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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 12:06 pm 
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:thumbs_up:
Its a pleasure James..
It was growling every now and then..truly amazing..
I also came across that bit of info, yip very interesting


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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 5:19 pm 
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Location: Kleinmond, Western Cape
Unfortunately I do not have photos of my best 3 leopard sightings - although 2 is on video.

June 1981 We travelled down the (now) S114 from Skukuza (then still known as the H3 as the present H3 tar road via Afsaal was not built yet). Between the two S23 junctions we came upon a leopard lying on top of a termite mound - we were the only car then as the other two vehicles moved off when we arrived. What the people in the other cars did not know (and us too) was that the leopard was waiting for mommy warthog and her youngsters to make their appearance from an aardvark hole in the termite mound. Mommy and the first youngster escaped, but the second one appearing from the hole was not as lucky and the leopard got hold of it by the throat. I was still using a 8 mm movie camera those days. A few years later I had it put onto video - unfortunately very poor quality.

June 1989 We were on our way on the H1-4 to Olifants. Between Ngotso Dam and the S39/S89 crossing my wife (who was driving) noticed a movement amongst some reeds next to the Ngotso Creek. She was not sure, but said it looked like a leopard disappearing into the tuft of reeds. We could not see the water level in the creek, but knew there was water as the ground around the area was moist. On the other side of the creek a few impala rams were standing. It looked as if they planned to come down to the water (next to the reed tuft) to drink. A few cars stopped in the meantime - everybody asking what we are looking at. Telling them that my wife thinks that she has seen a leopard, they would idle a minute or two and then leave again. The impalas never came down to the water. But after a few minutes mommy warthog and two of her youngsters appeared from nowhere - walking actively in the direction of the water. Mommy suddenly stopped - then turned around and led her youngster away - disappearing from our eye-sight. A minute later she decided that she is too thirsty and came back to the water. Just as all three of them bend down to start drinking, the tuft of reeds exploded as the leopard dived towards the youngster standing nearest to him. Mommy took off in the direction from where they came and the other youngster ran in our direction and crossed the road in front of our car. As the leopard came to its feet again, with the youngster held by the right shoulder, mommy decided that she's not gonna let het child being taken as easy prey. She turned around and stormed the unsuspecting leopard and hit him with everything in her power in the side. He let go of the youngster and both of them (the youngster bleeding a lot) also crossed the road in front of us. The leopard sat there for a while to recover and then slowly walked off. That scene was not photographed nor taken on video.

May 2006 Coming back from N'wanetsi to Satara on the S100 we saw a (what appeared to be a young) leopard on some rocks next to the water. I took a nice video and the next moment my wife said he is going to catch the terrapin in the water. As my video camera is still one of the old sort - only having a black and white view finder - I did not notice the terrapin at first. It was only as it tried to get out of the water onto the rocks (not aware of the leopard) that I saw the terapin for the first time. The leopard was lying flat - typically cat-like - waiting for the terrapin to get out of the water totally. Then it raised it hind and the terrapin immediately recognised the danger and just fell back into the water. The leopard walked off and went to lie down in the shade of a bush where we could not see it any further.

And in all three cases we were the only car watching the action.


Last edited by Stoffel on Thu Jun 14, 2012 11:36 am, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:26 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jun 09, 2012 2:03 am
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Location: Pompano Beach, Florida
Leopard catches Vulture
Image

Leopard returning with catch
Image

Leopard falls off limb
Image

Yes, the Vulture hit the ground first got up and flew away. The Leopard was fine too.


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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:22 am 
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Wow Stoffel, sounds like you've had some unbelievable luck over the years. What I like about all your sightings is that you guys stayed put and waited. I think that's the trick, if there is any sign of a predator in the area, I say hang around and see what happens. Patients is the key!

Thanks for sharing :thumbs_up:


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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 8:26 am 
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Fantastic sighting ekoppen, thanks for sharing. I guess even leopards slip up from time to time. Fantastic photo's :thumbs_up:


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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:47 am 
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Stunning capture Ekoppen..
Well done


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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 4:11 pm 
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James of the Jungle wrote:
Fantastic sighting ekoppen, thanks for sharing. I guess even leopards slip up from time to time. Fantastic photo's :thumbs_up:


Wife took the pics...I lost him in my video viewfinder so thank goodness she caught him in stills....Thanks,
Ed


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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:22 am 
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Senior Virtual Ranger
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Location: Not in KNP.....
:shock: :big_eyes: :big_eyes:

What a sighting! Amazing! And awesome photos!

Will post my 3 sightings later...as it isnt close to these above! :lol:

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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 11:31 am 
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Location: Pompano Beach, Florida
Here's a short video clip followup of my earlier "top 3 leopard sightings" posted earlier in this thread.


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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 12:16 pm 
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Awesome clip ekoppen, what a wonderful sighting :thumbs_up:

Its amazing how quickly these things go down. Over in a flash!

Can you remember what road this was on? or the area?


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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:40 pm 
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James of the Jungle wrote:
Awesome clip ekoppen, what a wonderful sighting :thumbs_up:

Its amazing how quickly these things go down. Over in a flash!

Can you remember what road this was on? or the area?


Yes, It was on road H1-2 just east of the S84 junction


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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 4:01 pm 
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Our most interesting leopard sighting was towards the end of November 2011 on the H14 quite near the Tzendze River crossing.

It was not the best viewing opportunity, because the grass was high....................but it was eating a porcupine!!

We were just sad that the first porcupine that we ever saw in the wild was a dead one!! :whistle:

Image

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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 10:15 am 
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Nice photo Crested Val. Its a risky business hunting porcupine, it can go so wrong. I remember seeing a lioness with a face full of quills up in Shingwedzi. She was lucky not to have lost an eye.

Thanks for sharing


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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 10:06 am 
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Location: Witbank
My wife and I are very lucky when it comes to leopards. They keep walking in front of us. :lol: It was difficult to choose but here are my 3 cats. Technically it is 5. lol.

Image

Image

Image


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 Post subject: Re: My top 3 leopard sightings in Kruger
Unread postPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 10:29 am 
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:shock: MPL, I wish I had your luck. Those are 3 amazing sightings, I particularly like the 2nd two photos. Beautiful! :thumbs_up:

Can you remember the location of these leopard sightings? What road/ area etc? :think:

Thanks for sharing :D


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