Leopards are secretive nocturnal mammals found in most Africa terrain, where there is shade and water. Mahale National park being a land of both densely and sparsely vegetated landscapes with numerous rivers streams transecting it, provides a perfect habitat for leopards. Although Mahale is believed to have many leopards within it, I had never spotted one before, for the whole one and half a years I have stayed here, until last month. More often I do hear them roaring at night in the forest surrounding our camp.
Some people, however, have been luckier and have had glimpses of this bizarre animal in a full moon lit at night along open sites on the beach. Just last month, having rested the whole morning, i decided to go for a walk in the forest. As I was alone, I managed to walk silently while listening to lovely songs from weird elegant birds, cicadas and crickets. My concentration on this breath taking songs, occasionally was interrupted by rapid sprints from blue duikers - which often dashed away when I was about four feet from them. When I had walked a fair distance from camp, I felt a sensory alert starting from the top of my head all down to the soles of my feet. I felt hairs on my head bristle up, a sign normally happens to me when something unusual is about to happen. I stopped, with my eyes wide open--scanning to all sides to find anything in the surroundings.
Suddenly I noticed an object with a long spotted tail waved from side to side-- moving on my right hand side. I stood still looking at this very beautiful creature, a leopard, normal seen at night. To that moment it hasn’t noticed my presences. The leopard in a relaxed mood walked toward a big brachstegia tree. When it got there, it stopped and then, with it is claws scratched the tree. Tree scratching by leopards is a common behavior to this cat and it is believed to serve to function in territory marking and sharpening their retractable claws. I enjoyed watching this creature for five minutes before it walked away into the forest undergrowth.
