Harriet Smith Photography

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"For The Love of Africa"

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Country:                              South Africa
Province:                             Mpumalanga
Location:                              The Sabi Sand Reserve
Lodge:                                  Singita Boulders Lodge

This is a picture of a magnificent, completely relaxed leopard; safe and secure in a high tree checking out the camera and putting on a display of its exquisite hide against aged, dark tree bark and the bright blue sky.  The head, neck and legs are covered in black spots, with more intricate markings, called "rosettes", on the remainder of the body. Each rosette clearly shows its make up of three or four black spots on the outside with a yellow-brown center. No two leopards have the same markings or color, each leopard's spots being unique, similar to human fingerprints.
 
This picture was taken in the Sabi Sand Reserve.  The Sabi Sand Reserve is the birthplace of sustainable wildlife tourism in Southern Africa, and is the oldest of all the private reserves in South Africa. Forever, it has been a wilderness area and  home to a vast wildlife population. The name comes from the Sabie and Sand Rivers that flow through the reserve.  Situated near to the Kruger Gate, the reserve shares a common 30+ mile unfenced boundary with the Kruger National Park to the east.
 
The two rivers supply the game reserve with a valuable water source. The Sand River flows through the reserve for 31 miles and the Sabie River flows on the southern boundary. The sustenance of these rivers ensures that this area enjoys one of the highest and most bio-diverse wildlife populations of any area in Africa. Over two hundred different species live in abundance, as the ever changing bird life provides even the most experienced ornithologist with rare finds. Such is the environment that the wildlife, save for the migratory birds, remain in their territories all year round.

The Sabi Sands Game Reserve, with its  legendary leopard viewing is the best known of the game reserves in the Kruger National Park area.  

Photographed and Copyrighted ©2005 - 2011 All Right Reserved By: Harriet Smith

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