The Mantimahle Males

[Sideliner]

MALAMALA TODAY: June 10th. The Teardrop female leopard and her 2 cubs got the fright of their lives this morning. They were feeding on a treed impala kill in Ingwe Donga when 4 large male lions stormed the area, the Mantimahle males. The female managed to escape before one of male lions ascended the tree with the impala kill and both cubs still in it. In these situations leopards who remain relatively calm often walk away unscathed- all they have to do is wait it out on the smaller 'outer' branches of the tree. These branches can support their weight but not that of a bigger cat. Lions also lack the arboreal skills to negotiate the climb. But leopards who panic will tend to jump down, out of the frying pan and into the fire. Later in the afternoon we followed up again and found the Teardrop female with only 1 of her youngsters... the fate of the other remains a mystery for now. A large herd of buffalo was also viewed nearby. The Quarantine male leopard and a small female were seen mating at Clarendon Dam. The Accipiter male leopard was seen briefly at Matshapiri Dam. The two young Avoca males spent the day near Maxim's Lookout. We often finish off these updates with 'many elephant sightings were also recorded' and today was no exception. With pans drying up the Sand River is frequently visited by elephants and a drive along the banks will often yield sightings of multiple herds. Photo by ranger Olly Mathew @ollymathew #malamalagamereserve#itsallaboutthewildlife Reply