Years pass, memories fade, old news clippings turn yellow and hair either turns white or falls out, such is life.

It has been many years ago but it is permanently etched into my memory.

I was preparing to transport an African spotted leopard to another location when quite suddenly I found myself flat on my back with an angry leopard on top of me.
Leopards are efficient killers.

They bite their victim’s neck and skull and at the same time those powerful hind legs are working like pistons, raking deadly hooked claws into vitals in an endeavor to eviscerate their prey.

Only a blink in time, a single moment, a tick of the metronome of my mind, and I shouted, “Kill him!”

My partner blew the leopard off me with a ten gauge, double barreled shotgun.

Sounds sort of dull doesn’t it?

That was a captive leopard. He was not accustomed to the kill.

A wild leopard is quite another thing.

For his size the leopard has been long considered one of the world’s deadliest predators. Silent, stealthy to the extreme, powerful, efficient, he is quite capable of killing a man twice his weight and carrying his victim into the top of a thorny acassia tree and lodging it there in a fork to ripen in the hot African sun and then, over the following few days, visiting the site until the remains are rendered down to scattered bones and a few piles of blood blackened piles of scat in the long grass.

Gives new meaning to the term, “going to waste.” Doesn’t it?

This then is the African spotted leopard.

Koyei Leselies is a friend and a brother. A chief of the Maasai people and head ranger of the Maasai Mara game preserve in Kenya, Koyei earned his kudos when as a young man in traditional fashion he went forth and killed an African lion that had been predating the tribe’s cattle.

Armed with nothing but their traditional weapons, spear, short sword and a cowhide shield, they pursued Simba Kali, The savage lion.

It is ingrained into the Maasai as youngsters that it is better to die than to run away. So they faced the big cat and killed him and sang their victory songs.

Koyei was mauled but carries the scars proudly. His friend was gutted and died when they were carrying him back to their village.

I just received the following e-mail from Koyei.

Greetings my friend Charles,
Two weeks ago a leopard attack our sheep at night. When my brother and I tried to kill him we are both injured. We are in need of financial help to get treatment at hospital. Can you help us?
Joseph Koyei
P.O. box 590
Kiserian, Kenya

I immediately sent an e-mail back to him concerning the extent of his wounds and whether or not they had killed the leopard.

(You must understand that the Maasai are masters of the understatement which might be obvious by his answer.)

Dear friend Charles,
I have slight fractures and some claws went to inside my head and hands and they suspect I have some internal bleeding that needs medical care.
Yes sir, we killed the leopard. We are doing.
Your friend, Joseph Koyei

If you are interested in helping Koyei and his brother you can send an email to me at charlestowne111@juno.com
Even the smallest donation will be appreciated.
God bless you and yours,
Chaz

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