Involved Leopards

Flat Rock 3:2 Male

Flat Rock 3:2 Male

Spotted this leopard?
You've seen this leopard
Ximungwe 5:3 Female

Ximungwe 5:3 Female

Spotted this leopard?
You've seen this leopard
Xinzele 4:4 Female

Xinzele 4:4 Female

Spotted this leopard?
You've seen this leopard
Three Rivers 2:2 Female

Three Rivers 2:2 Female

Spotted this leopard?
You've seen this leopard

About the Author

Chris Taylor

Ranger

Chris was born and raised in the Kwa-Zulu/Natal Midlands where his family inspired his early passion for the natural world. Exploring Southern Africa as he grew up, this passion was allowed to develop and his curiosity to expand. After high school, Chris spent ...

View Chris's profile

45 Comments

on The Week in Pictures #573

Join the conversationJoin the conversation

Too difficult to choose one as they are all so good. However the photograph of the Bearded Scrub Robin does it for me. Beautiful markings. Patience paid off.

As it so often does, patience did indeed pay off. Thanks Babs.

Chris, I love the photo of the two buffalo having a go at each other. Would probably been amazing just listening to them at that stage.

You’re right Gawie. The clash of their horns echoed across the grassland!

Wow, fantastic photos, Chris! We enjoyed every one! But, because I have watched and followed the Three Rivers female since she was a tiny cub, I have to pick the beautiful portrait and reflection of her. Stunning indeed!

Thank you Darlene. I was very happy to be in the right place at the right time!

Senior Digital Ranger

Excellent stuff…keep it up.

Thank you, Jim.

Good foto’s this week in FWIP. My favorite foto is the Three River’s female drink water with her reflexion in the water.. Baby elephant calf is so cute walking with Mom.

Thank you, Valmai.

Hi Chris, your photos are as fantastic as always. I especially love the close up ones of the birds, but also the one with the beautiful rainbow and the lion. And of course, the wonderful photos of the buffalos and my favorites, the leopards.

Thank you Christa. I’ve always enjoyed bird photography and managed to get few unique images that past week. I’m glad you enjoyed them.

Great collection of photos Chris! Great job! Was wondering where in the north of Londolozi did you find the Xinzele Female and her cub? I am attempting to map her territory using sightins posted by the various lodges and properties that see her and her Londolozi portion still needs some work. Thanks so much in advance!

Hi Michael. The Xinzele female’s territory sits very central across the northern boundary line and extends about 2km to central Marthly. I will try see if the media team can send you a highlighted map sometime in the near future.

Thank you so very much for the response Chris! If it is not an inconvenience that would be awesome and much appreciated regarding the map. No rush of course as I know you all have guests and other business needing prioritizing.

It’s a difficult choice, but my favourite has to be the Three Rivers female drinking, with her perfect reflection.
(I’ve just been looking at my photos of her – and others – that you edited for me in the studio a few weeks ago. Really pleased with them, thank you).

Thank you Suzanne. It was a pleasure to have you back at the photo studio again. I’m glad that you like the photos we touched up.

Fantastic images and stories this week Chris, making the selection of just one photo impossible. That being said, I’ve narrowed my choice down to two: the Birmingham male framed by that golden light and rainbow and your Bearded Scrub Robin. The former illustrates being in the right place at the right time and the latter, patience to get the “shot” pays off.

Thanks Denise. It’s always rewarding for me to hear that picking one of your best is a difficult choice! I was very lucky to get both photos.

Lpved all the pics and hard to choose just one, but I especially liked the Bearded Scrub Robin – my favourite North American bird. Also heartwarming was the ellie Mum and cub. Thanks very much for sharing with us.

Thanks Leonie. It’s refreshing to see that so many people are enjoying the bird photos and not just the big cats!

Saddle Billed Stork photo was terrific!
I never thought the remaining Birmingham Male would survive after we saw his condition summer 2021.

Thanks Vin. Yes, we all wrote him off too early and he is in fact in terrific condition at the moment, considering what he’s been through.

Chris, thanks for the wonderful picture in TWIP’s. They are great as always. My favorite this week is the Bearded Scrub Robin, it is just a fabulous shot showing a great expression on the birds face with great detail on it’s feathers.

Thanks William. As I mentioned in one of the earlier comments, its so refreshing to see how many people are enjoying the bird photos as opposed to the big cats!

Center stage this week Chris! Well done! Love the ellies always but the yawning Ximungwe Female and Three Rivers female mirror image are pretty awesome!

Thanks Anita. I’m glad you enjoyed the collection of images. The leopard do often steal the show – they sure are beautiful!

Great TWIP Chris! Hard to choose, as all are excellent. But the shots of the birds are all spectacular!!

Thanks Paul. Glad to see that you enjoyed them!

For me this week’s favoured image is the Saddle Billed Stork because of its strong and bright colors as well as its straight look at the camera (though I am not sure if it can see straight like this or has it to turn its head in order to see the camera?)

Thanks Ulrike. I also thought it was quite a unique image. Being a predatory bird, they will definitely be able to see straight in front of them as they need to be able to use their large bill with perfect accuracy.

Gosh Chris, a very difficult task to pick a winner here..fabulous photos ! As much as it was wonderful to see the more elusive leopards again, I think the photo of Ximungwe is superb with the greenery and fresh flowers 👌🏻💗

Thanks Cally. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed that image. The sighting was a rather slow going one so its always rewarding to be able to get a good photo out of a when the animals are not doing all that much.

A great selection of images this week, Chris! It is hard to name to name a favorite but the Purple Crested Turaco has got to be my #1. I’ve never seen one and this may be the closest I ever get!
Who is the Thamba male? I’m not familiar with him…

Thank you Mary Beth. The colours of the Turaco are quite special. The best place to find one is actually around the Londolozi camps, so keep a look out on your next visit.
The Thamba Male is dominant leopard to the west of Londolozi. His mother was the Thandi female and he was born in 2016.

I feel a sense of attitude from the bearded scrub robin, but it could just be the perspective. Its so rare to see birds straight on from a one point perspective, so I quite enjoyed that (and the stork for the same reason).

I see what you mean by the facial expression expression of the robin! Thanks Chelsea.

Chris, What a great update! How exciting to hear about all the leopard activity! We loved your image of the Three Rivers female – our favorite this week!

Thanks Michael and Terri. Very lucky to get such a clean reflection on the water.

All wonderful! The buffalo is really impressive! But the most special to my sister and I is the old Birmingham male in the golden light with the rainbow. It encompasses the strength of this incredible lion and yet his frailty enhanced by the rainbow, due to his age and uncertain future. Then the black-and -white Thamba male, like a ghost jumping from branch to branch, whereas he is a strong and gorgeous young male instead… poetry

Thanks Francesca. Both those images, particularly the one of the Birmingham Male, can hold quite a bit of meaning if you look deeper. Great interpretations.

Digital Tracker

Wow guys, each week this just gets harder and harder to choose! The creativity of these shots is wonderful. I think my fave is the vervet monkey, followed by the Scrub Robin and the mother elephant and her calf. They’re all so wonderful – well done!

That’s an interesting selection, Carly. I’m happy to see that the monkey got some recognition too. Thank you.

I never ever tire of beautiful photos, and especially ones of gorgeous leopards! Xinzele is doing so well with this little cubbie and I hope for its safety and survival! Flat Rock is one of my favorite males, too….and Thamba. He will always be a favorite of fellow WildEarth fans and is doing so so well as a dominant boy!

Wow – I am hard pressed to choose a favourite! The Leopards though for me and the purple crested Turaco if I had to chose 🙂

Connect with Londolozi

Follow Us

One moment...
Anonymous
Be the first to this photo
You and 1 others this photo
q

Filed under
Anonymous
10 April, 2798
+
Add Profile