In a heartwarming scene captured in the African bush, a female leopard grooms herself before emitting a distinct, hoarse cough-like contact call to announce her presence. As she searches, a young sub-adult female leopard suddenly appears, revealing a tender reunion between mother and daughter. Despite the daughter's supposed independence, their playful interaction demonstrates a strong bond. Eventually, they settle on a rock, basking in the tranquility of the African wilderness.

The filmer told Newsflare: "To my astonishment, things just got even better unexpectedly... I couldn’t believe my luck and it was the first time ever that I saw a leopard performing its call. I could feel the base pounding in my chest."

"I decided to leave them in peace and left the sight, feeling privileged that I witnessed such an incredible leopard encounter out in the African wilderness."

During a safari in the Kruger National Park, I came across a special and very entertaining leopard sighting. Leopards are mostly solitary animals and finding these elusive and secretive big cats can be a real challenge while on safari. On this day, I had luck on my side and my timing was just right. It was late afternoon during sunset when I found a female leopard lying in the open, busy grooming herself. The sun was setting behind the female leopard and together with the nature sounds it just felt magical and I thought I was the luckiest person on earth. Then to my astonishment, things just got even better unexpectedly. After grooming herself, the female leopard got up and performed her deep and loud sounding contact call. The call of a leopard is compared to the sound of a hoarse cough, which is very distinct, unique and rarely heard. I couldn’t believe my luck and it was the first time ever that I saw a leopard performing its call. I could feel the base pounding in my chest. The female leopard was clearly advertising her position and location for others to hear. After her call echoed through the bush, the female leopard then slowly moved along, sniffing around the bushes as if she was looking for something. Suddenly out of nowhere another leopard appeared like a flash. It was a young sub adult female leopard. I quickly realized that the mother was looking for her daughter with all the calling and sniffing around. Finally, they were reunited, and the daughter started following her mother. They disappeared into the thickets but soon I managed to relocate them again down in the nearby riverbed, crossing a low water level bridge. The young female leopard looked very playful, and she stalked and chased her mother around in a playful manner. This showed me that there was still a strong bond between the mother leopard and her daughter, even though the daughter is supposed to be independent at that age. Leopard cubs usually separate and become solitary at around eighteen months. Eventually both leopards settled on a big rock on the bank of the dry riverbed. There they were, both lying on the rock, relaxing and bonding with one another out in the African wild. This made for an incredible safari sighting and my heart was racing with disbelief and excitement. Eventually the mother got up and disappeared into the riverine thickets. The young leopard soon followed. I decided to leave them in peace and left the sight, feeling privileged that I witnessed such an incredible leopard encounter out in the African wilderness.