The Elusive Leopard
Edition #004 (first edition published via Medium)
G’day Simply Wilders,
Welcome back to Simply Wild+. This edition is an ode to my favourite animal — the elusive leopard.
The first time I saw a Leopard I was just a boy. It was a flash, a beautiful flash, and I had to see more.
My family and I were in our trusty Toyota Hilux climbing a winding road to Louis Trichardt in the Soutpansberg, South Africa. I was sitting in the back seat peering out the front when, all of a sudden, a leopard leapt into the road in front of us. In a few graceful movements it glided across and disappeared into the grass on the other side. We were all left wide eyed with wonder.
It was brief but beautiful, and it left me wanting more. I became obsessed with these elusive cats.
A few years later, whilst on holiday in the Hwange National Park, I got my wish. Driving through the park, on a hot morning in Zimbabwe’s picturesque southwest, we spotted her. She was right there in front of us; just sauntering along the edge of the track. She let us drive up alongside her and didn’t seem to notice we were there. We were up close and personal, and I was loving it. This elusive cat was mere meters from us, and she was everything I had hoped for.
Sleek yet powerful, her muscles rippling as she walked. Her movements were graceful and precise; like a prized fighter in their prime. Her rosette covered coat was mesmerizingly intricate, and her eyes piercing and intense.
We spent as much time as we could taking in every detail. Wanting to ink this experience in our minds for future retrieval. It was nourishing for the soul and I never wanted the experience to end.
The Leopard, known by its Latin name Panthera Pardus, is one of Africa’s most elusive big cats. It is part of the Big 5 — elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard.
My understanding of the leopard has grown over the years. Unlike the lion, they are predominantly a solitary cat preferring to command a territory alone — hunting solo.
They are smaller than the lion but pound for pound are packed with more power and grit. They are survivors and the most hardy of the big African cats. They will out last the lion and cheetah.
They are expert hunters preying on anything from birds, hares and monkeys to small antelope. They possess great strength and climbing skills. Often hauling their kill up a tree to keep out of reach of marauding hyenas.
Their golden coat is patterned with dark rosettes that are stunning and complex. Their tail is white tipped, and the underbelly, soft white fur. The markings are not just a fashion statement but an evolutionary necessity helping them disappear into their surroundings.
My favourite feature however, is their eyes. They are mesmerising and fierce. Their excellent vision comes into its own at the going down of the sun. They possess otherworldly night vision. This makes them brilliantly adept hunters of the dark.
I have seen these big cats on several occasions since that encounter in Hwange but, to this day it remains one of my most vivid and cherished childhood memories.
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