The Tale of Saseka: The Beautiful Leopardess of Thornybush

Jordi Woerts
Oct 30, 2024
3 min read

Updated: May 6

In the heart of Thornybush Nature Reserve, a captivating story unfolds—one that intertwines beauty, brutality, and the harsh realities of nature. Meet Saseka, a remarkable leopardess whose name translates to "beautiful" in her native language, perfectly encapsulating her striking features, including her rare bluish eyes which is a rare feature with mature leopards. She is by far one of the most relaxed leopards in the northern sector and I had the privilege to spend a lot of time with her in the bush.

Saseka posing on top of a termite mound on a rainy day

Strength and Survival

Saseka’s life is marked by an extraordinary lineage. Her grandmother met a tragic fate at the hands of Saseka's mother, purely for taking over the territory. In a dramatic turn of events, Saseka herself killed her mother, claiming the territory that would define her reign. Saseka is still in control of the northern side of Thornybush Nature Reserve and just kicked out her latest cub, the Inzalo male leopard. He is an absolute beauty, but has to survive by himself now. Leopards normally stay with their mom for about 1.5 years. He pushed it a little bit, since he is about 2.5 years old now.

The Struggles of Motherhood

It is reported that Saseka had a total of 13 cubs in her lifetime of which only two made it to adulthood, including the Inzalo male leopard. The harshness of her environment and the instinct to protect her territory appear to weigh heavily on her decisions. It’s theorized that, fearing the loss of her hard-won territory, Saseka may have killed her own female youngsters, a heartbreaking yet instinctual act that underscores the brutal realities of territoriality among leopards. If it is true? It is hard to proof, there are so many other influences in the bush. A spotted hyena might have found the den site, or a pride of lions passed by, we are not sure. But the theory is interesting and trust me, I have seen weirder things out there.

Even at night you can see the bluish tint in her stunning eyes

Bluish Eyes

Leopard cubs are born with blue eyes, but the colour commonly settles on a yellowish tint once they reach adulthood. That being said, blue eyes do carry forward from time to time. This was the case with Saseka too, she has the most beautiful blue eyes. The variation in eye colour amongst leopards is captivating. Leopards are known for their keen eyesight, which allows them to spot prey from a distance and hunt effectively. Leopards have eyes adapted for low light conditions and can see well in the dark. One of their key adaptations is a structure in the back of their eyes called the tapetum lucidum. This reflects light back through the retina and increases the amount of light that is detected by the eye, giving them good night vision and allowing them to hunt successfully in the dim light of dawn and dusk.

The story continues

Saseka is not the youngest leopardess anymore, but she continues to do well. Their was a bit of panic when she got injured in August, luckily she recovered very well and is perfectly fine now. Some exciting news might be coming up soon since she has been seen mating with the dominant male in the area; the Malewane male. This makes it logical that she didn't want the Inzalo male around anymore. The prospect of new cubs for Saseka is super exciting!!