The gallery forests of the Serengeti are the realm of a phantom: the shadowy thickets are the domain of a leopardess. For days, she is nearly invisible, but then strikes out of nowhere. For some, she means sudden death, but she hunts for a reason: She has a five-month-old cub and she is dedicated to nothing but its survival.
Hunting is never easy. The thicket has multiple eyes and ears to announce any predator. A stalk can last for 30 minutes or more and the slightest mistake will ruin her efforts. Once she was successful, she won’t come back here soon to give the prey time to forget the trauma and settle. The secret queen of the gallery forest has done a good job, but the adventure continues. She faces hard times and perilous encounters. The family grows larger and the older son must make a long and dangerous journey into adulthood.
