New Digs

Gallery: WildlifePosted October 27, 2010322 views10 comments

Another from my series on the Jakkalsdraai female and its five week old cub in Mala Mala. This is a shot of the family after the mother moved the cub to a new den site. It was much more difficult to get clear vantage points here, so I was a bit lucky that the cub sat around on this side of mom and "fit" under the big sweeping branch in the foreground.

Unfortunately another vehicle arrived soon after I took this shot. Mala Mala has strict limitations on the number of vehicles allowed near young cubs, so we were forced to leave sooner than I would have preferred. It was still a privilege to spend even a small amount of time with this cute little tyke.

Canon 7D
Canon 500mm f/4 IS
ISO 1000
1/320th
f/4

Max

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Upjeet Singh on October 27, 2010 at 11:18 AM

This is such a cute frame, I personally haven't seen a more cute looking leopard cub, I also like the mother's eyes behind keeping a look out.

I would have liked a bit more space in the bottom.

Registered on May 8, 2010, 50 Posts, 55 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Harbour on October 27, 2010 at 7:42 PM

Super shot. Love the cub, and the mother looking on in the background makes a beautiful image.

Registered on January 4, 2008, 113 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Carol Nichols on October 27, 2010 at 10:48 PM

This is a wonderful image Max. The look of the cub with the mother looking from behind is excellent!

Registered on November 7, 2007, 161 Posts, 1420 Comments

Comment posted by Anand Narayanan on October 27, 2010 at 11:13 PM

Awesome pose from both ! Love the way the cub is cuddled in and framed by moms body. The three eyes in line puts it over the top

Registered on October 25, 2009, 110 Posts, 835 Comments

Comment posted by Brad Hill on October 28, 2010 at 10:11 AM

Hi Max,

That cub is very cute and adorable and having the slightly out-of-focus mom keeping an eye on the proceedings adds a lot. I recognize that such a situation is a very rare thing to photograph and makes the shot a winner "by default", but in purely photographic terms I do wish that background - and some of the out-of-focus foreground obstructions - were a little less chaotic and "active". I guess in that "perfect world"...

Cheers...thanks for sharing this very unique shot...

Brad

Registered on May 29, 2007, 431 Posts, 6061 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on October 28, 2010 at 11:14 AM

Ditto what Brad said.
I like the fact that how you are treated with different looks by cub and mother.
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on October 28, 2010 at 1:35 PM

Max, this is a treasure! Any opportunity to photograph a leopard is a gift; the opportunity to photograph a leopard cub is more than that! I especially like the fact that you have both the intriguing blue eyes of the cub and the yellow eye of mom in line close together. Small nits noted and entirely forgiven

(honestly I am very envious

)

Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on October 28, 2010 at 4:44 PM

What a treasure to witness let alone photograph, way to go.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on October 29, 2010 at 12:26 PM

Beautiful subject! I would only wish that the kitten did not obstruct quite so much of the mother's face.

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments

Comment posted by Joe James on November 1, 2010 at 10:29 PM

Congrats Max! What a privilege to get such a good shot of such a young leopard cub. I really like the way the cub is in focus while the mom's face is slightly out of focus watching intently from behind. Well done on an interesting and rare shot.

Registered on November 20, 2009, 89 Posts, 808 Comments