Nature can at times seem brutal and unfair, as Canadian lawyer Scott Hyman (54) (@scotthymanphoto on Instagram) witnessed when he saw a leopard ambush a lion’s den and steal a lion cub in Ruaha National Park.
A lioness walked out in full view of spectators. She was on a mission and it seemed, from the tiny cubs in her wake, that this mission was motherhood.
It’s not an easy job looking after little cubs, and this mother was determined to keep her cubs protected in the shelter of nearby bushes.
Lionesses seek secluded dens away from their pride to hide and protect their newborn cubs. A typical litter consists of up to four cubs, though two or three are more common.
The careful selection of a secure den and the early days of seclusion play a crucial role in the survival of lion cubs. With the lioness’s nurturing care, the young cubs gradually develop the strength and awareness necessary to integrate into the pride. This protective approach demonstrates the maternal instinct of lionesses, who go to great lengths to ensure the safety and survival of their offspring.
This lioness carried her cubs into a place of what she perceived as ‘safe covering’. However, she underestimated the stealth of certain predators in the area.
Leopard lurks in nearby bushes
However, as Scott was fully aware, the lioness and her cubs were in close proximity to another big cat, a large male adult leopard which was in the immediate vicinity.
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During his safari, Scott had come across a male adult leopard on the road and started following it for well over an hour as it meandered until it suddenly stopped.
Leopard prepares sudden ambush
Aware of the leopard’s presence, he realised the cubs might be in danger. He was right. “The leopard suddenly leaped into the dense brush and seconds later sprang out with a lion cub in its mouth,” he said.
In a heartbreaking scene, the leopard, which moments earlier had disappeared into the thicket, suddenly emerged, holding one of the cubs in its mouth.
“It sprinted down the road, cub squirming, and up a nearby tree around the bend by the side of the road.”
A painful ending to an incredible sighting
The leopard held the lion cub firmly in its jaws, and bit into the cub’s skull, ending the cub’s life. This was painful to witness, says Scott. However, he says: “”While my heart broke for the cub, I was excited and thrilled to have witnessed such a rare event, a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife viewing.”
Even more shockingly so, the leopard proceeded to feed on the cub.
In nature, animals must eat to survive and leopards are opportunistic feeders. This means they will eat a variety of animals. In this instance, a tiny was cub was in the wrong place at the wrong time.