When a leopard catches a wild dog puppy, thinking it would be an easy meal, the puppy’s pack storms in for revenge! Cornered into a tree, the leopard must put on a brave face and try its best to escape of the situation unharmed.
Watch the Sighting:
Stu Porter is a photographic guide and owner of Wild4safaris. He was on his last day of safari in Chobe National Park, Botswana when an unforgettable sighting occurred!
While on their way to the airstrip, his safari group decided to revisit a dog den in the area they were familiar with.
Upon arriving at the site, the pack seemed to be relaxed and behaving as if they had just eaten a meal. One pack member in particular caught Stu’s eye, as it kept glancing up into the tree tops.
Leopard Under Watch
Following the wild dog’s gaze, its target was revealed. A leopard was perched high up on the branches of one of the nearby trees.
Upon seeing a dead puppy on the ground, the group put two and two together and assumed the leopard had killed one of the puppies while the rest of the pack was out hunting. Most likely, the lead female had cornered the leopard into the tree while waiting for her pack to return for backup.
After digesting their meal, it was time for the wild dog pack to take revenge. Stu and his group watched in anticipation – “The leopard was visibly anxious and overwhelmed, encircled by the dogs”.
A Struggle for Safety
The leopard was smart, it waited patiently in the trees for the dogs to briefly lose interest and made a jump down from the treetop. Immediately sensing the commotion, the dogs were back on the hunt!
The pack was relentless, chasing the leopard and causing it to quickly run back up the tree. A few minutes later, the leopard made its second attempt at getting out of the tree and away to safety.
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Unfortunately, this attempt proved unsuccessful as well. The dog pack quickly drove the leopard up a different tree.
Survival by Submission
In a frantic third attempt, the leopard braved the savannah floor, only to face a tight circle snarling dogs, taking turns to lunge, bite and antagonize it. The stress of the situation drove the leopard into a move of complete desperation.
Rolling onto its back, in a sign of submission, the leopard held still and waited to see how the dogs would respond. Some wild animals including cats and dogs will use this behaviour of exposing their vulnerable underbelly to communicate that they are not a threat in times of stress.
Luckily for the leopard, this strategy managed to keep the dogs at bay.
Lesson Learned
Finally, the leopard was able to make a full escape by darting into some nearby bushes the dogs couldn’t access. Even though it managed to escape, the wild dogs were able to scare the leopard, hopefully deterring it from any further attacks to their pack.
In this incredible encounter, Stu and his group learned that even the most skilled predators are not immune to the challenges of the wild.