Wednesday Morning 17th Sept
The previous day we had spotted a female leopard hanging around in a tree. We also saw two cubs in a bush (worth at least one in the hand) but they were not giving us the time of day.
We had other cats in mind at that time, and we had, beyond our wildest dreams, succeeded. So we were now free to chase after more mundane things.
Like leopards.
How mundane is that?
With the added bonus that chasing after a cat in a tree is actually pretty straightforward.
When we got there, before eight in the morning, she was no longer in the same tree. Instead, to our absolute delight, the two cubs were out in the play yard!
How amazing was that? If only they would climb that tree stump next to them I thought;
My wish came true.
And the other cub?
Only room for one.
We stayed with these cubs for more than half an hour without any sign of their mother.
The fact that they were playing openly in front of us inferred that their protecting mother was nearby, well hidden, ready to pounce.
They were jumping up and down trees.
Up being significantly easier than down.
Where is the fire brigade when you need them?
We searched the area for their mother, finding her not far away in the undergrowth.
Sleeping.
Not exactly ready to pounce.
It was not long, however, before she decided to get up and out of there.
She was hunting.
We tried to follow but she went to the other side of the gully we were next to . We had to drive far to get around this gully (at least half an hour), not crossable even with our all-terrain truck. All-terrain except gullies apparently.
Instead, we did discover a very rare thing hardly ever found in the Serengeti.
A toilet. (Sorry, restroom to you guys across the pond.)
This first few days in the Serengeti, my digestive system was not being very cooperative, and had decided by itself that movement was ever imminent. Thus, finding this WC was like an oasis in the dessert. With added plumbing.
Once finding literal relief, we went back to the other side of the gully, only to find the leopard mother had returned into the trees.
Wait! Movement!
To a lower, more comfortable, branch.
Sleep.
Perchance to dream.
However, what we hadn't realised was that there was something else in that tree.
Just above her.
A cliffhanger
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