One leopardess said 'nocturnal? boring.' and rewrote the predator playbook.
Leopards are considered to be extremely shy big cats. Only a few animals can match the elegance of these feline predators. The cautious hunters are rarely seen in the wild for more than a few seconds. The cats can be observed more extensively when they rest asleep in a tree and recover from the mostly nocturnal hunt. But a leopardess has switched to hunting in broad daylight. Its home along the brook bed of the Olare Orok offers everything a mother needs to protect and nourish its offspring: picturesque rocks and dense bush, a landscape in which the big cat can disappear in seconds to sneak up on potential prey, which includes warthogs and antelopes. But hyenas and lions are always ready to contest for its territory and nourishment. The renowned wildlife filmmaker Reinhard Radke managed to capture astonishing insights into the social life and hunting tactics of the ambush hunters in the Maasai Mara.
Cinematography
Radke spent months becoming furniture to get these shots.
Direction
Narrator knows when to shut up and let chaos unfold.
Director
Reinhard Radke
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Radke developed a specific cough code with his crew to communicate without disturbing the leopards. They coughed twice for 'lion approaching,' once for 'she's moving.'
The Olare Orok conservancy was created through Maasai land agreements — this leopardess hunts on negotiated territory, not 'wilderness' as commonly imagined.
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