Leopards are night time creatures. Of course it’s possible to see them during the day and on a few occasions I’ve seen them in the heat of mid-afternoon but they tend to be lethargic and heavy-eyed in the sunlight. It’s as darkness falls that they really come to life, it’s then that the world opens up before them. The South Luangwa National Park in Zambia is famous for it’s leopards and on a night safari there one evening we followed a male leopard as he patrolled his territory. Stopping at key locations, he marked shrubs and tree trunks with extravagant sprays of pungent urine, a warning to any wandering males to keep out of his domain. He entered a thicket and disappeared from view for a few moments, we heard a scuffle and saw a sudden cloud of dust and then he reappeared, a still quivering duiker hanging from his jaws. We had been completely unaware of the small antelope’s presence and I don’t think the leopard had realized it was there either because he had shown no signs of stalking but, in typical leopard style, he had seized the opportunity and secured his evening meal with a minimum of fuss. The Prince of Darkness indeed!

Limited Edition of 50 Fine Art Prints from an original oils on canvas painting. The print is delivered rolled into a tube, ready for framing. Free worldwide shipping.

Size: 100cm x 100cm