During one of our safaris in Chobe National Park we were heading out of the park when the better half yelled for our guide to stop the jeep. Dan, our guide, and I looked out of the jeep and saw this lovely leopard. We had almost driven right by this creature. It made me wonder, how many other creatures we had missed. It makes me shudder to think what might have been behind some of the bushes I used…well I won’t go into that.
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About TBM
TB Markinson is an American who's recently returned to the US after a seven-year stint in the UK and Ireland. When she isn't writing, she's traveling the world, watching sports on the telly, visiting pubs in New England, or reading. Not necessarily in that order.
Her novels have hit Amazon bestseller lists for lesbian fiction and lesbian romance.
She cohosts the Lesbians Who Write Podcast (lesbianswhowrite.com) with Clare Lydon. TB also runs I Heart Lesfic (iheartlesfic.com), a place for authors and fans of lesfic to come together to celebrate lesbian fiction.
50 Year Project 
I have always wanted one of this beautiful example of animal, but nobody ever wanted to get me one.
They are beautiful…I wouldn’t want to bring one home though. I’ll settle for the picture 🙂
Oh my dear TBM, this is so beautiful… How I wished to have one of these big cats… Instead of them I have my little Jaguar 🙂 Thank you, with my love, nia
These animals astound me. They are so beautiful and regal.
He looks so soft and nonthreatening in that photo
He does look cuddly…I’ll let you find out if he is though 🙂
To see creatures like this, in the wild, what an experience.
It was amazing Lynne. I really can’t explain how lucky I feel and how the experience changed me.
What a fabulous shot of a beautiful creature, but I almost choked on the grape I was eating when I read the part about you using the bushes! I can just imagine you coming face to face with a leopard and then in a panic running off with your pants around your ankles. Sorry – I couldn’t resist 🙂
It was really cold out so I had sweatpants on under my pants. That might have caused more issues if I had to run for my life. To be honest though, I’m the type that freezes and hopes for the best.
Oh, so lovely looking. Wouldn’t like to have a face to face mind you! But, yes, lovely.
Lynn 😀
I was perfectly happy observing him from the jeep 🙂 Face to face time would kill me I think. Or at least maim me.
Whooooooooah… sooooo close!!! Crazy!!! Beautiful shot!!! 🙂 **
Thanks Xandre!
OH! He is beautiful. Lucky you. The only wild animals I see are at the zoo or photos from people like you, who have all the fun, even if you are caught with your pants down. Thanks for bring the adventure to us.
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
Even if you are caught with your pants down–I almost choked on my tea. Thanks for the laugh to start off my day.
Wow, beautiful. Leopards are not supposed to be seen during day time! You were very lucky.
I know! There was a couple who stayed at the lodge before us who really wanted to see a leopard and they didn’t. Then during the last few minutes of our safari in Chobe we saw one. Pure luck!
Amazing to be that close…! Great shot, TBM!
I was stunned to be about 10-15 feet away.
I would be!!
awesome, how amazing to see a beautiful wild creature like this! lovely photo 🙂
Thanks! It was amazing.
What a beautiful animal! You are fortunate to get such a close shot! Do you have a good zoom lens, or were you that close?
We were pretty close actually. I was in awe!
Spectacular!
Thank you!
He is beautiful and wow I am so jealous…we never saw thee guys when we were there.
We were fortunate…I had given up hope of seeing one.
He looks so calm. He must be very used to the sound of jeeps and people. Beautiful animal.
I found that most of the animals didn’t care at all about the jeeps. We would see other jeeps and cars in the park but not a lot. He does look calm and enjoying the sunny morning.
Incredible to be that close!!
If only he was gentle enough to snuggle with!
That would be an experience!
Wow. Beautiful. I have always had a thing for wild cats…. lions, tigers and leopards.
They are beautiful! I haven’t seen any tigers in the wild…but I hope to!
For a cat with so much power and instinct, it looks surprisingly at peace. 🙂
Yes I agree…and that intimidates me somewhat.
Oh! Isn’t he the most beautiful creature! I love leopards. Great photo! 🙂
Thanks Zelmare…I think he knows he’s beautiful.
i saw in one of your replies that you were about 10-15 feet away from the leopard. WOW…kind of intimidating yet fascinating. what a stunning animal. i think i would have been psyched yet scared….good kitty…..
We were close, but we were sitting in a jeep which is why he isn’t paying attention to us. It is still intimidating, but it sounds weird, but you get used to being so close to them after a few times. Once an elephant approached the jeep and that scared me! But then he just walked away. I think he was telling us not to mess or else.
They are so gorgeous! I wouldn’t want to be that close to one though.
When you are watching him from a jeep you have a sense of security. I was more in awe and it isn’t until I look at the photos and I’m like oh wow I was close.
What a handsome specimen! My ultimate dream is to see a big cat in the wild!
I hope your dream comes true!
My gosh that is SO beautiful! Way to go, better half! I spied the sharks off Inis Mhor and believe I deserve a prize 🙂 especially since I am usually the not-observative one.
You and my better half should team up! Sharks sound pretty cool. I haven’t seen one in its natural habitat and I think it would scare the heck out of me. I still get freaked out when I watch Jaws.
Bah, we were a couple hundred feet above on a cliff; not so scary this way. Being in the water with it would have been a very different story.
That’s pretty cool…you must have great eyesight. I have horrible eyesight. Without my glasses or contacts I’m pretty much legally blind. I’ve been known to run into walls.
I love the duality of the ferocity and calm captured in this photograph. You know that this is a fierce animal, but it’s sedate and quiet here. Nice.
Yes…I like that description–ferocity and calm.
“It makes me shudder to think what might have been behind some of the bushes I used…well I won’t go into that.”
Scary – but hilarious!
Seriously…I was quite vulnerable.