Jordan Delvecchio submitted this gruesome video to Latest Sightings. He filmed it while on a game drive in South Africa’s Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve.
No entry!
In the Greater Kruger Park, male leopards jealously guard their territories. These territories are their lifeline to resources, including food, water, and reproductive rights. Intruders must be dealt with swiftly.
And it is just such an interaction that we witness in this brutal video. A mating pair of leopards has caught a young male trespassing.
As we join the action, the two males fight while the female watches from the sidelines.
Vested interests
Subsequently, the female decides to join the fray. She has a vested interest in the outcome of this bout, as she relies on the male to protect her and her offspring.
If she had cubs, should the intruder win, one of his first actions would be to seek out and kill those cubs. They do this to eliminate competition and expedite mating opportunities.
Chaos and confusion
However, as the males roll around in the dust, the female inadvertently bites the dominant male in the flank.
Already enraged, he turns and savagely punishes her mistake.
For the intruder: a brief respite from the furious onslaught. Unfortunately, the bigger male soon turns his attention back to the object of his ire.
Double trouble
With his foe too exhausted to flee, the male once again pins him to the ground. This time, he bites into his adversary’s skull.
As his massive canines tear into his enemy’s head, there is only minimal resistance. All the while, the female circles nearby, still wanting a piece of the action.
As she sees a gap, she once again grabs the set-upon-male, this time tearing into his soft underbelly.
Scalped
However, her help is secondary to the damage already done. In the image below, we can see that the leopard’s skull is exposed.
As the fight drags on, the dominant male begins to tire. As he pauses to rest, the injured male briefly rises…
This gives us a clearer view of his partially scalped head. One cannot help but hope that he will take his chance to flee.
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No mercy
Sadly, before he can muster the strength to do so, the other leopard resumes his merciless assault. It is a painful sight to see his heaving chest as he gets progressively weaker.
Even Jordan is heard saying that he thinks the end is near for the unfortunate interloper. While the video ends before that happens, given the severity of the fight, it is hard to imagine any mercy was shown.
Leopard territories
In the Greater Kruger Park, male leopard territories vary from 5 to 100 km². The size depends on the habitat type and availability of prey. A male’s territory will generally encompass that of several females, who benefit from the protection he gives them and their offspring.
Males continuously patrol their domain, proclaiming their presence through scent marking and vocalisations. As the video demonstrates, ignoring these can have fatal consequences.