CHEETAH SIGHTINGS - 2011

December 2011

The two brothers have been seen on many occasions near the Clarendon area. They continue to do very well and often look very well-fed when they are found. During the month we also saw a young female cheetah in the central parts of Eyrefield and near Campbell Koppies. This is thought to be the daughter of the female/cub duo we viewed for most of 2010 and 2011. She is looking in great health and we can only hope that she decides to make MalaMala her new home.

Number of different Cheetahs encountered : 3

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November 2011

A great month of cheetah viewing. Most of the sightings were of the two ‘regulars’. These two brothers were seen mostly at Clarendon Dam. Two females were also seen during the month on separate occasions. One was a young female and the other was an adult female. It is possible that these two were the mother and daughter pair that was viewed on the reserve last year and have since split up. Towards the end of the month it was feared that one of the brothers had been killed, as we found just one and it was calling away trying to find its brother. After half an hour it must have heard a response that was inaudible to human ears, because it just ran off and over the boundary. The following day both cheetahs were found.

Number of different Cheetahs encountered : 4

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October 2011

The two male cheetah brothers continue to do well over the north eastern parts of the property near Clarendon Dam. There is still no water in Clarendon, so when the rains finally fill it up we can only hope they will continue to stick around as the other predators move further from the river. There is still no further sign of the third and forth brothers. We have no idea what happened to them, but we suspect that they have succumbed to another predator.

Number of different Cheetahs encountered : 2

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September 2011

Only five sightings of cheetah for the month. Last month the coalition of four was reduced to three, and now this month there are only two brothers left. What has happened to the other two is anyone’s guess. The pair was seen killing an impala around Fourways open area, which they fed off for a few hours. Affording us some great viewing in the process. The quantity of sightings for cheetah has probably dropped off because there is no water in Clarendon Dam, which is what usually attracts them to the area.

Number of different Cheetahs encountered : 2

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August 2011

The four male coalition looks to have become three. We saw them just once this month, and the fourth brother was still missing. We are not sure if he has been killed or is simply lost, but either way it’s a great pity that he’s not around. The three remaining brothers looked in excellent condition and were well fed . The fourth cheetah seen this month was the young sub-adult female that split from her mother last year. She was found hunting around Wild Dog rocks open area. She was very lean, but out of the blue grabbed a female steenbok and enjoyed a filling meal. She looks to be surviving very well on her own.

Number of different Cheetahs encountered : 4

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July 2011

Cheetah were seen only three times during the report period. It was the coalition from Kruger National Park that usually comprises the four males. However this time there were only three. As to the whereabouts of the fourth, nobody knows. All three were very well fed on most occasions. With the water at Clarendon Dam drying out, the prey species may move elsewhere. This in turn will no doubt prompt this group to look elsewhere for food and water.

Number of different Cheetahs encountered : 3

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June 2011

The four males were seen regularly throughout the month up in the Clarendon Dam area as well as a single female who was found up at Clarendon and then made her way west through the course of the day, and by late afternoon was found again in Piccadilly Triangle where she attempted to hunt impala, but was unsuccessful.

Number of different Cheetahs encountered : 4

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May 2011

May was another good month for cheetah viewing at MalaMala, with six different sightings, of which five were on consecutive day. They covered a vast distance from the north-eastern corner down to south and central Flockfield. All the sightings were of the coalition of four males that we have been seeing for quite some time now. On four occasions all four males were together, with one being seen on its own on the other two occasions. They were seen feeding during the course of the month when they killed a sub-adult kudu.

Number of different Cheetahs encountered : 4

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April 2011

This month was another good month of viewing cheetah, as we were privileged to 10 sightings of these majestic cats. Unlike last month, the 4 males did not provide the bulk of our cheetah viewing this month, but rather it was the female that used to have the female cub. This female moved the entire length of the property this month, with sightings in the north as well as right down in Jakkalsdraai open area, where she killed an impala only to be chased off by the Toulon male lion. She was seen by rangers and guests to be successful in hunting twice this last month, with impala being caught on both occasions. The first occasion she was able to feed on the entire antelope herself, while the second kill was stolen by the Toulon male. The four males were seen on 3 occasions, and always around Clarendon dam.

Number of different Cheetahs encountered : 6

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March 2011

The four brothers provided all of the cheetah sightings this month, they were seen on five separate occasions at Clarendon. For the most part they slowly moved about the open area providing excellent viewing but there was no hunting. One encounter however did stand out and that was when they came up against the Matshipiri female. The four brothers spotted the female leopard as she sat watching them from just inside the bush line. Initially the cheetah got up and made there way over to her looking to chase her away but then they decided against it. After twenty minutes of starring they decided to advance on the leopard again. This time the cheetah got to within fifteen meters before their resolve broke and they stood undecided on what to do. They didn't have to wait long as the Matshipiri female up their minds for them, she came storming out of the long grass at full charge towards them. The cheetah immediately broke ranks and scattered in four different directions. The leopard chased after one of them, then switch her attention to a second cheetah before finally bolting up a giant Marula tree. The four cheetah were left unhurt but embarrassed and they jogged off.

Number of different Cheetahs encountered : 4

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February 2011

What a prolific month for cheetah sightings at Mala Mala with twenty two different sightings during the report period. Most of these were of the four males seen most often in the north eastern corner around Clarendon Dam, and the female and her large female cub. The pair were seen mostly around Mlowathi dam and Piccadilly triangle. The two females were found on one occasion with a male impala kill in the early hour of the morning. On many other occasions they were seen hunting but to no avail. One sighting round Mlowathi dam provided some comic relief as the same two females were being harassed by a small herd of buffalo.

Number of different Cheetahs encountered : 6

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January 2011

A reasonably good month for Cheetah sightings. The beginning of the report period there were a few sightings of the female with large female cub. They were found with two impala kills suggesting that the youngster is now catching prey as well, they were however chased off their kills by a single Styx lioness. A few days later they were seen catching a juvenile impala. With the youngster now catching prey it will only be a matter of time before she gains her independency. Other cheetah sightings included the several sightings of the four males up at Clarendon dam.

Number of different Cheetahs encountered : 6