Student and photographer, Caspar Siebel, experienced more than he bargained for during a trip to the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger.
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What began as a quiet morning drive, with only birds in sight, turned into one of the most intense experiences! It all began near the end of their drive when a determined leopard suddenly appeared on the road. By the way, the leopard was walking, you could see that it only had one thing in mind…
Siebel and his father, the only guests on their safari vehicle, could certainly feel the tension as the leopard crossed their path in full hunt mode. Their guide quickly decided to follow the predator, and after tracking it for about 30 minutes, they finally arrived at a warthog’s burrow.
As they arrived, the leopard started circling the burrow and creating a disturbance at one entrance. This was likely an attempt to flush the warthogs toward an exit near the safari vehicle. The strategy ended up working! The father warthog was the first to pop out, immediately dashing into the bushes and away from danger.
As the father escaped, the two piglets tried to follow but were not fast enough! The leopard struck quickly, catching the first piglet as it exited the burrow. The second piglet froze in terror upon seeing the predator with its sibling in its jaws. A decision that would prove fatal!
Leopards would typically move off right after making a catch, but this time it was different. The leopard dropped the injured first piglet, confident it couldn’t escape, and went after the second. The leopard struck clinically again and it grabbed the second piglet, taking both young warthogs in quick succession.
Just when the moment couldn’t seem any more dire, it was now the mother warthog’s turn at an escape attempt. She just happened to pick the worst possible moment to do it!
Just as the corner of the leopard’s eye was focused on the burrow, did the mother warthog emerge from a back entrance. It was too late to turn back now, the warthog was committed to her escape. But she didn’t have enough time!
The inevitable catching of the mother warthog followed. It was a moment of stunned everyone on the safari vehicle. The leopard then made quick work of one piglet before stashing the mother and the second piglet in a nearby tree.
For Casper, it was a powerful experience, and albeit heartbreaking, it was definitely the most memorable moment of the trip.