(07-10-2021, 10:05 PM)Tonpa Wrote: Maribye decided to hunt a Puff Adder and was unfortunately bitten on the paw. The guides are gonna keep us updated on what happens, hopefully since it was a paw bite it wont be fatal 

• One of the most exciting sightings this month was with the Shangwa male leopard. One crisp misty morning, one of our guides headed towards the river, where she and her tracker located this male leopard. At first only a tail hanging from a large ebony tree and a spotted hyena at the base. After a few moments of establishing they came to realise that this young male had killed a fully grown nyala ewe but was unable to hoist this heavy carcass. Unfortunately for him, it seemed as though he’d lost this prize to a conniving confident clan member, although she too wasn’t strong enough to drag this gift away. An exciting sighting to view, watching the determined leopard try to steal his meal away from the greedy hyena, and being chased away. After several attempts, he managed to tear away part of the prize, racing up the ebony tree once again to get away from the hyena’s strong jaws. A relentless battle of wills that carried on for well over an hour, finally ending with an extremely full-bellied hyena dragging the remaining parts of the carcass away to a bush. The Shangwa male leopard managed to eat a small part of the kill and sniffed around for any remaining elements before retiring to a nearby thicket only to ponder on his escapades and clean his paws.  
  

• We haven’t seen too much of the Kangela male leopard this month, however his movements have been mostly around the lodges and occupying areas when we have seen him. 
  

• The Misava male was seen east of the lodges, but otherwise this more elusive male remains less viewed. 
  

• The Hosana male had an interesting encounter with the Flat Rock male leopard. Both dominant males were in the same area, north of the Sand River within a few meters of each other at a dam, however both individuals did not see each other. It would be an interesting encounter to view if they did lock eyes and we wonder if there would be some hostility in their interaction. 
  

• The Thamba male leopard has been seen further and further north and east of his territory, pushing into Nyeleti male leopard territory more and more. On one occasion, the Thamba male was seen close to July dam (a dam well within Nyeleti’s area). Scent marking and wandering the area, the Thamba male came across the Nyeleti male leopard and began to chase him. No physical fight happened on this occasion, however some very hostile vocalisation and communication was seen between both individuals. The Thamba male ended up chasing the Nyeleti male far west where we lost visual of both individuals. 
  

• The Scotia female has been seen in her usual territories and at the beginning of the month as had an impala ram kill close to our Singita airport terminal building. The kill however was stolen by a spotted hyena.  
  

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*This image is copyright of its original author

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• The month started with Schotia female and Nyeleti male mating once again which brings the hope of a new litter of cubs in the coming months.
• Schotia female continues to thrive, having made a number of successful hunts throughout the month which allowed for some magnificent leopard viewing. She continues to separate herself from the Kangela male, however the two of them have been seen together on the odd occasion. 
• Guests at Singita Boulders were treated to a very different leopard sighting this month when the Kangela male caught and hoisted an adult female impala in a tree close to one of the room’s outdoor shower. Unfortunately, the kill was stolen by the Nyeleti male who continued to force the young male away whilst feeding on his scavenged meal. There were no guests staying in the room at the time, so we allowed the other guests to come and view this rare sighting!
• The Ntoma female has been viewed on a number of occasions this month with brief glimpses of her two little cubs. We hope to see them thriving with their ever powerful mother keeping them safe. They are still a little bit nervous when there is any sort of vehicle presence but the Ntoma female herself is beginning to show more signs of being relaxed in our presence which we hope helps her cubs to do the same.
• Both Thamba male and Hosana male continue to exude their presence across the reserve. With the Thamba male becoming larger and stronger, he was even seen to be chasing off the Xipuku male who we believe originally pushed the Thamba male further into the south-west parts of the property when he first arrived. He and the Hosana male seem to be pushing their territories just slightly further into Nyeleti male territory with sightings of the Hosana male in parts of the river we have not yet viewed him before. 
• A very interesting arrival of the Senegal Bush male became apparent when he moved into the property along the river from our east. Many may not know, but the Senegal Bush male is the older brother and previous litter of the Hosana male. Reports of pressure from the Maxims male, Mawelawela male and the Flat Rock male mean that this could be a new exciting chapter for the Senegal Bush male if he continues to expand his territory further in a westerly direction, and we look forward to observing his movements.