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I took the image on 25 March 2014. It was exactly seven weeks after I started caring for Asa the Leopard of Hope, which amazingly is exactly eighteen months ago today... 4 February 2014 to 4 August 2015.
I had planned to write that today was significant because of that milestone in Asa's life, a cause for celebration now that the leopard is wild and free.
Now, with the sudden passing of our dear friend Ellen, we need to reflect in a different way, something that with so many challenges of late here in Nepal, is part of our spirit.
Ellen showed immediate support for Asa as soon as the situation arose, many of you have followed through these blogs what was an intense time for the leopard and I as we teamed up in the wild. Ellen played a big part in this because although this was their only meeting she would email me every few days asking "how is my little buddy?" to which I would normally reply that he was a wild one getting wilder. The fact that Ellen had traveled around the world from the USA with Asa being a big motivation for that still makes me smile.
During this brief meeting Asa, being what he is, his very nature, well, he hissed at Ellen, very typical because believe me, right from the word go Asa had a spirit that just wanted be to be free, to be wild. Ellen exclaimed in her lovely drawled accent "oh my, well I guess that was my fault for getting so close but he is just so beautiful!"... well Ellen, despite the fact he hissed I know he thought you were beautiful.
We all did. We still do.
Thank you Ellen, for being you, from me, a leopard, from everyone. You are a free spirit and we love you. Rest in Peace and Jai Bagh.
