Leopard sleeping in a tree in the savannah, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Leopard sleeping in a tree in Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

High above the savannah in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve, a leopard curls up on a tree branch, napping as the grasslands glow at sunset. Today, let's throw light on one of the world's most adaptable big cats. Leopards roam across Africa and parts of Asia, thriving in habitats that range from forests and mountains to open savannas. Their spotted coats are unique to each individual, like fingerprints, and their powerful climbing skills allow them to stash prey high in trees, out of reach of scavengers.

The Masai Mara, part of the wider Serengeti ecosystem, spans about 1,510 square kilometres and is famed for the Great Migration, when millions of wildebeest and zebras cross the Mara River. This abundance of prey supports a high density of predators, including the Big Five. Mostly active at night, leopards here rely on stealth, sharp senses and patience rather than speed, blending almost invisibly into the reserve's acacia-dotted landscape.