November 2007
SELATI FEMALE
SOUTH WESTERN TOULON
(0 sightings)
There have been no sightings of this leopard for approximately 8 months. This leopard will be removed from the game report until such a time as she is seen again.
June / July / August / Sept/ October 2007
SELATI FEMALE
Location: (SOUTH WESTERN TOULON)
There were no sightings of this leopard during the report period.
May 2007
SELATI FEMALE
Location: (SOUTH WESTERN TOULON)
(1 sightings)
Only one confirmed sighting of this female leopard was recorded during this report period. The female was viewed on western Toulon, south of the area known as the golf course. She was very active, and was seen to make several unsuccessful attempts at the numerous herds of impala that frequent the area. One hopes to see more of this legend of Mala Mala in the coming months.
April 2007
SELATI FEMALE
Location: SOUTH WESTERN TOULON
(2 sighting)
This legend of Mala Mala made a welcome return to the western bank of Toulon, and frequented the areas around the “golf course” for a number of days. Interestingly this female was last seen in December 2006, and prior to that, in 2002. She is currently listed as a female leopard no longer seen at Mala Mala. This is partly due to her irregular comings and goings, and it wasn’t until December that she was thought to have died. Interestingly she appeared in good health, considering her age, and she provided some fine viewing, with rangers being able to follow her on an evening hunt.
January / February / March 2007
SELATI FEMALE Location: SOUTH WESTERN TOULON)
(0sightings) There were no sightings of this leopard during the report period.
December 2006 SELATI FEMALE Location: (SOUTH WESTERN TOULON)
(4 sightings) The Selati Female leopard and an unidentified female leopard were seen on the western bank of the Sand River, close to Calabash Crossing early in December. The Selati Female was feeding on an impala kill, while the other female sat some distance off, merely watching the Selati Female and perhaps waiting for an opportunity to steal some of the kill. A hyena appeared on the scene and chased both animals away, and stole the kill. The Selati female moved off westwards while the other female ascended a nearby tree. Other than this sighting, the Selati Female was seen around Skukuza Road, not far from Kirkmans Kamp, and around the eastern parts of The Golf Course.
January - August 2003 Location: NW TOULON (no confirmed sightings) December 2002 NW
TOULON (1sightings) The
single sighting of the Selati Female this month was the first confirmed
encounter with her in many months/ years. The area in which she was found is
thought to be the very westernmost part of her territory. Prior to the
huge floods in 2000, the Selati Female was seen on a far more regular
basis, basically controlling NW Toulon and SW Charleston to the west of
the Sand River. The flooding river then probably forced the Toulon Female
to use this part of the reserve and so the Selati Female was forced from
it. July - November 2002 Location: NW TOULON
(no sightings) June 2002 Location: NW TOULON
(no sightings) May 2002 Location: W TOULON (1 sighting)
There was but a single sighting of the Selati Female this month. It is
now almost certain that her occurrence inside her old range is no longer
as frequent as it used to be, the area now only peripheral for her and
hardly ever entered. April 2002 Location: NW TOULON
(no sightings) March 2002 Location: NW TOULON
(no sightings) February 2002 Location: NW TOULON
(no sightings) January 2002 Location: NW TOULON (1 sighting)
There was but a single sighting of the Selati Female this month. Given
our understanding of her territory, this more to the west of where it
once was, such rare sightings can perhaps be expected as she occasionally
visits what is probably the eastern periphery of her domain. December 2001
(no sightings) November 2001 Location: NW TOULON (1 sighting)
The single sighting of the Selati Female during November was much along
the lines of last months solitary encounter - a female leopard patrolling
the limits of her territory.
October 2001 Location: NW TOULON (1 sighting)
The single sighting of the Selati Female this month was the first in many
weeks. Ever since the floods of February 2000, this leopard has been scarce,
probably pushed west by the Toulon Female and others. And now, when she
has almost certainly settled in her new area, return is unnecessary. This
area of NW Toulon may just be peripheral on her territory, not worth visiting
regularly.
September 2001 Location: SELATI FEMALE NW TOULON (no sightings)
August 2001 Location:NW TOULON (no sightings)
July 2001 Location:NW TOULON (no sightings)
June 2001 Location:NW TOULON (no sightings)
MAY 2001 Location:NW TOULON (no sightings)
APRIL 2001 Location: NW TOULON (no sightings this month)
MARCH 2001 Location: NW TOULON (no sightings this month)
FEBRUARY 2001 Location: NW TOULON (1 sighting)
The sighting of the Selati Female this month is probably the first in
over a year. Although it was brief, she appeared in an area where in the
past she could be expected to be and, by all accounts, was in good health.
JANUARY 2001 Location: NW TOULON (no sightings this month)
DECEMBER 2000 Location: NW TOULON (no sightings this month)
NOVEMBER 2000 Located: NW TOULON (no sightings this month)
OCTOBER 2000 Location: NW TOULON (no sightings this month)
SEPTEMBER 2000 Location: NW TOULON (no sightings this month)
Given the current status of female leopards in the area once dominated
by the Selati Female, it will be surprising if she could ever regain her
foothold in the area.
AUGUST 2000 Location: NW TOULON (no sightings this month)
The dominance of the Toulon Female and the 5-year-old daughter of the
Newington Female (the 'Shaws Female') on the western bank of the Sand
River towards the south and west of Mala Mala and the reluctance of the
former to move back to the eastern bank will probably mean that the Selati
Female will not return to these areas she once dominated.
JULY 2000 Location: NW TOULON (no sightings this month)
The now long-term absence of the Selati Female from her old haunts and
the apparent dominance of the Toulon Female in these areas could mean
that she might well have relinquished her hold on this part of her territory.
JUNE 2000 Location: NW TOULON (no sightings this month)
It is still suspected that the Selati Female is
nursing small cubs and these have kept her movements relatively restricted.
The lack of vehicle activity in the area also means that chances of encountering
her will be smaller.
MAY 2000 Location: NW TOULON (no sightings this month)
The few encounters with the Selati Female have surely been partly due
to the lack of gamedrive vehicles in the area typically patrolled by her.
However, it could also be due to her being forced out of this area by
both the Toulon Female as well as the adult daughter of the Newington
Female. Both have been spending much time in and around the known domain
of the Selati Female. However, the absence may also be a result of the
Selati Female giving birth to a new litter of cubs which, if this has
been the case, would be small and unable to move much, thus restricting
the wanderings of the Selati Female. Hopefully when the Sand River drops
and the Toulon Female can cross again to reclaim her territory on the
eastern bank, the Selati Female will once again feature in the Mala Mala
leopard viewing. If of course the Toulon Female does not want to go back
to the eastern bank (factors such as this territory having perhaps being
taken in her absence by the Chellahanga Female which is being pressurised
by another female leopard from the east, male leopard dynamics etc.) then
the Selati Female will have to make another plan.
FEBRUARY/ MARCH/ APRIL 2000 Location: NW TOULON (1 sighting)
The Western bank of the Sand River towards the south of Mala Mala has
over the last few months seen at least three female leopards in the area.
With the Toulon Female probably unable or reluctant to cross the flooded
Sand River and the daughter of the Newington Female controlling her territory
perhaps more aggressively than has been her behaviour in the past, the
Selati Female has almost certainly experienced pressure. Both the Toulon
Female and the daughter of the Newington Female would of course have an
even easier time of making incursions into the area once dominated by
the Selati Female if the latter was in any way herself less frequently
present. The Selati Female was seen mating in December and if this was
successful, then she would have the burden of young cubs, which, at this
age certainly, would be almost unable to move much and pretty much 'lair-bound'.
If this then is the reason why so little has been seen of the Selati Female,
it will be interesting to see how she handles the invasion of her territory,
particularly by the Toulon Female. Should this latter leopard revert to
her usual behaviour, which includes much time on the eastern bank of the
Sand River as well as frequent river crossings, then the Selati Female
should have little trouble in reclaiming her land.
JANUARY 2000 Location: SW CHARLESTON (1 sighting)
The single sighting of the Selati Female provided no clues as to whether
she is pregnant or not, this following from her mating last month with
a male leopard presumed to be the one which has taken over from the Island
Crossing Male.
MalaMala
Game Reserve, PO Box 55514, Northlands, 2116, South Africa.
Telephone:
+ 27 11 442 2267 or 0861 SAFARI.
Facsimile: + 27 11 442 2318
e-Mail: reservations@malamala.com
Copyright © Rattray Reserves
|
