Masai Mara - September 2011 - Leopards

I bet you all thought I would start with elephants!! Hehe!! Nope, I've decided to go for Leopards instead. We nearly saw a leopard on our first day ... i say nearly ... I counted 20 cars so I asked our driver to leave. It was just wrong!!

Second time we arrived, still lots of cars (too many) but then the leopard just happened to walk out right in front of us. We got our photos and the driver asked if we wanted to stay, once again the unanimous decision was no!! Too many cars.

Third time, we were so lucky!! We were the only ones there! Leopard feeding cub (older cub so am hoping Olive and Bahati). We maybe had 5 minutes with them before another car arrived and they just got up and walked off. We felt so lucky! All the leopards were seen in the same area.





I'm just waiting for my computer to load the piccies of Olive and Bahati (?) so as soon as it has done I'll post them.

Tomorrow will be a different animal

Here are the final two for today

Oh boy fantastic AM, well worth waiting for Being that close I'm surprised all your photos arnt shaky. What an experience. Really glad you insisted on moving, the number of cars around is really getting a problem as we've heard from Jackson & Aatish
WS

Oh my! I cant stop looking at them!! They are wonderful and a great experience to have them on your own on the third day.

SM

Yay, its Olive and Bahati!! I'm so happy. Any idea on the other leopard? It looked like there was more than one in the bushes, they were really playing. Olive and family maybe? Could it be Pacha? Chris has some better photos of that one so I'll try and add this evening.

I've tried to do a comparison between the 3 shots of the left hand side of the face to compare the spot patterns, they are at different angles, see what you all think


Pacha
WS

Gorgeous pictures AM I looked at them quickly earlier and have had a good look again now, they are stunning and have caused a huge smile this evening.
Mmmm I agree all those Leopards are different, the spot patterns are all so different around the eyes so I wonder who your male Leopard is?
littlewid-x-

Just got in from work and couldn't resist another look at Olive & Bahati they are such lovely pictures AM.......still wished I knew who that other Lepoard was

littlewid-x-

I think if is close to Pacha but not quite, definitely not Nkaiyoni. Wonder is it one to as Jackson of FB perhaps AM.

They are all really lovely picture and thanks so much for sharing. Helps keep us up todate of the animals in the mara.



SM

Its a mystery!! We were sure there was more than one in the bushes when we saw him. I hope Aatish knows who he is

Here is another photo of Olive and Bahati that WS has kindly fixed for me I was so annoyed I missed the shot as it would have been my best.

Here is one of Chris's pics of our mystery leopard.



I will have to post some more pics tomorrow. I'll post them in Camera Club to keep them all together.

LW, SM or WS, can you move this to that thread

Lets hope Aatish can solve the mystery, he's certainly a good looking Leopard

WS

Well thats solved that then, at least we know who he is, and he does look a handsome Guy in the pics
WS

Good to know who the other handsome Leopard is AM, a mystery is nice but I love it when one is solved
Great pictures again, Leopards just draw you to them don't they, they are so powerful looking but they have such an endearing look about them. How brilliant that both you and Doogs saw the same mystery boy.

As these are in the camera club I presume your thread has been moved for you now.

littlewid-x-

It has thank you LW. There is certainly something special about Leopards. I'm pretty sure they are my favourite big cat

Glad it's all sorted, was just about to move it and then realised it was already here Tigers are my favourite big cat closely followed by the Cheetah but the more I know about them and see them, the Leopards are giving them a close run for their money AM.

littlewid-x-