For several years, Matt and Ali Caldwell have been coming on safari to Kenya and staying at our Porini Camps. Following their most recent trip last month, in July 2017, Matt shared with us these 16 amazing action-shots of a leopard ambush that he captured while on a game drive from Porini Lion Camp.
Matt writes:
We travel to Kenya as much as we can and always stay with Porini as they are like family to us now. I am a photographer based in the Forest of Dean in England, UK where I run a business making souvenirs for our local tourist industry.
Matt describes the scene as the action unfolds …
We took these images whilst with William and Philip, the Safari Guides from Porini Lion Camp.
We found the female leopard known as “Fig” (a long-time resident of Olare Motorogi Conservancy) waiting by a crossing and waterhole so we chose a suitable position to sit and wait to see if anything happened. A few other jeeps came and went leaving us and one other (parked a long way up the hill opposite) as the only ones there.
A warthog wandered past, and was ignored, as was a small group of Topi.
After just over an hour Fig suddenly became very alert and we saw an Impala off to our left. We waited as the Impala slowly walked towards the waterhole, and stood drinking about 6 feet from where Fig was hidden.
In a flash of muscle and dust Fig struck and had secured her dinner, ready for her and her young cub.
We found the female leopard known as “Fig” (a long-time resident of Olare Motorogi Conservancy) waiting by a crossing and waterhole so we chose a suitable position to sit and wait to see if anything happened. A few other jeeps came and went leaving us and one other (parked a long way up the hill opposite) as the only ones there.
A warthog wandered past, and was ignored, as was a small group of Topi.
After just over an hour Fig suddenly became very alert and we saw an Impala off to our left. We waited as the Impala slowly walked towards the waterhole, and stood drinking about 6 feet from where Fig was hidden.
In a flash of muscle and dust Fig struck and had secured her dinner, ready for her and her young cub.
After making the kill, she dragged it into the trees and then went off to call her cub. Once reunited they made their way to the kill but progress was stopped by a troop of Baboons so the Leopards hid and waited.
Later that day we returned to find them up a tree right by the kill. They soon came down and started to feast……… right at eye level to where we had taken up position.
A remarkable day spent at a remarkable place thanks to Porini Camps and Gamewatchers Safaris.
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See Matt & Ali’s Safari Diary with other images from their safari,
Matt’s website can be seen here: http://caldwellcreations.co.uk