Even in the wild, fate can take unexpected turns. This lucky impala escaped from the jaws of a leopard, thanks to an unexpected saviour.
Watch The Sighting:
One afternoon, Peet Van Schalkwyk and his wife, Lynn, were on a safari at the De Laporte waterhole. It had been quiet, and the couple was about to move when a lady from another safari group pointed out a leopard hiding in the bushes.
Although the leopard was difficult to spot, other guests reported that it had been disrupting impala herds all morning. Peet and Lynn decided to stay longer, hoping to witness a hunt, but little did they know they would get a lot more excitement than that.
The Chase That Was Over Before It Began
A group of unsuspecting impalas made their way over to a concrete dam for a drink of water on a hot sunny day, falling right into the leopard’s ambush zone. Everyone was waiting to see if the leopard would finally make its move!
Finally, the leopard seized its opportunity and bolted from its hidden spot in the bushes. As the leopard charged, the herd scattered, but one unlucky individual slipped during the chaos, falling into the dam.
At this point, with the water to slow it down, everyone knew it was game over for the poor impala. The leopard jumped into the water and grabbed the scrambling impala by the neck, dragging it out of the water and onto the grass.
A New Threat Arrives
The leopard dragged the impala for several meters before settling into the shade of a tree where it could rest after exerting so much. After a few moments, Peet and Lynn watched as a lone hyena entered the scene.
The hyena meandered over to the dam, sniffing the ground and tracking the impala herd. As it bent over to take a drink from the dam, its head shot up, immediately locking its gaze on the leopard and the limp impala.
Within seconds, the hyena shot to its feet and galloped straight towards the leopard. Peet and Lynn knew a fight was seconds away!
The Great Escape
When the hyena was about a meter away, the conflict erupted! In about two seconds, the hyena lunged and snarled, causing the leopard to shoot up to the tree, dropping the impala as it got up and dashed away.
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The hyena was so preoccupied with the leopard that the impala sprinted away, completely unharmed! By the time the hyena realized and chased after it, the impala had fled the scene before it could be caught once again.
In the end, the hyena decided to cool off in the dam, frustrated that it had rescued the impala by accident. Peet and Lynn were elated that they finally had an opportunity to witness a leopard hunt.
“We were extremely excited and knew that we had witnessed something special. This was a first for us.”
Patience pays off when watching wildlife, as nature’s most thrilling moments often unfold when you least expect them. This sighting proves that in the wild, even a predator’s well-planned hunt can be overturned by sheer luck and unexpected twists of fate!