Photo by: Christian Sperka

Kezi

* Kezi currently has a dependent male cub.

This large adult female (estimated age: 6-7 years) named after the Shangaan word for 'star' has lived up to her namesake and proved to be a veritable gem for the study. The majority of her territory incorporates the sandforest regions in the north of the reserve and thus she has provided valuable information on how leopards adapt and survive in this extremely rare and endangered environment. She was seen in early July 2003 with three 2-month-old cubs; however, two of these youngsters were later killed in a tussle with the then dominant male, Umfaan, and the third cub abandoned a couple of days later. Infanticide such as this has not been documented much in leopards and is primarily done by newly established males to force females to come back into oestrus and thus allow them the opportunity of spreading their own genes into the population. Cub mortality by infanticide may be enhanced in this area due to the rapid turnover of males caused by intensive persecution. Recently, Kezi was thought to have given birth to another litter although, to date, she has kept them safely ensconced in the depths of the forest and only time will tell if this new generation is, in fact, a reality.

To adopt Kezi, click here.

Last updated February 2005.