Every year I lead one or two safaris through the wilds of Africa. From the savannas of Kenya and Tanzania, to the Okavango Delta in Botswana, to thundering Victoria Falls....there are no shortages of photo opportunities. It is almost a crime to travel to Africa without a good camera with a powerful zoom or telephoto lens. Although, soaking it all up in all of its wild, powerful glory is something to experience as well.
While the birdlife is stunning, the sheer number of big mammals a bit overwhelming, and the diversity of species staggering, it is often the big predators that dominate the stories around the dinner table. I am always on the hunt to find lions, leopards, and cheetahs...and a host of smaller wild cat species as well. Here are some of my favorite photos of the top three big cats from over the years.
Sleepy Leopard showing off a fun tongue trick
Mom and young cheetah camouflaging into the tall grass
Lion so close you can see the bumps on its tongue. Not to mention some impressive canines.
Artistic photo of a big male lion
Leopards often like to take cover in trees during the day and do their hunting at night. I've probably looked at a ten thousand trees hoping a leopard might be in them so it is always nice to actually find one!
Lioness with a kill. This young wildebeest won't be joining the great migration this year.
This is what lion mating looks like. You would think it is incredibly rare to find but I've seen it four times now.
I call this 'The Sleepy King' and it my first minted NFT
I can't imagine you will find another photo like this out there. Maybe I should try to sell it to Apple. Cheetah closeup.
I waited 11 years for a good photo opportunity with the elusive leopard... finally got it here in Samburu National Reserve in Kenya
This lion couple was resting in between mating. The sun lit them up perfectly among the bushes.
Around the corner from the mating lions pictured above, these little cubs were jumping and climbing all around. They reminded me very much of my kids.
I hope you enjoyed all the photos. More to come
-Dai Mar