Like all mothers, female leopards are extremely protective of their offspring. In this video, a hungry hyena is given its marching orders when it gets too close.
Michael Crawford submitted this tense footage to Latest Sightings. He filmed it while on safari in South Africa.
Iconic sighting
While out on a game drive, Michael was delighted to see a leopard resting in a tree. As we hear in the commentary, she had earlier dragged a kill up the tree.
Making the sighting extra special, though, were her two tiny cubs curled up on a nearby branch.
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Threat detected
Subsequently, the leopard’s behaviour changed when she started snarling at something.
As Michael panned to the left, he saw a spotted hyena approaching the tree where the leopards were resting.
While hyenas may try to kill leopard cubs, it had, in fact, been attracted by the scent of the leopard’s kill.
Warning ignored
However, when the hyena, excited at the prospect of a free meal, ignored her warnings, the mother took immediate action.
Rising from her resting place, she made her way down the tree. Then, as the hyena ran past the base, she sprang after it.
Into action
No sooner did her paws touch the ground than she set off after the surprised hyena.
Snarling viciously, she chased the intruder, making it plain that its presence was unwelcome.
However, the hyena managed to evade her and continued searching for the carcass.
Defensive position
Knowing that both the kill and her cubs were up the tree, the leopard positioned herself at its base.
Consequently, she was able to keep the scavenger at bay. There was no chance she was going to let it get close.
Still, the hyena continued circling, desperate to find the carcass.
Climbed to safety
Meanwhile, the two cubs had instinctively climbed higher up the tree. While one hid in the canopy, the second watched mum from above.
Down below, the mother decided to conserve her energy and lie down.
But every time the hyena got too close, she rose to reiterate her warning.
In between the advances, she continuously checked on her cubs.
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Stand down
Subsequently, she seemed to realise that both her kill and her cubs were safely out of the hyena’s reach.
Accordingly, she decided that she too would be safer off the ground. So, with the effortless ease of her kind, she leapt back into the tree.
Moments later, she resumed her resting position on the branch where Michael first saw her.
Meanwhile, down below, the hyena had to content itself by sniffing for any scraps that might have fallen from above.