8 sightings of a female cheetah and two approximately 7-month-old cubs:
All of these encounters, except the last, were in the general area of the Mala Mala airstrip, an open piece of land often favoured by cheetahs. The mother of the cubs is the same one which three months ago tangled with lions and just escaped with her life. Although one or two of the wounds sustained in this interaction were still raw, she appeared to be in good shape, as did her cubs. The determining factor, it seemed, for her and the cubs to leave the area of the airstrip this month, was a hyena stealing an impala which they had killed. This was not confirmed, but all indications pointed to the fact that the adult female had managed to catch an impala, but before any of the cheetahs could get anything to eat from it, a hyena appeared and appropriated the kill. A female leopard and her cubs then managed to steal much of this same carcass from the hyena. But for the cheetahs this sort of activity would not be to their liking and, after hunting and surviving successfully in an area for a certain length of stay, others would get familiar with their presence and it would be time to move on. The three cheetahs then crossed east through the Sand River and moved north up the Mlowathi River.

One sighting of a female cheetah and two approximately 5-month-old cubs:
These were seen towards the upper reaches of the Matshapiri River on the northeastern parts of the reserve. All three cheetahs were quite comfortable in the presence of vehicles and spent the morning hunting, but with no success.

There were four sightings of male cheetahs this month, perhaps representing at least three different animals. One was seen stalking bushbuck outside the Main Camp front entrance before crossing east through the Sand River. Another was seen briefly at night towards the northeastern parts of the reserve. Mala Mala rules limit the use of spotlights on cheetahs at night so the sighting was abandoned. However, the next morning, when landrovers went to try to relocate the cheetah in this area, all that was found was a pair of hyenas feeding off the remains of a freshly killed young kudu. Had they perhaps stolen this from the cheetah? A relaxed male cheetah was seen off western Charleston, east of the Sand River and a young male cheetah was encountered along the upper parts of the Mlowathi River.

Approximate number of different Cheetahs encountered: 9

3 sightings of a female cheetah and two approximately 6-month-old cubs: This trio were seen over the course of the first half of June, all sightings being in the southwest of the reserve. The finest encounter saw the mother cheetah catch an adult female impala and the three then spend many hours feasting upon it without being harassed by scavengers. The wounds, which the female cheetah sustained a couple of months ago, probably after being caught by lions, seem to have almost completely healed and all three appear in good condition.

4 sightings of male cheetahs: These took place mostly towards the north of the reserve, although one was on eastern-central Mala Mala. At least two and perhaps three different cheetahs were accounted for in these sightings. At one sighting a young male cheetah, after being followed for some time, flushed and caught a duiker.

5 sightings of nervous cheetahs: All probably involved the same animals, a pair of probably recently independent cheetahs which simply ran when they saw a landrover. Such animals are best left alone. Pursuing them will not only result in little viewing, but it will serve only to traumatise the animals further. It is highly likely that they originated from inside the Kruger National Park where exposure to vehicles may simply never have occurred during their upbringing.

Approximate number of different Cheetahs encountered: 7

Two sightings on successive days, both close to the Mala Mala airstrip, of a female cheetah. The animal looked emaciated and was having difficulty walking, either from an injured spine or leg.

Five sightings of male cheetahs, probably of two different individuals. One encounter was close to the Kruger National Park boundary with central Mala Mala. The other four sightings occurred in the northern parts of the reserve. The last sighting was brief since it was already dark when the cheetah was found, and it was eating a freshly killed adult male impala. Mala Mala game-viewing laws do not permit the use of spotlights to view cheetahs at night since they seem to have eyes slow to recover from bright lights and the night-time is a time when their major enemies are expected to be most active. The following morning there was no sign of either the cheetah or its prey and many hyena tracks littered the area.

4 sightings of a female cheetah and two approximately 5-month-old cubs: It is thought that this female cheetah is the same one that was seen in February with 5 cubs, these then estimated at one month of age. Subsequent viewing of the cheetahs suggests that the surviving youngsters are perhaps 5-months old, meaning that when first encountered the youngsters were perhaps not as young as first thought. Anyway, when the cheetah and her cubs moved onto Mala Mala this month from the north, close to the Mlowathi River, the adult female appeared to be in a bad way, apparently having barely escaped a savage mauling from lions. Both of her flanks had been savagely torn and there was much exposed flesh, although few of the cuts seemed particularly deep. It is thought that this cheetah is the same one which a year or so ago raised two daughters to maturity, the one easily identifiable through the prominent white tip of its tail. This adult female cheetah has established something of a reputation for standing up to stronger predators and has been seen several times squaring up to leopards and lions - quite uncheetahlike behaviour. With vulnerable youngsters to protect, this might be pushed just a little bit further and it was perhaps in just such an occasion that she found herself and was probably lucky to escape with her life. In spite of the injuries, the cheetah trio made their way swiftly away from the area and the following day pitched up at the Mala Mala airstrip, a well-used place of security for cheetahs. Here the female killed a steenbok and she and the cubs had food. The cheetahs stayed in this general area of another week before heading off.

Approximate number of different Cheetahs encountered: 6

1 sighting of a female cheetah and two approximately 11-month-old cubs: During March this female cheetah was still with three cubs, one male and two females and they spent their time in the southwestern parts of the reserve. There was only one sighting of members of this group during this game-report period, this towards the very beginning of the recording period, and here one cub was missing. Goodness knows what happened to the other. But it may well have been some traumatic encounter with lions or something similar, enough to persuade the other members of the group to move from the area. Cheetahs are very vulnerable to attack from other large predators and it is not unexpected for the young to be killed.

1 sighting of a female cheetah eating a freshly killed impala: This sighting occurred along the mid-reaches of the Matshapiri River, close to where an adult male cheetah was seen the previous day.

10 sightings of male cheetahs: Most of these sightings were probably of the same relaxed animal and occurred mostly north of the Matshapiri River and along the Mlowathi River - the north and northwestern parts of the reserve. Although this male cheetah was not actually seen killing anything, he was found on several carcasses, one of these a freshly killed young kudu. On one day the cheetah was followed for several hours as it moved southwards from the middle parts of the Matshapiri River. It visited all open areas along its route, inspecting them for prey animals before crossing south towards the Kapen and then heading further south of this. All in all a fair number of kilometres in 6 or so hours without any kill. It is thought that this male cheetah is the same one which typically spends his time in the northern and northwestern parts of Mala Mala and seldom ventures to the central regions.

One sighting of a male cheetah at night was close to the northeastern border of Mala Mala and the Kruger National Park. The sighting was abandoned due to restrictions on the viewing of cheetahs with spotlights, but chances were good that the animal was a different one from the aforementioned.

There were two sightings in roughly the same area of northeastern Mala Mala on the same day of two different cheetahs. Both sightings were discontinued since the cheetahs were only chanced upon after dark. It is highly likely that they were animals previously viewed in this part of the reserve. It is probable too that the two animals, perhaps a male and female, had independently headed to this particular wide-open piece of land to spend the night. Such open areas are often used by cheetahs as places of safety where they can rest up and have ample warning should any of their enemies approach them.

Approximate number of different cheetah encountered: 6

8 sightings of the female cheetah and her three approximately 10-month-old cubs (1 male, 2 females): All of these sightings were in a relatively small area of land on SW Toulon near Kirkmans Camp. This area has historically had a high density of impala and this month the cheetahs were seen on at least two kills. All cheetahs appeared in fine condition. Sightings ranged across the span of this game-report period.

3 sightings of a female cheetah with four approximately 2-month-old cubs: This female cheetah was seen at the end of February in the south of the reserve with five cubs. One youngster was lost soon after this sighting and all cheetahs were seen only three times after this, making their way steadily north, before heading west from the Mala Mala airstrip at the beginning of March. Food should be of little concern to the mother cheetah; her greatest worry would always be predators such as lions and leopards which would seek to kill her very vulnerable youngsters.

2 Sightings on successive days, close to the central parts of the Mala Mala/ Eyrefield boundary, of probably the same adult female cheetah. On both days she was seen actively looking for prey, but was not seen to catch anything.

There were probably three different male cheetahs seen this month, each of these three times. Two of the males are large adults, one occupying an area towards the centre and east of Mala Mala, the other patrolling the northern regions. The third male cheetah appears to be a young animal and not yet very relaxed around landrovers. This latter animal seems to stay mostly in the north-eastern parts of the reserve and careful viewing over the last few months seems to by paying off; his disposition, although still that of a suspicious animal, is showing that he is definitely becoming more tolerant of the presence of landrovers. The male cheetah staying near the central-east of Mala Mala was seen catching a steenbok this month, while the one which resides further north was found with a freshly killed adult male impala. This carcass had been dragged into a thicket where the cheetah was feeding. Vultures discovered the carcass later and robbed the cheetah of it meal. A single sighting of a cheetah at night to the northeast of Mala Mala was probably of the young and quite nervous male cheetah.

Approximate number of different cheetah encountered: 13

7 sightings of the female cheetah and her three approximately 9-month-old cubs (1 male, 2 females):
All sightings were over an eight day period and all around the Mala Mala airstrip, the region which they dominated during late December 2001 and last January. The youngsters remained in really fine condition and all provided superb viewing. The four cheetahs returned with a flourish, killing a yearling impala male on the day of their return to the Mala Mala airstrip. The Black-backed Jackals which reside in this area took at least a day to eat the head of this kill. Thereafter they were seen making at least two other kills, the one, surprisingly, an adult male impala in the early hours of darkness. Last month this female cheetah was also seen with the carcass of an adult impala at night, but as could be expected, the following day the cheetahs were still lean and the kill was gone. This time the female cheetah was actually seen making the kill and then calling the cubs towards the area. The following morning the cheetahs were all still in the area and definitely looking as if they had had eaten at least some of the impala. However, drag marks from the kill-site indicated that some scavenger had also arrived on the scene and had appropriated the bulk of the carcass. And this is perhaps why cheetahs do not really hunt at night - their major enemies such as lions, leopards and hyaenas are active at this time and so the best way to avoid them is to be inactive.

One sighting of a female cheetah with five approximately one-month-old cubs:
These six cheetahs were found on the western parts of the Charleston/ Toulon boundary and were at the remains of a young impala kill. The cubs were too young to be eating meat and were simply watching their mother feed. At this young age the baby cheetahs do not even look like cheetahs and resemble the vicious honey badger, a creature which others will also avoid. As could be expected, once the female cheetah had finished her meal, she and the cubs moved out of the area so that whatever scavenger was attracted to the scene of the kill would not also encounter them. When the cubs are so particularly vulnerable, the female cheetah has to be as secretive as possible. She would ideally not like to move her cubs much and the more cautious she is with her hunting and killing, the lower the chances for her enemies to discover her presence. And of course the less alert the prey species within the area will be. Both will allow her to stay in a certain area for a relatively extended period of time, ideal for young and relatively immobile cubs.

9 sightings of probably the same relaxed male cheetah:
This is the cheetah which occupies the central and eastern parts of Mala Mala. A most successful creature if his general body condition is anything to go by. On one occasion he was seen stalking and chasing after a herd of impala which also took off when they saw him. The entire group vanished into some thick bush and when he was relocated, it was discovered that he had managed to catch an adult female impala. Later on in the month he was seen making a couple of attempts at other prey species - firstly some kudu and then later a duiker. He failed on both efforts, but the following day he was relocated, this time with a fat belly.

3 sightings of probably the same relaxed male cheetah - all towards the northern parts of the reserve.
The cheetah was not seen to do anything terribly exciting.

1 brief sighting of a cheetah at night, this towards the north of the reserve. Perhaps the above-mentioned male cheetah or another more nervous animal which was located a few kilometres east of this position the following day. There was one more sighting of a nervous cheetah, this also towards the northeast of Mala Mala. Almost certainly the same animal.

Approximate number of different cheetah encountered: 14

19 sightings of the female cheetah and her three approximately 8-month-old cubs (1 male, 2 females): These cheetahs spent 19 consecutive days on the Mala Mala airstrip, sometimes managing to kill animals which moved into the open area, but mostly using it as an island of refuge after hunting in the adjacent savannah. As could be expected with a cheetah family which needs a regular supply of food and with such a fine opportunity to observe them, good action was had and they were seen not only making several kills, but also trying and failing. Perhaps the most spectacular failure was when, early one morning, the female cheetah ran in on some adult male impala which were in the open area of the airstrip. She managed to catch one of the antelope, but its strength proved too great and after nearly a minute of struggling, she was thrown off and the lucky impala made good its escape. On another occasion, the female cheetah was seen one evening, after dark, lying next to the freshly killed carcass of an adult male impala. Cheetah are usually not viewed after dark at Mala Mala; not only are they typically not active at this time, but their eyes seem to be slow in correcting themselves after having been exposed to bright spotlights. A lack of activity at night is not unexpected since this is the time when the most deadly of the cheetahs' enemies - the lions, leopards and hyaenas - are more active. It makes little sense to compete with stronger enemies when they are also roaming around. So it is typically expected that cheetahs simply try to survive the night by being as alert and inconspicuous as possible and hunting and killing do not lend to this. Anyway, the following morning the cheetahs were all still in the area, but the impala carcass had vanished and their bellies were still lean; another predator had clearly taken the meat. But this sort of presence simply could not be maintained and by the time the cheetahs eventually left the airstrip, most of the impala herds which had been in the area had moved off to safer grounds and those which remained were probably so alert that hunting success had declined to an almost impossible level.

2 adult female cheetahs this month: These sightings were of the same female and only days apart. When first located, the cheetah was well fed and lying up close to the lower reaches of the Mlowathi River. Two days later this same cheetah was seen briefly on the Mala Mala airstrip, moving rapidly away from another female cheetah, the one with three youngsters, which was already in the area. Neither cheetah appeared keen on a confrontation and the mother with cubs certainly appeared rather anxious even after the other had departed from the area.

1 sighting of a young (2-3 years) female cheetah: This cheetah was seen only briefly on the western boundary of Charleston & Toulon, close to Kirkmans Camp. The cheetah was perfectly relaxed in the presence of vehicles, but was hunting and could not be relocated once it had moved off into a thicket.

8 sightings of adult male cheetahs, probably of two different animals: These sightings represented at least two different male cheetahs, the one which spends more time towards the north of the reserve, the other which seems to prefer working the eastern and central parts. There was probably only one encounter this month with this latter animal. Perhaps the finest sighting of the other male cheetah happened at the beginning of this report period when, late one afternoon, it pitched up in a large open area along the lower reaches of the Matshapiri River. A good many prey animals were in the area and when the cheetah spotted them, moved steadily their way. The prey were not aware of the advancing cheetah and when a small group of wildebeest actually started walking towards him, the cheetah crouched behind one of the only bushes available for cover and waited in ambush, his target clearly being the only baby wildebeest of the group. Then, when the wildebeest were in range, the cheetah exploded from behind the bush. A more perfect ambush could not have been planned and as if in anticipation of its imminent death, the poor little wildebeest bleated in panic as the cheetah came flying up behind it. But the cheetah had not planned on defence form the adults and when this happened and they wheeled around to come to the aid of the youngster, the cheetah faltered and the moment was lost. With several sharp wildebeest horns lowered and headed his way, the cheetah decided on discretion being the better part of valour and moved off, as slowly as the situation would allow for at least some dignity to be retained.

2 sightings of probably the same nervous cheetah. Both encounters were in the north and east of Mala Mala and the animal simply ran away when approached by a landrover. Such a sighting is immediately called off when an animal behaves in such a manner.

Approximate number of different cheetah encountered: 9