Watch the Sighting:
Tayla McCurdy witnessed this spectacular sighting while on safari in Kruger National Park. She explained that her group was driving down the Mpongolo Loop on S56 when they came across a male leopard who had his attention fixed on a small pool of water on the ground.
An Unusual Hunt
When the vehicle came to a stop, Tayla noticed that the puddle was filled with barbel splashing about. Since there had been very few spells of rain since the onset of the summer heat, many waterholes such as this one had dried up leaving unique hunting opportunities for the Kruger predators.
Initially nervous about the arrival of the safari-goers, the leopard disappeared below a nearby embankment. The group stayed quiet and patient, hoping that the leopard would return to snatch this easy meal.
Around ten minutes later, the leopard finally poked its head back over the embankment and began to stalk silently towards the puddle, succumbing to the temptation of the wriggling barbel.
The Slippery Struggle
The leopard paused momentarily as if contemplating his next move, and the barbel began to writhe even more furiously as if sensing their impending doom. Triggered by the increased excitement, the leopard finally went in for the kill!
He stomped down into the puddle, trying to puncture one of the fish with his sharp claws. To his surprise, however, the fish were more difficult to snatch than he expected, but this leopard was up for the challenge!
He clawed the water again, forcing his head underneath in hopes of grabbing a fish in his jaws. After a few moments of a chaotic struggle, he finally secured his prize and carried the fish over the embankment and out of sight to enjoy his hard-earned meal.
The Endless Feast
Tayla and her group decided to return to the dried-up waterhole the next day to see if any other animals had taken advantage of the easy meal. When they arrived, they spotted the same leopard from the day prior, clearly distinguishable from being covered tip to tail in mud.
After a brief rest, he made his way over to a barbel lying in the sand, most likely a fresh catch for the day. The leopard picked the fish up and carried it over to a nearby Nyala Berry tree to enjoy its meal in the shade.
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“This was a very exciting sighting, I was surprised at the size of the barbel, especially closer to the end where we saw the leopard almost tripping over the barbel as it tried to carry it to the tree! This was a fun experience and definitely not something you see every day.”
Nature’s Boundless Adaptations
This leopard was enjoying the benefits of having been the first predator to discover the waterhole and its bounty of fish. Even though leopards are used to stalking terrestrial prey, this leopard’s fishing skills prove that even the most skilled hunters must sometimes think outside the box to secure a meal.
This sighting reminds us that the wild is unpredictable, and adaptability is the key to survival!