2019-04-21: Leopards Playing

While this leopard sighting was almost two years ago, it feels both like a lifetime ago, and also like it was yesterday.  I find it interesting how the same experience can occupy those different spaces, seemingly at the same time.

This was the second to last day of my last safari, and the photos don’t need too much commentary.  Our ranger took us to a leopard and her two cubs that were deep in a ravine, and while we perched, parked on the side of a rather steep slope, the cubs went about their day, playing, chasing, exploring and occasionally, snuggling up with their Mom.

I hope you enjoy my selections for today.  Wishing everyone a fantastic week ahead.

20170516-DSC_7478
An excellent climber already.
20170516-DSC_7541
A fallen tree makes an excellent perch to look out over the ravine.
20170516-DSC_7639
A very intriguing tail.  A moment after this, it got a little chomp!
20170516-DSC_7668
Look at those messy green paws!
20170516-DSC_7730
Snuggles with Mom.
20170516-DSC_7872
A perfect cat pounce.
20170516-DSC_7897
Practicing stalking.
20170516-DSC_7905
It was wonderful to watch Mom get in on the game, and start to chase the cubs around.

2019-04-14: Around Sunset

It’s quite nice not having a theme this month, as I can select whatever images catch my attention.  Today, it is a selection of images shot at or near sunset.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week ahead.

20170428-DSC_1258
A sunset taken in Ongava Game Reserve in Namibia.
20170502-DSC_1800
A pair of bull elephants play fighting on the banks of the Boteti River as the afternoon light faded.
20170507-DSC_3370 copy-Edit
A leopard in a tree at sunset.  The stuff of magic.
20170510-DSC_3893 copy-Edit
A lone zebra gives us a weary look as the sunset sets behind.
20170515-DSC_6089
A leopard in the fading evening light.

2019-04-08: Monochrome Monday

I’m keeping fingers crossed that I’ll have the opportunity to see lots of big cats while of safari next month.  Here are a few images from my previous travels to start the week.

Wishing everyone a fantastic week ahead!

20170512-DSC_4983 copy-Edit
A family of cheetah huddled together during a wind storm.
20170514-DSC_5471
A sleepy looking lion, obscured by the tall grasses.
20170515-DSC_6101
A leopard obscured by the vegetation.

2019-03-11: Monochrome Monday

Some leopards to start the week!  Leopards are definitely my favourite cats to watch (well, at least of the cats I have seen so far… once I have the chance to see tigers and jaguars, I’ll have to revisit this statement!)

The first image was taken in Botswana in the Okavango Delta, in a sighting filled will drama (for the humans involved).  Several vehicles from another camp were following this leopard, who was doing what leopards do best, being elusive and sticking to the cover of the bush.  There had been a lot of flooding in the area, and a vehicle got stuck while following this cat, and then a second got stuck, trying to help the first.  Our awesome ranger saved the day and got the vehicles mobile again, but both stuck vehicles missed out on the few photo opportunities that were available, like this one.

20170505-DSC_2194
Seeing this image brings back fun memories of a great (and rather muddy) game drive.  This can be a typical leopard sighting; lots of cover, grasses and bushes, but that’s also why I like it, because it is realistic.

This second image was also from the delta, and I have posted of this sighting many times before so I won’t go on and on.  I think though, this shot is how people dream of seeing leopards, but the one above is a far more realistic scenario.

20170507-DSC_3243
A gorgeous leopard who spent a late afternoon, through sunset, perched in tree, with only us there to watch.

This final image was taken in South Africa; our guide took us to a sighting of a mama leopard and her two cubs in ravine, and we had a brilliant time watching the cubs playing on the fallen trees, scampering through the swamp, and wrestling with each other.  The cub pictured here was just about to pounce on its sibling, who was a few feet below on the ground.  This was one of those sightings where, as we drove back to camp, our guide told us “we probably should keep this quiet while there are other guests around”.

20170516-DSC_7580
A playful leopard cub descending a fallen tree.

 

Just so you know, you can find lots of images like these over in my gallery page!

error: Content is protected !!