Nyosi Female Leopard (Nhlaralumi Female Leopard)

Name: Initially known as the Nyosi female (after the small Nyosi river that winds through Vielmetter property), but later she was referred to as Nhlaralumi (or Sharalumi) female, after the large Nhlaralumi riverbed.


Born: Unknown

Territory: This female used to be seen on the western half of Vielmetter, Jaydee, south-western Peru, Java and further south into Kings property, as well as west of Argyle Rd in Klaserie. However, this female leopard seems to have moved off and relinquished her former territory to her daughter, Nthombi. Nhlaralumi female is now hardly ever seen in the Timbavati, and one would have to guess that she moved off to the west.

Males: Unknown

Cubs: 2006 – Early 2006 she had 2 cubs, a male that was lost track of, and a female that remained in the area named Nthombi.

Mother: Unknown

Father: Unknown

Siblings: Unknown

Neighbours: Presently unknown

Story: This semi-relaxed female used to be fairly prominent in the south-western corner centring on the Nyosi riverbed, but following the act of raising two of her cubs to independence in 2007, she seemed to move out of the area, and was only seen on a handful of occasions. Despite not being an overly relaxed leopard herself, her daughter turned into one of the most relaxed leopards in the reserve and pays absolutely no attention to the vehicles. Her son was a different story and was not very relaxed, and as a result it was difficult to keep track of him; some have suggested that the Machaton male might be the ‘missing son’, but photographic proof is needed to confirm this.

There was a reported sighting of a large female in late 2008 that the guides believed was the Nhlaralumi female, but no known sightings have been recorded of late. Quite a bit further south, there is a leopard that is referred to as the Zebanine female, but she is seldom seen by the northern lodges as our leopard viewing in the north is normally good enough not to necessitate such a long journey down south for a slightly nervous leopard. I am not sure if the southern loges have compared photos of ‘Zebanine female’ and ‘Nhlaralumi female’ to confirm that they are not one and the same.

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