WORDS: MIKE UNWIN PHOTOGRAPH: CHRIS SCHMIDT
A leopard lounges on the sturdy limb of a sausage tree in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. This versatile cat is Africa’s only large carnivore that habitually takes to the treetops. With a formidable power-to-weight ratio and flexible, rotating ankle joints, it can climb vertical tree trunks with ease and move with great agility among the branches. Elevation serves various purposes: first, a treetop larder in which to keep a kill safe from thieving scavengers; second, a look-out platform, from which to scan for danger and spy potential prey; and third, a comfortable perch, from which to enjoy the cooling breezes while doing what cats do best. Simply snoozing.