NGOBOSWAN FEMALE
Ngoboswan Female - Photographed by ranger Sheldon Williams
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| December 2006 NGOBOSWAN FEMALE Location: SOUTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, NORTH-WESTERN FLOCKFIELD The first sighting of the Ngoboswan female occurred when she was seen with the Bicycle Crossing Male, close to Princess Alice Pans and these two leopards enjoyed a marathon mating session throughout the day. They moved east towards West Street, the female pursuing the male with great enthusiasm. That afternoon they were found mating in the Sand River to the north of West Street Bridge, and then they moved back westwards in the direction from which they had come that morning. One wonders why the Ngoboswan Female is mating again. The last time she was seen, she was accompanied by her single cub. Perhaps this cub has been killed, causing her to mate again. This seems to be the only logical explanation, as the cub is not old enough to be forced into independence.
Thereafter, the Ngoboswan Female was seen to the south of The New Airstrip, but once again there was no sign of her cub. However during the final sighting of the report period, the Ngoboswan Female was seen with her male cub, feeding on the remains of what appeared to be a female nyala. It is presumed that it was the female leopard that caught the nyala and stashed it in a large Jackalberry Tree on the western bank of the Sand River, south of West Street Bridge. The leopards spent two days in the area, feeding on the carcass, sleeping in the tree and drinking from the Sand River. November 2006 NGOBOSWAN FEMALE Location: SOUTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, NORTH-WESTERN FLOCKFIELD The Ngoboswan Female and her cub were only seen twice during the game report period, moving northwards on the western bank of the Sand River from Flockfield Boma Crossing, and thereafter moving westwards from West Street Bridge. There is every indication that this extremely large female leopard now spends most of her time to the west of Mala Mala. After the loss of several litters of cubs, it is hoped that the Ngoboswan Female will raise this cub to adulthood. The Ngoboswan Female was seen once without her cub, when she confronted her daughter, the Kikilezi Female, close to West Street Bridge. The Ngoboswan Female was feeding on a bushbuck kill, and it appeared as if the Kikilezi Female was simply patrolling the southern parts of her territory. The two leopards growled at each other for some time, but never actually came to blows. Eventually the Kikilezi Female moved away. The Ngoboswan Female pursued her for some distance, and then trotted off in the opposite direction. October 2006 NGOBOSWAN FEMALE Location: SOUTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, NORTH-WESTERN FLOCKFIELD Sightings of the Ngoboswan Female were concentrated around the Sand River. The first sighting concerning this leopard was when the Bicycle Crossing Male stole an impala kill from her close to Rattrays Camp. The male leopard chased the Ngoboswan Female away and fed from her kill. The rest of the sightings of her were uneventful. She was only seen once with her cub, and the cub was not seen without its mother. However both leopards appear to be doing well and more good viewing can be expected from the leopards in the months ahead. September 2006 NGOBOSWAN FEMALE1 MALE CUB * 11 MONTHS Location: SOUTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, NORTH-WESTERN FLOCKFIELD
The month started off well for the Ngoboswan Female, as she and her cub were found close to the western boundary of the property finishing off an impala kill that they had made. The leopards ate the kill in relative peace from the disturbance of hyenas as the kill had been hoisted into a tree, something that is rather unusual for this large leopard to do. As usual these leopards provided some good viewing and the male cub, other than growing at a rapid rate, has relaxed down very nicely in the presence of landrovers. Then midway through the month the Ngoboswan Female appeared suddenly in the same area were the Bicycle Crossing Male was hunting a bushbuck. The female did not see the male leopard, but started to stalk the same bushbuck. She ran in on it, missed and was confronted by the male leopard. He immediately chased her up a tree and when she finally descended chased her around for a while. They were heard fighting in very thick bush, but it could not be determined if they actually came to blows. August 2006 NGOBOSWAN FEMALE Location: SOUTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, NORTH-WESTERN FLOCKFIELD (4 sightings, 2 with her cub, 0 of cub without mother) The Ngoboswan Female was only sighted 4 times during the report period, but when seen provided some excellent viewing. The first sighting of the Ngoboswan Female was of her hunting on the western bank of the Sand River close to the Mala Mala Bridge. After stalking a herd of impala for some time she made her move and was successful in capturing an adult female impala. In true Ngoboswan Female leopard style she pulled the carcass into very thick bush, preferring this to hoisting it up into a tree. Then towards the middle of the month she was again seen near Rattrays Camp, this time with her cub.
The youngster is relaxing down nicely and is comfortable with three landrovers present now. A few days later the Ngoboswan Female was seen to catch another impala very close to the Mala Mala Airstrip. She stashed the impala in thick bush again before calling her cub to the kill. Not a bad month for the Ngoboswan family, and with an experienced hunter and plenty to eat the future looks bright for both mother and cub. July 2006 NGOBOSWAN FEMALE SOUTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, NORTH-WESTERN FLOCKFIELD (3 sightings, 1 with her cub) This large female leopard was only seen three times this game report period, once with her cub. After the trauma of losing her other cub to the Newington Male on the eastern Bank of the Sand River, the Ngoboswan Female seems to favour the western bank of the Sand River, resulting in her being seen less frequently than before. All appears well with the cub, and the youngster has become quite relaxed around vehicles. June 2006 NGOBOSWAN FEMALE1 FEMALE CUB *8 MONTHS Location: SOUTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, NORTH-WESTERN FLOCKFIELD (5 sightings, 1 with her cub) The Ngoboswan Female put in a strong presence on Mala Mala during this report period and provided some fine viewing. Close to the start of this report period she was found watching some impala near the Mala Mala Bridge , but after a while was left to herself watching the antelope. Later on in the evening impala distress calls led to the leopard being discovered strangling a sub adult impala. However 5 hyenas were close at hand, and soon came to investigate what the commotion was about. They chased the leopard off her kill, and ate the kill quickly. Then two days later the Ngoboswan Female, this time accompanied by her cub, was seen in the same area. She led the cub back to a female nyala kill she had stashed under a tree. However not treeing her kill immediately was her downfall again, as the same 5 hyenas appeared after dark and stole her kill again. However the good news is that her cub is well, and is growing larger by the day. It is also very relaxed with the vehicles now, which bodes well for the future of leopard viewing. Then midway through the month the Ngoboswan Female was seen on the eastern bank of the Sand River close to the Mala Mala Bridge , searching through the reeds for something. She soon found a young female leopard in the reeds and fought with her, chasing her off. So all is good with this veteran leopard and her new cub. They have been spending much time in the Bicycle Crossing Males territory, which has been ever present in this area. Could he be the father of this cub?
May 2006 NGOBOSWAN FEMALE Location: SOUTH-WESTERN MALAMALA, NORTH-WESTERN FLOCKFIELD (2 sightings, 0 with her cub) Both sightings of the Ngoboswan Female were centred around the MalaMala Bridge . Her young cub was not seen with her, but after last month’s run in with the Newington Male when he killed the other cub, perhaps this is understandable. She seems to be spending more time away from the areas that the Newington Male, a past mate of hers frequents, and hence is not active in areas that she used to be seen in. This is probably a good strategy if she wants to keep her young cub safe and raise it to adolescence, something that she has succeeded in doing with many a litter at MalaMala.
April 2006 NGOBOSWAN FEMALE Location: SOUTH-WESTERN MALA MALA, NORTH-WESTERN FLOCKFIELD (7 sightings, 4 with her cub) The Ngoboswan Female and her cub were seen fairly often at the beginning of the game report period. This cub too is wary of vehicles, and sightings have been restricted to one vehicle. Early in the game report period, the Ngoboswan Female and her cub were found on an adult female impala kill just north of West Street Bridge . While the leopard was lying next to the kill, three sub adult impala moved into the area. Although well fed, and already having a kill, the Ngoboswan Female surged to life and caught a second impala. This second kill was stashed alongside the first and great viewing of the Ngoboswan Female and her cub were had for three consecutive days as they finished off the two impala. Once the kills were finished, the Ngoboswan Female moved her cub west off Mala Mala, and the cub was not seen again in April. The Ngoboswan Female is obviously wary of the potential threat posed by the Newington Male and one wonders how long it will be before she brings her cub back onto Mala Mala. Later in the game report period, the Ngoboswan Female was seen three times on her own on the western parts of Mala Mala, before heading back west. As mentioned, she tried to scavenge off the Bicycle Crossing Male’s kill, before her former mating partner chased her off. March 2006 NGOBOSWAN FEMALE Location: SOUTH-WESTERN MALA MALA, NORTH-WESTERN FLOCKFIELD (9 sightings, 6 with her cub) What a traumatic time this old leopard has had trying to raise cubs over the last year! The Newington Male killed at least one of her last litter of cubs, and now he has done it again. However, the other cub is still alive, and has been seen with its mother in the West Street area.
"......Almost instantly the Ngoboswan female leopard burst from a thicket, seizing the impala in mid air. She effectively immobilised her quarry and dragged it into the thicket in which she had stashed her other carcass....The Ngoboswan female was then heard calling for her cub, everyone waited silently, and eventually the cub appeared from a green spike thorn thicket. The sight of the cub was a relief - the Newington male had not killed the second cub afterall!"
While the Ngoboswan Female does favour the area around West Street , this cub will constantly be in grave danger from the Newington Male if it remains in the area around West Street and the Matshapiri River . The Ngoboswan Female may thus move her remaining cub out of the area, possibly westwards. However, it is not known who the father of the cub is, and similar dangers may lie in wait from other infanticidal male leopards further to the west. Thus, it is generally better for a female leopard to mate with an established territorial male and raise the cubs in territory under his control. Very interestingly, the Ngoboswan Female was seen to mate with the Bicycle Crossing Male shortly after the death of her cub. This would suggest that the other cub was also killed. However, it is possible that the stress of losing one cub may have prompted a pseudo oestrus, which resulted in this mating, despite one cub still being alive.
The mothering skills of this stalwart female leopard will be put to the test in the next few months, and it will be interesting to see where the Ngoboswan Female will choose to raise her remaining cub. February 2006 NGOBOSWAN FEMALE Location: SOUTH-WESTERN MALA MALA, NORTH-WESTERN FLOCKFIELD (8 sightings, 6 with her cubs) This experienced old leopard is again favouring the lower reaches of the Matshapiri River as the holding area for her young cubs. Most of the sightings have occurred in the Matshapiri River around Lower Matshapiri Crossing. Her previous litter, which was killed by the Newington Male, was stashed away not far from where her current litter spends a lot of time. It is not known who the father of these cubs is, as the Ngoboswan Female was only seen mating once after the death of her previous litter with a young nervous male. It would greatly increase the cub’s chance of survival if their father were a strong territorial leopard. This would allow their mother to conceal them in the bounds of their father’s territory, where there would be less chance of another male leopard, which is not their father, discovering them and killing them. Considering that the Ngoboswan Female has lost both her previous two litters, it is understandable that she is acting in a rather nervous fashion around game drive vehicles and sightings have generally been brief, before the leopards move off into impenetrable bush. All sightings of the cubs at this point have been restricted to one vehicle. The Ngoboswan Female was seen to feed off an adult female impala on the northern bank of the Matshapiri River around Lower Matshapiri Crossing. By this age the cubs will be eating meat, but they were not seen at the kill. Exciting viewing lies ahead as these cubs hopefully become habituated to vehicles. January 2006 NGOBOSWAN FEMALE Location: SOUTH-WESTERN MALA MALA, NORTH-WESTERN FLOCKFIELD MalaMala
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