Leopard stories

Leopard.tv article in the Wildland (March 2015)

12 March 2015

SHAYAMANZI 
Black leopards (www.leopard.tv)
ZORBA (male) AND ZITA (female) - By Jannie Parsons

Has the black leopard’s beauty compromised its continued existence? Can it be true that there are still people in the 21^st century who believe that the mysterious beauty and power of the black leopard can be possessed, stolen or taken away? Are humans’ egos and greed the driving forces of the demise of the most beautiful of cats?  In the human world beauty cannot be possessed, bought or taken away. On the contrary, it is abstract; it is free for each onlooker to enjoy.

Man controls the animal and this power, probably driven by ego, jealousy and greed, leads to man almost justifying him killing this beautiful animal, eating its meat, making clothing of its fur and even eating its eyes in the insane belief that he will become like these cats with their beautiful blue-green eyes, perfect bodies and beautiful black furs with rosette patterns glistening in the sun. Shocking as it may sound these are the facts, since free roaming black leopards in South Africa probably do not exist any longer, with perhaps only a few remaining in custody.

Which woman does not wish to have the eyes and beautiful skin of a black leopard? Therefore they wear beautiful clothes and their eyes and skins are made up to hopefully have the same magical attraction for men as these beautiful cats? Which man does not desire the well-defined, muscled body of a leopard? Therefore, young men find it important to have defined muscles, the so-called six-pack, to impress and attract women.

Black leopards have tried to go into hiding. They almost only move at night, in the most dense jungles, kloofs and mountains of the world, away from humans. Even this has not helped.

The definition and image of natural beauty has, with the black leopard, become extinct.

Shayamanzi began with a dream and a passion to bring the mysterious beauty of not only the ordinary leopard, but also that of the black leopard, back to the Bushveld, by buying two black leopards, Zorba (male) and Zita (female).

Even if the only remaining reason, to help leopards survive just because they are the most beautiful of all animals, it is sufficient reason for us at Shayamanzi to give everything to let the definition of “beautiful” live on in our leopards and black leopards. Being part of the survival of “beautiful” can be a beautiful and meaningful human deed.

With the exceptional beauty of the black leopards, Zorba en Zita, we believe that Shayamanzi can make a major contribution to at least make people aware of the most beautiful cats on earth.

Not only are the two names, Zorba and Zita, elegant, but these two black leopards have a huge task ahead. They have to convince people that beautiful leopards should increase, and not end in a fur or trophy with two, blue, glass eyes.