The scintillating confrontation between the leopards and lions was a reminder of the unpredictable nature of life the bushveld, where narratives can change in a moment.
Leopard duo enthralls game viewers
The leopards, a mother and her cub, spent some lazy moments settled in the long grass. They appeared to be in no rush at all.
It was heartwarming to watch them captivated by some playful mother-son bantering.
The cub, while fairly big, was still full of the playful antics of a young animal. The young leopard wrestled with its mother. She returned the zealous gestures with some jovial moves of her own.
Leopards feed from kudu carcass
Nearby lay a kudu carcass which mother and cub fed from at intervals.
The leopards teamed up in moving the carcass through the bushveld. They displayed impressive strength in securing the kudu’s lifeless body with their jaws.
Lionesses wait for opportune moment to seize kill
However, while they were diligent in watching over the carcass, they were no match for a pride of lionesses whose presence had been hidden by the thicket.
Lions often use their numbers to take over kills. A pride can smell a fresh carcass from more than a kilometre away.
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Stealing kills, called kleptoparasitism, is a huge energy saver. For lions, it often takes far less effort to push another predator off a kill than to hunt. In some regions, studies show up to 20 to 30 percent of a pride’s meals may come from scavenging or robbing other predators, especially from leopards, cheetahs and hyenas.
The lionesses chased the leopards away, before settling down with the kill. A kudu is a fairly large animal and these lions were in for a feast.
They devoured the carcass with an unparalleled zeal. This meal would keep them occupied for a goodly while.
The leopards were by this stage nowhere to be seen. They would have to hunt again, and possibly wouldn’t be as lucky next time round in securing such a large catch.
However, they had escaped unharmed, with the lions more interested in feeding on the carcass than anything else.
The way of the bushveld
Even though it seems unfair, this behaviour shapes the entire predator ecosystem. Leopards have adapted by dragging kills high into trees to avoid losing them, often hoisting prey equal to or even heavier than their own body weight.
A fit leopard can haul a 70kg impala ram into a tree within minutes, an incredible feat of strength.
However, if the kill is made in thick grass, late in the evening, or close to where lions are resting, hoisting becomes risky or impossible, giving lions the perfect chance to take over.
These lionesses didn’t hesitate to steal the leopards’ prize kill.
Leopard cubs learn survival skills early by watching their mothers. From her, they will learn a variety of survival necessities, such as choosing trees with deep bark to grip, and detecting the slightest hint of lions approaching.