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Home Animals Leopard Hides In Plain Sight To Catch Warthog

Leopard Hides In Plain Sight To Catch Warthog

This quiet morning drive in the Kruger soon turned into a unforgettable spectacle of predator and prey!

Heather Djunga
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While Merwe van Niekerk is a dentist by profession, he recently showed his talent in taking videos when he captured a full leopard ambush on film, while on holiday with his family in the Kruger National Park.

On a drive from the reserve’s Pretoriuskop to Skukuza camp, he and his family witnessed the full splendour of a leopard hunt from close up.

What started as an uneventful morning…

Merwe recalls the uneventful drive leading up to the great find: “The roads were dead quiet, and we saw hardly any animals for a while. Then, my wife said something caught her eye, and thought it might have been a leopard.”

His wife had been busy doing her make-up in the car when something had caught her eye. It was a beautiful leopard, lying under a tree.

Warthogs in the vicinity awaken leopard’s predatory instincts

“We spent quite a bit of time with it, and after lots of photos, my parents, who were in a different vehicle, decided to carry on towards our lunch stop, while we stayed. As my parents left, they radioed back to let us know that they had just seen some warthogs crossing the road. I still remember my mother joking about them being eaten by the leopard.”

Merwe and his wife hadn’t seen the warthogs yet, however, while out of view at that moment, they were there… and it would seem the leopard knew it!

Into ambush mode

Merwe’s video shows the leopard’s lithe form shifting position, with muscles becoming taught and rippling with life and power, as the animal prepared its attack.

“Maybe a couple of minutes later, there was a drastic change in the leopard’s behavior. We have cats at home, and it reminded us of how they go into stalk mode. This is when things got really exciting! We quickly put the camera down and pulled our phones out to start recording.”

An unsuspecting warthog entered on the horizon; quite unafraid and walking in a leisurely fashion in full view of the camera. Says Merwe: “The warthogs had no idea of the danger just ahead of them. The leopard, on the other hand, couldn’t believe its luck. Lunch was literally walking right towards it!”

The leopard remained focused, in full view of Merwe’s vehicle. However, it was undetected by the warthog. Called rosette markings, the leopard’s distinctive spots offer superb camouflage, allowing it to blend into its surroundings and remain hidden from both predators and prey.

At one point, it was as though the warthog suddenly picked up something was not right, as it briefly stood to attention. However, it continued its leisurely gait after the moment’s hesitation, walking straight towards the leopard; another warthog following in its trail.

Leopard launches lightening attack

With lightening speed, the leopard chose an opportune moment to attack, leaving the warthog little or no time to retaliate.

A side tackle from the leopard, and a tumbling skirmish across the ground, over jagged rocks and dry grass, left the viewers at the edge of their seats. The warthog’s terrified cries of fear and pain shattered what only moment’s earlier had been a deathly silence while the leopard had prepared its ambush.

A triumphal parade of stealth and power

Then it was over. The leopard carried the warthog in full view of the vehicle – a triumphal parade showcasing its strength and might as a hunting machine.

“This was a big warthog and it took the leopard some time to finish the job. When it finally made the kill, we thought it would immediately hoist it into a tree, but I think the prey was too big, or maybe the cat was too exhausted. Instead, the leopard dragged the warthog’s body across the road, right in front of us, where it disappeared into the bushes on the other side.”

Merwe says he still can’t believe he managed to catch the carnage of the kill all on film. Having seen his fair share of teeth in his career, this display of teeth and claws is no doubt one he – and his family – will never forget!


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