Friday 05 May
The week kicked off with the young prince Hosana and his prized impala kill. WE caught up with him at the end of Sunset Safari as he secured his carcass in the boughs of a tall tree.
Saturday 06 May
Hosana was a flat cat for most of the day, panting heavily as he digested his impala kill in lush green thickets beneath a tree. As dusk approached he rose and moved towards the dam, possibly wanting for a drink of water.
Wednesday 10 May
Reports had flooded in after an aggressive encounter between the young prince and the dominant male in the early hours of Sunday morning. Loud growls were accompanied by dashing steps as the cats confronted each other. WE searched for both cats following the drama (some of which had been captured on the dam cam) but it was only on Wednesday afternoon during the sunset safari that Hosana was finally found lying in tip-top shape on the wall along Treehouse dam- unscarred from his tussle with Tingana but weary with the knowledge that he’s treading on another cat’s territory (walked past a herd of impala and did not react).
Thursday 11 May
Hosana was found, still resting up at Treehouse dam. He then took us through some dense vegetation on the sunset safari, performing the same evasive skills his mother Karula was so adept at. Once again, WE were astounded at just how well he has coped with premature independence and developed the skills necessary of a solitary cat. Already a master of the sleek leopard walk, he faded away into long grass to hunt, beautifully suiting the autumn colour scheme of the Sabi Sands.
Tristan had raced off to Cheetah Plains to see what surprises the far east had to offer and there, also moving through the yellowing grasses of autumn, was another spotted cat – the Cheetah Brothers. They appeared to be on the lookout for food, heading north along the Mala Mala boundary towards another open clearing, but they must have already walked quite a bit today, for they stopped to catch their breath and sat low on the plains while they waited for the twilight hours of the dusk.
Friday 12 May
This report’s Cat week ended with the striking Salayexe, a female leopard WE have not seen in a long time. With an impala kill hoisted in the tree above her, she settled quite close to us, relaxed but also alert to the fact the there might be other leopards on Arathusa.
