KENYA

BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS – Her name is Giza Mrembo which means “The Beautiful Darkness” in Swahili. She is a rare black leopard with melanism which is a genetic variation that causes excess melanin resulting in her dark coat. It is a recessive trait mean

BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS – Her name is Giza Mrembo which means “The Beautiful Darkness” in Swahili. She is a rare black leopard with melanism which is a genetic variation that causes excess melanin resulting in her dark coat. It is a recessive trait meaning that both parents must possesses and pass the gene to their offspring. She inherited her territory from her mother and has a kink near the end of her tail probably because she broke it when she was young.

GIZA'S PLAYFUL CUBS – Male and female leopard siblings playing in Laikipia, Kenya. Yesterday, I posted photos of their mother, a rare black leopard named Giza. She has melanism which is a genetic variation that causes excess melanin resulting in he

GIZA'S PLAYFUL CUBS – Male and female leopard siblings playing in Laikipia, Kenya. Yesterday, I posted photos of their mother, a rare black leopard named Giza. She has melanism which is a genetic variation that causes excess melanin resulting in her dark coat. It is a recessive trait that both parents must possess and pass the gene to their offspring, meaning that these cubs may possibly have future offspring with this trait if they mate with another leopard carrying this gene.

MISS GIZA MREMBO – Her name means “The Beautiful Darkness” in Swahili. She is a rare black leopard with melanism which is a genetic variation that causes excess melanin resulting in her dark coat. It is a recessive trait meaning that both parents m

MISS GIZA MREMBO – Her name means “The Beautiful Darkness” in Swahili. She is a rare black leopard with melanism which is a genetic variation that causes excess melanin resulting in her dark coat. It is a recessive trait meaning that both parents must possesses and pass the gene to their offspring. She inherited her territory from her mother and has a kink near the end of her tail probably because she broke it when she was young.

SPECIAL SIBLINGS – Male and female leopard siblings playing in Laikipia, Kenya. Yesterday, I posted photos of their mother, a rare black leopard named Giza. She has melanism which is a genetic variation that causes excess melanin resulting in her d

SPECIAL SIBLINGS – Male and female leopard siblings playing in Laikipia, Kenya. Yesterday, I posted photos of their mother, a rare black leopard named Giza. She has melanism which is a genetic variation that causes excess melanin resulting in her dark coat. It is a recessive trait that both parents must possess and pass the gene to their offspring, meaning that these cubs may possibly have future offspring with this trait if they mate with another leopard carrying this gene.

WINDOWS TO THE SOUL – A beautiful leopard gazing in my direction with big, piercing eyes while visiting the watering hole next to a night hide in the Shompole Conservancy in Kenya.

WINDOWS TO THE SOUL – A beautiful leopard gazing in my direction with big, piercing eyes while visiting the watering hole next to a night hide in the Shompole Conservancy in Kenya.

RELAXATION – A male lion in the Naibosho Conservancy in Kenya last month. Handsome, fierce, confident, and strong – they can lead tough lives sometimes protecting their prides and often carry battle scars. Lions were abundant on this trip to Kenya.

RELAXATION – A male lion in the Naibosho Conservancy in Kenya last month. Handsome, fierce, confident, and strong – they can lead tough lives sometimes protecting their prides and often carry battle scars. Lions were abundant on this trip to Kenya. We even encountered a pride of 31 members.

PORTRAIT OF CONFIDENCE – A male lion in the Naibosho Conservancy in Kenya.

PORTRAIT OF CONFIDENCE – A male lion in the Naibosho Conservancy in Kenya.

HANDSOME FELLA OF NAIBOSHO – A male lion in the Naibosho Conservancy in Kenya.

HANDSOME FELLA OF NAIBOSHO – A male lion in the Naibosho Conservancy in Kenya.

STRIKE A POSE - While watching a group of lion cubs playing, this one paused long enough to snap a portrait (Naibosho Conservancy, Kenya).

STRIKE A POSE - While watching a group of lion cubs playing, this one paused long enough to snap a portrait (Naibosho Conservancy, Kenya).

NATURE'S PALETTE - Lake Magadi is located in Kenya in the southern Great Rift Valley. Lake Magadi is a highly alkaline, saline lake in Kenya where trone (soda ash) is mined for industrial purposes. These properties in combination with salt-loving b

NATURE'S PALETTE - Lake Magadi is located in Kenya in the southern Great Rift Valley. Lake Magadi is a highly alkaline, saline lake in Kenya where trone (soda ash) is mined for industrial purposes. These properties in combination with salt-loving bacteria and algae blooms create beautiful artistic formations of different colors. The waterscape is also often decorated with water birds such as flocks of flamingos that feed on the algae. I captured these photos from an open-air helicopter.

SUNSET AT THE WATERING HOLE - A pair of Masai giraffes (Giraffa tippelskirchi) at the watering hole next to the Plains Hide at sunset in the Shompole Conservancy in Kenya.

SUNSET AT THE WATERING HOLE - A pair of Masai giraffes (Giraffa tippelskirchi) at the watering hole next to the Plains Hide at sunset in the Shompole Conservancy in Kenya.

SUNSET REFLECTIONS - A group of Masai giraffes (Giraffa tippelskirchi) gathering at the watering hole next to the Plains Hide at sunset in the Shompole Conservancy in Kenya.

SUNSET REFLECTIONS - A group of Masai giraffes (Giraffa tippelskirchi) gathering at the watering hole next to the Plains Hide at sunset in the Shompole Conservancy in Kenya.

GIRAFFE WATERFALL – A Masai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi) observed from the Plains Hide in the Shompole Conservancy in Kenya. After drinking from the watering hole, it spits out the excess water.

GIRAFFE WATERFALL – A Masai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi) observed from the Plains Hide in the Shompole Conservancy in Kenya. After drinking from the watering hole, it spits out the excess water.

GIRAFFE SPRINKLER - A Masai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi) observed from the Plains Hide in the Shompole Conservancy in Kenya. After drinking from the watering hole, it spits out the excess water.

GIRAFFE SPRINKLER - A Masai giraffe (Giraffa tippelskirchi) observed from the Plains Hide in the Shompole Conservancy in Kenya. After drinking from the watering hole, it spits out the excess water.