I’m a hard taskmaster (when I’m not procrastinating) – and of course the one being tasked is inevitably me. So when I set out for the Kruger National Park one of my principle aims, like all visitors to the Park, was to capture shots of the big predators. Oh I am such an eternal optimist!
The Park's primary big predators are lions, leopards, hyenas, wild dogs and crocodiles. I managed to find three of them, not bad, I suppose, all things considered and given that three of the five are primarily nocturnal. The trouble was, I set myself up for a fall. I was desperate to get a shot of a leopard. Silly idea really since they are shy creatures, not remotely keen on humans. But see, I was driven by the fact that I’ve had two leopard encounters in the bush – and without seeing the gorgeous spottedness itself.
Spotted Gorgeousness Image copyright - Alison Hughes 2008
One happened when I was about 20 and was hiking in the mountains a couple of hours north of Cape Town with boyfriend and two of his pals. The boys decided, since it was a hot day, that a skinny dip in a deep pool in the river was a fine idea. Girls were not allowed. Silly sods, did they think that I, an art student, hadn’t seen it all before in life drawing classes? But no, boyish modesty had to prevail and I was told to beat it. Just where, in the midst of the wilderness I was supposed to go to, I have no idea. So I set off in a funk and spurred on by my bullish temper, tore along at a fair lick until I ran out of puff. I came to skidding, noisy sort of halt and clearly disturbed the beast in the bush. The mother of all roars rang in my ears and I didn’t even stop to think about it. Puff or no puff, I took off as fast as my legs could carry me. I had no doubt in the slightest what I’d just upset – a leopard - and I was hanging about to apologise. All would have been well, had I not decided on a short cut and found myself face to face with a family of extremely angry wild pigs. Wild pigs, leopards… it wasn’t a good day.
The second spotted encounter took place some ten years later while my ex husband was trout fishing on some far flung river up in the mountains (this time an hour west of Cape Town). Gorgeousness here had laid herself out at the river’s edge while husband went off to do manly things to small, defenseless fishies. I was lost in my book and away with the fairies when husband appeared looking a bit pale.
“Get up,” he said in a low voice, “and come with me and whatever you do, don’t look behind you.”
Now I know many others would have had a good peek behind them, but I don’t like being frightened so duly did as I was told and we crossed the river and scarpered up the slope to the car.
“What was it?” I asked breathlessly.
“A leopard,” the husband muttered, “in the bush right behind you. Didn’t you even hear it coughing?”
Erm, in a word, no.
It turned out that the leopard wanted to get to the river to drink and I was in its way. It just sat there patiently, uttering a soft cough now and then (which I didn’t even register) to alert me to the fact that it was there.
So you can understand, given these enounters, that I was very keen to snap a spotty in the Kruger Park. Sadly, however, in true spotty form, and despite the gorgeous pictures a friend recently took (see above), Mr Spotty decided to be his usual elusive self – though make no mistake, I could feel leopards about and we did hear one coughing to advise of his presence. But as for that great Nat Geo shot, well, it still eludes me.
At least I did get these though…
Hmm, now where's my dinner...
Are you my dinner?
Spotted Hyena at dawn
Soggy Spotted Hyena, coming from a swim in the waterhole
Fat slugs...who move with surprising speed. Handbags and shoes in the making perhaps...?
Here's one to give you nightmares, a lurking crocodelli...
