As solitary predators, leopards have found a novel way to avoid losing their kill to other social predators. As this footage shows, however, the plan is not foolproof and comes with its own risks.
Neels Welsh shared this interesting footage with Latest Sightings. He filmed it while on a game drive in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
Post-meal siesta
As we join Neels at his sighting, we see a sight that gets the heart racing for most wildlife lovers. High in the canopy of a marula tree, a leopard is sleeping off its meal.
Leopards are unique among the big cats in their habit of dragging their prey up trees. They do this to reduce the chances of losing it to other predators, particularly lions and hyenas.
Territorial tom
Subsequently, we see that the leopard, a large male or tom, has woken up. Completely at home in the tree, he scans the surrounding area for any potential threats.
In Kruger, male leopards maintain territories ranging from 25 to 100 km² (roughly 10 to 38 square miles). His territory typically overlaps with the territories of up to four females.
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Trouble incoming
As it turns out, it is just as well that the leopard woke. He has spotted something no leopard likes to see.
Accordingly, he makes the sensible decision to abandon his post before it is too late. As formidable as male leopards are, they are no match for what is coming.
Clumsy by comparison
When the video cuts to a new scene, we quickly understand the reason for the leopard’s hasty departure. There, in the recently evacuated tree, we see a pair of lionesses.
As we can see, the lions are not nearly as comfortable in trees as the leopard. Not only are they more cumbersome, but their paws don’t have the same degree of flexibility that a leopard’s do.
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Good enough
However, as we soon see, they’re adept enough to get to the leopard’s kill. Or at least one is; there’s not enough space for both to feed.
As we watch the lioness feed, we note that it is eating a young male impala. Impala are by far the most numerous antelope in Kruger and, consequently, frequently feature in predator diets.
Drama below
Meanwhile, the other lioness’s attention is drawn to an unfolding drama below. Although we don’t see it, a cacophony of sound tells the story.
Firstly, we hear the distinctive cackling whoops of a clan of spotted hyenas. Moments later, their laughter is met with the angry snarls of more lions.
It seems they all picked up the scent of the dangling carcass. Then, when they discovered the meat was out of reach, they turned their frustration on one another.
Of course, this doesn’t concern the feeding lioness. She’s got what she came for and is not about to share.
