Watch the sighting here:
Ahmed Laher and Shaida Sayed submitted their footage and account of the incident to Latest Sightings. Additional images were supplied by @walking_with_lions_.
The action unfolded on a game drive at Arathusa Safari Lodge, Greater Kruger National Park.
Setting the scene
According to their account, they had been watching a stalking leopard when they got word that a male lion was approaching.
A short while later, the lion approached from behind them… and the leopard.
The lion was acutely aware of the leopard. The female leopard, however, was blissfully unaware.
So much so that even when she looked over her shoulder, she didn’t see the steadily approaching lion.
Intent
The lion was in full stalk-mode, intently watching its target while carefully placing each paw to eliminate noise.
As it crept forward, said Laher, “It was nail-biting as he kept getting closer and closer. He was silent and closing in on her inch by inch, we were all silent.”
Still oblivious
Even as the lion got within 15 metres of the leopardess, the spotted cat was completely unaware of the danger. So much so that it felt comfortable enough to groom itself.
Soon enough, the lion came adjacent to the bystanders watching from the safari vehicle.
Meanwhile, aside from the clicking of cameras, the only indication that anything might be amiss was the strident alarm calls of a vervet monkey.
Charge!
According to their report, when the lion got to within 10 metres of the still-unaware leopard, it charged forward.
Life-saving reflexes
Thankfully for the leopard, it heard the fast-approaching lion. With a growl of surprise, it fled in an instant.
Swiftly running into dense bush, the leopard was able to outpace the lion.
Laher said the leopard climbed, “Up a tree to the highest point where she knew a lion would have no chance of getting to her.”
“She stayed up in the tree and the male lion took a nap under the tree waiting for her. Eventually, he got tired of waiting for her and wandered off.”
Split-screen
The video concludes with an interesting split-screen view of the interaction. In it, the viewer can see both the charging lion and the leopard’s reaction to its assault.
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Inter-predator encounters
Lions, due to their size, social behaviour and superior strength are the most dominant of the apex predators.
Of all the African predators, male lions are the most likely to attack and kill any other predator found in their domain. One-on-one, they have no rivals.
The only serious challengers to lions in apex predator rankings are spotted hyenas. Like lions, they are highly social and willingly come to the aid of their compatriots when danger threatens.
Leopards sit next in the rankings, their incredible power-to-weight ratio acting in their favour.
African wild dogs are also highly social, and use this cohesion to defend against other predators.
Solitary cheetahs occupy the lowest rung. Slightly built and typically without support, they are the most vulnerable of Africa’s top predators.