Leopard Cubs: Big Male Skirmish

Shot at Mala Mala Game Reserve, South Africa in August 2013 with the Canon 1Dx and 500mm f/4

In 2011, I photographed an extremely gorgeous migrant leopard nicknamed the Concrete male. By 2013, he had carved out a nice, large territory in the center of Mala Mala and was officially named the West Street male. His main competitior at the time was the much bigger and huskier Newington male. This male was aggressive and was trying to take over some of the West Street male's lucrative territory. So the West Street male got wise and quickly bulked up. But the Newington male didn't know it and during my visit, we witnessed this little brawl. The Newington male was taken by surprise and quite humbled.