Our final day in the Kruger - Leopard sighting
Today is our last morning in the Kruger. We pack our bags, then head to our safari vehicle for another early start. This will be my last opportunity to see a Leopard up close.
It has been an amazing two days. We have seen so many beautiful animals during this short visit but only a brief glimpse of a my favourite creature so I’m hoping that today will finally bring me the Leopard sighting I came here for.
Like yesterday we head deep into the park before the day visitors arrive. Amanda, Nidhi and Indie know how desperate I am for my Leopard encounter so we’re scouring the undergrowth looking for even a just a tiny glimpse of the tell-tale spots.
I try to be pragmatic about this as this has been such a fantastic trip but a Leopard sighting really would be the icing on the cake for me.
Amanda turns our truck into one of the side roads and we find a small red car stopped on the grass with its engine switched off. We pull alongside and ask if everything is okay. One of the passengers points excitedly at the tree but we can’t hear what he is saying. We turn to where he is pointing and there they are, in two adjacent trees no more than five metres away, a mother Leopard and her juvenile offspring. Two of the most magnificent, beautiful creatures I have ever seen in my life.
It is just unbelievable. They are resting right there in the lower branches, in full view and completely chilled, almost as if they have been waiting for us.
The juvenile stretches and yawns and rubs his head against the trunk then stands up on the branch looking straight at us. What a poser, he is magnificent, and boy does he know it.
The little car moves off and we pull into position in the best vantage point to take in this spectacular scene. Amanda turns off the engine and we hear her speaking quietly into the radio telling the other guides that we have sighted two Ingwe ( the Zulu name for Leopard) and giving directions to our location.
We just stay there, in that exact place just watching these two amazing creatures.
This is such a wonderful moment for me. A moment which I have dreamed of since I first saw #Halftail the Leopard on the BBC #BigCatDiary. I observe every tiny movement they make, sometimes with my naked eye, sometimes through my camera lens and also through binoculars which allow me a closer look at their beautiful markings. By now tears are streaming down my face, I am completely overcome with emotion.
Other safari vehicles arrive so we move aside to let their occupants get a closer look. Most of the vehicles stay only a few minutes before moving on but the consensus in our little group is that we want to stay around until these feline wonders decide to move on. We have been lucky to see so much wildlife already on this trip but this encounter is one which none of us wants to end just yet. So we sit quietly and just wait.....
Eventually, the female descends from the tree and crosses the road. She seems to expect her youngster to follow her but he remains lying on his branch making no attempt to comply. We hear her calling him from the undergrowth but this is certainly one juvenile who is has a will of his own and seems to be relishing both the sunshine and the attention from us with no intention of moving just yet.
Finally after another few minutes he jumps down and disappears into the long grass below the tree. He seems nervous to cross the road as we see the grass moving and hear twigs snapping as he paces around crying out for his mother.
On the other side of us his mother returns his call. The sound is a mixture of a deep low purr and what seems like a loud meow and has a real maternal feeling to it. We don’t know if she is annoyed with the youngster for not following her or whether our presence is making her nervous but you can almost sense an unease in the sound she makes.
This is our signal to leave and to allow these magnificent wild cats to continue their day without any further delays from us so Amanda starts the engine and we pull slowly away.
Then, just as if she understands what is happening the mother emerges from the long grass a little way in front of us, giving us one last chance to see her in all her magnificence. As quickly as she appears she is gone again to rejoin her wayward son and even though we try to spot them all we can see is the gentle swishing of the grass as they disappear from view.
We drive back to camp in silence. It has been a wonderful morning, we could not have wished for a better experience and now it is time to collect our cases and head back to Johannesburg with memories of this amazing park and it’s beautiful inhabitants which will remain with us forever.
