December 2001

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

(10 sightings)
There were good sightings of the Rock Drift Male this month, two of these of him together with two of the females which have territories inside his. At the one sighting he was seen appropriating a freshly killed baby impala from the Kapen Female and at the next he was seen interacting in a most fatherly manner with the White Cloth Female (sister of the Kapen Female) and her two cubs. The Rock Drift Male has a history of being fond of his offspring. The day prior to this last sighting, the Rock Drift Male was found with the carcass of a baby Wildebeest. The White Cloth Female and her cubs were not far from where this kill had been stashed and it is not unconceivable that they later shared it with him. Interestingly though, on another occasion later on in the month when the White Cloth Female was walking with her cubs (perhaps to a kill) and the Rock Drift Male was approaching from the other direction and along the same road, the leopards seemed to purposely avoid each other. When the two approaching parties were less than 100 meters apart, they deliberately moved in opposite directions off the road, bypassing one another and then rejoining the road. The Rock Drift Male and the White Cloth Female were both heard calling to one another once they had gone their separate ways and the cubs in particular were most interested in the areas which the Rock Drift Male had recently scent-marked. Aside from these moments, the Rock Drift Male continued with life as he probably mostly knows it - patrolling and hunting, the latter ensured by the former and of course needed to get the energy to patrol!

November 2001

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

(8 sightings)
The Rock Drift Male had an interesting month, starting off with an interaction with a female cheetah and her three cubs. The leopard was sleeping on a termite mound when he saw the cheetahs approaching him and immediately headed towards them. All predators are essentially enemies with one another - in this case it is easy to understand; the impala which the cheetah eats means one less for the leopard and so competition is quite direct. Anyway, the adult cheetah saw the leopard approach, but instead of running away, ran at her adversary, giving her cubs time to escape. At the end of the confrontation, the Rock Drift Male backed down when he saw that he wasn't going to catch any of the cheetahs and that evening he was several kilometres away, stalking impala under a full moon, something only a really hopeful leopard would contemplate. The other highlight of the month as far as viewing of the Rock Drift Male went was a sight of him mating with a nervous female leopard. The mating pair was found on the move and outside the female leopards' territory. Her disposition indicated that she could well have resided inside the Kruger National Park or on eastern Charleston, the area which used to be controlled by the Paradise Valley Female. When a female leopard comes into oestrus and seeks out a mate, it is usually the male which has a territory overlapping hers which responds. But this is not always the case and sometimes a female leopard will mate with a male which later has no control over her territory, the female moving back to her area once the mating is over. And this may have been the case here. The pair was seen together for two days. All indications are that the Rock Drift Male remains a virile and most dominant leopard.

October 2001

Location: SOUTH-WEST MALA MALA/ CENTRAL-WEST FLOCKFIELD/ CENTRAL & NW CHARLESTON

(9 sightings)
The Rock Drift Male continued to give good viewing and this month was seen patrolling territory and making kills - giving him the energy to continue with the protection of his domain. At one of the kills - an adult female impala which kept him eating for three days or so - he was no more than a few hundred meters from another male leopard which in turn was feeding on an adult female bushbuck carcass. This took place at what is considered to be the very southern tip of his territory and it is not known if either leopard was even aware of the other. Anyway, tracks indicated that the 'other' male went south and the Rock Drift Male, when he had completed his meal some days later, moved in the opposite direction.

September 2001

Location: SOUTH-WEST MALA MALA/ CENTRAL-WEST FLOCKFIELD/ CENTRAL & NW CHARLESTON

(17 sightings)
The Rock Drift Male continued to provide fine viewing this month, his movements dispelling prior indications that he was not paying as much attention to the southerly parts of his range as was the case a year or so ago. Just where the Rock Drift Male gets his energy from is not known, but he has it and patrols with incredible vigour. Towards the end of September he was seen to move from the very northerly parts of his territory to the southern areas in less than 24 hours, this movement no doubt not in a straight line. As has been so often the case in the recent past, the Rock Drift Male contributed significantly to the leopard action seen this month. In the beginning of September he was seen killing an adult female impala and taking the carcass up a tall Marula Tree. Over the ensuing couple of days as he fed upon the kill, several hyaenas accumulated and were seen waiting patiently below the tree. Scraps may have fallen their way, but they received nothing substantial. On the last night when he fed from the kill, footprints indicated that some male lions arrived to see if they too could partake in the feast. Evidently the kill had been too well secured and they passed on by, leaving the Rock Drift Male to finish it and move on.

On another occasion he was seen killing an adult male impala. The terrible-looking bite-wounds which were inflicted upon his face towards beginning of August, perhaps in a territorial conflict with another male leopard, were at long last showing signs of healing. One interesting event involving the Rock Drift Male which probably happens far more often than is thought of, was a meeting with a Black Mamba, a snake which legends have already been made of. The Rock Drift Male was fast asleep in a tree when one of these deadly snakes came gliding along the branch towards him. When the snake was only centimetres off, if sensed the leopard and halted. The leopard was completely unaware and the snake, after considering what was happening, turned around and moved off. But what would have happened if the leopard had lifted its head when the snake was so close? Would the reptile have taken fright and lashed out at the leopard?

August 2001

Location: CENTRAL-WEST MALA MALA/ CENTRAL-WEST FLOCKFIELD

(10 sightings)
The Rock Drift Male continued to concentrate on the northern parts of his territory this month, seeming to ignore the other male leopards moving into the areas he used to control in the south of the reserve. With the Kapen Female and another leopard (the Shaws Female?) now perhaps being courted by another male and moving into this area respectively, he may of course decide to reclaim them. Time will tell. As the large old male from the North-West of the reserve loses his grip on things, so the Rock Drift Male appears to be using the western bank of the Sand River more frequently. This month he was seen stealing an impala kill from one of the daughters of the Ngoboswan Female. Interestingly, as he moves north and other male leopards work his southern areas more frequently, so one of his sons, the 'cub of the Paradise Valley Female' has followed him. In the past the Rock Drift Male has treated this young male with what may be interpreted as fondness and as the other males no doubt treat him more harshly in the south, so it could be expected that he would move to the easier areas. But for how long this will last waits to be seen. This month the Rock Drift Male was seen to become quite agitated when he smelled the presence of this young male around a waterhole. Perhaps the Rock Drift Male will start to view his son as a threat as the youngster matures. But the dominance of the Rock Drift Male cannot last. He has certainly had a good run and sired many youngsters, but things will not always go his way. Already perhaps other leopards are testing him more strongly. Fairly early in the month he was found with some nasty bite-marks on the left-hand side of his face and this only days after one of his old adversaries, the 'warthog-killing male' had been in the area. By months end the wounds had still not healed and although the Rock Drift Male did not appear irritated by them, they did not look good. The 'warthog-killing' male leopard had also just triumphed over the Tlebe Rocks Male, another neighbour to the Rock Drift Male. So perhaps as he gains in confidence he will return the beatings meted out by the Rock Drift Male months before. But so far the Rock Drift Male remains fit and his wounds will surely heal. The longer he stays in charge of course, the better will be the chances for his offspring to make it to maturity.

July 2001

Location: SW MALA MALA/ FLOCKFIELD/ CHARLESTON

(8 sightings)
The Rock Drift Male seemed energised this month; not that he has been slacking, just that much of his activities over the last few months have suggested something of a routine. Towards the middle of the month the Rock Drift Male spent several days at the very south of his territory, an area which he has perhaps neglected over the previous months and where other male leopards have been making inroads. Whether or not any territorial agreements were reinforced during this time is not known, but the effort from the Rock Drift Male was certainly there.

A few days after this southerly foray, the Rock Drift Male was back in the north again, travelling many kilometres in a single day and was seen crossing to the western bank of the Sand River for the first time. This would have taken him into part of the last remaining area thought to still be controlled by one of his old adversaries, the male with the short tail which has already relinquished the middle and lower reaches of the Matshapiri River to the irrepressible energy of the Rock Drift Male.

The Rock Drift Male was seen three times with female leopards this month and on each occasion it could (it certainly was on the last sighting) have been the Kapen Female. Towards the beginning of the month the pair was definitely mating and finally moved into the Kruger National Park. On the second occasion when the Rock Drift Male was seen with a female leopard, the two were sharing a bushbuck kill. The carcass was high up in a Natal Mahogany Tree and the dense foliage prevented good views of the female and every time she descended, she would slink off into the reeds of the nearby Sand River. Just the way in which she behaved and the area in which the kill had been made, suggested that the female was the Kapen Female. On the third instance when the Rock Drift Male was with a female leopard, it was quite certain that it was the Kapen Female. Both leopards were well fed and had probably just finished sharing a kill. But the reason for them being together was quite obvious - the Kapen Female wanted to mate and was not hiding the fact. The Rock Drift Male, however, was most reluctant to perform and no matter how blatantly the Kapen Female solicited, she was met only with snarls and the male walking away. Unfortunately the pair disappeared into thick bush and was not relocated later on, but it is almost certain that mating did take place.

June 2001

Location: STH CENTRAL MALA MALA/ FLOCKFIELD/ S CHARLESTON

(9 sightings)
Sightings of the Rock Drift Male this month again indicated that he perhaps concentrated more on the northern parts of his territory than on the southern areas. As has almost become expected of this leopard, there was some fine viewing involving the Rock Drift Male this month. Towards the beginning of June, whilst watching two hyaenas eating the rotting remains of an adult warthog, the Rock Drift Male arrived on the scene. The hyaenas immediately noticed the leopard and both parties simply kept their distance. Suddenly, however, with a series of loud and aggressive-sounding grunts and a bounding gait, the leopard rushed the hyaenas. This was too much for them and they dropped the carcass and fled. The Rock Drift Male picked up the fallen prize and ran towards a distant tree (this all took place in a large open area). After a few seconds, however, the hyaenas realised that they had been conned. There was simply no ways that a leopard could frighten them off and they turned and charged back. The Rock Drift Male realised that they had called his bluff and that he was never going to make it to the tree with the carcass, so he dropped it and retreated. That was really the only chance he had. Later, when one of the hyaenas had wandered off a distance with a warthog leg and the other was worrying the carcass on its own, the Rock Drift Male crept back and tried to intimidate this lone hyaena from its meal. But not only was this hyaena not particularly concerned, but the sounds brought the other one running back and again the leopard had to give ground. And that is how things were left - the hyaenas with their warthog and the leopard hovering in the background. Just how the warthog had died is not certain. Perhaps it had been killed by the hyaenas (hyaenas have been seen attacking and killing warthogs here before and so could have developed a strategy for them) or a leopard. Interestingly, the area in which the interaction occurred was at one stage thought to be controlled by one of the Rock Drift Males' old adversaries, the big male leopard so often seen killing warthogs - or with warthog kills - and, coincidentally, a week before this interaction, this same leopard was seen only a few kilometres further north of this, the first time he had been encountered in approximately half a year. Another good series of sightings involving the Rock Drift Male started with him killing a young male impala and immediately taking it into a large Scotia tree along the banks of the Matshapiri River. Not pleased with the tree, he then proceeded to take it up and down until he was satisfied. The next morning, however, whilst he was feeding on the kill on the ground, the Eyrefield Pride lionesses and cubs arrived and rushed in to steal the meat. But the leopard was too quick and carried the kill into the very top branches of the largest Scotia tree in the area, way beyond the reach of any lion. Nonetheless, the lions did climb into the lower branches of the tree and managed to eat a few scraps still on the ground. The leopard had to stay in the tree of over an hour before most of the lions wandered off, allowing him to descend in safety. One lioness did venture back and chased the leopard off again, but then had to finally concede defeat and retreated empty handed.

MAY 2001

Location: STH CENTRAL MALA MALA/ FLOCKFIELD/ NTHN & CENTRAL CHARLESTON

(10 sightings)
Most sightings of the Rock Drift Male were in the northern reaches of his domain. There have now been regular sightings of this leopard to the west of the Matshapiri River which takes him well into the area covered by the White Cloth Female. The Rock Drift Male probably fathered the White Cloth Females' cubs and so greater control of her territory means greater security for these youngsters. There have been no signs of any challenge coming from the male leopard which up until recently was regarded as the dominant leopard of this area. In fact, this other leopard - not named due to his habit of not allowing vehicles to approach him during the daylight hours and so making it really difficult to identify him from any spot pattern - generally appears to be losing his control, and it may be that the Rock Drift Male is able to take firm control with minimal physical interaction.
The northerly expansion of territory appears to have made the Rock Drift Male neglect the very southerly parts of his area and there have been an increasing number of sightings of a young adult male leopard in these parts. However, for the Rock Drift Male these southerly areas may well be worth discarding since the only female here would be the old Chellahanga Female and, in spite of many matings, she has failed to conceive. The Rock Drift Male may simply look at the area as being expendable and continue to concentrate on more profitable parts. However, if one of the Rock Drift Males' neighbours is waning in power, it is highly likely that other male leopards will also sense this and try to make a move on the area.
In the beginning of May the Rock Drift Male was seen pacing side by side with another male leopard, this on the ridge between the Kapen and Matshapiri Rivers and close to the Kruger National Park boundary. The two were clearly sizing each other up. Also, in some of the more northerly parts of his range and close to the central regions of the Matshapiri River, there have been several sightings of a young but nervous male leopard, this disposition indicating that he has probably come into the area form somewhere far-afield in search of territory. So although things currently look reasonably comfortable for the Rock Drift Male, the battle has not yet been won, and even when it appears to have been, there will always be challengers waiting for the right moment. Aside from such issues of regional integrity which the Rock Drift Male had to deal with during May, he continued to provide good viewing performing more day-to-day tasks such as hunting. On one occasion he was seen killing an impala and hoisting it up a tree.

APRIL 2001

Location: STH CENTRAL MALA MALA/ CENTRAL-WST FLOCKFIELD/ NTHN & SW CHARLESTON/ NW TOULON (north of the river)

(12 sightings) The most dramatic events involving the Rock Drift Male were of him being found much further north than has thus far been recorded. His movements took him deep into territory thought to have been controlled by the mate of the Mlowathi and Ngoboswan Females and also further east and north into an area which at one stage may have been held by the male leopard which was noted for his warthog-killing capabilities. This latter leopard and the Rock Drift Male have had several fierce battles in the past. The 'warthog-killer' was last seen some 4 months ago. Anyway, from a territorial perspective, the control of this new area would allow the Rock Drift Male to almost completely encompass the territory held by the White Cloth Female. The Rock Drift Male is almost certainly the father of the cubs of the White Cloth Female and, from a survival point of view, it makes more sense if the male has absolute dominance over the area also controlled by one of 'his' females, this to minimise the risk of another male leopard killing the cubs. Last months report suggested that another male leopard might be pressurising the Rock Drift Male in the southerly portions of his territory, but sightings this month failed to note if this was indeed the case. Other than the foregoing, the Rock Drift Male had a most 'normal' month, patrolling territory, killing antelope to give him the energy to service his vast domain and keeping contact with his mates and progeny within this area.

MARCH 2001

Location: FLOCKFIELD/ CHARLESTON (east of the river)/ N TOULON (north of the river)

(7 Sightings)
The Rock Drift Male continued to patrol the area which he controls and nothing extra-ordinary was noted, except perhaps that there were at least two sightings of another adult male leopard (it may have been of a different leopard at each sighting) in the southern-most portions of his territory. There is some indication that two male leopards may be competing for the area south of the Rock Drift Males' territory and this may cause one of them to move away. At the same time, the Rock Drift Male seems to be moving further north than he has in the past, perhaps due to the disappearance of the male leopard which usually controls this area, this latter leopard being his old foe the 'warthog killer'. Should he perhaps be concentrating more on the most northerly area, another male looking for a territory may well think it ripe for the taking. However, the Rock Drift Male still has all the signs of strength and confidence and with the females in his territory settled with cubs, he can concentrate upon ensuring the integrity of his territory instead of mating. As has come to be expected of the Rock Drift Male, he was seen to continue checking up on his offspring, this month being found with his daughter, the 16 month-old cub of the Kapen Female. The Kapen Female herself was apparently not around and the two leopards were quite comfortable with each other. As they went their separate ways, the Rock Drift Male was heard roaring loudly, a warning to other male leopards perhaps and a sign of his confidence in looking after what is his.

FEBRUARY 2001

Location: FLOCKFIELD/ CHARLESTON (east of the river)/ N TOULON (north of the river)

(10 sightings)
With an apparent lack of females to mate with, the Rock Drift Male spent much time this month taking care of his borders and looking after family matters within them and also taking the odd risk whilst out patrolling. In terms of territory marking, the Rock Drift Male was seen to go further east and north than has been his usual pattern. As has become expected of this large male leopard, the Rock Drift Males behaviour this month emphasised his fatherly nature, this time the cubs receiving his attentions being the youngsters of the White Cloth Female. On the first occasion when the young cubs were seen in close proximity to the Rock Drift Male, their mother had just led them from what might have been their first meal of meat, this a duiker which she had killed. Whilst it could be expected that a male leopard would steal such a kill, the Rock Drift Male was not seen to even attempt this, leaving all food for his youngsters. Such paternal behaviour has been seen on more than one other occasion with the Rock Drift Male. On the second sighting of both the Rock Drift Male and the cubs of the White Cloth Female, the youngsters were led by their mother to a large rock where the male was lying. His interaction with the youngsters was a combination of pride, playfulness and curiosity - again behaviour perhaps not to be expected of adult male leopards. Such dedication could well be the secret for success if success is measured in terms of the number of youngsters which make it to independence. However, if the Rock Drift Male is to stay around to look after his offspring, then he needs to be cautious and such behaviour he did not display earlier in the month when a young calf within the large herd of buffalo caught his attention. This leopard has been recorded as having caught a young buffalo before, but this would require skill and no small degree of courage. As it was, the buffalo had the leopard scrambling up a tree to seek safety. After a while he gave up. On another occasion whilst out on patrol, the Rock Drift Male nearly walked straight into the sleeping lions of the Windmill Pride.

JANUARY 2001

Location: ROCK DRIFT MALE FLOCKFIELD/ CHARLESTON (east of the river)/ NW TOULON (east of the river)

(10 sightings)
The sightings of the Rock Drift Male this month did not contain the excitement and variation which have come to be expected of this leopard over the last few years. However, there are only so many females with which he can mate and even a leopard as dominant as this one cannot always be fighting others. Also, of course, activities happen when he is alone and away from viewing vehicles and these we cannot begin to know about. This was demonstrated this month when he was found sporting a large wound on his right flank. A large piece of skin had been torn away and the combination of red underlying flesh and gold surrounding coat made the wound look worse than it actually was. Towards months end it was already showing signs of closing up; no doubt to leave another scar for his already great collection. But just what would have caused it can only be guessed at - a lion, a hyaena, another leopard, a warthogs tusk? On this occasion when he was found the Rock Drift Male was far to the north of his territory, in the vicinity of the Kapen River and making a major effort to mark the area, coating the bushes and rocks with his urine and other bodily smells. Just that morning there were tracks found in the area which indicated that the White Cloth Female had moved her cubs and it may have been this which the male leopard was so concerned about. It is believed that the Rock Drift Male is indeed the father of the White Cloth Females' cubs and one of the important things for him is to keep up a strong presence around where they are kept, this in order to dispersuade other male leopards from entering the area and threatening the youngsters.

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