MATSHAPIRI FEMALE
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Matshapiri Female leopard and cub - Photograph
by ranger Tim Gaunt
| MATSHAPIRI FEMALE Archives: 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007
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| December 2006 MATSHAPIRI FEMALE * 6 YEARS 2 MONTHS Location: EASTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN EYREFIELD The two wild dogs led rangers and guests to the Matshapiri Female who was in a tree close to Emsagwen Open Area, feeding on an adult male impala. The dogs soon left the area, and the female leopard continued to feed on the impala. Later in the morning she descended the tree, moved some distance northwards and then began calling. Before long her cub appeared, and she then turned around and led him in the direction of the kill. En route they encountered a hyena, which watched the leopards for a while before running off. The leopard lay down to rest alongside a small pan. While resting, a male rhino approached the area, and chased both leopards up a tree. The rhino then moved off and the Matshapiri Female took her cub to the kill, where it began feeding. The leopards were seen in the area for the following three drives.
The Matshapiri Female and her cub were seen several times thereafter, mostly in the vicinity of the Matshapiri River. It is a pleasure to see that the cub is relaxed and confident in the presence of vehicles, and appears to be growing into a fine young leopard. November 2006 MATSHAPIRI FEMALE * 6 YEARS 1 MONTH Location: EASTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN EYREFIELD The Matshapiri Female enjoyed a successful month. First the female and her cub were seen feeding on an adult steenbok, and shortly thereafter they were located feeding on an adult female impala carcass. For some reason, the Matshapiri Female did not carry the carcass of the impala into a tree, but chose to feed in some long grass. Perhaps she felt that the kill was sufficiently concealed, but she turned out to be mistaken as the lionesses of the Styx Pride arrived, chased the female leopard and her cub up a tree, and then stole the remainder of the kill. The female cub was seen twice without her mother, merely sleeping or resting in the shade, probably waiting for her mother to return and lead her to a kill. October 2006 MATSHAPIRI FEMALE *6 YEARS Location: EASTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN EYREFIELD
The Matshapiri Female and her Cub had a good month and provided some good viewing during October. The first sighting of these leopards was of the two of them together near the Emsagwen Waterhole. Other than that the young leopard was only seen on one other occasion awaiting the return of her mother to take her to another kill.
But perhaps the finest viewing delivered by the Matshapiri Female was of her towards the middle of the month when she was found stalking a herd of impala on northern Eyrefield. She was successful and managed to catch an adult female, which she hoisted into a large Marula tree. The following day her cub was present at the kill. The next two sightings were of the female hunting various medium sized animals, one hunt had her narrowly miss a steenbok after patiently stalking the antelope for some time. Another good month for these two leopards and good viewing expected in the months ahead.
September 2006 MATSHAPIRI FEMALE *5 YEARS 11 MONTHS1 FEMALE CUB *10 MONTHS Location: EASTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN EYREFIELD
The Matshapiri Female provided some fine viewing in September. The Matshapiri Cub is relaxing down very nicely and is very comfortable in the presence of landrovers. This month the cub was seen without its mother exploring its surroundings and provided some fine viewing. The Matshapiri Female was not far away, but was concerned with watching some lions that were attacking the buffalo herd. Other than this the leopards were seen all along the Matshapiri River after which they are named.
However the female was seen roaming areas that she is very familiar with from when she was a cub and which are almost certainly under her control, this extending as far south as the Kapen River where she was seen on two occasions within two days of each other. The second sighting had her with a duiker kill on the northern bank of the Kapen. The leopard made short work of the kill, eating it in a 24hr feast, but made no attempt to call her cub. Perhaps she realised she was on the very southern parts of her range and thought it unsafe to bring the youngster to the kill, or perhaps the energy in returning to the cub and walking back to the small carcass was simply not worth the effort. In any case that was the last sighting of the leopard during the September report period but no doubt these leopards were a lot more active along the Matshapiri than what the 6 sightings suggest. August 2006 MATSHAPIRI FEMALE * 5 YEARS 10 MONTHS Location: EASTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN EYREFIELD
The Matshapiri Female was seen on two occasions during the report period. On both occasions she was alone and out on the hunt. As usual sightings were concentrated around the Matshapiri River. Although her cub was not seen at all during August this is no cause for concern. The young cub is still at an age were it is heavily dependant on its mother for food and would almost certainly be staying in some or other dense bush awaiting the return of its mother to take it to some or other kill. Tracks indicated that these two leopards were certainly more active in this area that what the two sightings suggest.
July 2006 MATSHAPIRI FEMALE * 5
YEARS 9 MONTHS Location: EASTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN EYREFIELD (3 sightings, all of them with her cub) The Matshapiri Female and her cub were seen on three occasions all along the Matshapiri River . On all three occasions the two leopards were together and moving northwards. Their movement would take them into an area where they may well encounter the White Cloth Female, mother to the Matshapiri Female. She herself has young cubs, and any meeting would certainly be interesting and most likely violent. In any case, the three sightings suggest that all is well with this family of leopards, who were probably more active on Mala Mala than these sightings suggest. June 2006 MATSHAPIRI FEMALE * 5
YEARS 8 MONTHS Location: EASTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN EYREFIELD (3 sightings of the female, 1 of them with her cub; 0 of the cub without mother) The Matshapiri Female was seen on three occasions, on three successive days. The first sighting was of her with her cub. She was leading the youngster somewhere, but could not be followed into the gullies that she entered. The next day she was seen in the same area, this time alone and active. The following night she was also seen in and around the same area, hunting impala. She had obviously hidden her cub in the steep gully systems in and around the Matshapiri River whilst she went out hunting. And this was the last that these leopards were seen. However with a young hungry cub to provide for the Matshapiri Female was probably more active on Mala Mala than what these two sightings suggest. May 2006 MATSHAPIRI FEMALE * 5
YEARS 7 MONTHS Location: EASTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN EYREFIELD (3 sightings all with her cub) The 3 sightings of the Matshapiri Female were all excellent, and perhaps provided some of the most interesting and exciting sightings of the month. The first sighting of this leopard was on the 19th of May, when the leopard and her cub were found at a small waterhole on the very northern reaches of the Matshapiri Open Area. It would seem that the Matshapiri Female only has one cub now, after initially having been sighted with two a few months back. In any case the young leopard was very relaxed in the presence of a single stationary landrover, and played with her mother near the waterhole. Both leopards looked very well fed. Later in the night, the leopards started to move westwards, and after a while came to rest under a pushed over Combretum Tree. It was here that the scant remains of a male impala was found, the cub proudly carrying around a leg and feeding at leisure on it. All that was left of the impala was the horns and rib cage, and this would explain why the leopards appeared so fat and had gone to drink at a nearby water hole.
Then almost a week later the two leopards were spotted on the wall of Buffalo Bush Dam, about 3 or so kilometres upstream in the Matshapiri. Again the young leopard was very relaxed in the presence of a single vehicle, obviously having been hidden in areas where vehicles drive and hence is not at all afraid of them. With the very relaxed disposition of the mother herself, one can expect this young leopard to provide some fine viewing in the future. April 2006 MATSHAPIRI FEMALE * 5
YEARS 6 MONTHS Location: EASTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN EYREFIELD (1 sighting) Although her territory lies in the heart of the property, the Matshapiri Female was only seen once in April. Tracks of a female leopard and a small cub in the areas frequented by the Matshapiri Female suggest that at least one cub is alive. Additionally, there was also a sighting of a nervous young cub near Emsagwen Crossing, undoubtedly one of the cubs of the Matshapiri Female. March 2006 MATSHAPIRI FEMALE *
5 YEARS 5 MONTHS Location: EASTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN EYREFIELD (1 sighting) It has long been predicted that the Matshapiri Female has been sheltering her first litter of cubs in the middle reaches of the Matshapiri River around Emsagwen Crossing. Early in the game report period, the Matshapiri Female revealed her first set of cubs to Mala Mala guests, just south of Emsagwen Open Area. She led the cubs across Western Side Matshapiri into the Matshapiri River , and the sighting did not last too long. While she was very relaxed, the small cubs were nervous, and a gradual introduction to vehicles will be required to ensure that these cubs become relaxed in the presence of vehicles. No further sightings were recorded in this period, but the heavy rains, and the thick bush on the middle reaches of the Matshapiri River , have made this area difficult to traverse. Being her first litter of cubs, it will be interesting to see how she fares, as experience is often a key factor to raising cubs successfully. Hopefully, she can emulate her cousin, the Jakkalsdraai Female, and get it right the first time.
February 2006 MATSHAPIRI FEMALE *5 YEARS 4 MONTHS Location: EASTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN EYREFIELD (1 sightings) The fact that this leopard has been more elusive over the last few months suggests that she must have young cubs hidden amongst the ruggedness of central Mala Mala. The brief sightings of her in the last two months have indicated that she is lactating and the suspense mounts in anticipation of the revealing of her first set of cubs. January 2006 MATSHAPIRI FEMALE *5 YEARS 3 MONTHS Location: EASTERN MALA MALA, EASTERN EYREFIELD She was seen on a duiker kill this month and still appears to be lactating.
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