A Mother's Resolve - a photo on Flickriver

A Mother's Resolve

            We spent days with Legadema (National Geographic's Eye of the Leopard star), trying to see if she would move her two-three week old cubs to a different den. At this stage, leopard cubs are completely helpless, still blind, and are always hidden.

The male leopard that was supposed to be the father of these cubs came into the area. He wasn't the father. She tried to distract him and lead him away, but it did not work. He found one of the two cubs, played with it for 30 mins, killed it and ate it (they do this to bring the female back into heat and mate with her). He started looking for the second cub (she had them separated, we did not know). I made noise in the car. I shouldn't have but i couldn't bear it. He got startled and took off.

Two hours later, when she was sure he was gone, she came back to the den site. Looked in the first tree, where the first cub was. She knew what happened and looked anguished. But then she found the second cub. And here she is. She walked 7 km in the midday sun to take the cub to safety to a new den. 

Alas i heard she was seen mating again last week so this little one was also lost. This was the worst/best day i have ever had in the bush.

Many more shots to come, i haven't had time to organize.

Mombo, Botswana

Taken in: Botswana / North-West (show map)

Taken on: June 11, 2012

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