Kgalagadi Leopard Sightings

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Maja and cub Jannie in the area of Leeuwdril about 9:30. The cub wanted to play, but mom wasn't in the mood, so she snarled at him and went to the ground to rest.



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[ExFmem]

Maja in the ridge south of the KK turnoff at approx. 8:00. Very relaxed, then moved over the ridge as the sun got hotter.



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[ExFmem]

Tswana and her cub L-42 at Moravet waterhole @ 8:30. The cub was quite skittish, but finally emerged and ran after mom over the dune. This sighting was 2 years earlier than Tswana had previously been reported in the Leopard Project.


Tswana


cub L-42

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[ExFmem]

Sitting atop the hill at the entrance to Grootkolk @ 6:05. He crossed the road and headed east (direction of Botswana).



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While watching Grootkolk 1 above, we heard the rasping of a second leopard very close by. We drove south and caught only a brief glimpse of Grootkolk 2 heading to the camp waterhole.



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Kanna visited the Grootkolk waterhole around 10:00, then headed to the left of Unit #1.



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[ExFmem]

Maja in a tree in the area of Munro waterhole about 12:00 noon, trying to get comfortable for an afternoon snooze.



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[ExFmem]

Khomani at Montrose waterhole about 6:30 where she drank for a VERY long time, then headed back across the road and over the dune.



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[ExFmem]

Safran was chased up a tree by a male leopard just south of Grootkolk, but before Kannaguass about 6:10. At first we only saw her walking through the grass, when out of nowhere a male leopard popped his head up and began running towards her. She bolted up this tree and the standoff began. This went on for 2 hours when the male decided to go up after her...to be continued in the next post w/ the male.



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[ExFmem]

Here he is being shown who's the boss by Safran. She successfully fought off his advances, and he descended from the tree and headed northwest.

This was a previously unidentified male, so I got to name him. I chose "Kham" because my first thought was to honor AstroMatt in some small way for all his extraordinary work on this project, so I looked to the field of astronomy for ideas. Kham is the Kora KhoiKhoi name for the moon, which they spoke of as "the Returner". The significance of both the moon and leopards coming out at night is apparent, and while I hoped he would indeed, return, I don't think he's been seen since.


Kham

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