Zambia – Last time we didn’t see a leopard…

October 15-18

 

Hello everyone!

 

As you’ll have seen from the previous post, there is an abundance of wildlife hidden within South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. Though seeing these animals in their natural habitat is special every time, we had seen most of them on our previous visit in 2017. With one spotted exception…

Leopards are often classed as ‘rare’ sightings in national parks. Before this trip, I had only seen them a couple of times in the wild. I had to explain to my sister, who was on her first ever safari, that seeing a leopard in the first hour (and four of the ‘Big Five’ in that time) isn’t normal.

Leopard in Masai Mara, Kenya

Leopard in Serengeti, Tanzania

Last time we were in Luangwa, we turned right when our friends in another car behind turned left. They saw a leopard. We didn’t.

No leopard in that tree in 2017

They also have the right to stay hidden

This, along with the incredibly rare honey badger, were are main wishes on our drives from Mopani Lodge. We set off, drove into the park…drove around the park…and didn’t find a leopard. Saw lots of other lovely things, mind.

Elephants

Lovely sunset

The following morning, as we hopped into our jeep at 5:45am, we reminded our driver Godfrey of our goal. We set off, drove into the park…drove around the park…saw some birds…began to feel drowsy as the temperature started to soar…

Carmine bee-eaters

A zebra staring us down on the track

…then stopped. Through a yellow thicket there was…something yellow. With a bit of black. That was moving. Prancing almost, jumping around and pawing away at something on the floor.

Can you see it?

See the body and the ear?

We had found our leopard. A little leopard, no less. A cub which seemed as if it was toying with its prey. Catch and release, then catch again.

Leopard cub

It still has a very long tail even though its body is small

That was really cool. Being picky, a little bit hard to see. So on we go, driving through the dry landscape, looking around in the bushes. Well, some of us. Others were looking up…

Can you see it?

 Can you see it? Here, let me show you.

 

That blue arrow. Of course. Need a zoomed-in picture?

 A lady leopard panting in the shade, trying to cool herself down.

There's the leopard!

Lazing in the extreme heat

A very successful, leopard-laden morning. We’d seen two leopards, including one adorable cub. Pretty satisfied at this point. Then we headed out again in the afternoon…

Munching on a puku

There were a lot of cars here so we didn't stay long

…and again the next morning…

Another cub

We think its mum was hanging around out of sight

Normally a lodge will include four game drives. To me, four is an optimal number. Even then, the fourth drive can sometimes drag as you feel like you’ve had your fill of wildlife. I always castigate myself when I have this thought, reminding myself how lucky I am to be in these situations, and then enjoy it. But fatigue is natural. So a fifth drive, in temperatures exceeding 40°C…

Alternate option: laze in water like this hippo

 We were all keen, however, so took off for one final spotting session. We drove along the river, winding along narrow passages and brushing branches with our jeep. Suddenly, Godfrey stops the jeep and peers across the passenger seat at the front of the jeep. “I see feet,” he says. Maybe the heat has gotten to him, for he’s looking at a towering tree about one hundred metres away. We all saw branches. The guide has gone mad.

 

We drive off the road and bump over the ground which consists of packed mud. Pause again. Godfrey takes a closer look. “They are the legs of an impala,” he calmly stated, “and I think there is a leopard.” To get close, we have to drive through bushes. I had to lie down in the jeep to avoid being decapitated. When I rose from the metallic chassis of the jeep, I looked up and saw this…

This was from about 20 metres away

A happy, hungry leopard

A lifeless, flaccid impala was being feasted upon by what I think was a female leopard. Its head would disappear into the guts of the antelope, before looking up and around to remind itself of its surroundings. At one point it almost dropped the impala but was able to rescue it in one smooth motion with its mouth and paws before relocating itself further up the branch. Phenomenal. Would have been quite scary if the impala had fallen, however, as it would have landed right next to our jeep.

Other jeeps soon arrived. Godfrey was understandably proud of his find and keen to be there when other cars fought their way through the bush. Of course, that raises the volume and can irritate an animal, causing it to rapidly scamper down the tree trunk…and land very close to our open jeep…

 The shoddiness of the video probably reflects the mild terror I had as it landed. Thankfully, it turned the other way and wandered off into the bush, leaving the impala high up in the tree.

The leopard wandered off through some bushes

 Feeling exhilarated, we meandered on along the river. The absolute highlight of our trip. Until we decided, after dark, to check whether the leopard had returned as we drove towards the park’s main gate…

Another jeep was already there, its spotlight revealing the same leopard…and a bit less of the impala. When the rays caught its face, you could see a wild demeanour across its face. It was almost posing, lapping up the acclaim and sneering at the mere humans gazing up from the floor.

Staring at its guests

It’s safe to say we had our leopard fill this time in South Luangwa. Almost as much as that last leopard got from its prey…

We saw another one after this as well!

Unfortunately for its life, the impala got to see a leopard as well...

Love you all,

 

Matt