Leopard siblings Jack and Claudi began the adventure of their young lives after they were released into the wild at Nkomazi Private Game Reserve on June 22.
After being rescued by the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) in February last year the two little cubs were handed over to the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary where they spent three months before being moved to Nkomazi in May last year.
“It was an emotional moment for me to see those two animals walk free,” said Nkomazi Private Game Reserve co-owner, Dewyk Vos.
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“They have spent the past 14 months in a quarter-hectare enclosure and this became too small for them. The time was also right to release them into the greater part of the reserve – any longer in captivity and they would not be able to be rehabilitated.”
At both Care for Wild and their boma home at the reserve, their caretakers went through great trouble to minimise human contact.
“In the beginning, obviously, we had to spend quite a lot of time with the cubs for feeding, cleaning and protection. However, over the past five months, their only contact with people has been when we dropped off food.”
Nkomazi Private Game Reserve covers an area of nearly 15 000 hectares. According to the reserve, the two animals were thoroughly examined by MTPA veterinary specialist Gerrie Camacho prior to their release and given a clean bill of health.
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Vos said Jack and Claudi showed initial reluctance to leave the security of their enclosure and had to be enticed out by dragging a warthog carcass behind a game vehicle in front of them.
“We fitted Claudi with a new tracking collar within the last month and have a student ranger who will track her movement via GPS. We will be able to pinpoint her position in real time for the next 24 months. Jack was fitted with a tracking implant so we can follow him via radio telemetry.”
Vos added that the two young leopards would face significant challenges, not the least being the expanse of their new environment, the presence of other predators (especially lions), and learning to hunt without a mother as a mentor.
Upon Lowvelder’s visit to the reserve boma in July 2020, it was mentioned that one of the leopards on the reserve came by to make the cubs’ acquaintance.
Personnel found tracks outside the boma and said they suspected it might have been one of the reserve’s females.
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Vos said the natural environment is on their side. “The property is large enough to accommodate quite a few leopards and there is sufficient food for them to thrive.
“Our anti-poaching unit will watch over them at night to ensure the lions do not get close. We will also check whether we have to do supplemental feeding while they are improving their hunting skills.”
The hope is that Claudi will eventually mate with another adult male and that Jack perhaps pairs with the second female on the reserve.
“That female is the success story on which we have based this rehabilitation project. She was released after being in similar circumstances to Jack and Claudi and has flourished as both hunter and mother.”
There are three adult leopards on the reserve, a male and two females, one of which has cubs.
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“We have limited capacity for leopards and if all the females breed successfully, we will not be able to keep all the cubs. This means we will be able to supply other reserves and, by so doing, strengthen the gene pool and reduce in-breeding.”
Vos said Nkomazi is strongly committed to conserving endangered species, “because it’s the right thing to do,” but admitted that their presence – especially that of predators – is a powerful drawcard for tourists.
