The Leopard . . . . . . . .

Meet Twig, a young male leopard whom we watched on a couple of occasions

 when out on game drives. 

Twig had taken down a young wildebeest the day before we first saw him. 

For some reason the kill was still on the ground, not carried up a tree and hung

 across a branch which is what a leopard will usually do to protect its meal for
many days from other hungry predators and scavengers.

Leopards are one of Africa's 'Big Five'. They are the smallest of the big cats yet pound

 for pound the strongest. They are also the most secretive, elusive and shrewdest

 of the large carnivores. Cubs live with their mothers for about 2 years, and then

 become solitary animals in the bush.

Leopard : Panthera pardus

Adult Height - to 31 inches at the shoulder

Lifespan 12 - 17 years

Speed 36 mph (running)

Conservation Status - Near Threatened 

Twig's kill kept him busy and I do have many more gory close up shots! We were

 parked just a few feet away from him. In case small children view this I'm not

sharing those photos here.

Truly the most handsome of the big cats!

Do you agree?