As we approach the end of April, this week’s collection of images feels like a gentle shift between seasons, where the last breath of summer still lingers in the landscape. The bush remains richly saturated, lush greens stretching across clearings and drainage lines, a reminder of the rains that have shaped the year so far. Against this backdrop, the light begins to soften, with autumn sunrises casting a golden glow and skies building into bold, expressive canvases that draw the eye upward.
Leopards feature strongly throughout the week. From the ever-composed Nkoveni Female resting effortlessly in the trees, to the rising presence of the young Shingi Male, and moments of tension between the Three Rivers Female and her newly independent daughter, we’ve been blessed with a number of incredible sightings (and perfect views) of these elusive cats. There is a quiet balance between stillness and movement, whether in a yawn between branches or the subtle act of scent marking along a well-worn path.
In addition to the leopards, the Gijima Male lions have made their presence known across the reserve, and the airstrip was stage for unexpected encounters, playful chases, cautious stalks, and fleeting bursts of energy unfolding in the open right outside camp. Altogether, it has been a week defined by contrast and colour.
Enjoy This Week In Pictures…
The Nkoveni Female leopard in all her glory glances over her shoulder towards sunrise.
Londolozi's most viewed leopard and prolific mother. This gorgeous female has raised multiple cubs to independence.
The backlight of sunrise set the scene perfectly as we watched a journey of giraffe walk across a glowing clearing. Autumn sunrise at its best!
In sync. Although not quite… the Three Rivers Female and the Tinxiya Female leopards were found snarling and growling at each other as the Three Rivers Female reaffirms her territorial boundary with her newly independent daughter.
Forced into early independence at 11 months. Despite her small size, she's proven resilient, currently raising a cub in SE Londolozi.
A confident and curious young leopard, that is nearing independence after a remarkable start to life alongside her resilient mother.
The iconic male lion head shake. After spending a good 30 minutes simply trying to keep up with the two Gijima Male lions as they marched with purpose reaffirming their dominance in the area, they (to our delight) decided to take a moment’s rest on the road.
A young Msuthlu lioness takes her chances at seeing how close she can get to a VERY alert herd of wildebeest on our airstrip. With no cover, her chances were slim. But hey, I’m sure she learned a thing or two.
Annnnnd, run!
The Shingi Male resting gracefully. A beautiful young leopard, and as a team, we are loving every sighting of this relaxed male leopard!
The last surviving cub of a litter of three, he is on the cusp of independence.
With a clean backdrop, I couldn’t not try a high-key edit.
The Styx Male has been spending more and more time in the south-western parts of Londolozi. Here, he was seen scent-marking multiple times on the road up ahead.
We drove a young girl recently who, every time we stopped to take in the beautiful sunrise/sunset, she would say, “it looks like God is rising”. Whoever or whatever you perceive God to be, this young girl constantly reminded us to look up and really take in all its beauty.
The Nkoveni Female climbing a fallen trunk and getting herself comfortable before settling on the trunk for a rest. See the image below to see how she ended up finding the perfect nap position.
More chaos on the airstrip. A few hyenas were spotted playfully chasing zebra around the airstrip as we set off from camp early one morning.
Dramatic clouds frame this young elephant bull roaming around in the open grasslands.
The Shingi Male yawns perfectly in the gap between the branches.
Playing around again with some black and white edits, I cannot decide which one I prefer most?
An impressive Verreaux’s Eagle Owl posed for our vehicle on our drive back home to camp.
A super cool perspective of a flap-necked chameleon with its independent eyes staring back in our direction after spotting it climbing a branch in the daylight.
Playful elephant bulls framed perfectly with the lush greenery of the landscape and the afternoon golden light.
The Nkoveni Female blends into the scenery after finding a perfect position for a nap.
We spent a morning with the Ximungwe Female away from her cubs on a territorial patrol. This was her as she was approaching the base of a marula tree, where she proceeded to rub her cheeks and leave her scent on the bark.
Having been viewed by vehicles from an early age, this leopard is supremely relaxed around Land Rovers.
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on The Week In Pictures #749