Photographerwild
Africa 2025
It is six years since my last safari to the Okavango Delta, and I was fortunate to return this year to this magical place that is near and dear to my heart and soul.
The Delta is rich with wildlife, and I’ve seen the iconic Big 5 over the years (there’s also the little 5 and the ugly 5 – all of which I’ve seen as well😊). Of the Big 5, the big cats are always desired of course but never guaranteed. However, I did not imagine just how rich in numbers the cats would be.
On this safari I encountered fifteen (15) individual leopards, a few in mother-cub pairs that were encountered twice over 2-day spans, and a pair of males in a territorial dispute. My guides and I discussed this because I had encountered maybe 1 or 2 leopards on previous safaris, and even then, the first time I saw a full-on leopard in the wild was at the very end of my third safari and the sighting lasted only a few minutes. Certainly not the numbers I encountered on this safari covering 11 days and hundreds of thousands of hectares of habitat where these elusive creatures and others carve out their territories. Leopard territories can range from 12-30 sq miles (about 10000-12000 hectares). It felt as if I was surrounded by leopards, however, my own knowledge told me this is how it should be because there is plenty of space, prey, and water sources, and the circle of life is displayed in every moment whether there is a human there to witness or not.
Because it was my 10th safari and a special year (my 60th birthday), I decided to treat myself to what I refer to as a “glamping safari”. Admittedly I struggle with the carbon footprint – small bush flights between permanent tented camps, that even at “standard” level are luxury compared to all my previous safaris sleeping in small ground tents and roof-top tents and preparing all our own meals. Many of these camps were quite rustic in their beginning but have been upgraded over time, which is also of a concern when you come to understand what it takes to get all of the equipment and materials into this area to build the camps and staff quarters and workshops that are required to maintain these camps. As the human population increases and how humans treat Mother Earth (the living being we call home), I do fear that we will continue to lay waste to areas like this, but there is also good. Money spent on these kinds of safaris benefits not only enables solar power grids to be enhanced and maintained, but provides for other camp improvements over time. A partnership - Okavango Community Trust - was established and benefits local communities in the eastern part of the Delta through revenue generation, job creation, and alternative sources of income.
It was difficult choosing which images and video clips to include so I've categorized the images by animals so you can pick and choose what you want to see. My photography skills are also rusty to be sure, and these images are not all that different than I've taken on past safaris. This time it truly was about being there and soaking in every moment, and challenging my wildlife knowledge and skills, without being so preoccupied trying to photograph every moment. Hopefully through my images you enjoy and appreciate the magic and beauty of this very special place and why it’s so important that we protect all such places on this wonderous Earth.