Israeli Wildlife Photographer Captures Rare Ethiopian Wolves and Black Leopard
Wildlife photographer Marlene Noy braved extreme conditions in Ethiopia's Bale Mountains to document endangered Ethiopian wolves before rerouting to Kenya to successfully capture a rare black leopard.
Wildlife photographer Marlene Noy from moshav Merhavia in the Jezreel Valley embarked on a demanding expedition to the remote Bale Mountains in southeastern Ethiopia, capturing rare moments of endangered species before abruptly redirecting her journey to Kenya due to security concerns.
The adventure began with a flight to Addis Ababa, followed by a domestic flight and a two-and-a-half-hour mountainous drive into the Bale Mountains, a massif rising over 4,000 meters above sea level. Accompanied by local guide Abdi, driver Kia, and cook-turned-healer Sofia, the team set up tiny camping tents to endure freezing temperatures, torrential rain, and gale-force winds.
Encounters with Ethiopian Wolves
For five days, the expedition stood as the sole tourists in the region. Despite battling severe earaches and harsh weather, Noy witnessed the rare Ethiopian wolf, Africa's most endangered carnivore with fewer than 500 individuals remaining. The group observed social greeting rituals at sunrise, unique rodent-hunting behaviors, and the wolves' unusual habit of drinking flower nectar.
The high-altitude ecosystem supports a subterranean world of rodents, notably the giant mole-rat, which serves as the wolf's primary prey. Noy also spotted the rare mountain nyala, a majestic antelope endemic to the Bale highlands.
Unexpected Pivot to Kenya
Plans to continue north to the Simien Mountains and the Danakil Depression were abruptly canceled due to complex security realities on the ground. Instead, the team flew to Kenya, where years of persistence finally paid off with the long-awaited sighting of a rare black leopard in the wild, realizing a three-year photographic dream alongside her partner Amir.
