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Visitors to the bush know it takes a while before you start spotting wild animals through thick bush, in long grass or across the valley on the opposite hill.  Somehow spotting animals in the wild come naturally to game rangers and I can only think it’s because they must have Bush eyes!

Take this simple test for example: Look at picture 1 what do you see?  Now look at picture 2 and see if that was more difficult or not?

When I asked Pieter how he spots these animals at such a far distance he simply says,” …when it twitched its ear, my eye caught the movement and I looked more carefully.” or “Did you see that flick of a tail?” Ok, so the flick of the tail can be seen, because I saw it, but the twitch of an ear? I was looking in the same direction and I knew what I was looking for and still, I could not see it!!  He also said, “… that wasn’t a rock, a log or leaves, it ‘s an animal”.

Pieter finds small creatures like caterpillars and chameleons at night with ease so it’s not just the larger creatures!  I’m convinced he has a sixth sense when it comes to seeing things in the wild!

The following pictures were taken after the initial sighting, proving that patience can deliver!

leopard, Zululand

leopard, AmaZulu Game Reserve

young leopard sighting