This week we had a very lucky sighting of the elusive female leopard called Nightjar and her 7 month-old male cub drinking from a small water pan after eating from an impala kill they had made. Interestingly, more male leopard cubs survive than females due to female cubs being much more adventurous than males, resulting in their being killed by bigger predators such as the lions and hyenas (and certain snakes which also attack the young leopards). Male cubs tend to stick near their mothers and in that way keep out of danger, learn from their experienced mothers and survive to adulthood.
We have also had more sightings of the African wild dogs in Thornybush as they spend time in the reserve before moving on. Wild dogs are 80% more successful in hunting than all the other predators due to their problem-solving abilities (as a pack) and also their unique hunting method of literally running down their prey until the target is so exhausted they can finish it off.
