As the most numerous antelope in southern Africa, impalas are frequently targeted by predators. Here, a leopard has its work cut out for it, trying to subdue a determined ram.
The footage was filmed in South Africa’s Greater Kruger National Park.
Into the action
Like the two animals featured, we’re thrown right into the action in this incredible sighting. Emerging from behind tall grass, a leopard holds on grimly to an impala it has just ambushed.
However, as is immediately obvious, this particular ram is not about to give up without a fight. In his favour are good conditioning and an influx of adrenalin as he fights for his life.
A matter of balance
As for the leopard, her immediate priority is to wrestle the larger and heavier animal to the ground. If she can do this, victory is all but assured.
With her paws clamped around the antelope’s neck, she hangs on, pulling its head downwards. In doing so, she hopes to cause the ram to stumble.
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All-terrain action
However, despite having the leopard’s jaws clamped on its throat, the ram somehow gets enough oxygen to fuel its struggle.
Accordingly, it drags the inverted cat over the rough terrain. Despite taking a beating, the predator refuses to let go.
Even as the ram batters it against the boulders, its claws and fangs remain embedded.
With the battle having gone on at a frantic pace for over ten seconds, it is impressive to see the impala still able to lift the 50-kilogram cat clear of the ground.
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Small margins
After nearly losing sight of the pair, they move towards the camera once more. It’s at this point that we see the leopard has only managed to bite the ram’s throat skin.
This may well explain why the impala is still so full of fight. As long as it is upright and breathing freely, it still has a chance.
Just then, however, the leopard manages to get itself in front of the impala’s front legs, tripping it up. From then on, momentum and gravity tilt the battle in the leopard’s favour.
As the ram loses its balance, it crashes onto the leopard. Then, showing its incredible strength, the cat flips the antelope off its feet.
Consequently, the ram cartwheels through the air, landing on its side. Crucially, the leopard lies alongside it, unable to pin it to the ground.
What happens next is unclear, but it looks like the ram kicks the leopard in the face with a front hoof.
Assuming that is the case, the blow seems to shock the leopard into letting go. Incredibly, it then runs away, and the impala survives.
Despite their deserved reputation as efficient killers, leopards only succeed in about 30% of their attempted hunts. As this footage shows, many of those failures probably come down to the slimmest of margins.
