The Art of Waiting: A game of peekaboo with a Leopard
Patience. That’s one of the key skills I’ve learned over years of leading photo/wildlife viewing safaris. There are times when we rush to catch up with a lion’s call or a cheetah’s sprint, or to catch a glimpse of a rare Rhino sighting, but often, the most memorable moments are born out of quiet, attentive waiting.
This was the case with a leopard sighting that still lingers in my mind. Leopards are solitary and elusive creatures, masters of stealth who keep their lives hidden from easy view. So when you’re fortunate enough to spot one, especially high in the branches of an acacia tree, there’s a thrill in knowing you’re witnessing something special.
On this particular day, the landscape was quiet. We were in an area with very few other safari vehicles. The area seemed empty and then our guide slowed to a stop and reached for his binoculars. First, he saw it… how he spotted it while driving along is a mystery to me. He described where we should look in great detail and then.. we saw it! A leopard lounging on a high branch, camouflaged by the tree’s dappled shade.
This leopard was magnificent—its muscular form stretched across the branches. Its head was turned away from us, focused on the distant horizon, its gaze elsewhere.
The instinct, of course, was to will it to look our way. I couldn’t resist snapping away, getting some photos of this beautiful creature nestled amongst the branches. We settled in for a wait, hoping for the leopard to survey its entire area, including looking in our direction. A few times this magnificent cat repositioned, but not advantageously for us unfortunately. And so we waited…
For what felt like an eternity, the leopard maintained its focus away from us or towards our left, completely at ease in its perch above the African plains. There were a couple of gazelles at a great distance. I imagine the leopard was willing the gazelle to come closer just as we were willing him to look our way. Then, almost imperceptibly, it began to shift. Our collective breath caught as we waited, willing it to glance back at us just once. And then, it did.
In a slow, graceful turn, the leopard looked our way. Those stunning eyes looked right into my camera lens, piercing and indifferent yet aware. That one glance was so special, offering a momentary connection—a bridge between us and the untamed wilderness.
Moments like these remind me of the power of patience on safari. In my opinion it’s not just about finding animals or ticking off a checklist; it’s about waiting in stillness, allowing nature to reveal itself in its own time. And sometimes, in the calm of the wait, we are gifted with the kind of encounter that lingers long after the safari ends.
