In memory of the Little Bush female & cub

This photo stirs mixed emotions for me, I have chosen the following image for a few different reasons.

Firstly, this was my first time ever seeing a leopard cub, so I was understandably overjoyed to come across mom and cub amidst the Marula leaves feeding on an impala kill.

Being able to sit and observe such a young (roughly 4 months old), rarely seen wild animal in its natural habitat is a true privilege. The young leopard clambered around the tree exploring and feeding until it settled in front of its mother to rest.

However, fast-forward a couple months and I look at this image and can’t help but feel a secondary pang of sorrow as this promising and beautiful duo no longer prowl our land. After mysteriously losing her cub the aging but still fierce Little Bush female had been spotted calling out to her cub for the days leading up to her untimely end at the hands... paws rather, of lions a short while back.

As rangers who are in this environment every day, we come to recognize a few territorial individuals and share emotion in their trials and tribulations. Losing well-loved animals will always pull on one’s heart strings. One can, I suppose, find solace in knowing that somehow, somewhere this fierce fighter has found her cub.

Equipment used

• Camera – Nikon D3000
• Lens – Sigma 150-600 contemporary lens

Settings used to capture this image

• ISO – 640
• Aperture – f/6,3
• Shutter – 1/1000

Editing used on this image

I didn’t do much editing at all, I increased the exposure and clarity a bit. I also decreased the shadows slightly.