World Cruise--Safari, The Leopard

The Toyota Landcruiser turned off the road (the two tire track trail we were on) and headed into the bush. The vehicle is amazing in what it goes over including rocks and saplings. Even more amazing is how our tracker, Arnold was able to stay on his seat in front as he not only watched for animal signs but directed Sheldon, our guide, around dead stumps of trees and rocks that were a little too large for the underbody.

Someone had alerted the guides to the possibility of a leopard in the area. We found the tree where the leopard had hung his kill, a small impala, and to our surprise, we had stopped right next to the leopard who was lying in the tall grass and watching that nothing disturbed his next meal.

A leopard! Right next to us! Not more than six or eight feet away. You could hear him breathe deeply. He was a big boy as Sheldon described him. A beautiful spotted coat of tan, black and white colors, his head was large and squarish and his large eyes narrowed as he watched his tree. Something was coming.

The something turned out to be hyenas. Sheldon explained that the hyenas could not climb the tree. Their legs are more like a dog rather than a cat and their agility not great. Their patience was great though. They would wait their turn at the carcass of the impala as the leopard would let pieces fall that he was done with.

The hyenas turned out to be a bit comical. The two of them maneuvered around to comfortable spots beneath the tree, did a little rolling around and one even laid on his back as if to say “someone scratch my tummy please.”

The hyenas didn’t bother the leopard too much although to me his breathing seemed to get a bit deeper and quicker. It also didn’t seem to bother him much that we were this close. I guess as long as it didn’t appear we were interested in his kill, he was fine with us admiring his beauty.

After a good twenty minutes, another Landcruiser was getting close to us and we pulled away to allow them to view the leopard as well.

On our last visit to Lukimbi we had only seen a leopard twice, once at nightfall as he crossed the road in front of us on our way back to the lodge and again as he ran in front of our van as we were about to leave the park. Neither encounter left much time for a good picture. We were blessed now.

The leopard in the grass was wonderful but on our next morning game drive, lo and behold, we saw him again. At least Sheldon was sure it was the same one. This time however he was resting beneath a large tree out in the open. We quickly got as many pictures as we could before he lifted himself off the ground, stretched, yawned and walked off into the bush. We followed along for a bit but then lost him. While he didn’t have any green coloring, his camouflage still worked to his advantage.

I cannot begin to tell you the feeling you have when you have met one of these magnificent animals out in the open. We have admired them in zoos but it is so much different when you see them in their natural surroundings, free to roam and hunt and live as they were intended. I’m so thankful that there are those who are trying to protect this natural environment not only for the animals but for us to be able to appreciate their beauty.

Our mornings were also punctuated with a short coffee stop. Arnold made a mean cup of Nescafe Gold instant and even had a little milk for mine as well as biscuits that were a bit like biscotti for us to snack on. It held us over until our return for breakfast.

The open dining area of the lodge had tables set up so that you could watch any animals that passed by in the open area on the other side of the small river that ran by the lodge. As we ate one time, we saw a large antelope type animal that we soon learned was called a kudu. He munched on one side of the river as we munched our meal on the other. Another unbelievable experience.