In the Kruger National Park, male leopards must fight every day for their survival in a predator-rich environment. As this video shows, even brothers come to blows when boundaries are crossed.
Tiyiselani Sithole sent this tense footage to Latest Sightings. She filmed it in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
Watch the video here:
Charismatic cats
Researchers and guides know the two leopards featured in this footage as the Dumbana Brothers They were born in the western Kruger, and as they matured, their instinct saw them secure adjacent territories.
As we join the action, the once-closely bonded cats stride side by side along their shared border. To begin with, the brothers communicate their rivalry through body language.
As they parade alongside one another, their snarling fills the air. At this stage, they’re trying to settle their differences without risking injury.
Escalation
But as they start to run parallel, the tension starts to escalate. While they might be brothers, as mature adults, they need to be prepared to do battle if no other solution exists.
Then, for reasons unknown, the brother closest to the camera ducks into a forward roll. Seeing this, the other male senses he has a chance to take advantage.
Showing incredible agility and reflexes, he pounces on his brother as he barrels over the ground. As the fallen male rolls, he tucks his hind legs to his belly, presenting a pair of flashing claws ready to do damage to his attacker.
However, his sibling manages to evade them. Seeing his brother lying vulnerable before him, he bites at his brother’s neck.
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Mercy or self-preservation?
Seemingly, his bite does no damage. Nevertheless, he retreats a short distance while his brother lies with his belly exposed.
Whether he does so out of mercy or to avoid injury should he himself get bitten is uncertain. Instead of hammering home his advantage, he looms over his sibling, snarling all the while.
Subsequently, his brother rolls onto his belly but does not rise. By staying low, he is signalling his submission. Nevertheless, the situation remains tense.
Gradual de-escalation
To begin with, the now dominant brother keeps his face angled towards the other. He’s on the lookout for any false move that could provoke another fight.
All the while, the pair continues snarling at one another. Slowly, the fallen male raises his head.
But, to communicate that he means no threat, he averts his gaze from his brother. In response, the other male turns his head away too.
Eventually, he turns his head completely away. He is seemingly signalling that he accepts his sibling’s surrender and no longer sees him as a threat.
Then, in a final act of reconciliation, he crouches down to the ground. He has effectively “levelled the playing field” by bringing himself to his brother’s level.
Unfortunately, the video ends shortly afterwards, so we don’t know what became of the pair.
Nonetheless, the video presents an interesting example of how animals prefer to keep violence to a minimum, using body language (communication) to de-escalate tense situations. Perhaps we humans could learn a lesson from their example.