Tracking Kigelia
on Apr 11, 2023On our morning safari, we heard the iconic alarm call of a troop of Vervet monkeys. My tracker, Mfundo, turned around and without saying a word or hesitation we turned the vehicle around to go and investigate. Vervet monkeys are a very reliable source when it comes to spotting and alarming for leopards. The excitement filled up in me when we finally spotted the monkeys up in the tree near Little Bush Camps Staff Village. They were in a tree right next to the Msuthlu Riverbed and were all looking down at something. “There must be a leopard!” I thought.
The terrain was very difficult to enter with the vehicle, so Mfundo and I went on foot with the rifle to go and explore the area with the hope of finding some evidence of its spoor or even the animal itself. We approached slowly and cautiously but by then the monkeys stopped calling and ran away. Being very aware of our surroundings we found a female leopard track in the riverbed. At this stage, I was very excited as I thought we would soon find her, but unfortunately, there were no more signs as she must have disappeared in the tall thick grass. On arriving back at the vehicle, I had to break the news to our guests that we could not find the leopard and we decided to continue with our safari plan and head further west.
The following morning at 5 am I went outside my house to check on the weather as there was rain predicted for the morning. It’s a crisp cold morning with no clouds in sight. As I stood there, I heard the rasping sound of a leopard cutting through the morning stillness. The call gave me new hope! I got to the lodge and shared the exciting news with my guests during morning coffee. Everyone started taking big sips of their coffee as they were keen to go out on a morning safari.
We had just left camp when Mfundo spotted the first tracks. As we climbed off the vehicle to investigate, we both realised who we were about to track. The beloved Kigelia! A very famous leopard that roams around Little Bush Camp. The reason we could identify the tracks as hers is because of the characteristic way that she walks because of an incident that happened to her when she was a cub. Mfundo looked at me and said, “We don’t miss her again”.
Her general direction was along the riverbed, so we decided to walk along it for a while to ensure we knew exactly where she was heading. While walking I kept telling myself, “Think like a leopard, think like a leopard.” Remembering the words of the legendary master tracker Renias Mhlongo saying, “You must put the animal inside your heart.” Walking through the difficult sand, I noticed how much life there was around us. Different species of butterflies flew around and in the water pools, there were lots of tadpoles. After gathering enough evidence, we returned to our guests to share the great news. “Today is the day!”
Fortunately, she decided to exit the riverbed and turned off to a road where we could clearly see her tracks. This enabled us to catch up to her as we realised that she is highly mobile. At this stage, there was a dead stillness in the vehicle as everyone was on the lookout. While driving I remember feeling the butterflies in my stomach as my anticipation increased.
Meanwhile, another ranger came on the same road from the southern side and his words over the radio were like music to my ears. “Dieter, we found this female leopard”. Relief and excitement came over me and I saw Mfundo throwing his fists in the air with excitement. “They found her”, I told my guests. Everyone was getting their cameras ready but not long after the worst message came through. “She has gone into the thicket.” My heart sinks! Without any hesitation, we went off-road where she was last seen. With almost no hope of finding her, I spotted her coming up the drainage as she crossed through. “Leopard! Leopard!” I shouted. We manoeuvred to a clear spot where we could watch her as she decided to lie down and take a break from her long morning walk. We watched her grooming herself and enjoying the shade a Jackalberry tree provided.
I’ve seen a lot of leopards and I’ve had amazing close-up sightings in my life, but this sighting will surely be remembered as an amazing tracking adventure. Kigelia the Queen of Little Bush Camp has yet again given us an unforgettable experience in a special part of the great savannahs that we call home.
Blog by Dieter Lategan (Little Bush Camp Ranger)
