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Leopards love to hoist their meals! While they might feed on the ground for a bit initially, they will be on the lookout for a spot off the ground as soon as they catch their breath. It makes it a lot safer for them while eating, and to store what they can’t stomach for later.
For a small female leopard who had just made an impala catch at MalaMala, it was no different. The very first thing she wanted to do was get it into a tree. She just had to find the perfect one!
Leopards can be selective when it comes to tree selection. The branches must be sturdy, and also high enough to keep distance from all the scavengers. Finding a tree that ticks all of the boxes can sometimes be tricky!
This time, for the leopard, the right tree didn’t come easy! So, before she could even attempt hoisting it, she had to use a lot of priceless energy dragging the impala meters through the bush, until she found one!
Deon Kelbrick, the professional wildlife photographer who filmed this, can be heard explaining how the leopard was getting ready in the video. Then, as if on cue, the leopard made a big leap onto the base of the tree and started to crawl her way up.
The impala was bigger than her, and the weight was pulling her down, but she had unwavering intent.
It took all of her focus and strength, but nothing was going to stop her from making ground.
Before anyone could look twice, she was already near the top. Then, with one final dash, she made it to the summit and carefully lodged the impala.
No one at the sighting could quite believe that she had done it. And it only took one try! The leopard was now safe from all other predators, and after catching her breath, she would be free to enjoy her prize in peace.