Leopards in Southern Africa

When our family first went to Africa in 1998 and we were on safari, we very much wanted to see a leopard in the wild.We saw lots of wildlife, many cats, but no leopards. We spent two weeks on safari in Kenya and Tanzania, then a week in Zimbabwe, and then some time in the Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa, but we had to wait until we were in Kruger National Park several months later before we finally viewed a leopard. But what a viewing! It was a week before we were due to return to the USA, and we were staying in the small bush camp, Biyamiti. On our last night in camp we signed up for a night drive with Van Roy, a particularly personable and knowledgeable guide. It was a fairly ordinary game drive until we turned a bend and began driving through a field of long grass. Ahead of us lay a small meadow of shorter bush grasses, and strolling casually along the path that cut through the bush was a  female leopard with her two cubs. Also present was a male leopard, which is unusual to see with that grouping. As with all sightings, you quietly observe but can hardly believe your eyes with what you are seeing..... The group of them lazed around in the grass, walked by our vehicle a couple of times and we were able to get great pictures before the darkening sky overcame us and they disappeared into the bush. As we ticked off  "leopard" on our list we felt victorious to have finally spent a few minutes of time with a group of those beautiful cats. Click on > leopard.

Since that time we have been on many, many safaris in Kenya, Botswana and South Africa, and have been fortunate to see leopards lazing on tree limbs, stalking through the bush, dragging kills up a tree, walking alongside the road, or taking naps on the asphalt in the hot sun. We don't count how many anymore, but we never tire of viewing leopards........

                                         Chitabe Lediba Safari Camp in Botswana 2007