Legadema

Sometimes life – and the universe – throws you a curve, a wrench, a sharp turn.

While other times, the universe sends you something quite the opposite: a gift. While in Africa, I was given something I considered an incomparable gift.

A gift which I hadn’t thought about in a long time, until I dreamt of her last night.

Her name was Legadema (pronounced Lay-ha-dee-ma).

But let’s rewind.

The setting is Botswana, Okavango Delta, South Africa, Mombo Camp Safari. I was on a mission trip and was rewarded with a safari experience – the first of any kind for me. The day started similar to other days while I was in Africa: I woke up before dawn and shrugged on my safari clothes. Were they clean enough after the dust and dirt of yesterday? Good enough for one more day. I ate a quick breakfast and climbed into the buggy with the others. Because, you see, when you’re on safari, you venture out in the early mornings (before the sun) and you go out again at dusk – resting during the hot afternoons. You traverse the wide swaths of land in open-air buggies, searching for wildlife; to witness nature in action. Waiting for the animals to show their true colors.

Unfortunately, there were bird watchers on this particular early drive.

I love birds, I do.

But true ornithologists, who travel ALLLL the way to Africa aren’t messing around. They don’t care about the “Big Five;” they’re there for the birds. They have high-powered binoculars around their necks, they have their African bird books to reference, they have their notebooks ready for notetaking and sketching.

It’s boring…

Especially because me, as a bystander, didn’t have their fancy equipment. So, squinting at birds all morning was my destiny.

Boring…

The evening ride of that day, however, was going to be different, I could tell. The bird watchers weren’t in attendance (having chosen to skip this ride, thank goodness). Instead, in the front of the buggy sat a quiet man with an expensive-looking camera. With a low, British accent, he spoke softly with Simon, that day’s safari guide. They seemed familiar with each other, which piqued my interest. As we sped off, the man, Dereck, asked if we could visit a specific area, visit a specific tree, hopefully visit a specific animal.

The leopard named Legadema.

As we traveled, I breathed in the evening air deeply, feeling the sun warm my face. Sundowners were imminent with each dusk adventure (a wonderful tradition of cocktails and snacks on the plains, provided by the safari guides, while the wildlife congregate nearby, snacking on the grass). However, today’s sundowners were enjoyed in a unique setting – near Legadema’s favorite tree, where she primarily resided.

And there she was.

Lounging in the acacia tree, amber eyes flashing, a fresh Springbok “kill” hanging nearby. She watched us wearily at first, senses heightened to any potential danger.

Then Dereck whistled.

Her head swiveled as she searched for him. Slowly, she climbed out of the tree, making her way to Dereck.

Legadema is Setswana for a form of violent lightning (Setswana is the main language of Botswana, and widely spoken across South Africa). Her name signifies the lightning which split the black, velvet, Botswana skies the week of her birth. As I soon learned, Dereck Joubert, and his wife, Beverly, had named her when they found her as an eight-day-old cub.

As we enjoyed our sundowners, Dereck started opening up. For three years, he and his wife documented Legadema (it had been five+ years at this point). When they first discovered her, she was shaking with fear, hiding under their truck. As lightning tore open the sky, she mewled, edging further under the vehicle (cubs this young are also nearly blind). She was without a mother, somehow abandoned, or so they thought. Dereck crawled under the truck and pulled her out. They found her shelter from the storm under a rock formation, and drove away, seeking shelter of their own. Early the next morning, they went back with something for her to eat. She was still under the rocks and received their nourishment with a famished energy. (It turned out she wasn’t abandoned, just separated from her mother during the storm).

From that day, Dereck and Beverly made it their life mission to somehow protect her, to document her world, to invite the world to know her.

From that first meeting, she slowly became accustomed to their presence, allowing them to offer her treats, and occasionally grazing their legs or feet; building an extraordinary bond, building mutual trust. They became obsessed: going back to Botswana as often as they – and their funding – would allow. They documented everything with a film crew. They watched her grow up and act as the fearless leopardess she was.

The result: an award-winning National Geographic documentary titled Eye of the Leopard. Voiced by Jeremy Irons, it launched in 2006 on the National Geographic channel. Then, an ensuing book, titled, “A Leap for Legadema: The True Story of a Little Leopard in a Big World.”

Because of them, she is arguably Mombo Camp's – and Botswana's – most well-known feline.

Legadema was no stranger to the limelight. As her mother, Tortilis', only female cub to make it to adulthood, she was somehow different. (Her mother was also a well-known leopardess, hunter, and warrior). She was also highly remarkable in one specific marking: she had what they referred to as a “whisker spot,” which looked like a large furry mole smudge smack dab in the middle of the cluster of whiskers on the right side of her face. (it is highly common to identify any variety of African animals by their differing markings). Lastly, her hunting style made her unique. She charged through the trees with impressive speed and agility, more akin to a cheetah than a typical leopard.

But back to my encounter…

As Legadema slowly climbed out of the tree, she made her way directly to Dereck. As she deliberately approached him, he explained: he was hoping she would greet him in her typical manner – what had become their tradition since she was a cub. And she did: she greeted him by peeing on the front left tire of the buggy (always the front left tire) and sauntering over to Dereck for a quick head rub, slinking her body against his shins just like any old housecat.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

Dereck was “pleased and slightly shocked,” he said. He hadn’t been able to return for two years, and he had been worried she would not greet him in that same manner as she always had. He had worried she would forget him.

But that was as far as their reunion went on this day. After all, she was still a wild animal. She became concerned about leaving her kill alone in the tree, unguarded, and leapt back up to protect it from any host of predators. Yet still she watched us, her amber eyes flashing.

For the next few hours (during sundowner, and back at camp through dinner and time by the fire), I had the distinct honor of listening to Dereck relay the most grandiose stories of his time at this camp, with this safari team, with Legadema. He even showed me a copy of his aforementioned book. He was so proud of him and his wife’s accomplishments.

I will neither forget how special this was, nor the imprint it made on my brain and upon my heart. Upon returning to the states, I sourced the documentary, enjoying the connection I felt with this beautiful animal. I also bought myself a copy of their book, which I still own, cherishing the small role that I got to play as witness to their reunion.

But Legadema’s story is not just about a leopard’s life, but also about conservation. The Jouberts’ work at Mombo Camp led to an international endeavor called The Big Cat Initiative, which highlights the importance of protecting leopards and their habitats, as well as the unique opportunities private concessions offer for close wildlife encounters. Legadema’s life has become a symbol of resilience and adaptability in the face of environmental challenges.

Perhaps that is what my next step should be: to learn more about their efforts, and other similar efforts on conservation. How can I help?

I will forever be grateful.

Afterword

Upon researching this story, I discovered a whole host of interesting facts that didn’t quite make it into the story above, but of course still worth noting:

• The locations were so remote that the Nat Geo crew invented solar options to charge equipment: among the first of their kind.

• Both Beverly and Dereck firmly believed that Lagadema was as equally as obsessed with them as they were with her. She would often rub her body against their feet and shins – even arms – on occasion…just like any old housecat.

• Beverly once told someone that Dereck loved Legadema so much that he got jealous when male leopards tried to mate with her. Telling Beverly, “he’s not good enough for her” on more than one occasion.

• Dereck and Beverly now live in South Africa, working as National Geographic editors-at-large.

• Dereck co-founded Rhinos without Borders, and has successfully relocated nearly 100 rhinos to safer territories.

• In 2021, Beverly and Dereck released another National Geographic documentary, Relentless Enemies. It, too, is voiced by Jeremy Irons.

• Beverly is also an award-winning wilderness photographer focusing on African wildlife. Her work can be found at beverlyjoubert.com.

• To date, Beverly has published nearly 25 African wildlife books. Most recently, in October 2025, Beverly published “Wild Eye, A Life in Photography.” Yes, it’s available on Amazon, and yes, Legadema is in it. I recently purchased my own copy.

• I’ve now started following her Instagram page, where she posts her breathtaking wilderness photography and writes beautiful prose to accompany each image.