Leopards and crocodiles are both feared predators but what happens when the species cross paths? Abhijit managed to capture one such moment on video.
Leopard appears on the horizon
A leopard made its way across some dense terrain, nearby a waterhole. The magnificent creature’s silhouette stood out beautifully against the backdrop of trees.
It sat down a moment, as though to reflect.
Abhijit’s clipping shows how it sat down perfectly poised like a well-painted statue and looked ahead for a moment, before it decided to move on.
Its path then took it down towards the river, and it meandered along the river bank.
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The setting was peaceful and the leopard appeared not to have a care in the world.
Perhaps it was seeking a drink of water, or maybe it was searching of a place to rest in the shade, away from the scorching heat of the sun.
Leopard explores terrain by waterhole
Leopard are solitary animals and this one was quite content with its own company as it walked along.
It appeared too much in its own thoughts, and too focused to be needing a companion at this moment.
Leopard comes face to face with crocodile
However, it soon realised, as it came closer to the riverbank, that it was not alone. Company had found it, and this wasn’t exactly the company it has wanted.
An unlikely creature appeared on its path. A rather large croc had settled on the sandy banks.
The croc was warming itself in the sun. As a reptile with cold blood, it relied on the sun’s heat to help regulate its body temperature.
It stayed close to the cool water. If the leopard had been planning to have a drink of the water, the crocodile had rained on its parade.
This croc did not appear shaken by the predator’s sudden appearance. It remained still and maintains its serene presence. Its mouth stayed closed and its eyes stayed fixed forwards.
It just so happened that the leopard was in its line of vision. While the croc stared at the leopard, unblinking, the leopard appeared rather unsettled by the encounter.
The leopard opened its mouth in a snarl, and even sat down momentarily. The crocodile remained log-like and seemingly unimpressed.
The candid moment showcased the two species beautifully. When a leopard comes face to face with a crocodile on land, the encounter is usually tense but short-lived, and direct combat is rare. Each predator generally avoids a fight unless there’s a compelling reason to have a go at the other, such as food.
Here, neither crocodile nor leopard saw a reason to fight. This leopard used a growl to intimidate the giant reptile. The crocodile’s way of intimidation seemed to be to ‘outstare’ its opponent. If this had been a staring competition, the crocodile would have won!
When leopards spot a crocodile on land, especially a large one, they will often freeze momentarily, as this curious leopard did. They will then assess the danger, and either retreat or give the crocodile a wide berth. Their survival depends on being stealthy and not taking unnecessary risks, especially with a heavily armoured opponent like a crocodile.