Telha
Initially, I thought the person who came up with this challenge must have been imagining things. What leopard? I examined every part of the photo, even using my imagination. I tilted my laptop, thinking the leopard might be a watermark or overlay, but no such luck.
People are obsessed with this adult-level “Where’s Waldo” picture shared on Twitter by 16-year-old Bella Lack to her 150K followers. On September 27, she posted the photo with the caption:
“Someone just sent this to me and asked me to find the leopard. I was convinced it was a joke… until I found the leopard. Can you spot it?” The post went viral with 9.1K retweets, 5K comments, and 22.4K likes.
Someone just sent this to me and asked me to find the leopard. I was convinced it was a joke… until I found the leopard. Can you spot it? pic.twitter.com/hm8ASroFAo
— Bella Lack (@BellaLack) September 27, 2019
The leopard (if it exists) was photographed by Indian photographer Hemant Dabi. The picture appears to show a plain dry land with a shallow ditch and no visible life. Yet, most people who viewed it missed the lively leopard, camouflaged and possibly stalking prey.
Some people did find the leopard
Having exceptional vision should be considered a superpower. Many, like me, stared at the photo forever, wondering when the joke would end. Bella wanted everyone who saw the post to test their vision.
“PLEASE DON’T POST THE ANSWER so others can have a go. Thank you. :),” she wrote. However, those who found the predator couldn’t resist showing off their discovery, reposting the photo with red markers circling the animal.
— Momo. 🌼 (@AngelusofDeath) September 28, 2019
Even then, I still didn’t see it. I was about to give up when I zoomed in and finally saw the beauty. Due to the spotty soil, the brown leopard blended perfectly into the background, appearing as part of the ground.
“Someone please pm me the answer. I’m gonna go crazy if I stare at this dirt anymore,” one frustrated user wrote. I understand that feeling well.
Masters of natural camouflage, leopards don’t need to change their appearance like chameleons. They are the most secretive and elusive big cats, smart enough to find spots matching their unique print. This leopard simply sat on the rocky terrain and blended in perfectly. Some claim it’s a jaguar, but the animal isn’t as muscular and lacks the jaguar’s characteristic central spot in its markings.
A Twitter user later zoomed in and outlined the animal’s shape. Scroll down for a sneak peek. If you still can’t spot it, you might need to be taken to the scene to feel the leopard.
Leopards are commonly found in Southern Africa and scattered across Asia. Recently, many populations have become critically endangered, especially outside Africa. Leopard skin sells at high prices on black markets, and poaching, habitat loss, and human pressures threaten the Panthera species’ survival.
Bella encourages wildlife lovers to support the Born Free Foundation, a British non-profit that “works to protect leopards from the threats they face, both in the wild and in captivity, rescue individual leopards from suffering and exploitation, and provide them with lifetime care.”
Can’t find the leopard? Here’s the answer:
Someone please pm me the answer. I’m gonna go crazy if I stare at this dirt anymore.
— Zack Ickowicz (@HopefulEidolon) September 27, 2019
— Momo. 🌼 (@AngelusofDeath) September 28, 2019
