Meet the cats

The Okavango Delta is a paradise for big cats, supporting huge numbers of lions, leopards and cheetahs. For two series the Big Cats 24/7 team has followed individual cats, each with their own unique challenges. Meet the eclectic cast of characters and find out more about their stories.

In series one, Madumo was one of the two dominant males in the Xudum pride of lions. Ten years old and weighing over 180kg, Madumo’s experience and bulk were key to the survival of the pride when huge herds of buffalo arrived on the freshly-filled floodplains. Although male lions are often derided as lazy freeloaders, only they are strong enough to single-handedly bring down an adult buffalo, a skill that could help feed the pride’s growing family. But whether the males would share their prize was another matter, as Madumo wasn’t known to enjoy sharing his food.

In series one, Big Toe was ten years old and ruled the Xudum Pride alongside his coalition partner, Madumo. Named after the elongated toes on his back feet, which leave a characteristic paw print, he has been leading the pride for the last 5 years. His role is to protect the lionesses and young cubs from intruding males who would do them harm, ensuring his offspring get the best chance of survival. The two would often go unseen by the Big Cats 24/7 team for several days at a time while they patrolled their huge territory, roaring as they walked to deter would-be intruders.

In series one, two-year-old Nkgonne was the oldest of the sub-adult males in the Xudum Pride. He would soon be pushed out by the dominant males and forced to live a nomadic lifestyle, until he could find a pride of his own to lead. Now on the cusp of this great transition, he would need to learn as much as possible from his more experienced family members to give him the best chance of surviving outside the pride. The bond he shared with his brother Colin was obvious, and the two enjoyed rubbing their faces together in a show of fraternal love.

In series one, Colin was two years old and had become inseparable from his older brother, Nkgonne. He was easily identified by the GPS collar around his neck, which would send regular location updates to Oxford University lion researcher Dr. Robynne Kotze. When Colin would finally be pushed out of the pride by the dominant males, this collar would allow Robynne to track his movements and discover exactly how young lions disperse from the pride to which they were born. Colin was not quite as confident or experienced as his older brother, Nkgonne, but together they would have the ability to develop into a formidable male coalition.

In series one, Magogo was ten years old and one of the most experienced lionesses of the Xudum Pride. She teamed up with other mums Mmakgosi and Nosi to raise their young cubs together in a creche. This would give her own cub, Mathata, the best start in life, setting him up to become a future dominant male in his own pride.

In series one, Mmakgosi was ten years old and a powerful female lion. She had two young cubs who she creched with Nosi and Magogo’s cubs. This collective caregiving would help the mothers protect their offspring against intruder males, who attempted to take over the pride and kill all the existing cubs. All the mothers suckled each other’s cubs and hunted together to increase their chance of success.

In series one, six-year-old Nosi had recently brought her three cubs into the pride to creche with Magogo and Mmakgosi’s older cubs. The mothers would need to hunt regularly in order to supply their offspring with enough milk and meat to keep them strong. This was a difficult time in the cub’s lives and as the youngest of the three mothers, Nosi relied heavily on the help of her sisters to ensure the survival of her offspring.

In series one, ten-year-old Matho’s three cubs were too young to creche with their older cousins, putting their mother in a difficult position. At their age, contact with the rest of the family, especially boisterous Mathata, could have fatal consequences. Matho would have to wait until there were new cubs in the pride who were closer in age before hers could share the safety of a creche. Easily identified by the notch in her nose and her glaring stare, Matho would prove to have the experience needed make the best choices for her family.

In series one, seven-year-old Naledi had two very young cubs whose arrival would bring the pride’s size to almost forty, making it one of the largest in Africa. To ensure the survival of her litter she had to creche with Matho and Tsebe, who had cubs of a similar age. Naledi was a prolific tree climber in the warmer months of the year, which helped her cool down and avoid the biting flies. She was often spotted by the Big Cats 24/7 team lounging on one of her favourite branches while her cubs slept on the ground beneath her.

In series one, Tsebe was five years old and had given birth to a huge litter of five cubs. Only two percent of litters are this size and they were all hungry for milk. To make her situation worse, she was creching with Matho and Naledi and their cubs were also suckling from her - further depleting her supplies. Tsebe is an incredibly determined mother and rather than share her meal with other family members, she took the bold move to hunt alone, despite the risks.

In series one, Mathata was the oldest cub in the Xudum Pride, and son to experienced female Magogo. He was growing up in a creche alongside the cubs of Mmakgosi and Nosi, giving him extra protection and feeding opportunities from his aunts. His growing confidence and inquisitiveness were good signs that he would one day be a successful leader of his own pride. But unfortunately, Mathata didn’t realise his own strength, leading to some rough playing with his younger siblings. He would soon develop into a formidable male lion, but for the moment he was truly living up to the meaning of his name: ‘Trouble’.

In series two, the Rogue Boys are a coalition of four intruder male lions that the team has never seen before - three sub-adult males and Dimo, a huge male in his prime. They are on the hunt for a territory and are threatening to overpower the Xudum Pride leaders, Big Toe and Madumo. When new males take over a pride, the first thing they do is to kill all cubs that aren’t their own, so when the Rogue Boys come face to face with Tsebe and the Xudum lionesses, the mums must put on the fight of their lives to keep their family safe.

In series two, the team gets to know four-year-old Serami, one of the new generation of adult lionesses in the Xudum Pride. Daughter to either Madumo or Big Toe, she is finally ready to have cubs of her own. To avoid mating with her own father, she’s teamed up with some of her sisters and splintered away from the rest of the pride in search of new males. Being a lion mum is already hard, but having your first cubs without the support and guidance of the older, more experienced lionesses will put Serami’s new-found parenting skills to the test.

In series one, Xudum was five years old and the resident leopard around the Big Cats 24/7 film camp. Although still small for a leopard, she proved her intelligence by perfecting the dangerous act of tree hunting – selecting the ideal tree to jump from onto unsuspecting prey below. Having never successfully raised a cub to adulthood before, Xudum mated and gave birth to two tiny cubs, only to lose one tragically to an aggressive male leopard.

In series two, the team discovers ten-year-old Lediba, an experienced female leopard with her own established territory. Whilst capable of hunting from a tree like Xudum, she is also proficient at catching birds and small mammals in the long grass when the opportunity for a quick snack arises. Lediba is mother to two small cubs who, at just three months old, rely on her completely for food and protection. Less than half of leopard cubs make it to adulthood and there are several dangerous males hanging around that wouldn’t hesitate to put an end to Lediba’s legacy.

In series two, Noka is Lediba’s female cub and at less than a year old, she is watching and learning from her mum. Her confidence is growing quickly and she’s beginning to explore the world around her, putting into practice the skills she’ll need as an adult. But there’s still danger behind every tree, and Noka must avoid deadly male lions and leopards while her mum provides them both with food.

In series two, Bongwe is a seven-year-old and the dominant male leopard in Lediba’s territory. It’s his job to ward off any intruding male leopards from the area to protect his cubs from danger. As the Delta’s floodwaters continue to rise, available dry land is shrinking, and rivals are being pushed closer towards him from all directions.

In series one, Pobe was an experienced seven-year-old female cheetah, capable of avoiding the growing Xudum lion pride as she searched for food deep inside their territory. But when the largest wildfire in five years changed the landscape around her, she became more visible than ever - both to her enemies and her prey. Thankfully, Pobe was known to be a very streetwise cat whose vigilance would be the key to her survival. She would need this along with her speed and agility to catch a meal on the burnt floodplains.

In series two, Pobe the cheetah is back and this time she has two amazing cubs with her, Kea and Bo. They have to stay out of trouble while their mum hunts impala, defends against leopards and avoids bumping into lions. As cheetah cubs, Kea and Bo have to learn fast, following their mum’s lead in running after prey, taking it down and then delivering the killing bite. While Bo is more reticent, Kea throws herself into every task, following in her mums footsteps. It’s a packed curriculum of lesson after lesson, all while trying to stay alive as the underdog of the big cat world.

In series one, five-year-old male cheetah Sepoko truly exemplified his name, ‘Ghost’, having become a master of appearing in the heart of the Xudum lion pride’s territory and then vanishing without a trace. As the lowest in the pecking order of the Okavango’s large predators - even baboons could scare him away - his stealth would be his biggest asset. He often eluded not just the lions and hyenas, but even the Big Cats 24/7 team!