Leopards are almost always solitary unless it’s a mother with her offspring, or two adults come together to mate. I’ve seen lots of leopards over the years, but only once have I seen more than one at a time and that was a mother with her almost-full-size cub. But as with most species, they do have a fun name for a group of them. Leopards are incredibly powerful jumpers, capable of launching themselves into trees or onto prey with sudden force, so “leap” fits the bill. I photographed this solitary adult male this past June in Kenya. To get your Leap of Leopards merchandise, visit Species Limited. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1400, f/5.6 at 1/1600th of a second.
Lions like to get active just after the sun sets. This young male was scoping out the area for any potential prey — a highlight of our tour in June of 2024. If you’d like to join a Crane Wildlife Tours trip to Africa, reach out to get the conversation started. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 1400, f/2.8 at 1/640th of a second.
Here’s another elephant that I was able to photograph from a ground-level perspective using a wide angle lens, inverted monopod and remote trigger. In Samburu National Reserve in the north of Kenya, the elephants take on a reddish tint due to the red clay dirt of the landscape. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens (at 24mm) ISO 160, f/4.5 at 1/500th of a second.
Sometimes it can be tricky to distinguish a young male lion from a female. This lion clearly had what looked like the beginning growth of a mane, but sure enough it turned out to be a female. Certain older subadult and dominant females can have slight scruff on the jawline. She was the first lion we saw on our June of 2023 trip — day one in Nairobi National Park. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens (at 70mm) ISO 560, f/5.6 at 1/500th of a second.
Always exciting to spot a leopard. On our trip in June, this was the first one we saw. It was deep in a bush, but very close. We thought it might be our only sighting, but later that afternoon we caught up with the same leopard when he was out hunting. And the next morning we saw three more. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 7200, f/5.6 at 1/2000th of a second.
We always see a few grey crowned cranes on our trips to East Africa. It’s actually the national bird of Uganda and they are common throughout many areas of sub-Sahara Africa — usually around wetland habitat. This one was photographed on our first day of safari this past June in Kenya’s Nairobi National Park. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 80, f/5.6 at 1/125th of a second.
Karen and I are currently booking for open spots on a June safari this year to Kenya and then Uganda for gorillas. This is our classic, signature trip. For more info, you can visit cranewildlifetours.com and please reach out if interested. Lions are very common on our trips, especially in the Masai Mara where we always spend three nights. We spotted this one early morning on a game drive in June of ’23. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1600, f/5.6 at 1/125th of a second.
Here’s another wildlife mother that didn’t make the cut for the 2026 calendar. A superb starling feeding her chick in Ol Pajeta Conservancy in Kenya. To see the images that did make the calendar (and to pick up a few wildlife-themed holiday gifts) check out www.specieslimited.com. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 3200, f/5.6 at 1/2500th of a second.
The kori bustard is one of the heaviest flying birds on Earth, with males weighing up to 40 pounds. That said, they don’t fly much, preferring to walk with slow, stately steps across the African grasslands. I was able to lower the camera to the ground for an intimate view of this guy in his environment during the green season in Kenya. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 180, f/4 at 1/1250th of a second, inverted tripod and remote trigger.
A herd of Cape buffalo is a formidable force on the African savanna. These tightly knit groups offer safety in numbers, with older bulls and cows forming a protective wall around calves when predators lurk nearby. Known for their unpredictable temper and unwavering loyalty to the herd, Cape buffalo have been seen turning back to rescue companions from lions. Their collective strength, combined with sharp memory and strong social bonds, makes them one of Africa’s most respected and resilient grazers. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 97mm) ISO 360, f/2.8 at 1/1600th of a second.
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Leopards are almost always solitary unless it’s a mother with her offspring, or two adults come together to mate. I’ve seen lots of leopards over the years, but only once have I seen more than one at a time and that was a mother with her almost-full-size cub. But as with most species, they do have a fun name for a group of them. Leopards are incredibly powerful jumpers, capable of launching themselves into trees or onto prey with sudden force, so “leap” fits the bill. I photographed this solitary adult male this past June in Kenya. To get your Leap of Leopards merchandise, visit Species Limited. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1400, f/5.6 at 1/1600th of a second.
