Jacob Shawa from Robin Pope Safaris has been guiding my photo trips in Zambia for the past six years. He is a fantastic tracker with a keen eye for ‘sweet light’ and photo opportunities. Unsurprisingly, he was also chosen by Frans Lanting to guide him through the valley when he did work for National Geographic some years ago. Jacob does not like to quote statistics about how many leopards there are per square kilometer in the valley (the BBC says that there were two per square kilometer, which was one of the highest concentrations anywhere) and says he prefers to talk about what he sees.
Our most recent Emerald Season Safari in South Luangwa National Park was done during the rainy season and yielded prolific sightings while following the park’s limited network of all weather roads. ‘It’s great for all cats when it is wet,’ Jacob told me, ‘They also like to stick to the high ground.’ So next time you think of planning your predator viewing for the dry season, then perhaps think again. On this last trip it was great to have Marion Whitehead from Getaway sharpening up her skills. You can read all about her impressions in an upcoming issue.
