The end of the dry season is one of my favorite times in the South African Lowveld. This is when the bush is at its driest, providing a great backdrop for photography, especially in the grassy plains. The light also seems to be more golden with all the dust that is in the atmosphere. All in all, it is a photographer’s dream and this year has been no different.
Incidentally, this is also one of the best times of year to track and find leopards at Londolozi as the vegetation is at its most sparse, making it easier to spot these elusive cats and, with the sparse vegetation, there are more areas where one can see and follow their tracks.
This year has proved no different and the leopard viewing during the past couple of months has been phenomenal. We’ve subsequently had our first rains and the landscape at Londolozi has transformed as there is a flush of green in almost every direction. I thought that this would be a good time to write a post showcasing some of the great sightings from the last few weeks of the dry season, as most of the images going forward will have a brilliant green backdrop.
Most of the images that I managed to capture in the past few weeks involved female leopards, so I decided to use this as an opportunity to showcase some of the female leopards of Londolozi.
A shot I have been waiting years to capture. After following her through some of the thickest bush on the property, the Dudley Riverbank female made it all worth it by walking along the rocks on the bank of the Tugwaan river in the most amazing morning light. Being a still spring morning, the reflection in the water was almost perfect!
The Dudley Riverbank female certainly hasn’t lost any of her beauty with age. Her face definitely has character and tells of a long life. She strolled out onto the rocks and then turned to show me her better side.
This is still the leopardess who I consider the most photogenic on the Londolozi property. The Tamboti female gazes into the distance, allowing the light catches her eye.
Somewhat uncharacteristically, the Tamboti female snarls at us. I put this down to the fact that she has had a nasty gash on her back leg for some time and had been battling to hunt for some time. When i took this photograph, she was in the process of feeding on an impala kill and I think she was in a fair amount of pain and was also very defensive of her kill. All this is quite understandable and as such, we left her shortly after capturing this expression which says so much!
The Tamboti female shows off her beautiful features as she stares right at us.
Another one of our older generation, the Maxabene female looks over her shoulder allowing the early morning light to cover her in a golden glow.
So often it pays to bide your time and follow leopards through the thickest of blocks, as invariably they decide that you have earned the right to have them pose for a few minutes. In this case it was no different. After following the Maxabene through a very thick block near the airstrip, she climbed up onto a termite mound and gazed into the distance, allowing us to capture a few portraits of her before the light disappeared.
This is one of the last of this type of image for a good few months, as the recent rains have brought with them a green flush. I love photographing leopards in long, brown grass. Just at the moment I was about to take the shot, the Maxabene female heard something it stood slightly more upright and perked up her ears, making her stand out above the grass.
Quite a different picture. The Maxabene female glances upwards as she passes under a pushed over marula tree. I like the way that the marula tree frames the shot.
This was my first ever sighting of the Piva female and what amazing light! We believe this to be a daughter of the Nottens female who is seldom seen on Londolozi as her territory only covers the very southern parts of our property.
A close up of the Piva female. The background is what makes this image and the colour seems to make her face and beautiful features just jump out at you.
After searching for and tracking leopard for the whole day, we came around the corner and just bumped into the Tutlwa female on the northern bank of the Sand River. So often persistence pays off. It was all made worthwhile as she posed briefly in the afternoon light before disappearing into the Sand River, contact calling for her sub adult cubs.
Written and photographed by James Crookes
James, your photographs are WORLD CLASS! Thank you for sharing them.
Stunning! The world’s most beautiful animal.
Gorgeous females…..gorgeous photography! Thank you, James!
Beautiful photos thank you.
Wow….Absoutely Stunning Pictures!!!….I need to take some photography courses.
Thank You James…:)
Tammy, although I’m sure courses will help a lot, there really is a lot you can do on your own. I would suggest spending a few days in the garden at home with your camera manual and just play around with settings. All of what I do is self learned and it is made a lot easier by the amazing environment and sightings which I find myself in on a daily basis!
These have got to be the best, they are fantastic. I can’t wait for the time when I can return but it’s going to have to be early September to get shots like this. Thank you so much for sharing them.
Thanks Kate. There is fantastic leopard viewing in September, but don’t discount the rest of the year, as each season provides something different as far as colours and photography goes. There is no bad time of the year!
We would like to personally thank you for tracking and finding some of these beautiful ladies for us to see. Beautiful write up and stunning photos.
Hi Michel and Maria, great to hear from you. I’m glad you got to see the photo of the reflection of the Dudley Riverbank female that you were so lucky to witness! I hope you are both well and we hope to see you back soon!
Beautiful photographs!!
These are amazing photos!
Spectacular, yet again!! Can’t thank you enough for making me feel like Londolozi is just around the corner!.
Wow, thats all I can say!!!!
G O R G E O U S!!!!!!!!!
James, love the ladies!!!
ditto all the above comments – fabulous – all of them …..
Superb photos.. thank you so much for sharing… I love the leopards!
Lots of lovely Londolozi leopard ladies–love, love, love!
Hi James your shot of the Maxabene female under the marula tree came out nicely. That was a great sighting of the grand old dame. Did you manage to identify the young female we saw down South that had the Impala hoisted in the tree a little way off? Was it the Tamboti female in the shot as that female also hissed at us when we were with you??
best wishes
Trevor
Hi Trevor, unfortunately we didn’t manage to identify that female down South. She seemed nervous, even the following day when she was seen at the same place, so I’m sure that she isn’t seen regularly by any of the lodges in the area. I doubt we will manage to find out who she is, but we will keep a look out for her and keep trying. It is, however, exciting to know that there is a new leopard about! It definitely wasn’t the Tamboti female, as she is seen in the central and eastern part of Londolozi. She is usually extremely relaxed and it is very unusual for her to hiss at the vehicle.
James, Tamboti snarling is world class!! Well done.
They’re all gorgeous, but must agree with James. The snarling picture is perfection!
Thanks everyone for your amazing comments, I really appreciate each one of them!
James – WOW. Your photos are all amazing. Look forward to your next round-up of the ladies after the rains, which will hopefully some of the beauties we were so lucky to see. Cheers, Hilary
Awsome. Make me want to come back ASAP. Thanks
coming in next august what lenses do i need to take these kinds of pictures? thanks in advance
Bill I have a 70-200mm IS canon lens. It is wonderful. I might also recommend a 400mm zoom as it gets up close but up to you. Obviously a good wide angle lens helps with scenery and landscape
Beautiful ! Brings back lovely memories of our stay at Tree Camp . Thanks !
Magnificent ladies!