This male leopard, whose given name is Tjellahanga, was sleeping by the side of the road. He was licking his wounds after yet another of his legendary encounters with lions. He is a very large male leopard - look at the size of his paws! His right ear has been mostly torn off in a scuffle with lions, and his right eye has some damage and an apparent cataract.

When we saw him on this day, he was not interested in moving and appeared to be in poor health. Probably, as it turns out, he was just full.

Two days later this leopard found the lion cub and killed it. The mothers found him with the carcass and chased him off, but the damage was done. The never-ending battle between leopard and lion continues.

The lionesses are relatively inexperienced mothers - they have lost many cubs in their first two years. They spent the balance of my visit walking all over the game reserve with their remaining 11 month old cub - exhausting them and him in the process.

Postscript: I read in the Kirkmans Kamp wildwatch that this leopard was killed by "Grandma" the oldest lioness, on 10 September 2010. A tribute can be located at http://www.wildwatch.com/sightings/tribute-to-the-tjellahanga-male