth, no doubt salvaged from the hyaenas. The fact that lions were also not far off and had been feeding on a kudu kill would not have helped calm her down. But the best sighting of the Kapen Female occurred when she and her 27-month-old daughter met up on what is perhaps the southern boundary of her territory, the northern parts of the chunk of land which the younger female appears intent on settling herself into. Mother and daughter at this stage are enemies and this was quite apparent at the meeting. No physical contact was seen to occur between them, but the animosity was quite well conveyed by the growling and other hostile body language. The interaction ended when the young female headed south.

January 2002

KAPEN FEMALE * 8 YEARS 4 MONTHS
2 CUBS * 3 MONTHS
1 independent daughter * 26 MONTHS

Location: SW FLOCKFIELD/ NW CHARLESTON (east of the Sand River)

(4 confirmed sighting of the female, 1 of these with the 2 small cubs)
Little was seen of the Kapen Female during January, possibly largely due to restrictions on her movements and a relatively secretive behaviour as a result of her still 'lair-bound' cubs. What was great news, however, was that at least two cubs were seen with her at the one sighting this month. Hopefully their mothers' hard work and a little luck will see them both through to the point of independence.

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