This is my first Leopard picture, which I shot in December 2002. Ned (the name given to this magnificent male) was part of the Munyawana Leopard Project. Wild animals are usually not given any names on game reserves, except if they are part of a research project.
Leopards (Panthera pardus) are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because they are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, and numbers are declining globally.
Often hunted illegally their body parts are smuggled in the wildlife trade for medicinal practices and decoration.
This is one of my favorite Leopard portraits which I took many years ago.
I have started featuring a species per week on my social media channels. Here is a summary of the first week’s posts (and a few extras). I hope you enjoy some of my favorite Leopard pictures 🙂
Thirst …
Breakfast …
Surprise …
Habitat …
In the spotlight …
Down the tree …
On the road to …
My favorite cat …
Age …
Baby …
Pure power …
The pictures were taken at various locations in South Africa.
Please contact me at info@sperka.com in case you are interested in publishing any of these images or if you would like to license any image for printing (for personal or commercial use).
Last weekend I was very busy in the office and teaching photography at Thanda. On Monday I went to Pongola to get my car serviced and for a short visit to Pakamisa. On Tuesday and Wednesday I ran errands in Durban where a met a very cute puppy dog. Yesterday and today I played again catch-up in the office.
But, I still got a bit of photography done. At Pakamisa I took some pictures of Isabella working with one of her horses and at the Thanda House Waterhole (next to my home) I got some good pictures of Elephants, of Giraffes and of a young Lioness. I also shot some good-bye pictures of our young male Lion, who will leave the reserve soon for a new home. And in between I posted one of my favorite Leopard shots (taken in 2006) on Facebook.
So, here is my week in pictures. Enjoy them and the weekend 🙂
PS: As a bonus I added a short Thanda Elephants video – four times the regular speed!
Watching Giraffes …
Watching out for Lions … (for the biders: there is a Wahlberg’s Eagle in the tree!)
Well hidden …
Leaving Thanda for a new home soon …
Having a bath …
… and a good scratch …
Isabella working with Joaquino …
An excited Pakamisa mare …
… and one of my favorite Leopard pictures taken in 2006 …
… and a cute little puppy I met in Umhlanga (Durban)!
A special day in Germany, celebrating my dad’s birthday. Three days with many lunches and dinners joining family and friend, and two short visits to a small zoo near Lucerne and a wild game park near my former home town of Zofingen in Switzerland.
An artist named Martyn Norris has recently asked for permission to use one of my Clouded Leopard images as a basis for one of his drawings. I really like the result – thanks Martyn!
And looking at this image took me back to when I was working as photographer and photography teacher at Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. I really enjoyed my time in Nashville and I miss my friends in the Music City USA. I hope to visit again, soon.