GOODBYE KISS

Leopard cubs often stay with their mothers until they turn one and a half years old. Girls leave later and boys leave a bit earlier, but the day always comes for two grown up cats to part ways as they cannot share their territory.

Jilimi stayed with her mother for the usual year and a half. I was waiting for the farewell moment to come, spending my whole time with this wonderful family trying not to lose their sight. I really wanted to see how the parting would go.

Luluka had generally been pretty strict to her daughter and yet that morning something in her behaviour changed. She was extraordinarily sweet to the grown up child. They played together and licked each other and laid next to each other all morning. It all became clear by the evening — Luluka had been preparing for the farewell and had simply wanted to give her daughter all her tenderness and care to the last drop. At night she left Jilimi in a dense bush and abandoned her.

For two days Jilimi was calling her mother, not yet realizing that it was pointless. Her mom was not coming back.

Later, as Jilimi was overcome by severe hunger, there was no trace left of her whiny growls. The young leopard turned into a predator again and went hunting. Thus began the adult life of this beautiful blue-eyed cat...