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This picture has been taken in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Early morning we spotted this leopard. We were so lucky as it is very difficult to track this elusive and shy animal with its camouflaged fur. As we love getting up close and personal and capture the spirit of wildlife, we decided to follow her. She was strolling around, had an empty belly and seemed rather hungry. She climbed up a tree, hiding and sleeping and we waited and waited patiently. It is really all about being patient and passionate, respect and being in harmony with the animals and their natural environment. After a while, we were getting hungry and decided to eat our breakfast in the jeep. I didn’t know that a simple hard-boiled egg, a muffin and a cup of coffee could taste so delicious in the bush. The waiting game was still on. We sat in complete silence.
Around noon she was getting more active, decided to leave the protective surroundings of the tree. She stood and stretched, raking her claws on the bark, then slid headfirst down the trunk in a single fluid movement. She stopped and through the dense foliage I picked out a pair of eyes staring curiously. She was investigating our jeep which was parked at a safe distance as we do not want to disturb or alter her behavior giving her enough space and comfort. She stopped again a bit further behind a tree, always keeping an eye on us. That is why I call this picture “Peek-a-Boo”. After a while, her body language told us that she was confident. She accepted and trusted us. During the afternoon, she made several attempts to catch a young impala, but failed.

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