James Crookes, a guide at Singita Sabi Sand, is eagerly anticipating his first look at a new leopard litter.
After witnessing the Ravenscourt female mating with the Khashane male a few months ago, we had been hoping a new litter would be arriving soon. Sure enough, almost 100 days from aforementioned encounter, I noted that she was heavily pregnant and was due to give birth any day. Not long after that we discovered her walking towards the Sand River and noticed that she was sporting a lot of loose skin as opposed to a swollen belly. There was also evidence of matted fur around her nipples, a clear sign that she had been nursing cubs. With a sense of excitement, hoping she would lead us back to her den site, we followed her towards the river, but she soon disappeared into an area inaccessible to our vehicles.
Almost three weeks later, we again encountered her on her way back towards the river. This time, however, she headed east of Boulders Lodge towards the rocky outcrops known to us as Tavangume kopjes. As she approached one rocky outcrop, her disposition changed and she became noticeably more alert, stopping every couple of steps to look and listen. This level of alertness was a clear indicator that she was approaching her den as she needed to be aware of any other predators that might have followed her back – cubs are extremely vulnerable at this young age and hence the need for a protected den site. We then watched as she jumped up the rocks and disappeared behind some dense foliage. While we are unsure of the litter size, research suggests an average of two cubs. We wait with eager anticipation for our first glimpse of the new litter and hope that they will be successfully raised in the Tavangume kopjes.
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