Mysterious leopards

• Photographer
  Ramona Reichert

It was only on the third voyage to Africa that I got to see this beautiful and elegant animals. Being very shy animals, leopards spend most of daytime hidden on trees. Their fur gives them a perfect camouflage in the midst of branches, leaves and needles. On a tree they benefit from the view and can search for prey. It also offers them protection from other competing predators like lions. One of the big cats was indeed trapped as lions were laying in the shadow of the leopards tree. It was a good chance to stay for several hours with the secretive animal. Balancing on their tree, leopards show an astonishing elegance and nonchalance at the same time.