Tracey Hazelden, Lounging Leopard (ANIMAL & NATURE 2024)

It is rare to see the shy and solitary leopard in the wild, so it was with great excitement that I was able to view and photograph this magnificent animal. A member of Africa's "Big Five", this particular leopard was nestled comfortably in the enclave of a large antheap near Robin's Camp in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. In the golden glow of the setting sun, I absorbed this once in a lifetime experience, watching the leopard until he faded into the darkness of night.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.