“Beautiful Darkness” – The Black Leopard of Laikipia, Kenya

Perched high on a rocky outcrop overlooking the camp, a viewing platform awaits guests with a swinging bench. It offers a breath taking 360-degree view of the dramatic Laikipia landscape. Take in the awe-inspiring beauty of the Ewaso Narok river and the skyline of Mount Kenya, as well as the surrounding escarpment that envelops the camp like a protective horseshoe. Ascend to this unique viewpoint with your binoculars, camera, and favourite drink in hand and bask in the tranquillity of the moment. Keep a sharp lookout on the hills for a glimpse of the enigmatic black leopardess, adding to the thrill of this already sensational experience. This is the best way to locate the black leopardess, accompanied by your experienced guide and local tracker, once she starts patrolling her three-kilometre² territory surrounding the camp.

The vegetation along the Ewaso Narok River is characterized by acacia woodlands, riverine forests, dotted shrubs, euphorbia, and grasslands on the escarpment plateaus. The river is surrounded by rocky hills, granite outcroppings, and escarpments. The area is dominated by volcanic rock formations, including basalt, granite, and phonolite. The dark black rock faces and shadows possibly provide the perfect habitat and concealment for leopards with melanistic coats. In fact, the Laikipia County is home to seven known black melanistic leopards, making it a prime location for adventurous wildlife photographers and wildlife enthusiasts. The unique opportunity to witness these elusive creatures in their natural habitat is a thrilling experience for anyone interested in wildlife conservation and photography.

Melanistic leopards, or black leopards, incorrectly referred to as “black panthers” are rare but not unheard of in Kenya’s Laikipia County. In 2019, a wildlife photographer Will Burrard-Lucas captured rare images of a melanistic leopard in Laikipia County, which received widespread media attention. The young male leopard was nicknamed “Blackie” by the locals, and he was estimated to be around two years old. Melanistic leopards have a genetic mutation that causes their fur to appear black. While they may look vastly different from their spotted counterparts, they are still the same species as the regular leopards found in Kenya and other parts of Africa. Few in number, they are generally more elusive than spotted leopards, and their dark colouration can help them blend in with the shadows and dense foliage of their environment. As a result, they can be difficult to spot, observe and photograph in the wild.Our main objective during this ORYX – Black Leopard Photography Tour was to capture images of Giza, a young, habituated wild black leopardess. Giza Mrembo – the “beautiful darkness” is the name given to her by locals.

I will never forget the first sighting of the black leopardess. It was on our first evening drive, while we were enjoying sundowners, that we received a radio call that she had been spotted. With drinks in hand, we quickly jumped onto the land cruiser, cameras at the ready, dialling in our settings for the perfect shot in the golden light. And there she was, a true black beauty, patrolling the drainage line in front of the camp, offering us an incredible opportunity to capture her on camera. It was a moment of pure magic and wonder, and I had to remind myself and my guests (at times) to put down the camera, stop looking through the viewfinder, and simply absorb and enjoy the moment.

To be in the presence of this creature, a cat of mystery and legend, was incredibly rare, special, and beautiful. An experience afforded only to the lucky few, and one that my guests and I will cherish forever. We followed her long into the night, and it was unbelievable to actually be in her presence. She seemed so accepting of us, accustomed to the vehicle, and even walked right up to us, looking up and slipping underneath the Land Cruiser. It was truly an unforgettable experience, and everything from there on out was, in my mind, a bonus.

I had hoped to see the black leopardess at least once during our trip, but we were incredibly lucky to witness her every day and night. It was a truly mind-blowing experience that exceeded all my expectations. With each new day, the sightings of her seemed to only improve. Despite the low lighting conditions at dawn and dusk, we managed to capture some incredible moments in prime daylight hours before she retreated to the rocky outcroppings that dotted the landscape. The scenery itself was breath taking, providing us with amazing opportunities to capture stunning shots not only of her, but also of the other spotted leopards in the area.

The black leopardess’s eyes hold a hypnotic power, drawing you in and placing you under her spell. Mesmerizing and captivating, they glow like emeralds, penetrating your very soul. One glance is all it takes to leave you entranced, lost in a world of awe and wonder.

The night drives, with the aid of spotlights, presented a unique challenge for photographing her. We captured her patrolling her territory and hunting Günther’s dik-dik, often stalked by a resident territorial spotted male leopard who frequently stole her kills. Despite their constant dance, they seemed to get along just fine, and the local guides recently witnessed them mating. This was an exciting prospect for future tours to the region.

We were fortunate to spot Giza’s mother, a regular spotted leopardess. One afternoon, we stumbled upon leopard drag marks on the dirt track in front of the lodge. We tracked her into the laga (drainage line) that runs in front of the lodge. She had recently made a kill, an impala lamb. We photographed her as she fed, rested, and dragged the carcass to a Boscia tree to hoist it up. Amazingly, this was the same drainage line where Giza had made a dik-dik and an impala lamb kills, and the male had claimed the carcasses for himself. We had three leopards, her boyfriend, the mother, and the black leopardess, all within 150m of each other and only a stone’s throw away from the camp.

Later that evening, Giza, the black leopardess, attempted to steal the impala meal from her mother. We watched as she tried to climb into the tree with loud vocalizations and growls but failed as her mother fought with her in the flimsy tree branches and sent her off without a meal. The sighting of Giza’s mother was also incredibly special as we noticed she was lactating and believed to have new cubs. These cubs were likely only a few weeks old, and unfortunately, we didn’t get the chance to see them as the mother disappeared the very next morning without a trace. A rainstorm hit during the night and washed away any signs of tracks. Hopefully, she has young cubs stashed in a secretive, safe rocky lair den site. Who knows what may transpire with her next litter? Maybe the chance of another black offspring? Who knows, the chances are slim!

Aside from photographing Giza, we were able to capture some amazing shots of other wildlife in the area. The reticulated giraffe, with their distinctive markings, were a particular highlight. The reticulated giraffe is a subspecies of giraffe found in the dry savannahs and open woodlands of Somalia, northern Kenya, and southern Ethiopia. It is easily identified by its striking coat pattern of large, polygonal patches outlined by white lines. The patches are a rich, dark colour and are separated by narrow white spaces. The Grevy’s zebra is a striking species with narrow black and white stripes and large round ears. They are the largest and most endangered of the three zebra species, with an estimated population of around 2,500 individuals. They are both incredibly beautiful and photogenic creatures.

The black-backed jackal den site, concealed within a thicket of euphorbia, was a delight to watch, especially with the presence of four adorable puppies. We observed their playful interactions with their mother and had great photographic sessions with them. The puppies were full of curiosity, exploring their surroundings and feasting on tasty morsels after the first rains. It was entertaining to witness the dynamic among the puppies, especially when one of them refused to share the remains of a dik-dik carcass with its siblings. The striped hyenas and bat eared foxes, although camera-shy were just as stunning and captivating as Giza herself.

The birdlife was great, with memorable sightings of the striking vulturine guinea fowl. The vulturine guinea fowl is a unique and striking bird found in the arid regions of East Africa. It is characterized by its long neck and tail, as well as its mostly naked head. The breast of the bird is a vibrant blue, overlaid with long black-and-white feathers, and it also has a chestnut patch on the nape, resembling ear muffs. Another memorable sighting was of a pair of pale chanting goshawks feeding on a plated lizard. The pale chanting goshawk is a bird of prey found in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in arid areas. This medium-sized accipiter has a pale grey or whitish head, neck and underparts, and darker wings and back. The pale chanting goshawk is known for its distinctive call, which sounds like a rhythmic chanting.

During our seven-day photography tour, we were lucky enough to see Giza, the black leopardess, on eleven different occasions. Although we missed her three times in the mornings, the afternoons and evenings spent with her more than made up for it. This is a remarkable success rate, considering she is one of the rarest cats in Africa, if not the world. There were so many special moments shared with her that left me speechless, unable to put the experience into words. To truly understand and appreciate it, you simply have to witness her for yourself.

On our final afternoon, we found Giza early and followed her for two hours before sunset. We had the privilege of watching her patrol her territory in perfect lighting conditions and even witnessed her neat trick of walking underneath our Land Cruiser. We observed her playfully scent-marking and rolling in fresh green grass shoots, and scaling rocks in the riverbed like a playful young cat. The last moment with her was watching her walk along a rock in the riverbed and look back, as if to say goodbye, just before a massive rainstorm hit and drenched the parched earth, ending a four-year drought and bringing renewed life to the region.

The ORYX Black Leopard photography tour to Laikipia Wilderness was truly unforgettable. We were able to capture stunning shots of Giza, as well as other wildlife that calls the area home. The camp was warm and welcoming, with gracious staff, guides, and trackers who were excellent hosts and ambassadors for the region. The food and drinks were simply delicious, adding to the overall experience. The landscape was breath taking, with picture-perfect sunrises and sunsets. Witnessing the first rainstorms, ending a long drought, was also a sight to behold. I highly recommend this photography tour to anyone who loves wildlife and desires to capture it in its natural habitat. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that shouldn’t be missed!

If you’re interested, please consider joining me, ORYX Photo Tour Leader Daniel Bailey on my next scheduled ORYX Kenya – Black Leopard Photo Safari II in May 2024, or on any other upcoming tours. Join the Giza fan-club and experience the magic for yourself!