|
African Leopards
|
 We got lost and had to stop and ask some friendly locals for directions.... Africa style :
 *This image is copyright of its original author 
From Nthambo Tree Camp:
"Lady Cleo in all her glory! This fantastic leopardess was spotted strutting her stuff on game drive yesterday morning, and our guests got to watch her jump effortlessly into a tree and eye us out from her position above. Unbelievably, this is one of multiple leopard sightings we've had over the last 2 days! Included in our recent sightings are Ross Dam female and cubs (twice), Zero male, plus an unknown male marking his territory. Lucky is one way of putting it!"  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
Focused Hunt...
I followed this cat for quite a few days. She used the vehicles to help with her hunting and would stalk everything that moved. I really got some of the best leopard action images from this leopard.  *This image is copyright of its original author Leopard Cub Sunset
I kept one of my personal highlights to end the Machaba week off. Leopard cub and a spectacular true Africa sunset. A great moment and an even better one for us photographers. Enjoy the weekend everyone more next week - cheers Wim.  *This image is copyright of its original author Leopard on a log
We can't just have lions on logs we have to include leopards as well.  *This image is copyright of its original author Mom... that's a big world out there!
We sat with this female leopard and her cub for many hours. She was completely at ease with the vehicle and they carried on with their lives as if we were not even there. It really was the best leopard and cub sighting I have ever had... oh yes we were the only people there - even more special!  *This image is copyright of its original author
One of my favourite photos about leopards.
Photo and information credits: Madison Hall from National Geographic "A dew-bathed juvenile leopard takes a peaceful moment atop a fallen tree on a wintry South African morning. Compared with other African game, leopards are famously shy and rarely seen, partially because of their largely nocturnal hunting habits. Leopards number among many other species of top predators whose population numbers are falling due to human impacts, making this a special sighting of a rare animal that is both powerful and extraordinarily gorgeous." Mpumalanga, Kruger National Park  *This image is copyright of its original author
Male leopard focused on his prey, not moving an inch. Credits to Garry Mills Wildlife Photography
 *This image is copyright of its original author I always wonder, and I never find the answer to this question. Is there even any thing that resembles perfection as much as a leopard in stalking mode?...
From Ezulwini Game Lodges:
"A fleeting glimpse of our blue-eyed boy, Chavaluthu. We've haven't seen him around recently and leopard sightings have mainly been of the Van Wijk's leopardess."  *This image is copyright of its original author
Photo and information credits: Andrea & Antonella Ferrari
Timbavati Nature Reserve, Kruger National Park, South Africa  *This image is copyright of its original author
Khwai River Lodge (Okavango): Hunting With Leopards …
(All images from Villiers’ Computer Screen or Back of Camera) News from Villiers Steyn: We had a very exciting drive this morning … After deciding to start out earlier this morning we left the camp about 15-20 minutes earlier than usual – and that really paid dividends very quickly! We had hardly left the camp when we bumped into an adult female leopard named Lakgarebe walking down the road. She is not a youngster and has rather tattered ears. The sun was far from rising when we found her. We followed her and within moments she spotted a herd of about 25 impala. She immediately went into stalking mode. This is how a thrilling 2 hour stalking session started. We have photos of her crouching and slinking furtively through the grass and staking out the herd. But these impalas were quite bush smart and they stuck in a wide open spot, and kept well away from the nearby thicket. Eventually Lakgarebe did a full 360 degree circuit around the herd, looking for the appropriate angle to get closer. But no! She did manage to approach within about 10 meters of the herd when one of the ewes spotted her. At times we were right next to her and felt very much as though we were a part of her hunt. The excitement mounted and mounted and adrenalin flowed! As soon as the impala let out an enormous warning call the leopard stood up and lifted her tail, thereby saying ‘OK! You have spotted me’. We all let out a huge breath, having been so much a part of the hunt and as the event had taken so much of our morning drive we just had time for a quick coffee break and a collective winding down before we started a slow drive back to the camp. On the way we passed a handsome Saddle-billed Stork busily fishing in a small pond and stopped for photographs. This afternoon we went straight to the Mogotlo area, having heard that a leopard had been sighted there after making a kill in the area. We found the same young male that we saw the previous day. He wasn’t feeding, although his tummy did look quite full. We followed him for the next two hours as he strolled around, rested, yawned, and ten chased some zebra. However, the tables were turned when the zebra turned on him and chased him instead. Hahahaha! We laughed – it was really amusing. Then a herd of impalas grabbed his attention, and he stalked them for ages. After that he became ultra brave and tried to stalk an elephant. When he realised that this was a futile exercise he gave up and shortly after he encountered three hyenas and he smartly rand amusingly retired to the safety of the upper branches of a tree. All in all we spent an absolutely fantastic afternoon with him, experimenting with every type of photography imaginable – flash, high key, front and side lighting, shots in the golden light and then in the darkness. So today was an incredible leopard day – both leopards hunting, relaxed and wonderful to photograph. I have to pay tribute to the guides here (Johnson and Richard) were amazing, ensuring that we were always in a position for the best possible photographs. The day ended with a delicious bush braai, with the sky above filled to capacity with stars, and the smells and sounds of the bush all around. The staff sang traditional songs for us – wonderful! In the morning we would like to track the Wild Dogs that we saw the other day …  *This image is copyright of its original author # *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
Thoughts on the credibility of these, I can't recall where it's from but I'm almost certain it was something from ava that I posted on my google+ last year
 *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
One of my favourite leopard, Chavaluthu.
From Ezulwini Game Lodges: "One of our favourite leopards, Chavaluthu, made an impala kill! Leopards are notoriously elusive creatures, choosing to hide in drainage lines during the day and conducting highly-specialised kills at night. Chavaluthu occasionally keeps a low profile, hiding out in the thickets and avoiding the limelight. But when he decides to come out and play, he does so with vengeance and always puts on a show! His name means of “afraid of nothing”, which would explain his often inexplicable behaviour.." "Chavaluthu is a handsome, heavy-set leopard with piercing blue-green eyes. A couple of days ago, Chavaluthu made a successful impala kill. After making a kill leopards will normally drag the carcass up the closest tree for safekeeping. Leopards are at risk of losing their kill to thieving hyenas and even other leopards."  *This image is copyright of its original author "Chavaluthu, being brave and non-plussed about potential threats, stashed his kill in the thickets behind where he was resting. Not quite textbook leopard behaviour, but then again, leopards don’t read textbooks. Here he is, just guarding his kill!"  *This image is copyright of its original author "Jochen happened to be guiding the night when Chavaluthu was seen guarding his kill. After leaving the sighting word came through that our favourite leopard had lost his kill to a hyena!"  *This image is copyright of its original author "Chavaluthu occasionally keeps a low profile, hiding out in the thickets and avoiding the limelight. But when he decides to come out and play, he does so with vengeance and always puts on a show! His name means of “afraid of nothing”, which would explain his often inexplicable behaviour. In this case, he clearly showed us he wasn't afraid of any potential scavengers."  *This image is copyright of its original author
Leopard Ngorongoro CA March 2008
All the images on this page were taken in and around the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in the Southern Serengeti ecosystem. Leopards are always present in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area but are not seen here as reliably as in the Seronera river valley. These photographs are of three different individuals one of whom had at least one cub with her, unfortunately I was unable to photograph the cub, next time maybe? Many thanks to Roy Safaris and their excellent guide, perhaps the best leopard finder in Tanzania!  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author  *This image is copyright of its original author
Dusty's Photography:
The Gem delivers again. Driving along Dithabaneng road, this magnificent leopard appeared out of nowhere. I stopped and switched off the car. He walked passed my driver's side and then disappeared into the thickets next to the road.-Pilanesberg National Park.  *This image is copyright of its original author
|
| Users browsing this thread: |
| 35 Guest(s) |