It was time for a fierce competition in the Kruger, when Deon and their tour group came across two female leopards that were locked in a tense dispute. The cause was unknown, but seeing two leopards together is rare, and it’s likely they were fighting over territory.
The two big cats had already started their disagreement by the time Deon spotted them, but things were about to start rapidly escalating when a third big cat crashed the party.
Despite their reputation for being elusive, these two leopards were making some noise, which attracted a large male lion making this a truly extraordinary sighting with two of the big five.
Not Worth The Trouble
While the leopards were deep in their disagreement, the arrival of the lion was not something they could ignore. As rival predators targeting similar prey animals, they are direct competitors for survival.
For leopards, it’s an unfavorable match up. Lions are larger, stronger, and often have a whole pride to call on for backup, compared to the solitary leopard which relies predominantly on its stealth for survival.
Rather than continuing their argument, or standing up to the lion, Deon caught the leopards on camera as they fled to the nearby trees, the closest safe havens. Despite their strength, lions make poor climbers.
Just Out For A Stroll
Whether it was because the leopards instantly vacated the area, or because it’s arrival was only a chance encounter, the lion didn’t seem like it was looking for a fight at all.
In fact, it seemed rather casual for a predator which had just encountered two major rivals as it lingered in the spot where they had just been facing off with each other. It must have known that it was powerless to reach them in their elevated perches.
Male lions are typically responsible for ensuring the integrity of their territorial borders, so this one might have been out on a routine patrol, but it was likely attracted by the sounds of the fight.
Many predators will gravitate towards the sound of two animals fighting, because it can signal a hunt underway, and if they’re lucky they can snag some of the spoils without having to put in too much effort.
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Back To Earth
While safely out of reach in their trees, both leopards hissed at the lion until it eventually realized that there was nothing for it to fight or eat, and it continued on its way.
Once the lion had vacated the area the two leopards knew that it was safe to return to the ground once again, where it is unknown if they continued their argument. The arrival of the lion might have been enough to shock them both into going their own separate ways.
For Deon, seeing not only elusive leopards, but two of the big five in one sighting must have been an incredible experience. Spotting leopards can be difficult enough, but coming across two mid-fight and then watching a lion interrupt them shows what the Kruger is capable of.