We think it’s time for a leopard update from Umkumbe Safari Lodge. This week we introduce Tatowa, wow you with photos of Mxabene and leave you in awe of White Dam’s antics.
The highlight of our leopard update is the surprise visit from White Dam. Just to remind you, White Dam is a leopardess who has a male and female cub. We speculate that both cubs were sired by Mxabene. White Dam moved south of the property after Mxabene and Warthog Wallow were seen mating close to the lodge. It appears that White Dam has now returned to her old stomping ground! She was seen cruising through the reeds on the banks of the river and subsequently disappeared. Just when we thought she was only back for a fleeting visit, she appeared at camp. There she was – sitting outside one of the ranger’s rooms! Was she lying in wait for Mxabene?
Tatowa is a breathtakingly beautiful leopardess who crossed over from the northern boundary onto the Umkumbe traverse. She’s quite a tough cat and is the only surviving leopard from a litter of 4. She appears to have a mind of her own and boasts a naturally curious nature. Could she have crossed over in the hopes of mating with dominant legend, Mxabene? Whatever her motives, she didn’t hang around for too long before heading back into more familiar territory. We know that Mxabene wasn’t around when she crossed over.
A few weeks ago, we introduced a female called Warthog Wallow who wandered over from Sabi Sands in hot pursuit of Mxabene. Never underestimate a leopard’s ability to stalk, whether it be for food or love! Could Tatowa have had similar intentions? Perhaps we’ll see Tatowa again when Max returns.
After the sighting of the youthful Tatowa, we managed to see Mxabene. He wasn’t doing much apart from showing off his gleaming coat and handsome demeanour. The below photos are purely of Max being Max.
Let’s wait and see what happens next week in the world of the Sabi Sand leopards !
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