Mating Leopards on the Tree in Kabini

[Shyamala Kumar]

This pair kept moving constantly, sometimes we spied them in the undergrowth sometimes on the tree and all the time there was a thick mist which refused to be dispelled.Nikon 7100+150-600 ISO1600 1/250s F/8.Kabini early morning May 2015

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Good that you atleast saw a mating pair on a tree. The thick mist that lowered visibility seems to be doing its job since the Mahabharata days, when sage Parashara fell in love with Matsyagandha (also known as Satyavati) while she was ferrying him in a boat and created fog to provide privacy to him and Matsyagandha. The kid so born later became famous as the sage Vyaasa who dictated the epic Mahabharata.

The male is looking back to see the intruders into his domain, who are close and noisy for their comfort. So the pair were trying to find some dense branches blocking the line of sight.

Thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Mrudul Godbole]

Rare sighting. Good you got the male looking back at you. Seems he was getting disturbed by the gypsy's. Tough conditions to photograph. Thanks for sharing.

[Shyamala Kumar]

Sabyasachi, indeed a very evocative comparison to the Puranas .It seemed that the leopard pair were taking full advantage of the presence of the mist to continue with their mating, in spite of our presence,They probably felt protected by mists.