Leopards are solitary animals, and their survival depends on the ability to stalk and hunt alone without the help of others. When leopard cubs become independent from their mother, they have to start fending for themselves and normally, they will start hunting smaller prey like scrub hares and duikers, until they get the confidence and power to bring down bigger prey.

I have been following the Golonyi leopardess since she separated from her mother, the Ntsumi female, with an interest to see how she would progress in her journey into becoming an adult and start establishing her own territory away from her mother. From when her mother was teaching her how to hoist a kill up a tree to protect it from hyenas and other predators, it has been trial and error. Over time, she has gained the confidence to hunt big prey like impala, but her success rate was not always good, but she never stopped trying!

Just a few days ago, we followed up on some tracks of a female leopard for a while and we did not know it would be the Golonyi female. As we got closer to catching up with her, we heard impalas alarm calling and rushed to the area with anticipation... Could it be the leopard we were tracking? Yes! We found her as she was still in the process of killing a fully grown male impala. It was a big surprise to us but a quick realisation as to what she has achieved today by bringing down such a big impala.

We watched her starting to feed off her hard-earned kill. The sun was already setting, and we knew it was not going to be long before the hyenas smell the kill and come and take it away from her. She ate as much as she could but not for long. Hyenas approached as fast as they could and there was no chance for Golonyi to fight the hyenas over her kill. She quickly climbed the nearest tree and let the hyenas enjoy her kill.

The two hyenas dragged her kill away and she followed them from a distance to get some scraps that were falling as the hyenas were fighting at the same time trying to feed. At least that is what we thought, but the Golonyi female had other plans we were not expecting. She was just waiting for an opportunity for the hyenas to get distracted in chasing each other and snatch the remains of her kill and hoist it. Maybe this was her plan – to take advantage of the situation knowing the impala was too big for her to hoist so she would wait until the hyenas ate a bit. She found a gap and took a chance to snatch back her kill and it was too late for the hyenas to chase her as she was already up a tree with her kill!

In the past few months, she did not have the confidence to stand up to hyenas but rather run away to avoid confrontation. The past few days were a noticeable turnaround in her life and more changes in her life are still to come but at this point, she can rise above hyenas.

It was a great experience to see her up a tree with an impala hoisted while hyenas are waiting at the bottom for her to drop some scraps, and no longer her looking on as hyenas fed on her prey. She is indeed a rising star and more awaits to discover for her.