Magashi Peninsula’s fishing leopards

‘When people ask if the Magashi leopards fish, the answer is yes!’ says Vidic Venuste Ndungutse, Guide at Wilderness Magashi Peninsula, who experienced such a sighting on an evening boat ride. ‘I was called by our manager Rachel who was watching a leopard near Tent 8. My guests at the time were very keen to see a leopard so I changed our plans – taking the boat out instead of the game vehicle. We spotted the female leopard close to the shoreline. She was looking into the water and the excitement was visible on her face and in her body movement. Suddenly she sprinted to the water, struck out and landed a very large catfish. She then moved off with the fish’s tail flapping from her mouth, to enjoy her dinner in the bush. My guests were ecstatic!’

The behaviour makes ecological sense. Hunting antelope across open savannah demands energy and carries a higher risk of injury or failure. A leopard waiting at the water’s edge, by contrast, can make a single low-cost strike. For a solitary predator, it’s energy-efficient hunting. 

It’s the combination of secluded terrain, productive waterways, and healthy prey populations that makes Magashi one of Akagera’s strongest areas for leopard sightings generally. The lake systems and wetlands also support a range of aquatic and semi-aquatic species, giving this Wilderness concession’s leopards access to food sources that most large predators rarely use.

On another occasion, Tiffany Franks, Wilderness Rwanda GM - Volcanoes National Park Area, who was visiting our other Rwandan properties on a familiarisation trip, had a similarly thrilling sighting.

‘We were on our way back to Magashi Peninsula on the pontoon after a wonderful morning outing with our guide Bosco when he suddenly exclaimed that he had spotted a leopard in the distance. This was really impressive as we were quite far away at the time,’ says Tiffany.

‘We made our way towards the shoreline, being careful not to disturb her, and as we approached, Bosco identified her as one of the territorial female leopards living on the Magashi Concession. She posed for a quick photo, before she started slowly creeping towards the edge of the water. In no time, she came up successful with a fish in her mouth! This was the first time I have ever seen this behaviour. It was also late in day in the heat of the afternoon sun. 

‘We watched her creep into the bushes with her prize and listened to the sounds of her eating. It wasn’t long before she made her way back to the edge of the water, in search of another fish. We watched her for some time, before deciding to leave her to fish in peace.’

Fishing leopards remain an uncommon sighting. But for guests at Magashi and Magashi Peninsula, it’s the kind of unforgettable encounter that reframes how adaptable and intelligent this famously water-averse species is.