Watch the Sighting:
Owner and guide of Marimba Lodge, Alberto Scattolin, was enjoying one of his routine afternoon solo drives in Kruger National Park when he came across this incredible sighting. Alberto drove down the Ngobeni Loop on the H14, a location commonly used to spot leopards, and made his way to the nearby waterhole.
A Bold Move for a Free Meal
When Alberto arrived at the waterhole, he was delighted to discover a crocodile feasting on a recently killed carcass in the water. If this wasn’t already enough excitement, a leopard entered the scene, attracted by the easy meal opportunity, and began carefully making its way towards the water.
Knowing the opportunistic nature of leopards, Alberto took out his camera and began to film, anticipating the action that was soon to come. Finally, the leopard had wandered to the water’s edge, mere feet away from the crocodile and its kill.
It began to hiss, growl, and flash its razor-sharp teeth at the crocodile to try and scare the it away from its meal.
The Crocodile’s Fierce Defence
While many animals would quiver at the sight of a leopard showing its teeth, this crocodile was having none of it! It lunged out of the water in retaliation, sending the leopard back a few steps, but not for long…
This leopard was desperate! It tried over and over to steal some of the meat, but the crocodile was always one step ahead.
It always managed to snap its jaws when the leopard got too close, causing the it to retreat time and time again.
A Reminder to Savour Every Moment
Eventually, it came time for the park gates to close so unfortunately, Alberto had to leave the sight without seeing how the situation ended. Although his experience was cut off, he recounted that this was one of the most amazing interactions between these two animals he had ever seen!
He stated that he had seen similar situations unfold before, but never anything as exciting as this. In addition, Alberto had the sighting all to himself, making it even more special!
“I love the Kruger, and I hope to see more people having similar and even better sightings to share. When you’re in the Kruger and you get to a sighting like this, enjoy it while it lasts, because you never know if you will ever see anything like that again.”
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Opportunistic Hunters
Leopards are opportunistic hunters and are known to seize every opportunity to obtain food, even if it risks confrontation. Leopards have been known to steal food from hyenas, wild dogs, crocodiles as well as other leopards.
Stealing food often means leopards risk injury or even death if the animal they are stealing from reacts aggressively. Still, in the wild where food sources can be hard to come by, the opportunity for a large and easy meal often outweighs the risks.
This sighting teaches us that in the wild, every meal is a battle, and survival often belongs to the brave and the bold.