I debated the title of this post because historically the Big Five referred to game animals hunted for sport (as opposed to hunting for food or protection). However, today the jargon is just as commonly used in the tourism industry as animals to track, observe, and appreciate. And as this is my blog we start with another kind of cat.
Leopards
Leopards are nocturnal animals and solitary. During the day, they rest in thick brush or in trees. They were much more difficult to spot than lions. We saw a leopards in all 3 camps, and the leopard in Tubu had a cub. They eat smaller hoofed animals primarily impalas.
On our last day leaving Lynyoti for the airstrip, Ike suddenly exclaimed: Stop! I did not see what he was looking at but Emmanuel instantly did. This is what Ike saw up in the tree.
A closer look at this elegant female.
At Tubu in the Okvango Delta we ran across a male.
You can not see it in this picture but he had his hunt (looked like an impala) hidden behind him.
We also saw an adorable leopard cub in a tree waiting for momma to come back.
I had asked how the lions and leopards interact and the basic answer was they avoid each other, primarily the leopard avoiding the lion. Made total sense.
Next up, African Safari Part 3b – The Rest of the Big Five which includes Elephants, Rhinos, and Buffalo.
Paul Sees the World 