December 2010

• Son of the Dudley female: (4 years 6 months)(5 sightings)

Still looking to set himself up this young male disappeared for great lengths of time before showing up in unexpected places like Clarendon and wild dog rocks open area. He is scent marking and roaring around the sand river but every time a bigger male moves into the area he scampers off tail between his legs. At the age he is now he should be territorial but with stiff competition from the Emsagwen, bicycle crossing, and Sparta males it’s going to be a long hard uphill battle to take over a river facing territory. Perhaps he like all young males should start out in the less desired territories and work his way to the river.

---

August 2010

• 2 Sons of the Dudley female: (4 years 4 months) (5 sightings)

Only the more common of the two sons was seen, he continues to hang around river. Growing in confidence this male looks to be forcing his way to dominance, let’s see what the next couple of months hold for him and if he can weather the pressure from the Emsagwen and bicycle crossing males.

---

September 2010

• 2 Sons of the Dudley female: (4 years 3 months) (6 sightings)

---

August 2010

•2 Sons of the Dudley female: (4 years 2 months) (14 and 2 sightings)

These two males could not be more different if they tried. The first male is fighting for territory with their father, hunting, roaring scenting and very relaxed around vehicles. He has been very successful even having stand-offs with his father. The bulk of the sightings have been of this male as the area he is trying to lay claim to is between West Street and Main Camp. While on the other hand his brother is a quiet as a mouse, happy to be nomadic and move around the Rock Drift donga, also the territory of their father, however there is no scenting or roaring and not attempt to lay claim to any territory. We have only seen him twice this month and on both occasions he has only been happy with one vehicle and at a distance. Let’s hope for his sake that he starts standing up for himself like his brother.

---

July 2010

2 Sons of the Dudley female: (4 years 1 month) (9 sightings)
This young male is finding it harder and harder now that the Emsagwen male and the Bicycle Crossing male are becoming far for active and aggressive around their core territories. He has not been seen much and even when he has been seen he has not been as sure of himself as last month when he was roaring and scenting around West Street. He has been found on the eastern bank a lot, which again has not been the area he has been trying to establish himself in. He has not appeared skittish or worried but he has not roared or scented but rather made his way south and eventually into the Matshipiri river and then east. Hopefully he will still be able to lay claim to a small piece of land around West Street, but now, this time of year, he will have to fight for it.

---

June 2010

2 Sons of the Dudley female: (4 years) (9 sightings)

The bulk of these sightings are still of the brother who is trying to establish himself around the Mala Mala airstrip. He continues to scent mark in his father, the Bicycle Crossing male, territory. The interesting sighting of the month was a small run in with the daughter of the Ngoboswan female, although they are brother and sister through the fact that they have the same father, they did not greet nor fight but both ran off in different direction when they met each other. If this male does manage to lay claim to a small piece of land in this area it will be interesting to see who will mate with the daughter of the Ngoboswan female, her father, her brother or will she head out of her territory and seek out the Emsagwen male. Well let’s first see if winter, when leopards set up and maintain their core territory, will allow him to get some territory in this area.

---

May 2010

2 Sons of the Dudley female: (3 years 11 months) (8 Sightings)

The son of the Dudley female that is trying to set up territory around the airstrip still makes up most of the sightings of these two males. He looks to have claimed a small territory squeezed between his father the Bicycle Crossing male, Emsagwen male and the Large male leopard from Sparta. These 3 males are very large and he has done well for himself by even getting a small area, however the pressure around the river during winter for water will tell weather he is able to keep this territory or be chased off, it is going to be a tough winter.

---

April 2010

2 Sons of the Dudley female: (3 years 11 months) (13 Sightings)

Most of the sightings this month were once again of just the one brother who is always seen around the Western Bank and three of the sightings was of the one that we seldom see. The lesser seen brother had an interesting month as he was seen courting with the female leopard who has the discoloured iris. This was seen over three days around Charleston north area. The brother that is seen more often remains ever defiant of his father and continues to scent mark on the Western Bank.

---

March 2010

2 Sons of the Dudley female: (3 years 10 months) (8 Sightings)

Just the one son was seen this month. He continues to look for territory on the western bank between the two permanent river crossings, but this is still squarely in the bicycle crossings male territory and he’s not about to give it up. The two had one interaction this month and like all others before it ended with this young male in a tree hissing at his father below. But when the bicycle-crossing male is not around this youngster scent marks as he passes by and roars at the snorting impala herds like he owns the place. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next six months as the son of the Dudley female comes into his prime.

---

February 2010

•2 Sons of the Dudley female: (3 years 9 months) (13 Sightings)

Just the one son was seen this month. He continues to look for territory on the western bank between the two permanent river crossings, but this is still squarely in the bicycle crossings male territory and he’s not about to give it up. The two had one interaction this month and like all others before it ended with this young male in a tree hissing at his father below. But when the bicycle-crossing male is not around this youngster scent marks as he passes by and roars at the snorting impala herds like he owns the place. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next six months as the son of the Dudley female comes into his prime.

---

January 2010

2 Sons of the Dudley female: (3 years 8 months) (9 Sightings)

Both sons of the Dudley female were seen this month. The less common one was only viewed once at Charleston north, he looked fit and healthy but has become nervous of vehicles, perhaps he has had an unfortunate incident in the west.
The more commonly seen brother was again seen between west street bridge and the causeway. On two occasions he had run-ins with other leopards, once with the 2006 son of the Kikilezi female as described above and the other with his mother. Rangers were watching the Dudley female when suddenly this young male stepped out from behind a bush. The two leopards stared at each other as if recognising each other before the Dudley female made for a tree. But instead of climbing the tree the female turned back on her son and moved toward him, the young male lost his nerve and lay down in the grass and watched as his mother slowly strode off. Once she had gone he roared in her direction before moving away in the opposite direction.