The Dew Point

While most cats (big cats included) aren’t the world’s biggest fans of the water, leopards defy expectations. Found across the African continent, these stunning cats love the water and are excellent swimmers.

However, leopards are incredibly resilient animals, well-suited for the dry seasons of the African savannah as they don’t need much water; in fact, leopards get most of the water they need when they consume their prey.

Sadly though, with deforestation, habitat loss, hotter years and drier landscapes, leopards are endangered. From 2020-2023, Kenya experienced the worst drought in nearly 50 years, making sights such as the one photographed above, increasingly rare.

This award-winning photograph is from the ninth season, “Water”, of the Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Rashid al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA) Archive. The Climate Tribe has partnered with HIPA, leveraging the power of photography to inspire global awareness of sustainability and advance climate action.