Leopards are about the rarest of the cat species we see out
here and for me at least, they’re the most exciting to spot. Highly elusive, a
leopard can disappear into a tiny thicket without a trace. If you see a
leopard, it’s because the leopard has chosen to be seen. Because of this, seeing
a leopard always feels a little bit magical, as you’ve been specially chosen to
witness their majesty.
For ex. a horde of tour cars looking at a cheetah. |
However, with the unregulated tourism on this side of the
park that magic is often stolen away. My first leopard sighting was of a small
leopard head sticking up above the bushes with tour cars surrounding it, one
parked no more than 2 meters away. According to rules no tour cars are supposed
to go off-track and they’re definitely not supposed to approach any closer than
20 meters to any carnivore. Seeing that leopard just made me feel sad. In
addition, finding an animal because you’ve spotted a mass of tour cars take
away all the fun of stumbling upon an animal all by yourself. With tourists present,
it starts to feel a bit like a zoo and a little less wild.
My second leopard sighting was also one that we were alerted
to by a tourist. Just one tourist vehicle this time, parked at the base of a
tree. It was past sunset and the mini-bus zoomed off as we approached,
apparently thinking we might be rangers (all tour cars are supposed to be back
the their lodges by sunset). We drove up to the tree and in the darkness I was
just barely able to snap a photo of the leopard, watching us from above the branches.
He’d probably been harassed by tourists all day so we didn’t stay long. This
tree was near the eastern end of Den One Creek.
Third leopard sighting (4th July AM) |
A few days ago I had a third leopard sighting (I know, I
said they were rare!). This one was a really nice sighting, even though there
were two tour cars present. Both tour cars were keeping their distance, staying
on the track about 50m away from the leopard. He or she was relaxing on a mound
just at the edge of a thicket near a place where our hyenas used to den. This
sighting was also along Den One Creek.
We had two guests in camp that week, but unfortunately we
only had one of their phone numbers and their phone was working at the moment!
We stayed for about fifteen minutes then started driving back to camp where we
managed to intercept our guests, also driving back to camp. I hopped into their
car and we drove back to the leopard, but unsurprisingly she was gone. However,
we now had a hint about this leopard. Two sightings along Den One Creek made
us think that this leopard was living here for the time being.
It was the fourth of July so we decided to game drive and do
a sundowner that evening. Just in case the leopard was still hanging about we
decided to drive the length of Den One Creek nice and slowly. Now, this is
something about leopard sightings: you never find a leopard when you’re looking
for one. You only see them just when you’re not expecting one. Two and half
years ago when I was an RA here in Kenya I’d stumbled upon a leopard and phone
called some guests we had in camp to come take a look. We’d watched the leopard
go into a very small clump of bushes and not leave. Alas, when the guests
showed up we couldn’t for the life of us, find the leopard. We determined that
he must have snuck off. The guests left and we started driving back to the road
when the leopard again leaps from the bushes and starts trotting off through
the grass just when we were least expecting it!
Leopard 4th July PM in a tree with the skin and legs of a wildebeest. |
However, that night, on the fourth of july, we did indeed
find the leopard! We had almost reached the end of Den One Creek and were
starting to stare at the bushes with less intensity and started to talk of
looking for elephants when boom! Leopard in a tree above Den One Creek! She had
the remains of a wildebeest calf with her dangling from a branch. She climbed
into a higher part of the tree where she was obscured just a few seconds after
we spotted her. If any of us had glanced the other way we wouldn’t have seen
her at all. Another minute later she jumped down to the thicket below the tree
and was completely gone.
Now that, was how a leopard sighting should be! Not a single
tourist in sight and a fleeting glimpse where she posed just long enough to get
a few nice photos. We were elated! We continued driving around for another half
an hour, enjoying the evening sunlight and then decided to head back to camp.
We took the direct route through Coucal Crossing which crosses the farthest
western edge of Den One Creek. And…
Leopard 4th July PM walking through Coucal Crossing. |
Leopard! The same leopard was walking through the crossing
directly in front of our car. She crouched low as she walked across the open
dirt, as if stalking prey, before walking into the bushes. We waited for a few
minutes then spotted her again, walking down through the bushes to the left of
our car and back into the lugga (creek) behind us.
Leopard 4th July PM disappearing into the thicket. |
This was three leopard sightings in one day, two for our
guests! All three of the same leopard. This sighting ranks up with the very
best leopard sightings I’ve ever had. You can’t ask for better: no tourists and
out in the open giving us an unobstructed view. This also ranked as my best
fourth of july ever. What better way to enjoy the holiday than out on safari in
the beautiful Maasai Mara with the best wildlife viewing in the world.
Afterwards, we drove up to the hill behind our camp to enjoy
a few drinks as the sun went down and the sky got dark. No fireworks for us!
Just a stunning leopard gracing us with her presence!
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