Things appear a little slow of late in wildlife, so I though I'd get things rolling again.
This young, skittish and very protective mum was none too pleased that we had discovered her den site with two, 4 week old cubs.
With her tailing flicking nervously back and forth I had an uneasy feeling and sure enough she started snarling viscously and promptly charged our vehicle,
stopping fortuitously at the fallen log!
Brian's (my guide) girlfriend, leapt from the front of the (no door) vehicle into the back, thinking she wasn't going to stop.
I lay behind the protection of my viewfinderand still kept my finger on the shutter firing away, I wasn't going to miss this (possible) once in a lifetime opportunity!
After collecting our senses and started to breath again...............we got the message and promptly left.
May I also add that I'm not in the habit of scaring flighty leopard mums with cubs from the possibility of abandoning their den sites.
This incident happened so quickly and after we left I had terrible guilt pains.
Much to my relief, I had heard from my guide a week later that they were observed from a much greater distance and found all were still at the den site!
This image is probably my favourite and most satisfying & memorable image of a leopard I've taken to date, plus the excitement level was pretty high also.
Would have loved a tad more lower room, but when people are screaming and jumping around it wasn't an easy situation, I was rapped when I saw this on my screen.
D3s 500VR 1/400s f/5.6 ISO800. Almost F/F. Sth Luangwa NP- Zambia. Nov 2011
C & C most welcome
Cheers
Marc










and still kept my finger on the shutter firing away, I wasn't going to miss this (possible) once in a lifetime opportunity!
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