MalaMala is without a doubt the finest game viewing destination on the sub continent. It is through this cyberdiary that we strive to bring you first hand accounts of our phenomenal game sightings, as well as detailed information of the wildlife seen on the MalaMala Game Reserve.
Weekly
Cyberdiary Update 27 April - 03 May
2008
Ngoboswan Female Leopard
- Photograph taken by ranger Bruce
Archibald
Rollercoaster male
and Styx pride members – 27 April 2008
The Rollercoaster male along with four Styx pride members where found sleeping just off Western Side Mlowathi, where they spent the whole day. The lions where still looking well fed from the Kudu they had killed the day before.
Eyrefield pride and
cubs – 27 April 2008
The Eyrefield pride and there nine cubs where found after a long morning following there tracks. The lions where found moving south through the bush just to the north of Northern Side Kapen. They where not looking well fed and appeared hungry, the pride moved south and came across a herd of impala’s. Unfortunately for the lions, the impala’s were in an open area so they where soon seen by the prey. The lions moved on, where they pride came to rest in the open area.
Bicycle crossing male
– 27 April 2008
The Bicycle crossing male was found when a ranger heard a male leopard roaring somewhere around the Charleston Flockfield boundary. The leopard tracks where soon located and followed moving west towards the sand river. The male was discovered just to the north of the road and was moving west along the bush line, he was scent marking and roaring while being followed by the Land Rovers. He reached the Kapen River and moved north, upstream in the river bed, providing some great viewing. The leopard came across a small herd of Buffalo with a lot of young, and started to stalk. As he moved closer the herd caught a whiff of his scent and became restless. Shortly after the herd found the leopard and gave chase and the leopard was subsequently lost, with the Buffalo still following him.
Kapen female –
27 April 2008
The Kapen female was found hunting impala’s just to the north of Second Turning Styx., she was looking very lean and still lactating heavily. The leopard stalked closer but the impala’s moved off and the leopard gave up. She started to move west but was left to herself, moving into the Sand River just opposite the Rattray’s Camp.
Charleston
pride members – 27 April 2008
Three members of the Charleston pride where found on the track to Msuthu hide; this is well within the Selati pride territory. The lionesses scent marked a few time then crossed over the Kingston break.
Golf course male and
one Charleston lioness – 27 April 2008
The two Golf course males and one Charleston pride member where found mating in the Mango open area, the lions spent the whole day mating and provided some great viewing with the two male lions fighting for mating rights.
Unknown male leopard
– 27 April 2008
An unknown male leopard was briefly seen before it was lost near island crossing the leopard moved south off the island into the thick reeds of the Sand River.
Styx
pride members – 28 April 2008
Three Styx pride members where found late into the evening drive moving south from Mlowathi cocktail spot. The lionesses headed towards the Piccadilly area and came across a herds of impalas, soon the lions started to flank the pray and then ran in. They managed to catch an adult male impala but with the lions being so hungry it took ten minutes only to completely devour their prey before going on the move again.
Styx Pride - Photograph taken by ranger Bruce Archibald
Eyrefield pride and
cubs – 28 April 2008
The Eyrefield pride was found after their tracks from the day before where followed. The lions where found on Graded Road at the junction of First Turning Windmill, it appeared that they had not fed during the night. Due to the weather being cool the lions were still active and moving north east. The pride came to rest as it started to warm up and were found again some distance in the afternoon on Northern Side Kapen close to the KNP Break. They lay down to the west of the break and where left there sleeping.
Charleston
lioness and unknown male lion – 28 April 2008
A Charleston lioness and an unknown male lion where seen on Giraffe Skull East junction Hlarulini, the lions were sleeping near the road, and then moved into some thick bush.
Ngoboswan female –
28 April 2008
The Ngoboswan female was found on the western bank of West Street, the female leopard moved north up the bank and swiftly caught a natal francolin. The leopard ate the small bird before moving west and stalking some female Nyala. Although she did not manage to catch anything, the leopard tried a number of times to hunt nearby impala and a young bushbuck – again with no luck. She was left sleeping on Skukuza road just south of the airstrip.
Kapen female cub –
28 April 2008
The Kapen female’s cub was found to the north of Second Turning Styx up a Gardenia tree, at the base of the tree was a fresh male impala kill with about fifty percent of the carcass left. The young leopard was very relaxed around one car; however there was no sign of the mother in the area so was left in the tree.
Manyelethi male –
28 April 2008
The Manyelethi male was found (looking well fed) moving north during the night on New Fire Break south of Fred’s Tree. The leopard then turned off the road into the bush, he was left to himself moving east on Emsagwen roaring and sniffing around.
Manyelethi Male - Photograph taken by ranger Bruce Archibald
Jakkalsdraai female
– 28 April 2008
The Jakkalsdraai female was found on the Charleston Toulon boundary at the junction of Charleston Drive. The leopard was in good condition and moved south towards the Sand River, she was left as she moved into the thick reeds.
Beaumont
male – 28 April 2008
The Beaumont’s male was found on Jock Walk east of the short cut to River Road. He was looking lean and stalked a Duiker for a long time but did not manage to catch it. The leopard then started to walk east and was left to himself.
Tjellahanga male –
28 April 2008
The Tjellahanga male was seen on Sands End Loop; the leopard was moving south towards the Kruger National Park boundary and was left as he crossed the boundary.
Eyrefield pride and
cubs – 29 April 2008
The Eyrefield pride and there nine cubs where found on Second Turning Styx at the same place where the Kapen female cub was seen the day before. There was no sign of the cub and it appeared that the lions had stolen the kill from the leopard. There was not much left of the kill so the lions continued moving west. They did come across a honey badger but it ran away, the lions moved into the Sand River, had a long drink and then moved north. They were found again in the afternoon with a freshly killed adult female Kudu. The hungry lions and cubs were observed fighting for their share over what was left of the kill.
Four Styx pride members
– 29 April 2008
Four members of the Styx pride were found hunting in the open area to the south of Tlebe Rock’s, the lions where unsuccessful on the hunt and moved into the donga where Rangers could not follow.
Side Striped Jackal - Photograph taken by ranger Bruce Archibald
Two Styx pride members
– 29 April 2008
Two members of the Styx pride where found roaring at the Mlowathi cocktail spot, it appeared the lions where looking to regroup. There was audio of a single lion roaring to the east of them and the two headed that way.
One Styx pride member
– 29 April 2008
One member of the Styx pride was found moving west on the very eastern side of Campbell’s Koppies, the lioness was headed towards to the two that where still roaring to the west of her and replied to them a number of times.
Golf course male –
29 April 2008
Both Golf course males where found on Toulon access west of Elephant Alley, the lions were well fed and did not move the whole day.
Manyelethi male –
29 April 2008
The Manyelethi male was found moving north to the south of Emsagwen. The leopard was scent marking heavily; it seems that the pressure that the Emsagwen male is putting on him for this area could be paying off. He roared, scent marked and moved as if to confirm another leopard had been in his territory.
Junior Elephant - Photograph taken by ranger Bruce Archibald
Kapen female and cub
– 29 April 2008
The Kapen female and her cub were found in the Kapen River just south of Styx Crossing. The cub was in a tree with its mother lying on a nearby rock calling for it. The cub descended the tree to suckle, and then both leopards moved south down the river bed. When the Kapen female moved out of the river she came across two Hyena’s; the cub ran up the tree to avoid detection and possible death! The Kapen female cleverly led the Hyena’s into the river and away from her cub.
Tjellahanga male –
29 April 2008
The Tjellahanga male was found on elephant Alley east of the track to KK Crossing, walking east along the road. The large male leopard turned north off the road and came to rest in a donga.
Unknown male leopard
– 29 April 2008
A unknown male leopard was seen to the east of Skukuza Road, he was a little shy of the Land Rovers and moved away from them. He was left alone after moving into thick bush and lying down.
Eyrefield pride and
cubs – 30 April 2008
The Eyrefield pride and their nine cubs were still in the same area where they killed the Kudu the day before, the lions where well fed and slept in the soft sand and drank water for most of the day as they digested the large meal. They started to roar as they heard the Styx pride roaring some way to their north.
Styx
pride – 30 April 2008
All seven members of the Styx pride where found in the Piccadilly Area, where the lions were hunting impala’s in the open area. With all the cloud cover there was little light for the prey to see them; the lions chased a number of different herds in the area but did not manage to catch anything. The lions then came across a single female impala and started to hunt her; they ran in and managed to catch it. The seven lions finished the kill in a matter of minutes and then turned north to where the Rollercoaster male was roaring.
Rollercoaster male
– 30 April 2008
The Rollercoaster male was found on eastern side Mlowathi around the Senegal Bush area. The lion came across the Manyelethi male leopard and chased him up a tree, after he lost interest in the leopard moved south and started to roar.
One Charleston lioness
– 30 April 2008
One member of the Charleston pride was located on River Road near Rocky Crossing. The lioness was moving west calling as she moved, trying to locate other members of her pride, she was lost as she moved into some thick bush.
Junior Elephant - Photograph taken by ranger Bruce Archibald
Manyelethi male –
30 April 2008
The Manyelethi male was found after the Rollercoaster male lion chased the leopard into a tree, he hissed at the large male while staying in the upper parts of the tree. The leopard did not descend the tree even after the male lion moved off; he was left in the tree sleeping.
Jakkalsdraai female
– 30 April 2008
The Jakkalsdraai female was found on River Road near Flat Rocks, she was very active hunting bushbuck in the area. She tried a number of times to get close to her target but when she made a run at the bushbuck it managed to escape. The leopard then turned north in search of more prey.
Rollercoaster male
and Styx pride – 01 May 2008
The Rollercoaster male and all seven members of the Styx pride were found near Elephant Rock. The lions where moving east and came across the Kikilezi female and chased her up the bank of the Mlowathi River, the pride then moved into Rhino Pens and tried unsuccessfully to hunt impala.
Eyrefield pride and
cubs - 01 May 2008
The Eyrefield pride and there nine cubs where found sleeping on the New Airstrip. The lions where still looking well fed and moved east again towards the Sand River where they came to rest on the western banks in the shade of some large trees.
Manyelethi male –
01 May 2008
The Manyelethi male was found near the West Street Bridge; he was stalking a herd of impala and anaged to catch an adult male. The impala took about ten minuets to die while the leopard strangled it by biting its neck. Once the impala was dead the leopard started to feed on the internal organs and dragged the carcass a few meters from where he had killed it.
Rollercoaster Male - Photograph taken by ranger Bruce Archibald
Kikilezi female – 01 May 2008
The Kikilezi female was seen only for a short while as the Styx pride chased her up the banks of the Mlowathi River. Luckily for the leopard it managed to escape from the lions.
Daughter
of Campbell’s Koppies female – 01 May 2008
The Daughter of the Campbell’s Koppies female was found on Matshapiri dam road near wild dog ocks open area, the young female was still looking lean and was seen moving west calling. The ranger thinks the female was looking for a male leopard as she was sniffing around the area a lot.
Unknown male leopard
– 01 May 2008
The same unknown male leopard was seen on the Kingston break; he still shied away from the vehicles and crossed the break west into Kingston.
Unknown female leopard
– 01 May 2008
An unknown nervous female leopard was seen on the Golf course, the leopard ran as soon as the vehicles found her and she was lost.
Daughter of Rollercoaster
female – 01 May 2008
The daughter of the Rollercoaster female seems to be doing well and almost seems to be becoming territorial. She was found sleeping just off Elephant Alley at Boomer’s crossing; the young leopard was in good condition and spent the day in the area.
Baby Hippo - Photograph taken by ranger Bruce Archibald
Rollercoaster female – 01 May 2008
The Rollercoaster female was found moving south from the Sand River at Rocky crossing, she was well fed and looked as if she had been drinking from the river, rangers followed her hoping to see if she had a kill but the leopard came to rest in some long grass.
Male cheetah –
01 may 2008
A male cheetah was found in Claredon Open Area; the animal appeared to be well fed and was sleeping on a termite mound. The Cheetah spent the day in the area and moved to the dam to drink before returning to rest again on the Dam wall.
Eyrefield pride and
cubs – 02 May 2008
The Eyrefield pride and nine cubs where found feeding on a sub adult male Nyala in the White Cloth donga. It was hard to view them as they where in thick bush and fighting over the kill. The lions moved out the donga once the food was finished and then spent the day sleeping in the White cloth open area.
Rollercoaster male
and Styx pride members – 02 May 2008
The Rollercoaster male and five members of the Styx pride where found moving south, they were in the Manyelethi River opposite the MalaMala Main camp. The lions then turned east and rested in the northern parts of Rhino Pens.
Manyelethi male –
02 May 2008
The Manyelethi male was found where he made the impala kill the night before. The leopard was lying near the carcase when a hyena moved into the area; they fought with each other then both animals started to feed on the kill. The Hyena eventually managed to chase the male leopard off but he still hung around in the area, in the background. He then challenged the hyena with another fight, chased it off and took the dead impala back. The leopard then dragged the kill into a tree before the Hyena could get it; after which spending the day feeding on his well earned carcass.
Rollercoaster male
and Styx pride members – 03 May 2008
The Rollercoaster male and four members of the Styx pride where found after rangers heard lions roaring in the Mlowathi River. The male looked well fed and so did some of the lionesses; the pride became active as soon as it became dark and moved south-easterly towards Campbell’s Koppies.
Eyrefield pride and
cubs – 03 May 2008
The Eyrefield pride and the nine cubs where found in the Sand River just to the north of West Street. The lions had stolen the Manyelethi male’s impala kill from the tree leaving the nine cubs playing with its skull in the river bed. The pride later roared in unison as the evening drew near and spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping in the river.
Manyelethi male –
03 May 2008
The Manyelethi male was found high up a tree near where he had put his impala kill. The leopard was close to where the Eyrefield pride was sleeping in the Sand River so he spent his time high up in the tree keeping a watchful eye on the lions below.
Back
to the Top |
Sightings Map |
Diary
Archives
