Photo of the Day
Each day, we highlight one extraordinary photograph from National Geographic. Check out more of our photos here.
A leopard watches from a treetop as stars fill the dark blue night sky above it.
October 8, 2026 | The Watcher
A leopard patrols from a tree beneath a star-filled sky in South Africa's Timbavati Nature Reserve. Across the country, these carnivores grapple with habitat loss and fragmentation as well as illegal killing and trading. Due to the animal's solitary and secretive nature, the leopard population in South Africa varies widely, with researchers citing anywhere from 5,000 to 23,000 remaining. This photograph is featured in National Geographic photographer Steve Winter's book, Big Cats.
