Watch the Sighting:
Field guide Jason Joubert was on a Christmas morning safari in Sabi Sands with his guests when they witnessed this hilarious sighting. The group was only about a hundred meters away from the lodge when something caught their eye on the side of the road.
A Fatigued Feline
As they approached, the group was delightfully surprised to find a male leopard asleep beside the bush! Jason kept a respectful distance from the leopard while his guests pulled out their cameras to capture the magical moment.
Eventually, the leopard woke up in a daze and sleepily groomed himself without paying any mind to his surroundings. Little did he know that danger was lurking just around the corner…
The Silent Stalker Approaches
Just then, Jason noticed a male hyena wandering down the road in the general direction of both his vehicle and the leopard. All of the guests suddenly became very alert as they knew the encounter was about to become a lot more exciting!
The hyena advanced in a curious manner, following the scent of the leopard, who continued grooming himself, clearly oblivious to the approaching predator. Jason and his group couldn’t believe how bold this lone hyena was — it seemed completely fearless!
Caught off Guard
Finally, when the hyena was about a meter away it paused and simply observed the leopard as if there were absolutely no threat. Moments passed and Jason and his group held their breath in suspense, what would happen next?
While grooming himself, the leopard decided to look around and discovered the hyena staring straight at him. He immediately jumped to his feet and growled in defence, eyes wide and tail lashing.
The group burst out laughing over the startled reaction from the leopard. Meanwhile, the hyena jolted back in retreat but returned within seconds to test the leopard’s boundaries.
The two predators continued to snarl ferociously at each other, threatening violence if one of them made a wrong move. They stared each other down, seeing who would back down first.
No Harm, No Foul
Even though it was the one who started the confrontation, the hyena decided that it had had enough. It walked away as if nothing had happened and the leopard went back to grooming himself and minding his business.
Jason and his group couldn’t believe their luck! Although Jason gets to witness lots of hyena and leopard interactions, none have been quite as unique as this one!
Everyone left safari that day with big smiles on their faces. “This was a comical scene, everyone on the vehicle had a good chuckle”.
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Confidence or Curiosity?
While it may seem odd that a hyena would approach a leopard out of the blue, bold behaviour is quite common in hyenas. Because they are opportunists, hyenas constantly test the boundaries of other predators, which facilitates stealing their kills.
Leopards are especially known for being timid, abandoning their prey if danger lurks nearby. Even though they are ferocious, most leopards don’t want to risk injury which is usually a death sentence in the wild.
It was likely that even though he wasn’t backed up by his pack, this hyena was looking for an opportunity to steal a kill from the leopard. When he realized there was no food to be found, he backed off.
This sighting showcases the dynamic relationships between wild animals, proving that every safari has the opportunity for unforgettable moments.