We visited Masai Mara the third time with the sure knowledge that spotting leopards in the Mara is a matter of pure luck. And spotting them high up in the trees with their prey calls for even greater luck. Oh, what a magnificent beauty! We could only catch a fleeting glimpse, so well camouflaged it was amongst the thick foliage… but that glimpse was enough ingredient to be memory of a lifetime.
There is something hauntingly elegant about how they drape themselves over a branch. It makes one realise how truly wild this landscape remains. Do not miss the capture at the end of this blog; it is a look back up the tree to check again on the safely-perched and half-eaten prey. The sheer power required to haul a carcass that heavy up a vertical trunk gives one goosebumps. It was a moment of raw nature that we shall not soon forget. The lens caught the light perfectly, revealing the intricate patterns of the leopard’s coat against the rough bark. A truly rare find in the heart of the great Savannah.
