Watch The Sighting:
Safari-goer Sean captured this sighting on film while he was out on a drive in Kruger National Park. After hearing the distress cries from two adult Water Thick-knees, Sean decided to investigate the commotion.
When he discovered the sinister scene, he pulled out his camera to capture the moment.
A Heart-Stopping Scene And A Great Escape
A leopard had captured a baby Water Thick-knee, and the two adults who had attracted him to the scene in the first place were its distressed parents. They stood about two meters away from the leopard, wings outstretched and screeching to draw the predator’s attention away from their vulnerable chick.
The leopard was pawing and lightly chewing at the chick, who remained mostly concealed by the tall grass. Sean could feel the parents’ anguish as the leopard toyed with its delicate prey, batting it around like a cat with a feather.
With nowhere to run, the baby bird was trapped between the leopard’s massive paws, but just when all hope seemed lost, fate intervened…
The Great Escape
In a complete stroke of luck, the leopard fumbled with the baby bird in its paws, leaving an opening for the small Water Thick-knee to break free. It immediately made a mad dash, but the leopard was faster, slamming its paw down on top of it!
As the leopard began to roll the chick towards it once more, the baby made a final attempt at freedom. It used all its strength to escape the leopard’s grasp and miraculously made it out from under the leopard’s paw!
The chick quickly bolted towards the water, which was only a few feet away. Its tiny legs pumped furiously, and before the leopard could process what was happening, the baby had made it to the water and paddled furiously into deeper water.
The leopard lunged after and swatted at the water, but just like most cats, this leopard did not enjoy getting wet. It watched in frustration as the chick swam away, and was unwilling to pursue its prey into the shallows.
Against all odds, the chick slipped through the claws of death and swam to safety, a triumphant testament to resilience in the wild!
Small Birds, Big Brain
The baby’s survival was not only luck, but also instinct and strategy. Parents often choose nesting and foraging sites close to the water, which offers an escape route from terrestrial predators.
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Chicks can swim short distances almost immediately after hatching, a trait that evolved to give the species an advantage in the early stages of life. In the case of Sean’s sighting, this trait ultimately saved the baby Water Thick-knee’s life!
A Glimpse Into Nature’s Harsh Realities
Encounters like this remind us of the constant dangers young animals face from skilled predators. Predators like leopards rely heavily on stealth and power to secure meals, but not every hunt succeeds.
For the Water Thick-knee parents and their brave chick, this narrow escape was a rare win. Parenthood in the animal kingdom often comes with gut-wrenching risks, but sometimes, sheer determination and a little luck are enough to secure survival.