That night I was awoken at three in the morning by the most incredibly loud rasping screeching roar, as a leopard, attracted by the nyama choma (roast meat), engaged in a ten minute stand off with the hyenas.

John started looking intently into the river line - knowing the leopard was close by

It was impossible to sleep through – it sounded like a screaming banshee, repeatedly screeching enraged as the hyenas cackled and giggled in response

the analogy of the leopard’s roar as a bow saw going through wood was there, yet it ended in such a high pitched screech it sounded like the rage and fury of the damned in an ear splitting noise that went right through everyone in the camp

the askaris stayed vigilant and after the stand off, the noises subsided again back into the hub-bub of bush crickets and chirping of distant frogs, leaving me rather quivering with the pulse and energy of it all

so if we count leopard identified by its waking us all up – we have come across all of the big 5 today – lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino