African Leopard {Panthera pardus}

Black Pilot FineLiner ink sketch and W&N watercolour on Amedeo 200gsm - ©Maree Clarkson

An African Leopard (Panthera pardus pardus) sunning himself on some rocks. Powerful, graceful and arguably one of the most beautiful of all the large cats, the elusive leopard is a master of stealth and survival. I have ever only seen a Leopard once in my life, and that was in the Kruger National Park, but I recall many tales my Dad had to tell about this magnificent animal when we live in the Northern Transvaal whenI was a child.

One such story was about the night him and a few friends were fishing at the Albasini Dam just outside Louis Trichardt, Limpopo Province, (the then Northern Transvaal). They had their camp fire going and had some fish, freshly caught that day, on the braai. A rustling sound caught their attention and upon shining their powerful spotlight into the bush, they saw a Leopard in a crouching position. Like one man they all dashed for the Kombi, scrambling to all get in the same time, slamming the door shut quickly. They spent an uncomfortable night huddled in the Kombi in stead of their comfortable tents and,  needless to say, the next morning the fish on the braai was burnt to a crisp!

In the Cape Province south of the Orange River (South Africa), they have been largely eradicated by stock farmers except in rugged mountainous areas. The Cape Leopard that lives in the Cape mountain range is much smaller than its big cousins in the Limpopo region. Their diet is probably the contributing factor, consisting mostly of dassies and much smaller prey.

The leopard lingered in the sun
Almost at close of day,
With all its hours almost done
And fast to ebb away…
The leopard let his memories
Remind him now and then,
Because he knew each day must cease
When moonlight shone again.

This day had seen new life, new death,
That’s how time passes by…
We understand while we draw breath
Until our final sigh…
The leopard knew his time was near,
Just like the sun above,
Yet leopards are not prone to fear,
That’s why they still share love…

His cubs were waiting down below,
As he watched like a king…
To see time like a river flow
To outlive everything…
Some day his cubs would watch in turn,
As their cubs played a while…
With each new day something to learn…
Some joy to raise a smile…
(The poem is based on the magnificent painting by Stephen Gayford called ‘Leopard Sunset’.)

African silhouettes

The shadows now so long do grow, 

That brambles like tall cedars show, 

Molehills seem mountains, 

and the ant Appears a monstrous elephant. 

- Charles Cotton 

Watercolour on Amedeo 200gsm – 12″ × 8″ - ©Maree Clarkson

Elephants (Loxodonta africana) in the shadow of a mountain on their way to water in the northern parts of the Kalahari desert (South Africa). This is how I imagine their trekking in their relentless search for water.

A portion of the Kalahari Desert transforms for a brief period each year from a parched expanse of arid wasteland to a bountiful floodplain packed with channels, lagoons, swamps and islands — and it has the Okavango River to thank for this temporary transformation into paradise.

During the annual inundation, the Okavango Delta region draws migrating animals like a magnet, among them herds of Kalahari elephants. Elephants must have water on a regular basis, so as the dry season reaches a peak, they follow ancient instincts across the scorched and desiccated sands to the promise of boundless waters in the west.

As the elephants slowly make their way toward the delta, many can survive on what little resources they find until they finally enjoy a respite in the rich lands touched by the Okavango. Other herds will not complete the migration and may lose members to the harsh and competitive environment of the desert.

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An African sunset

Day is life,
As the roars of lions echo,
And the galloping of the antelope fade.
Night is death,
As the laughs of the hyena haunt you,
And the bush is filled with the sounds of terrorized creatures.
But between the beauty all is quiet,
As the sun disappears,
And the land lights up in the most spectacular display,
An African Sunset.
- by Robert G. Fetters

 Watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm ©Maree Clarkson

Once you have lived in or visited Africa, visions of Africa become indelible in a visitor's memory. Vivid sunsets... warm and welcoming people.... amazing wildlife and, of course, the incredible silhouette of antelope etched against an African the sunset, all combine to make a visit to South Africa one of life's peak experiences. Seasons are reversed here, so the best time to visit is July through October. On nights when there's a full moon and high water, you may even witness a rare and thrilling lunar rainbow!

An extract from Wayne Visser's poem, "I know a place in Africa", sum's Africa up well :

My soul is at peace in Africa
For her streams bring lifeblood to my veins
And her winds bring healing to my dreams
For when the tale of this land is told
Her destiny and mine are as one

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A Windpomp in the Karoo

Ink sketch and watercolour on Amedeo 200gsm – ©Maree Clarkson 

A depiction of a ‘windpomp’ (windmill) in the Karoo. They are such a part of our countryside here in South Africa and they play a specially important part in dry areas like the Karoo where both humans and animals are very dependent on them for water.

These windmills extract the life blood of the earth and it is usually poured into a cement dam close-by the windpomp. Many farm children swim in these cement dams on sweltering days and I have seen flocks of Egyptian Geese taking a quick, cool dip on their way to somewhere.

Africa's wonder

“Let a Person Walk Alone With Few Wishes, Committing No Wrong, Like an Elephant in the Forest.”

Watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm 16” x 12” - ©Maree Clarkson

Africa’s wild animals are a constant source of inspiration and for me elephants symbolise Strength, Solitude, sense of loyalty to the family and Intelligence. Looking into the eye of an elephant, one sees Wisdom beyond our understanding.

I sketched this young elephant on a visit to the Elephant Sanctuary Hartebeespoort Dam where they provide a “halfway house” for young African elephants in need of a temporary home.

African elephants (Loxodonta) are the largest living terrestrial animals. The African elephant differs from the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) in that African elephants’ trunks end in two opposing lips, whereas the Asian elephant’s trunk trunk ends in a single lip. Adult African elephants weigh between 4,000-7,500kg and Asian elephants are less at 3000-6,000kg. African elephants have a fuller, more rounded head. The top of the head is a single dome whereas Asian elephants have a twin-domed head with an indent in the middle. All African elephants, male and female, have tusks, whereas only some male Asian elephants have tusks. Africans generally have the bigger tusks. About half of all female Asian elephants and a small percentage of males have small tusks like teeth, known as tushes. The African forest elephant has 5 nails on front feet and 4 on the back while the African bush elephant has 4 nails on the front feet and 3 on the back. The Asian elephant has 5 nails on the front feet, 4 on the back and on the very rare occasion, 5.

Although both species of elephant eat a wide variety of plant matter, in general term the Asian elephant’s diet is made up of a greater proportion of grass while the African elephants diet is made up of a greater proportion of leaves.

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