It is never easy when it is time to let the kids go their own way, and perhaps even more so in Nature. In this footage, a mother leopard gives her daughter a painful reminder that she is no longer welcome.
Lisl Moolman shared this dramatic interaction with Latest Sightings. She filmed the action in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
Mom on the move
As we join Lisl at the sighting, we see a female leopard, thought to be Amira, patrolling near the Ngotso waterhole. She is regularly seen along the S147 gravel road, near Satara Rest Camp.
Furthermore, she has been documented raising several cubs, the most recent of which are entering adulthood. Accordingly, it is time for the female cub to find her own territory.
You shouldn’t be here
As she passes the base of a tree, something catches her attention. Instantly, she looks up into the tree’s canopy.
There, she sees someone who shouldn’t be there. Subsequently, Lisl zooms out.
Partially hidden in the canopy, another leopard looks down on her. It is her female offspring, and she wants rid of her so she can breed again.
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Marking territory
However, it soon becomes apparent that the youngster is reluctant to leave. Recognising her mother, she slowly starts coming down the trunk.
Meanwhile, down below, Amira busies herself with marking her territory. In effect, she is telling her daughter that this is her home and that she needs to find one of her own.
Escalation
Having staked her claim, she focuses her attention back on her daughter, who by now has begun grooming herself. This is probably a distraction behaviour resulting from the mixed signals she is getting from her mom.
Realising that she is going to have to be more direct, Amira springs into action.
She leaps onto the trunk and races upwards to her still unsuspecting daughter.
Seeing her irate mother rushing up towards her, the youngster suddenly realises things just got serious.
Mid-air combat
At the last moment, both cats leap into the air where they meet in a tangle of fury.
Still clawing frantically at one another, the pair plummet about 4 metres to the ground below.
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Fur flying
Seemingly not even feeling the impact of their fall, the pair continue to rake at one another on the ground.
Somehow, the youngster manages to spring clear of Amira, having sustained a few deep scratches.
In the brief respite, we wonder if there is more to come.
De-escalation
But then, both cats roll onto their backs, exposing their vulnerable bellies to one another.
While the cub submits, Amira signals that she doesn’t want to take this further than necessary.
A short while later, Amira is the first to rise. Hopefully, her daughter has got the message, and no more blood needs to be shed.
