Humelela

SONY A1, FE 70-200mm GM II, FL: 200mm, Shutter: 1/640 sec, A: F2.8, ISO: 1600

The leopard savoured its fresh kill, a reward for its patient effort.

Humelela means “occur” in Tsonga.

He had failed a few times. The antelope were skittish, and he was just too far away. His hunt had taken a few days as his attempts to capture a meal continued to be thwarted by bad timing and the presence of a troop of alert monkeys. Their screams at seeing him caused him to lose opportunity after opportunity with passing warthogs and antelope. He had not given up, though, and late in the day, as early evening settled in and the monkeys moved on, a passing buck had come too close to his hide, giving him a moment to hunt without disruption.

The hunt was victorious. He dragged his prize along through the long, rough savannah grass, searching for a big tree to store his catch safely. As he pressed along, his hunger became too much, and the need to nourish his body screamed for him to stop. Finding a break in the grass, he laid his meal down, carefully scrutinising all sides around him. The predators were around but had not picked up his scent yet, so all seemed safe at the moment. Gorging on his meal, his eyes concentrated ahead, while his iron paw gripped the remains tightly. It took only a few minutes to consume a large portion of the wildly delectable prize, which he had ravenously chewed off and swallowed. Those minutes were precious for him, as the approaching sound of a hyena was now audible. He had been spotted.

Fastening his powerful jaws around the remaining bones, he dragged the remaining carcass towards the base of the large acacia tree close by. Only a minute or two remained before the hyenas would get there, but that was enough time for him to launch up the tree to the safety of the large branch fork, where he safely stored the fresh remains for later.

Raw Africa Collection

Welcome to Africa - the wise, the restless, and the life-giving.

This soulful land of dreamers gives rise to the underbelly of a beautiful, gentle beat that is only heard by those who listen to it. This photographic journey explores, profiles, and captures what I hope is the heart and soul of Africa's true wilderness kingdom. From its deep bush to its dry savannah and desert, Africa remains a place where life is represented by timeless vistas that are distilled into moments to treasure.