Leopard Dynamics at Monwana, Thornybush Nature Reserve

Thornybush Nature Reserve is home to a remarkable number of leopards, each with unique territories and behaviours. These solitary animals roam across the reserve, with territory size varying by sex.

Some well-known leopards include the infamous Malewane, Saseka and her sub-adult Ndzalo, VW, Ingwenza and Makeppies with her 6-8-month-old cub. This list only covers the northern parts of Thornybush and for some, those whose territories extend to Monwana Game Lodge. There’s never a shortage of rosetted cat activity here!

At Thornybush Nature Reserve as a whole, we have a dedicated WhatsApp leopard group for sharing new sightings and identifying unknown individuals. We’re always eager to identify new cats and habituate them to vehicles, which requires consistent interaction.

We meticulously track all dynamics and shifts within the leopard community, as understanding these changes helps us to tell the story of this elusive cat of Africa. While this knowledge enables us to enhance the guest experience through incredible moments and sightings, it also helps us to understand how these animals live in the wild.

As guides, we are the link that connects nature with our guests. Armed with detailed information is one more way that we can truly immerse our guests into this incredible experience at Monwana Game Lodge.

The photographs included are taken in the field by guides, trackers and guests. These tell the stories of our leopards, as they establish and maintain their territories. But leopard dynamics can shift quickly, which is why we constantly keep track of their movements and update our guests and readers.