Wild moments in time: capturing a dung beetle

Posted on 20 July 2012

We had been driving for hours looking for leopards in places “guaranteed” for a sighting without seeing a single thing. Yes… I know, it never works like that, but you have got to try anyway, just in case you miss something.

Just then we spotted this little guy busy trundling his fresh ball of dung down the middle of the road. Leopards or no leopardss, I had to photograph him. Anyway, I thought, it’s easy: just fix the lens, jump out, lie down, focus, take a few quick shots and jump back in the car…wrong!

It was midday, the sun was strong, the light was all wrong and this guy was not interested in posing. He trundled every way except the way he was supposed to go. Just as I would get in position, he went off another way and I had to reposition.  Same thing, over and over. All the while the Boss who was keeping watch in the car was bending my ear and telling me to hurry up and get on with it and get back in the car before someone came along.

It was starting to become stressful!

So I did what had to be done. I picked up the ball of dung, beetle and all, and kept repositioning it until I got a few shots off. It was one of those wild moments in time that brought new meaning to the phrase ‘sticky fingers’.

I love the photo, with all its imperfections, for the memories of that moment. And, yes… my fingers stank like hell!






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