Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2024/08/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Douglas, Thanks for looking. Actually, I was much safer with the leopard next to me than I would be trying to cross the road in many of our urban areas! We are not food for them, nor do they perceive a threat, so why would they attack? Animals are far more trustworthy in their behaviour than humans..... Cheers Jayanand On Tue, Aug 20, 2024 at 5:07?AM Douglas Barry <imra at iol.ie> wrote: > That is one mean and magnificent looking pussy, Jayanand. My favourite > in this collection is probably Eye Contact as you can see the markings > very well. > Mind you, going on your comment later to Lluis that the beast was right > beside your open sided vehicle, I consider you've nominated yourself in > the year's LUG bravery awards. Seeing as my own two black cats are like > lightning when they are within leaping distance of a mouse, I don't > think it's a position of proximity, I'd want to find myself in. > > Douglas > > > On 05/08/2024 16:13, Jayanand Govindaraj via LUG wrote: > > I returned a few days ago from Laikipia in Kenya, off the beaten track, > > and gaining currency in wildlife circles as a place to go for unique > > encounters with a wild, 3 year old black leopard called Giza. > > > > Laikipia is in the North Central part of Kenya, and is a place to go for > > leopards, (one) black leopard and wild dog sightings - and as it is > located > > in a private conservancy, you can be out till 9pm. Thanks to this, night > > sightings of leopards are plentiful. Giza, too, did not disappoint, she > > showed herself in more than 50% of the drives we did, and she had no fear > > of vehicles, making the sightings really satisfying. The service at the > > River Camp where we stayed was excellent, and the staff did whatever they > > could to keep us comfortable. That is the good news.The bad news is that > > accommodation is rustic/basic and the food was of indifferent quality. A > > landowner suddenly found that a black leopard cub was visible on his > lands, > > and hastily built a few structures and started charging exorbitant > amounts > > (over US$1000 a day per person) for the experience - which is tailored > more > > towards the general tourist rather than photographers, but it is early > days > > yet, and they will surely learn to cater to photographers in the days to > > come. > > > > The experience is most certainly unique and out of this world, and > probably > > is the only one of its kind available, that I know of, for close > encounters > > with black leopards, but comes at a high cost, especially given the basic > > quality of the boarding and lodging. The demand is certainly there, > though, > > as they are booked solid till July 2025! > > > > On reflection, I am indeed glad that I did go there. > > > > A dozen photographic studies of Giza are available here: > > > > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/jayanand/Laikipia/ > > > > Please see LARGE > > > > Comments and criticism, as ever, welcome. > > > > Cheers > > Jayanand > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Leica Users Group. > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >