MALAMALA'S SIGHTING OF THE SEASON .... BATTLE OF THE CATS

14 August 2009

A simple sighting of a hyaena started off one of the most intense sightings of the year. The hyaena was trailing the Bicycle Crossing male who was moving north along Piccadilly Triangle - roaring and scent marking. As the male reached Mlowathi Koppies, the Emsagwen male emerged from the night. The younger Emsagwen male was walking the exact same path, fifty meters behind the Bicycle Crossing male - salivating and growling. Both males slowly headed into the Koppies, but not before another ranger arriving at the sighting found the Manyelethi male leopard sitting at Mlowathi Crossing -  watching the other two walk right past him. With three big male leopards in the area, the scene was set for fireworks. The Manyelethi male, however, decided that both younger males were too much of a match for him - he snuck off up the Mlowathi River, roaring his disgust at having his territory invaded. Meanwhile, both male leopards had gone deep into Mlowathi Koppies and rangers had to loop around the rocky outcrop to try to find them again. In so doing, they “bumped into” a fresh impala kill hanging in a tree. In close attendance was the Ostrich Koppies female. The Bicycle Crossing male appeared at the base of the tree, which at this time had been vacated by the female. He climbed up and began feeding on the impala. In the interim, the Emsagwen male had moved north of the tree with the carcass in it, and was lying down growling and salivating profusely. The Bicycle Crossing male ate sparingly before descending the tree to take up guard ten paces from the Emsagwen male. The Ostrich Koppies female, deciding that these two males needed space, wisely abandoned her kill and slunk into the darkness - moving north away from the battle zone. The two males then squared up and faced each other - growling, snarling and hissing at each other, and scent marking all over the rocks and bushes. They did some parallel walking, but primarily lay in the grass trading growls with one another. The sighting came to an end when dinner called.

15 August 2009

Following up on the sighting from the night before, rangers found the two males still locked in their territorial battle. It looked as if both of them had fed off the carcass, but both were still focused on the battle at hand. Early in the morning they got up and parallel walked – continuously growling at each other and snarling and spitting at every opportunity. They both began to jog, slowed down, then sped up again. Neither cat giving an inch, they made a complete circle back to the area of the carcass and both lay down in the shade - still growling. After about 30 minutes, and much growling and scent marking, both got up and parallel walked again, slowly at first with much stopping to rest in the shade. The Emsagwen male was on the road with the Bicycle Crossing male on the ridge above him. Both leopards began jogging, which turned into a sprint. They angled toward each other, and with a mighty leap 160 kilograms of pure muscle made contact. Diving through the air, the cats crashed into each other - both going immediately for the head and neck area. Teeth bared and claws outstretched, they came to the ground in a death lock - each trapped in the grasp of the other. After several seconds the lock was broken and they pulled apart. The Bicycle Crossing male twisted onto his feet first. He turned and pushed off in one movement, trying to catch the Emsagwen male off guard. The latter saw the older leopard coming, and leapt backwards to try to avoid the head-on assault. The Bicycle Crossing male aimed straight for the throat -  canines already glistening with blood. But the Emsagwen male sprang backwards and managed to raise a paw up in time to meet the face of his adversary. Both leopards tumbled over, but the Emsagwen male - having twisted out of the grip of the Bicycle Crossing male - landed on top and went to work with tooth and claw, slicing open the neck and cheek of the Bicycle Crossing male. Raising up on his hind legs, the Bicycle Crossing male raked the face of the Emsagwen male. Three hyaenas in the area came running in as soon as the two cats started fighting, and with both leopards preoccupied, they sat ring side - egging on the fighters with their sickly laughs. When either leopard was thrown to the ground, the hyaenas would run in, nipping at the downed gladiator and forcing him up and back into the fight. Baying for blood, the scavenging hyaenas watched as the two leopards thrashed about with swinging limbs, snarling at each other, blood poring from gashes and dripping from bared teeth. The Bicycle Crossing male (caught on the ground) pulled back, and the two males then circled each other - snarling and hissing insults across the arena. The Emsagwen male then launched his counter assault, smashing head first into the Bicycle-Crossing male. Catching the Emsagwen male mid-air, the Bicycle Crossing male bit deep into the neck of the younger male, and hung on for life. Having thrown his opponent off balance, the Emsagwen male also secured a grip on the neck of the Bicycle Crossing male. Both leopards fell to the ground with their teeth sunk into the opposition’s neck, and claws furiously raking the head and flanks of the other. Neither would give any ground, and neither had any intent on loosening their grip for power. The leopards untangled themselves from their ball of blood and flying claws to stare at each other. Snarling they both took off – once again walking parallel to one another. The battle was over, but who had won? The war hadn’t finished yet, and the two predators lay down ten paces apart, still snarling and growling. Both had blood pouring out of various wounds, and as they lay down to rest, they cleaned themselves - still keeping a watchful eye on one another. The hyenas, not having had the opportunity to take advantage of the fight, left the area. The leopards were finally left to themselves - still ten paces apart and still growling, with neither one surrendering.

In the afternoon, only the Emsagwen male was found in the area of the carcass. But the following morning only the Bicycle Crossing male was found. Who had won the fight? Only time will tell.

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