Here’s a photo of a leopard called Marula sitting up in a Marula tree, fresh from this morning’s game drive.

Despite what we’re led to believe by pretty photos in magazines, leopards don’t actually spend that much time up in trees. They’ll use them as a perch if they’re trying to spy a nice meal, or they’ll head up there to sleep if they feel threatened on the ground. A leopard will also pull its kill up into a tree to keep it safe from other predators.

But when those things aren’t happening, a leopard is quite at home wandering around or sleeping  under a shady bush. In game reserves that lack lions and hyenas, leopards would rarely bother to use their hard-won energy to get up into a tree.

Hoofnote: I know. It’s another grainy photo snapped on my phone. I’m looking forward to being reunited with my old camera in the next few weeks.  I never imagined I’d miss it, but I do…