RIP- Furaha, the Queen of Ruaha

This is the last image captured (12 hrs before her death) of a very special leopardess named Furaha which means Joy in Swahili. Lorenzo my guide and I stayed with Furaha for 7hrs (on the 29th Oct) and due to curfew had to leave her @ 7pm, there was clearly something wrong with her, but the change in her demeaner started only around 5pm, she was vomiting and disoriented, it was very sudden, and we had hoped she might improve by the morning. We drove back to where we left here first thing next morning, just beside her favourite tree to find her body, we both broke down and cried that this beautiful creature was now gone.......so terribly sad.


It appeared she died sometime before midnight. An autopsy by the vet from TANAPA (Tanzania National Parks Authority) whom we called straight away, was carried out that morning which revealed that she was NOT poisoned nor bitten by a snake, which were both our main concerns, nor had she recently given birth, which had been another concern as she appeared to be lactating, her thin body initially gave us that impression, so there was some small comfort that there were no cubs lost as well. Results of her death are still not fully known, other than her lungs, kidneys & liver had been damaged, a respiratory collapse the result. Her legacy will live on through her wonderful son Moyo who has inherited her wonderful spirit and relaxed disposition.

Over the period of my last 11 days in Ruaha, things were not quite the same.........something was gone. It was hard to drive past her tree and not get emotional.
We have both known her nearly all of her oh so short 6½ year life. She was probably the most relaxed and coolest leopard I've ever had the privilege to know.
The actual cause of death will never be really known due to TANAPA's limited resources, but it can almost be said it was a from natural causes.


Only the good die young...........RIP Furaha, the Queen of Ruaha. HH from front pax seat, slight crop. curves. levels, TK adj's to B&W in ACR & PS CC'15.

Nikon D500
Nikkor 80-400 AF-S
1/250s FP flash -1.7EV
f/6.3
ISO100@ 80mm.

Cheers
Marc