26th November 2000
A rather different night. Having found Tjololo still with his mistress early in the evening, they moved around in a large circle with no obvious purpose, mating periodically. Then later in the evening settled in a spot of no real consequence, where we’d found them earlier, and spent the rest of the night there mating on and off. We had never had them stay so stationary for so long before, except when they had a kill.
Having been inactive for so long through the night my car battery had gone flat running all the internet equipment, but Dale was at hand to give us a push.
This prompted the leopards to get on the move and slowly they headed west and then south around sunrise. Once on the southward stretch they followed the road and I was able to keep leap-frogging ahead of them to get them walking towards the camera.
Suddenly they were alerted by an impala calling her youngster just off the road. They moved in to investigate. The mother saw them and blew her trumpet. Frantically snorting she ran to and fro watching the leopards. Then as if by mistake Tjololo suddenly lunged into the grass, not even 2 meters from where he was standing and pulled out an impala lamb. The Newington female wrestled briefly with him for the kill but he shook her off.
The alarm snorts of the impala had attracted a third leopard, Shololtoo. He was reluctant to tackle Tjololo who ignored his presence, and settled in the grass watching Tjololo feed while the Newington female stressed herself at his presence.
Just as all the action struck my vehicle cut out. A fuel problem. Trying to get it going again flattened my already sick battery and we could only watch the events from a distance. Luckily having rested the vehicle for a while it started and we were able to limp back to camp.
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