We didn’t know it at the time this photo was captured, but this special leopard – her eyes alive with curiosity and wonder – would have a massive impact on our lives and careers. This is Legadema, the star of our film Eye of the Leopard. We spent over three years filming and documenting her growth from wide-eyed cub to confident huntress. She let us into her secretive world and helped fuel our passion to protect Africa’s threatened wild cats. Although Legadema is no longer with us, her legacy lives on. This #WorldWildlifeDay, we’re reflecting on the special time we spent with her, and renewing our dedication to protect our planet’s precious wild species and spaces.
#WorldWildlifeDay #wildlife #nature #leopard
Following a territorial tussle with a rival male, this dominant duo basked in the last light of the day, confident that they had successfully defended their turf. In a highly competitive and harsh environment like theirs, the key to survival often lies in alliances. The challenges of accessing resources, securing territory, and achieving genetic success are amplified when faced alone. Male lion coalitions are frequently forged between siblings, but they can also develop between unrelated cats, out of necessity and mutual advantage. The daily struggles of lion life become much more manageable when shared.
#bigcats #lions #bigcatsofinstagram
Following a territorial tussle with a rival male, this dominant duo basked in the last light of the day, confident that they had successfully defended their turf. In a highly competitive and harsh environment like theirs, the key to survival often lies in alliances. The challenges of accessing resources, securing territory, and achieving genetic success are amplified when faced alone. Male lion coalitions are frequently forged between siblings, but they can also develop between unrelated cats, out of necessity and mutual advantage. The daily struggles of lion life become much more manageable when shared.
#bigcats #lions #bigcatsofinstagram
Following a territorial tussle with a rival male, this dominant duo basked in the last light of the day, confident that they had successfully defended their turf. In a highly competitive and harsh environment like theirs, the key to survival often lies in alliances. The challenges of accessing resources, securing territory, and achieving genetic success are amplified when faced alone. Male lion coalitions are frequently forged between siblings, but they can also develop between unrelated cats, out of necessity and mutual advantage. The daily struggles of lion life become much more manageable when shared.
#bigcats #lions #bigcatsofinstagram
While some mammal societies are governed by force and aggression, these traits do not always define leadership. In elephant herds, it’s the most knowledgeable and experienced females that guide the group, and they usually carry out this role with patience and tenderness. Years of foraging have taught these leaders where to access water and food and it’s their job to lead the rest of the family to these vital resources. Without these wise giants to provide stability and calm, elephant societies could crumble.
#InternationalWomensDay
Standing tall. In the fiery glow of a Kenyan sunset, these giraffes kept their eyes fixed on the horizon. Long-distance surveying is a perk that comes with being Africa’s tallest mammals, but even giraffes are prone to attacks from opportunistic predators. As darkness sets in, the herd must find a safe spot to settle where they’re able to scan for approaching threats. Giraffes rarely graze or travel on their own, preferring to move in herds that provide safety in numbers and more eyes sweeping their landscape for lurking predators.
Giraffe societies are about more than just safety though. Herds are cooperative and interdependent and, much like elephants, older matriarchs play a vital role imparting knowledge to the next generation.
#giraffe #wildlife #nature
Standing tall. In the fiery glow of a Kenyan sunset, these giraffes kept their eyes fixed on the horizon. Long-distance surveying is a perk that comes with being Africa’s tallest mammals, but even giraffes are prone to attacks from opportunistic predators. As darkness sets in, the herd must find a safe spot to settle where they’re able to scan for approaching threats. Giraffes rarely graze or travel on their own, preferring to move in herds that provide safety in numbers and more eyes sweeping their landscape for lurking predators.
Giraffe societies are about more than just safety though. Herds are cooperative and interdependent and, much like elephants, older matriarchs play a vital role imparting knowledge to the next generation.
#giraffe #wildlife #nature
Standing tall. In the fiery glow of a Kenyan sunset, these giraffes kept their eyes fixed on the horizon. Long-distance surveying is a perk that comes with being Africa’s tallest mammals, but even giraffes are prone to attacks from opportunistic predators. As darkness sets in, the herd must find a safe spot to settle where they’re able to scan for approaching threats. Giraffes rarely graze or travel on their own, preferring to move in herds that provide safety in numbers and more eyes sweeping their landscape for lurking predators.
Giraffe societies are about more than just safety though. Herds are cooperative and interdependent and, much like elephants, older matriarchs play a vital role imparting knowledge to the next generation.
#giraffe #wildlife #nature
Battles between lions and buffaloes are unpredictable, brutal and intense. Adult male African buffaloes can weigh over 900 kilograms and they are notoriously belligerent. It takes careful coordination, acute timing and immense courage for lions to successfully hunt these massive animals. Often when the fight appears to be nearing its conclusion, a final show of strength from the buffalo – sometimes backed by the rest of the herd – can swing the odds in its favour. Sadly, for this bull, his resilience was overpowered and the lions succeeded.
#lion #wildlife #nature #bigcats #bigcatsofinstagram
Battles between lions and buffaloes are unpredictable, brutal and intense. Adult male African buffaloes can weigh over 900 kilograms and they are notoriously belligerent. It takes careful coordination, acute timing and immense courage for lions to successfully hunt these massive animals. Often when the fight appears to be nearing its conclusion, a final show of strength from the buffalo – sometimes backed by the rest of the herd – can swing the odds in its favour. Sadly, for this bull, his resilience was overpowered and the lions succeeded.
#lion #wildlife #nature #bigcats #bigcatsofinstagram
Battles between lions and buffaloes are unpredictable, brutal and intense. Adult male African buffaloes can weigh over 900 kilograms and they are notoriously belligerent. It takes careful coordination, acute timing and immense courage for lions to successfully hunt these massive animals. Often when the fight appears to be nearing its conclusion, a final show of strength from the buffalo – sometimes backed by the rest of the herd – can swing the odds in its favour. Sadly, for this bull, his resilience was overpowered and the lions succeeded.
#lion #wildlife #nature #bigcats #bigcatsofinstagram
Almost like a bird perched in its nest, this cheetah chose the top of a dense bush as a vantage point to survey her surroundings. Unlike many of their feline kin, cheetahs are weak climbers and prefer to spend the bulk of their time on the ground where their semi-retractable claws are perfectly suited for extreme acceleration. These slender cats will, however, clamber onto low branches or termite mounds in order to get a better view of the landscape.
#cheetah #bigcats #wildlife
There’s an undeniable curiosity that beams in the eyes of lion cubs. While the rest of the pride dozily looked off in different directions, this cub fixed his focus on my lens, his oversized ears perked up, attentively listening to every click of the shutter. At this age, he’s still learning about his surroundings, establishing what’s worthy of his attention, and processing the difference between food and foe. Over time, he’ll become less intrigued by stimuli that he encounters regularly, but lions never completely shed their cub-like curiosity and even adults are known to play on occasion, like ageing house cats that can’t resist a ball of wool.
#lions #bigcats #wildlife
In the early morning hours, a pale yellow fog clouds the plains of the Mara, slowly disappearing as the rising sun warms the landscape. A small herd of zebra prepare to feast on the nutrient-rich grassland, but seem unsettled by the haze and the possibility of what may be lurking unseen in the swirling mist. For grazing species like zebras, safety in numbers is important. Moving as a group ensures that there are more eyes scanning the landscape for threats and less chance of an individual being singled out by a predator.
#wildlife #nature #zebra
There’s a visceral beauty to African landscapes, especially at sunrise or sunset when the sky becomes a canvas of amber and gold. Even elephants are dwarfed by these expansive ‘skyscapes’, reduced to just outlines on the horizon that move in harmony with nature’s delicately balanced rhythms.
#elephants #wildlife #nature
For zebras, life in the herd is not always peaceful. Zebra societies are defined by strict hierarchies and these social systems can be intricate and complex. A single dominant male usually reigns over family groups called harems that are made up of mares and their recent offspring. Alpha stallions are highly protective of their harems and will readily take on challenges from competing bachelors. This can sometimes lead to fierce clashes between males that involve a lot of biting and kicking. If a challenging bachelor wins one of these showdowns, the loser must relinquish his harem to join a bachelor herd, along with other ousted males and young stallions that are yet to rise through the ranks.
#zebra #wildlife #nature
#Repost from @natgeo
It can certainly be jarring to face an image that captures the harsh realities of survival in the natural world. But this photograph is also a testament to formidable strength, instinct, and skill in pursuit of sustenance. The female lions of the Okavango Delta in Botswana epitomize all of the agility, stealth, and intuitive cooperation that define a lioness-led hunt. Male lions get much of the limelight, but the lionesses are the true heart of the pride—and they perform the bulk of the demanding work required to sustain it. The crimson “war paint” on this lioness is a visceral reminder of how closely her existence is tied to the cycle of life and death.
Awaiting the night. Spotted hyenas do much of their hunting and foraging under the cover of darkness when they can skulk through the blackness undetected. These wily predators have been known to dine on just about everything from large mammals to reptiles. Even birds are on the menu. Recent research out of Namibia shows that hyenas there regularly snack on red-billed queleas – small passerine birds that frequent waterholes in large flocks. It’s more evidence that hyenas are not the lowly scavengers they are often made out to be, but rather they are opportunistic, skilled hunters.
#wildlife #nature #hyenas
A tussle of trunks and mud. For young elephants, a bit of mud-flinging bravado and lively sparring is to be expected. This playful exuberance is how calves and subadults begin to decipher the intricacies of life in the herd. Research shows that the presence of mature males is vital in the development of young elephants, helping to guide and steer these innate duelling behaviours and stop them from spiralling into unchecked aggression. Older bulls provide a sense of order in the herd. Without them, the delicate dynamics that govern elephant society can become significantly disrupted. The elimination of an older bull through hunting or poaching does not just remove a single animal, but can have a long-lasting impact on the stability of the entire herd.
#elephants #wildlife #nature
A tussle of trunks and mud. For young elephants, a bit of mud-flinging bravado and lively sparring is to be expected. This playful exuberance is how calves and subadults begin to decipher the intricacies of life in the herd. Research shows that the presence of mature males is vital in the development of young elephants, helping to guide and steer these innate duelling behaviours and stop them from spiralling into unchecked aggression. Older bulls provide a sense of order in the herd. Without them, the delicate dynamics that govern elephant society can become significantly disrupted. The elimination of an older bull through hunting or poaching does not just remove a single animal, but can have a long-lasting impact on the stability of the entire herd.
#elephants #wildlife #nature
A tussle of trunks and mud. For young elephants, a bit of mud-flinging bravado and lively sparring is to be expected. This playful exuberance is how calves and subadults begin to decipher the intricacies of life in the herd. Research shows that the presence of mature males is vital in the development of young elephants, helping to guide and steer these innate duelling behaviours and stop them from spiralling into unchecked aggression. Older bulls provide a sense of order in the herd. Without them, the delicate dynamics that govern elephant society can become significantly disrupted. The elimination of an older bull through hunting or poaching does not just remove a single animal, but can have a long-lasting impact on the stability of the entire herd.
#elephants #wildlife #nature
Framed by the lush green vegetation of its rainforest habitat in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, this young gorilla stared at my camera with a curious, human-like expression. Gorillas are entirely reliant on their forest homes for food and shelter, but rampant deforestation is rapidly destroying the canopies that still remain. Their eradication is not only dire for species like gorillas but for all life which depends on nature’s delicate balance to survive. Forests contain over half the global carbon stock in soils and vegetation, and help provide 75% of the world’s accessible freshwater. This International Day of Forests, we’re reminded of the importance of these habitats and the vital need to protect them.
#InternationalDayofForests #conservation #forest
#Repost from @natgeo
Animal migrations truly are spectacles of wonder, endurance, and navigational instinct. They are even more remarkable because they have unfolded in landscapes transformed and fragmented by human activity. The zebra migration between the lush wetlands of Botswana’s Okavango Delta and the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans is a little-known example of a migration that defied the odds. In the 1960s, veterinary fences cut off the zebras’ migratory pathways, and their once epic annual trek was thought to be irrevocably lost. Yet with the removal of the barriers in 2004, the migration resurged—and despite the intervening decades, the herds somehow conserved the memory of their ancient routes. Today stripes dazzle the salt pans once more. Nature proves to us again and again that it can recover—but only if we give it the chance. With studies increasingly warning that migrations the world over are under threat, we need to act now to safeguard these remarkable natural phenomena for future generations.
Waiting for the rains. Sprawled on a flat rock under a blanket of grey clouds swollen with the promise of rain, this lone cheetah took a moment to rest. It requires an enormous amount of energy for these big cats to chase down their prey and not all hunts end in success. To give herself the best chance of securing a meal, she must conserve as much of her vital energy as possible. She knows that the rains will bring with them new life and an abundance of prey, but a meal is never guaranteed.
#cheetah #wildlife #bigcats
