Life in the bush can be extremely tough, and sometimes extremely short. For prey animals, even the slightest moment of vulnerability can be an opportunity for a predator to leap out and secure itself a meal.
This unlucky impala lamb found out first hand just how cruel life can be in even a short space of time as life and death came together in the Kruger National Park.
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Anton caught this cruelly short life on camera in the Kruger, near Letaba on the H6-1. His three minute long footage includes almost the entire life of the lamb.
Brand New Lamb
The mother was on high alert as she gave birth. This was an extremely vulnerable moment for her, and she must have known it as she seemed to tense up at the slightest sound.
She likely sensed the predator nearby but couldn’t pinpoint its location. Leopards have exceptional stealth abilities, and creeping up on an impala distracted by giving birth must have been easier than usual for it.
A Sudden Leopard
The leopard had likely been stalking closer to the impala for some time as it made ready to launch an attack from as close a range as possible that would ensure the impala didn’t have enough time to escape.
The impala was clearly on edge, meaning that one mistake from the leopard would result in it losing access to an important meal. After a few minutes, when the leopard thought the time was right, it struck.
An Ambivalent Success
Leopards don’t have prides or packs to rely on for when a hunt goes wrong, meaning they have to take extra care to ensure their ambush is successful. This leopard’s ambush wasn’t perfect, but it was enough.
The mother bolted instantly, completely abandoning her new lamb with a speed which even seemed to shock the leopard. It’s clear the big cat was hoping to bag the adult impala because it looked after it uncertainly, wondering whether or not to give chase.
The lamb was born only seconds before, and in an hour, it would have had the strength to walk, and even run, alongside its mother. A single minute was not enough time for the lamb to stand or move, making it easy prey.
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Decision Time
Even in a sighting as deeply tragic as this one, the way the leopard paused in apparent surprise was still comedic. It looked genuinely shocked at the readiness with which the impala abandoned her lamb.
It also seemed to be aware that it was being filmed, and it gave off the impression of being reluctant to take the infant while on camera. We cannot project human morals on these animals, though.
The leopard was likely assessing if the tourists were a threat to its meal, and predators have been known to use the crying of infants to lure their mothers into traps. It’s likely the leopard was considering this approach before it took the lamb.