NEWINGTON MALE
Photograph by ranger Giles Kelmanson
| NEWINGTON MALE
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| December 2007 NEWINGTON MALE * 9 YEARS 2 MONTHS Location: EYREFIELD, MALAMALA, NORTHERN-CENTRAL FLOCKFIELD The Newington male was only seen twice during the report period. The first record of this once very prominent leopard was on the 18/12/07, and strangely, was in the Claredon region. He was moving steadily south along the KNP break, and eventually was lost as he moved east into the KNP. The sighting was fleeting, but it was confirmed that the male was in good shape. He was seen again on the 23/12/07 in the northern reaches of the Mlowathi river system, an area he used to frequent when he was younger. He was again in good condition but did not portray his confidence of old. Encouragingly, he is clearly in a better condition, a marked improvement from the previous report period. November 2007 NEWINGTON MALE * 9 YEARS 1 MONTH Location: EYREFIELD, MALAMALA, NORTHERN-CENTRAL FLOCKFIELD The Newington male was only seen once in the area of his suspected territory along the Matshapiri, and that was during the initial part of the report period. He was then not seen for some time, until he made reappearance in the upper reaches of the Mlowathi. Interestingly, gathering vultures at a zebra still born carcass enticed him into the area. The male wasted no time in seizing the carcass and stashing it under some thickets along the western bank of the Mlowathi.
The male fed form the carcass for a period of four days, systematically moving the carcass from tree to tree in a gradual northerly direction. He was seen to interact with some hyena on one occasion that came into the area to investigate. Probably the most concerning issue was the condition of the leopard, this once very dominant male was looking a bit beaten up, sporting some battle wounds on his neck and head. He was also very lean, indicating that he had been through some bad times. Perhaps he had come to blows with the male leopard that has been seen on numerous occasions along the Matshapiri and Emsagwen firebreak. Perhaps in the coming months, rangers will learn more of his hardships or successes. October 2007 NEWINGTON MALE * 9 YEARS Location: EYREFIELD, MALAMALA, NORTHERN-CENTRAL FLOCKFIELD The Newington male continues to be evasive and was only seen in the early parts of the game report, he was found in the same area on all three occasions. The male was in good condition and still walked with the confidence and arrogance of any dominant male leopard. This now older male is getting pressure from a new male from the north and so one would either expect him to disappear into the Kruger park or become more prominent in his territory and patrol more often, lets hope its the latter of the two. September 2007 NEWINGTON MALE * 8 YEARS 11 MONTHS Location: SOUTHEASTERN MARTHLY, EYREFIELD, MALAMALA, NORTHERN-CENTRAL FLOCKFIELD The Newington male was not seen during the report period August 2007 NEWINGTON MALE *8 YEARS 10 MONTHS Location: SOUTHEASTERN MARTHLY, EYREFIELD, MALAMALA, NORTHERN-CENTRAL FLOCKFIELD The Newington male has been very scarce this month. The only time he was seen was for two days when he was found in the Matshapiri River, close to the Emsagwen, with and adult female impala kill up in a Jackalberry tree. However much of the lion viewing has been taking place in the western parts of Mala Mala game reserve and the areas that the Newington male frequents have not been worked as extensively as before. This could account for the fewer sightings of him this month. He was also once seen close to the eastern bank of the Sand River near the West Street bridge.
July 2007 NEWINGTON MALE * 8 YEARS 9 MONTHS Location: SOUTHEASTERN MARTHLY, EYREFIELD, MALAMALA, NORTHERN-CENTRAL FLOCKFIELD This large male leopard that once had a large territory covering most of the northern parts of MalaMala, was only seen a handful of times during this report period. He was found on Split Rock Road with an impala kill up a tree, there was not much left of the kill and the male leopard had moved off the next day. He was found again around the southern parts of the Matshapiri River moving south-east scent marking as he moved. The Newington Male has now moved his territory more east and is spending a lot of time in the Kruger National Park but he still was also seen close to the Sand River near West Street Bridge just moving through the area. The male leopard was seen again near the Piccadilly Crossing moving south-east and was lost as he was hunting a herd of impalas. At the end of the report period he was seen sleeping on a termite mound on the MalaMala Flockfield Boundary close to the Kruger National Park - he was looking well fed and moved north. His movements have been in the central MalaMala area and he seems to be avoiding the areas that were once under his control but are now under the control of the Bicycle Crossing Male. June 2007 NEWINGTON MALE * 8 YEARS 8 MONTHS Location: SOUTHEASTERN MARTHLY, EYREFIELD, MALAMALA, NORTHERN-CENTRAL FLOCKFIELD Most sightings of the Newington male this month were concentrated around the Matshapiri River, from the Mala Mala/Flockfield boundary north to Buffalo Bush dam. His behaviour this month does seem to support the theory that he is giving way to the Bicycle Crossing Male, whose territory extends into the Matshapiri River as far north as the Drum Crossing. Each sighting has found him looking well though and he seems to be upholding his reputation as one of the most successful hunting leopards on Mala Mala. May 2007 NEWINGTON MALE * 8 YEARS 7 MONTHS Location: SOUTHEASTERN MARTHLY, EYREFIELD, MALAMALA, NORTHERN-CENTRAL FLOCKFIELD The Newington male was seen predominantly along the Matshapiri River, extending as far north as four ways, with several sightings concentrating around the Matshapiri open area. The most interesting sighting of the male involved rangers following up on the audio of monkeys chattering. This led to the male being found, feeding from a freshly killed vervet monkey. The rest of the troop was very upset, and harassed the male as he fed from the carcass. Having made short work of the carcass, the male continued north along the riverbed. Although it appears as if the male has moved further away from the advances of the Bicycle crossing male, he continues to roar and scent mark frequently, and it was noticed that the male scented in areas that the Bicycle Crossing Male was seen to scent only a few days after. One wonders if these two males will come to blows again in the near future. April 2007 NEWINGTON MALE *8 YEARS 6 MONTHS Location: SOUTHEASTERN MARTHLY, EYREFIELD, MALAMALA, NORTHERN-CENTRAL FLOCKFIELD The Newington male has been extending his territory further north. Rangers followed the Newington male from northern side Campbell Koppies through treacherous Tlebe Rocks Donga, where he was left continuously scent marking.
The Newington male was located three days later, some distance south from his last position. However, he been seen more frequently in the north-eastern parts of the reserve during the past month. Towards the end of the report period, he appeared to be rather thin and has at times been seen to hunt during the heat of the day. We believe that the Newington male may have been pushed out of his previously established territory by the younger Bicycle Crossing Male. March 2007 NEWINGTON MALE * 8 YEARS 5 MONTHS Location: SOUTHEASTERN MARTHLY, EYREFIELD, MALAMALA, NORTHERN-CENTRAL FLOCKFIELD Last month the Newington Male Leopard was seen to be quite scarce on the reserve, we believe the reason being from pressure from the younger Bicycle Crossing Male from the west and the Hlarulini Male from the south. This leopard has been moving around the more northeastern parts of MalaMala and made an early show in this report period on the 27 th of February. Rangers found him at Paddy’s Pools, where he was then seen to move south and west. The leopard was walking one of the main roads in the area constantly scent marking and roaring, which provided some excellent viewing.
The Newington Male was seen again seven days later to the east of the Matshapiri River, not very far east of the West Street Bridge which we consider to be the core of his usual territory. The leopard was followed as he walked south towards the White Cloth Open Area. Not long after reaching this position, he made a quick run into some thick bush and rangers lost sight of him, suddenly they saw him jump up a Marula tree with the remains of an adult male Impala. As rangers were positioning themselves for a visual, they noticed a female leopard leaving the area, it was on of the daughters of the Campbell Koppies Female and we believe the male had stolen the kill she had recently made.
Only three days passed and the Newington Male was seen to make another kill in the Buffalo Pans region, this time a young female Impala. Towards the later stage of the month this leopard was found in the northeastern parts of the reserve with a Baboon kill in the top of a Marula tree.
The Newington Male seems to be reclaiming the eastern parts of his territory and doing so in good fashion. A solid future lies ahead. February 2007 NEWINGTON MALE * 8 YEARS 4 MONTHS Location: SOUTHEASTERN MARTHLY, EYREFIELD, MALAMALA, NORTHERN-CENTRAL FLOCKFIELD
The Newington male has been quite scarce of late, and made a welcome appearance on Western Side Matshapiri close to the Emsagwen in the early part of the report period. Although he did not look too well fed, his intentions were clear as he walked south – patrolling his territory. This once often seen male has shifted his territory somewhat in the last few months moving away from the West Street Bridge area into the eastern parts of Mala Mala and is not seen as frequently anymore. This is due to the pressure being applied by the younger Bicycle crossing male from the west and the Hlarulini male from the south forcing him to move further east into the KNP and the more arid east of Mala Mala.
January 2007 NEWINGTON MALE * 8 YEARS 3 MONTHS Location: SOUTH-EASTERN MARTHLY, EYREFIELD, MALAMALA, NORTHERN-CENTRAL FLOCKFIELD The Newington male leopard was not seen until the fifth day into the New Year, when he was found on the central parts of Mala Mala lying down on the road. From there he got up and walked south, roaring and scent marking. This continued for over an hour until the temperature pick up and he lay down to rest again on the Mala Mala Flockfield Boundary close to the Matshapiri River. The male was seen a number of times along the Matshapiri, and the Mala Mala Flockfield boundary.
MalaMala
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