These are two posts I've just made at Facebook...
WHEN A "BIG BOSS LEOPARD" VISITED LEOPARD CAMP - PREVIEW... I mentioned several months ago I would tell this story and on my recent leopard related trip to several other areas, quite a few people asked me about the big Annapurna leopard that Asa and I had to contend with in the mountains. Amusingly, since I published a post about a leopard I call "The Boss" here in Bardia, a few people have started talking about boss leopards, well, the cat you can see in the photo, he is a big boss, a very big cat. I will tell more of the story soon, the camera trap which took this image took over 1600, telling the story of the big boss, the leopard Asa and me over period of about 24 hours. More soon...
WHEN A "BIG BOSS LEOPARD" VISITED LEOPARD CAMP - PREVIEW... I mentioned several months ago I would tell this story and on my recent leopard related trip to several other areas, quite a few people asked me about the big Annapurna leopard that Asa and I had to contend with in the mountains. Amusingly, since I published a post about a leopard I call "The Boss" here in Bardia, a few people have started talking about boss leopards, well, the cat you can see in the photo, he is a big boss, a very big cat. I will tell more of the story soon, the camera trap which took this image took over 1600, telling the story of the big boss, the leopard Asa and me over period of about 24 hours. More soon...
I really like this image for the story it tells. It was taken just a couple of hours ago by a camera in position to help protect people and wildlife, indeed the data it provided again over the last 24 hours did just that. In the image a National Park mahout returns from the jungle, you can see the time. People on elephant back is a controversial subject but for anti-poaching and some research situations there is simply no other option. I've realized more and more that there is not really a good understanding from the outside world of the realities of life and the effort in places like this. Military, NP staff and other anti-poaching and research units put in long hours in often dangerous conditions, the rewards are not material, they are of doing a vital job. Personally, although my focus is leopard, it is an eclectic undertaking, all wildlife and people falling under the conservation umbrella. I've thought deeply about this situation and although we are going to start garnering better support through the upcoming "Friends of the Leopard" program, it is really all about overall protection. I'll be bringing more stories and images to show that, hopefully to increase understanding which will turn into actual support...
