bateire

I'm leaving in two weeks, it's urgent.
I need your help I have two opoprtunities from my travel agency more ore less the same rates. Which one do you suggest.
thanks
Irene

bushmad

Hi there Bateire

Definately Simbambili - better accom, much better game-viewing (sabi sands far superior to Kruger) and lovely service. Don't hesitate - you will have an awesome time. Proudly part of the rainbow nation

Bushmad

Roccco

bateire,

I have not been to either, but I did choose Simbambili for my Sabi Sand stay next month. Hamilton's Tented Camp looks pretty nice, but I have never been disappointed with the gameviewing in the Sabi Sand.

Just be aware that the plunge pool in mid August will probably be nothing more than a nice decoration as it will still be too cold to use. Even so, the accomodations at Simbambili appear to be very nice.

Just in case you have not been following it, here is the latest update for the Leopards Of Simbambili series, and I have also pulled out a sample report for mid August of last year for your viewing pleasure!

http://www.tagasafaris.co.za/african...est-events.htm

http://www.tagasafaris.co.za/african...-27-aug-04.htm

Hopefully you are so lucky as to see wild dogs as in the above August 2004 report!

bwanamitch

Bushmad,

Have you personally been in Mluwati Concession (Hamiltons), so you can compare game sightings from a firsthand account?

Mitch

napamatt

Rocco

the leopard with the broken tail is probably the son of the White Cloth Female from Mala Mala. Its fun to think we will see the Leopards in some cases without actually realizing it. I am going to look at the photos and see if I can recognize and match spot patterns on the faces of different Leopards.

This report is very good becasue like Mala Mala's diary which is updated weekly it gives an accurate picture of what game viewing is like. I much prefer this to the somewhat sensational monthly reports, that focus on one or two amazing sightings that even the guides feel lucky to have seen, let alone someone visiting for two days. These reports should be compulsory reading so people are not disappointed when they dont see the famous Buffalo riding Baboons of Mala Mala!

sundowner

Matt - do you recognize the markings on either of these?
http://www.pbase.com/cjw/image/39546673
http://www.pbase.com/cjw/image/43161278

I would love to know their "names". These are both from MalaMala.

Thanks
Cindy

napamatt

Cindy

I will print them out and attempt to identify them. I will also probably cheat and get Leon the senior ranger at MM to help .

napamatt

Cindy

The second picture is wonderful! Do you happen to remember the sex of each and general location?

napamatt

Cindy

I think the first Leopard is the Rock Drift Male (Tjololo of NG fame). I went to the cyberdiary archives and found a 2004 picture
http://www.malamala.tv/LEOP_rockdrif04.htm

the first picture shows a very similar spot pattern, also he has a certain kind of look.

I think the second Leopard might be the Campbell Koppies female.

These are just guesses - but its fun trying to work it out. At Mombo they had a folder with the spot patterns drawn on paper of all the Leopards, I think MM has something similar which I will copy into my journal next time.

sundowner

Matt, I looked at the photo you linked to and I believe you are right. It does look like the Rock Drift Male.

And when you asked about where I saw them, I got to thinking and I believe the 2nd one is a female that I saw at Notten's, not MalaMala (although I'm sure they travel all over the area). I believe she is the back leopard in this photo
http://www.pbase.com/cjw/image/42518984
and according to the ranger, she wanted to mate and he did not. We watched her quite awhile trying to approach the male. He would not let her get near.

Thanks for identifying them!

napamatt

Cindy

I think then it could be the Dudley Female

http://www.malamala.tv/mmleop.htm

Click on the sightings map for Leopards and you will see the Dudley Female is likely to be found in the Notten's area. There aren't any really good pictures of her, though there are the rather gross pictures from 2003 of her eating her dead cub.

austkaye

Cindy,

I also checked out those photos of the two leopards with territories in and around MalaMala - I certainly am not skilled enough to recognize them on sight, but when in a certain area, sometimes I can guess, but only by knowing where I am in MalaMala. But looking at both of those photos, I do not know that I would say either is the Rock Drift Male, he is an older male now and has quite a bit of ear damage with various fights that those boys get into, and looking at those pictures, the ears on both leopards are relatively scar free. The Rock Drift Male also has that heavy neck look that comes with age in a male especially, and these look relatively good looking specimens and youngish at that.

But I am sure that those MalaMala rangers will be able to identify them.

Kaye