When this leopard discovered a strange new creature, she approached, hoping for an easy meal. However, her would-be victim quickly cracked the whip on that idea.
Steff McWilliam shared this amazing footage with Latest Sightings. She witnessed the interaction while on a game drive as a guide at South Africa’s MalaMala Game Reserve.
Watch the video now:
Join our WhatsApp group with thousands of community members so you never miss another fascinating moment, like this duel between a young leopard and a large lizard. https://latestsightings.com/whatsapp-updates
Curious kitty
As we join Steff at the sighting, we encounter a young female leopard cautiously circling a creature on the ground. Although leopards learn the basics of hunting from their mothers, they still have much to learn as they become fully independent.
Young leopards are innately curious creatures that learn about their place in their environment through trial and error. This is particularly true when learning how to tackle different prey species.
Monitoring the monitor
Subsequently, Steff zooms in to reveal the subject of the cat’s curiosity. It is a water monitor, or Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus), one of Africa’s largest lizard species.
The reptile occurs widely across the moist regions of sub-Saharan Africa. They seldom venture far from water, where they prey on aquatic life, eggs, birds, small mammals, and carrion.
Duel defences
As the cat circles the lizard, it keeps its body parallel to hers. All the while, its tail ripples, almost teasing the predator to come closer.
But this is more than just a taunt. Along with a thick hide of scales, a monitor’s tail is its chief defence.
Curious yet patient
After circling the lizard, the young leopard seems more perplexed than ever. And perhaps that is a good thing.
As solitary predators, leopards can ill afford injury. However, they are renowned for their patience. Well, most of the time, anyway.
Inevitably, her curiosity gets the better of her, and she edges closer to the reptile. By doing so, she encroaches on the lizard’s comfort zone: an invisible circumference which, if intruded upon, triggers the fight-or-flight response.
No, you don’t!
However, the lizard has no chance of escaping the leopard. Accordingly, it unleashes its defensive weapon: a heavy tail that it flicks like a bullwhip.
Thanks to its amazing reflexes, the predator avoids a nasty crack to the face.
Even as she springs back, though, the lizard cocks its tail, ready to go again if necessary.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
Up to the challenge
Surprisingly, the leopard is not all that deterred by the near-miss. The moment she lands, she moves in again…
And, unsurprisingly, the lizard is ready for her. This time its lashing tail comes closer still, causing the leopard to jump back in alarm.
Maybe it’s time for a different approach.
Put it down to experience
Determined to find a way past the lizard’s lashing tail, the leopard stalks around her victim. Maybe she’ll have better luck from the other side.
However, the lizard sticks to its simple strategy. Stay parallel and don’t hesitate to crack the whip.
As the video ends, it is clear the leopard knows what to look for. Nevertheless, it’s no closer to finding an effective counter-strategy. Perhaps it will have to write this one down to experience?
