This is the magical mirror-image moment a wild leopard was photographed catching a glimpse of itself in a crystal-clear pool. The beautiful frame was captured on camera by amateur wildlife photographer Haritri Goswami, 32, in the Jhalana Reserve Forest, Rajasthan, India.
As these pictures show the big cat was clearly enamoured by his own image, perhaps checking out his magnificent spots.
The apex predator named Rana is one of 40 leopards given a protected home in the first leopard reserve of its kind in India, close to the city of Jaipur.
The apex predator named Rana is one of 40 leopards given a protected home in the first leopard reserve of its kind in India, close to the city of Jaipur.
Haritri was on safari in the 5,000-acre forest when the vehicles came across Rana who was unphased by their presence.
She said: “He is a very bold leopard and comfortable around safari vehicles and was drinking and pacing by a pool without a care for us.
“After I had taken the photo I was thrilled to see the picture of Rana as it was perfectly timed just when he looked in the water.
“Everyone I have shown the photograph to loves the picture of the leopard and his symmetrical reflection. He looks almost exactly the same the right way up as he does upside down.”
Haritri, a software engineer, from Bangalore, used a Nikon mirrorless camera Z6-2 with a sigma telephoto zoom lens 150-600mm.
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