The Night of the Leopard

12 May, 2001 at Djuma Game Reserve.
I will always remember this evening. Three Spot the leopard had been mating all day,and the drives had seen him and the female during the daylight hours. But then as the darkness set in during the cool evening drive, they lost him..and around 6pm, Aubrey, Odie, (both Djuma Rangers) Jimmy of the Vuyatela staff doing the spotting and I went out in the landie to find him. ?
I often think of that night..
We stopped twice to listen for him, we were already off road.
Motor off, lights off, sitting under that unbelieveable African sky!! and listening....
At first i was thinking, what AM I doing here? Pennsylvania was never like this!! Here in the darkness, listening for a leopard!..And then I kind of got lost in the night. Because we were the ones that found him first and no other vehicles were around. And there I sat, with the light of the spot on him, and we were only 5 feet away from this beautiful wild creature as he lay there on the left of the vehicle. I admit I was leaning back and to my right in my seat towards Aubrey and yes, it was because of being kind of scared at first!. Taking pictures of him as he lay there, grunting or coughing occassionally, and we, whispering to each other, handing the camera to Odie in the higher second seat to capture a different angle of him. ..and then the silence was broken by your voice, Pippa, loud and clear, saying, "Is Elaine happy now?" Sorry, Chommie, but no one reached for the radio to answer you and Three Spot didn't even blink!!. We followed him a few times as he started to move to different areas in the bush. and I sat there absolutely enthralled as he was allowing us to enjoy just being near him. We then left so that other vehicles could come and see him.
But as we drove back to base and reality set in, I noticed that the top of the dash of the landie was empty and then i realized what was usually in that space..and said very excitedly, "Aubrey, you forgot your gun" And his laughter echoed loud and long thru the African night as we drove back to the office.
Yes, it definitely was a night to remember...always!!!
Thank you , Djuma
Elaine C. Long
Wyomissing, Reading, PA, USA