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Leopard visits the Tubu Hide – again!

Wildernessblogger — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 05:58:27 +0000

16 Nov 2010

Location: Tubu Tree Camp, Jao Concession, Botswana

Date: 4 November 2010

Observer: Johnny Mowanji and guests

Photographer: Stefan Helene Petersson

The hide on Hunda Island is proving to be alluring to our resident leopards. At the beginning of this year there was a special sighting of a big male leopard relaxing on the hide. Ten months later it has happened again!

As guests were driving up to the hide they stopped to look at a Hamerkop bird nest when a guest spotted one of Tubu’s young female leopards up on the hide. He was strutting his stuff, claiming to be the prince of the hide.

It was quite special; however it was only the start of the sighting. The young leopard watched the safari vehicle pull up a little closer and then decided to investigate the vehicle. The guide stopped and as they watched, the leopard came down from the hide and slowly walked towards the game viewer checking out one side before coming in front and to the driver’s tyre. He rubbed up against it and posed for a nice picture before heading off.

It was quite ironic as this hide was constructed to observe wildlife from it, not in or on it!

The guests were left sitting with their mouths wide open, but this special sighting didn’t stop there. As they followed the young leopard, he lead them to his mother and sister. The mother was out of breath from taking down an impala, and our youngster proceeded to feed with the family.

Leopard seen – in Mokoro – at Tubu Tree!

Wildernessblogger — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:02:16 +0000

Location: Tubu Tree Camp, Jao Concession, Botswana.

Date: 28 October 2010

Observer: Grant Atkinson

Photographer: Grant Atkinson

On a trip to Tubu Tree Camp, situated in the west of the Okavango Delta, we had a most interesting encounter with a young male leopard. The alarm snorts of impala and zebra close to camp indicated the possible presence of a predator, so we followed up on it. What we eventually found was a leopard, moving along slowly, clearly more intent in exploring his new surroundings than in us. This particular leopard is one of two cubs from an adult female known as the Mopane Ridge Female seen around Tubu Tree Camp at the moment. It seemed that his mother was not in attendance though, perhaps out hunting, and he had been left behind to stay safe and out of possible harm.

It was a very pleasant, overcast afternoon, and the mild temperature had likely encouraged the young cat to begin moving a bit earlier in the day than would normally be expected.

During perhaps half-an-hour’s wanderings, the young cat had shown strong interest in some far-off red lechwe, and a flock of White-faced Ducks. He was walking along the water’s edge, and this brought him right up to one of the camp mekoro.

He approached the mokoro very cautiously, and then reached out a paw to touch it. Next moment, he slipped inside and walked the length of the canoe, stopping at the far end, which was just on the edge of the water. After a good, long look around, he decided that he wasn’t going to proceed any further, and he turned around, and jumped out. We followed him for a little longer, and left him resting in some tall grass, keeping a close eye on some distant blue wildebeest, and waiting for his mother to return.

Impala Gains Miraculous Reprieve

Wildernessblogger — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 09:06:18 +0000

Location: Mombo Camp, Okavango Delta
Date: 17 October 2010
Observer and Photographer: Brooks Kamanakao

Chiefs Island certainly provides incredible game viewing opportunities. Mombo Camp guide, Brooks Kamanakao, watched a young female leopard (Legadima’s daughter, Pula) hunt and catch a an impala ram – in broad daylight – the other morning.

Soon after Pula subdued and partially suffocated the ram, a troop of chacma baboons spotted her. The males charged and she was forced to take evasive action. The baboons lost interest once the leopard was out of sight, but a spotted hyaena then arrived to see what all the fuss and noise was about. The hyaena didn’t spot the impala and, seeing nothing of interest, walked off into the bush again.

Roughly ten minutes later, the impala took a huge gasp, sat up, and looked around groggily. Seconds later, he was on his feet and rapidly disappearing into the distance!

Baboons are often seen in association with impala, with the two species often foraging together probably because predators are more easily spotted with additional ears and eyes. Baboon troops also regularly have sentinels in the trees keeping a watchful eye over the surroundings. In this case, the baboons certainly saved this impala’s life…

Keledi Comes of Age at Tubu Tree Camp

Wildernessblogger — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 05:28:28 +0000

Location: Jao Concession, Okavango Delta
Date: 2nd September 2010
Compiled by: Jacky and Justin, Tubu Tree Camp Managers
Photographer: Victor Horatius

Keledi, one of Tubu Tree Camp’s new star attractions, is a young female leopard resident in the Jao Concession. She was seen in June, struggling to take down and kill a young wildebeest before receiving help from mother. She has, over the last few months, slowly been honing her hunting skills…

As guests made their way into Tubu Tree Camp on August 30th, they came across Keledi stalking some impala – an exciting start to their safari! They then watched her slink towards the impala and attempt to catch one but the impala got away. Keledi seemed to just sit there in utter disbelief until a bird caught her eye, pouncing at it as well – but she missed again. Still very inexperienced in the finer art of effective leopard hunting, guests found her again the next day still quite relaxed but definitely looking hungry.

September 1st saw a new chapter in Keledi’s life dawn: that of solo hunter and independent adult. Guests came across her on a morning drive and she had just killed a full-grown male red lechwe. Still out of breath and standing over her kill, there were drag marks indicating the area where the kill took place. Reconstructing the events, it seems that she grabbed hold of the lechwe, and owing the antelope’s size relative to the leopard, had dragged it into the water before she managed to kill it. After some minutes of trying to regain her energy she started to drag it out of the water and towards the sanctuary of some nearby bush.

She struggled though, as her energy was tapped and because of the size of the lechwe so, after dragging it few metres but still a distance from the bush, she started to eat. This was her first observed large prey animal, and as guests left her they all wondered if it would still be hers by the next day, as the size of the lechwe would make it tough to conceal her prey from other predators.

The next morning, after a short breakfast, the guests headed out again in anticipation of what had happened at the kill site during the night. As guests got close to the area, they spotted some hyaena tracks. Thinking her kill was taken away by these relentless predators in own right, they drove on.

Keledi was found again, still with her prize – she had dragged it closer to the bush by about another 30m, but still not eating that much. As guests spent some time with her, she ate some more and then dragged it even closer to the bush. Then the guide received a radio call from another game viewer that there was another leopard heading in their direction. They waited in anticipation and then the other leopard appeared some distance away. There was a pause and it seemed as though the leopards exchanged a glance and then the other leopard went off again. Taking a closer look at the other leopard it was identified as Keledi’s mother. Perhaps she was just checking how her latest offspring was getting along…

This was all a tremendous success in the young leopard’s life and we at Tubu Tree Camp are certainly looking forward to seeing more of her.

Carnivores in the Kalahari

Wildernessblogger — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:58:15 +0000

Location: Kalahari Plains Camp
Date: July 2010
Observer: Russell Crossey

A few days of incredible carnivore viewing in the Kalahari began with finding a young female leopard stalking a pair of steenbok. We spent an enthralling 20 minutes watching the stalk. The leopard eventually charged but failed in her attempt. She then proceeded to roll and bask in the perfect evening light, providing excellent photographic opportunities and coming right up to our vehicle. She sat and watched us for a long while before sauntering off in the direction of camp.

The guests were a bit disappointed that their daughter had missed the spectacle as she had elected to stay in camp. They need not have worried. Halfway through dinner we heard the repeated alarm call of a jackal very close by. Investigation revealed the same young leopard looking for water on the edge of the deck. She went under the deck and spent some 15 minutes relaxing and grooming herself there. We all had a perfect view of her through the decking as she nonchalantly went about her business.

The following morning, we embarked on a morning drive to the Deception Valley. This turned out to be equally successful with an excellent cheetah sighting at Lekubu. On returning to the camp we found all of the staff very excited as three lions had walked through camp and out past room three.

The following morning drive, again to Deception Valley, the cat trilogy was completed with an excellent sighting of one of the big Lekubu males. He very obligingly roared for us before sauntering off into the woodland. The next morning, the same guests were treated to a final morning drive headlined by a meeting with the two Kalahari Plains Pride males.

Shortly after all the lion, leopard and cheetah activity, we managed to spot and film (see clip below), a stunning brown hyaena in the middle of the day.

Leopard and Lion at Home at Kalahari Plains Camp

jamesh — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:59:15 +0000

Location: Kalahari Plains Camp, Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswana
Date: 10-14 June 2010
Observers: Russel Crossey and the Kalahari Plains Camp staff

The rainwater-fed waterhole in front of camp is really coming into its own now as the dry season progresses. Every day we see more and more game arriving on the plain in front of camp. There are still scores of springbok and oryx on the plain right throughout the day. As usual one can also often count as many as eight honey badgers scattered across the open area. Groups of red hartebeest are also beginning to appear in greater numbers.

The real action however has been with the cats. It all began on Friday 11 June when Frances and his guests witnessed four cheetah kill and eat a steenbok very close to their vehicle. Two mornings later, while Willie was doing the early morning wake-up, he came across a leopard that had just killed a springbok. The leopard dragged its prey under Room 10 and proceeded to feed. Some jackals close by began to alarm call and we were sure that the lions would show up as they did the last time there was a kill near camp. The leopard must have known this and as soon as the dawn broke, she dragged the carcass deeper under Room 10 and disappeared from view.

Sure enough, as soon as we left camp on game drive, we came across the Plains Pride. They (two adult males and three adult females) were making a beeline for the camp. The females were, however, distracted by some oryx which they began stalking but the males continued to the waterhole for a drink. They walked right by Room 10 without noticing the carcass and after drinking they returned to the females. The females had failed in the hunt and the pride then disappeared toward the south.

That evening things really got interesting. Shortly after 19h00, we saw two leopard making their way towards Room 10. The female who had made the kill was returning with her sub-adult cub. They went straight to the carcass and continued feeding.

A while later, the staff were having dinner behind the camp and the female appeared, apparently thirsty. She went to a small puddle in the shadows, passing just five metres from the table and completely ignoring everyone. A few moments later, she reappeared with her cub and they both passed within metres of us again. We collected the guests who were thrilled to see the pair so close – we all stood in a huddle enjoying the spectacle. The leopards then moved onto the deck in front of the curio shop and then onto the pool deck. It was breathtaking stuff and the guests were beside themselves with excitement. We left the cats moving off into the dark.

By 23h00, the lions had finally picked up the scent. They arrived and polished off the remains of the carcass.

Our guests left the next morning, totally blown away by the Kalahari as the lions roared all around camp as we left for the airstrip. On our return, we found the ladies raving. The camp staff were again entertained by the leopard who came into camp at about 08h00 and spent most of the morning sleeping under the deck.