RDfan, In March 2008 the Whiskers did have a huge battle against the Kung Fu, Ella was only able to gather 10 members around her and retreat. Pample Mouse and Popple never returned home. The Kung Fu didnt loose anymembers and are no more than able to fight off the Whiskers with Kleintjie and her rapid births the Kung Fu have a very sucsesful future ahead. The Whiskers have been struggling in low numbers since Ella became dominant while they were once up to 18 members they are now down to only 11 no including Nuggets coalition.
Whiskers juveniles Popple and Pamplemousse disappeared after the fight, but it is unlikely that Kung Fu killed them. Popple was later seen alone and running some distance from the Whiskers home burrow. The two youngsters must have gotten separted in the confusion of the fight, and could not find the rest of the group. They were probably predated while traveling alone. Kung Fu started off as a tiny group with little hope for survival, but as Sophie mentioned kleintjie is prolific and all her pups tend to survive. Last year she had 15, and not a single one lost. They are a threat to any group that crosses their path now, which is why it is worrying that they interact with Whiskers every few months.
Kung Fu are led by Whiskers-born Ningaloo (Clive on MM season 1) and Kleintjie Gattaca Commandos, Zorilla/Nikita's littermate. Kleintjie played Rosie in MM season 4 in the US, in the UK I think she kept her real name. They are a great pair, Kleintjie is a good mother who tends to have large litters and Ningaloo is a strong dominant who spends a great deal of his time on sentry duty on researcher's heads. Both Ella and Kleinjie probably gave birth in September. By this point they are probably expecting again.
Popple was photographed by Evi of the FKMP running, lost, after the fight just outside the house that Evi was staying in the KMP reserve. That was in March. Popple was about five months old. It was the last time she was seen. She was probably predated.
KungFU, one of the most successful habituated groups today.. and to think that Frisky born Clinton-Baptise, the original DM simply quit.. probably the worst decision he ever made.
It's possible. Kleintjie is constantly pregnant, she has very large litters, and of course she gains a lot of weight. I'm sure it feels uncomfortable wearing the collar.
Zeetak, The reasearchers remove the collar if they see the animal showing discomfort they would collar another indiviual most likely Ningalo. They could also losen the collar.
Pretty much.. Klentjie is quite a stocky kat anyway but when she is pregnant her neck swells up making her wearing the collar impossible and given that she is pregnant most of the time it's a pointless excercise having her radio collared so Ningaloo wears it instead.
