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Monochrome Monday #44

on Oct 19, 2015

I think it’s because it was an emotional story, and emotions come through much stronger in black and white. Colour is distracting in a way, it pleases the eye but it doesn’t necessarily reach the heart. - Kim Hunter

Writing this blog has brought back great memories of the times that I had the privilege of spending with the Nottins female. She was the first leopard I ever saw here at Sabi Sabi and quickly became my favourite. She is the favourite of many guides as well, and has provided us with many great sightings over the many years because she is so relaxed around vehicles. Being a relaxed leopard around vehicles meant that she would go about doing her thing, uninterrupted, as we would sit there merely as spectators.

Incorporating a tribute to this amazing female into a Monochrome Monday is fitting, and as Kim Hunter said “...emotions come through much stronger in black and white...” I do not see a better way to display some of my finest photographs that I have taken of her, than to display them in black and white. I hope you enjoy this special edition of Monochrome Monday.

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Her age is evident, but there are not many leopards out there with the glamour and allure of Nottins.

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One of my last sightings that I had of Nottins together with her male cub (now deceased). He was growing to become just as confident as her, and would provide guests with great sightings.

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“It’s all in the eyes”. I’ll never forget this day when she looked straight into the lens of my camera. The feeling is one which cannot be explained, and I managed to trip the shutter just in time before she looked away.

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Nottins in the rain. I did not mind pulling my camera out in the rain. There was no way I was going to pass an opportunity to photograph her posing like this.

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There aren’t many leopards out there that poses more elegantly than when Nottins does.

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The focused look of a leopard when they have prey in their sights.

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Nottins' cub was quite the character, mischievous and very relaxed around vehicles, just like his mother.

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Nottins and her cub sleeping off a meal in the Msuthlu River.

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Nottins with a kudu kill. Marula trees were made for leopards.

At times she would take centre stage even if her cub was around.

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As I finish writing this blog I can’t help to wonder if Nottins is still out there somewhere. I think she may still be wondering around east out of our traversing area. After the Little Bush female starting pushing into her territory to expand for her daughter (the Kigelia female), we started seeing less of Nottins and we would have a few sightings of her on our eastern boundary. Will I ever get to see one of the area’s most famous leopards again here at Sabi Sabi? Only time will tell...

  • Blog by Pravir Patel (Bush Lodge Ranger)
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