Life as a single child means not always having someone to play games with. This leopard cub got around this limitation by making its mom get involved, regardless of whether or not she had anything else to do.
Jaco Joubert, a guide at the MalaMala Game Reserve, spotted this adorable leopard and cub pair as they enjoyed a carefree and playful day in the long grass.
The First Attempts
Desperate to have someone play with it, the cub tried to initiate a game with its mother by batting her with its small paws before leaping out of reach of any attempt at retaliation.
Although the cub’s mom did try and knock it around a little with her own considerably larger paws, these attempts were halfhearted. Of course a lazy tap from an adult leopard was still enough to spin the cub, but the game hadn’t fully started yet.
The young cub was full of an energy which the mom didn’t yet share, as it probably took a little more time for her to make certain there weren’t any risks in the area and that she could relax a little.
See More Sightings Like This
If you enjoy seeing cute animals like this baby leopard, then sign up to our WhatsApp group below to keep up to date with all of the cutest sightings in the African bush!
A Very Important Cub
It was very important for this mom that she keep her cub safe. Leopard cubs, and the young of any animal, are extra vulnerable to predators just looking for an easy meal.
Leopard litters are usually around two cubs, whether or not this was just a small litter, or something happened to another cub before it got the chance to grow is unknown, but this was the only cub this leopard had which made it very valuable.
From birth, it takes roughly two years for a leopard cub to learn everything it needs to survive on its own in the wild. Until then they need their mother’s protective umbrella if they’re going to have any chance at survival.
A Very Important Game
As part of her surveying of the immediate area, and as part of the game, the leopard mom climbed up onto a dead tree trunk, giving her a better field of view.
It also gave the cub the opportunity to practice its stalking skills, as it tried creeping up for an attack from below. These games are essential for the cub to develop these skills, and not just stalking, but also its strength and coordination, its speed, and stamina.
Without taking the time to learn these skills the leopard cub wouldn’t be able to survive on its own in the wild. Often they’ll learn how to do these things by playing with their parents and with their siblings, but as this cub was an only child, teaching was the mom’s responsibility.
Get our Best Sightings as they Come in
Carefree Cavorting
A whole host of inanimate objects like rocks and sticks also found themselves under attack by the energetic cub, but throwing them around just wasn’t the same as attacking mom, something that would actually fight back.
Presumable satisfied that the area was completely secure, she allowed herself to commit fully to the game as well and the two of them rolled around in the dirt wrestling each other, enjoying their time without any concerns in the world.