Kgodisa the leopard was in full view of game viewers before he decided he didn’t like all of the attention!
The leopard had walked into the open, and the spectators could hardly believe their luck, as it is quite rare to see a leopard out in the open, especially during the day.
Leopards are among the most secretive and elusive of all big cats, which makes sightings of them during the daytime memorable.
Safari vehicles pull up as leopard crosses the road
In this instance it wasn’t clear where Kgodisa was off to; only that he was caught out in the open in the middle of a tar road through the reserve.
He did what most leopards would do in this situation. He sought cover.
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Leopard seeks cover under jeep
Leopards are famously elusive and cautious cats. Even though they are powerful predators capable of taking down prey much larger than themselves, they prefer to avoid unnecessary attention; especially from humans or other large animals.
Kgodisa started to move towards the nearest safari jeep, and to crawl beneath it! This was all to avoid the attention of the many game viewers whose eyes were fixed on him.
When a leopard moves beneath a vehicle it’s almost never an act of aggression. Rather, it is using the vehicle for cover, shade, or stealth. Kgodisa wanted to remove himself from the spotlight!
If startled or feeling uncertain, a leopard might move close or beneath something solid to stay hidden until it feels safe to move again.
The motorists in the jeep expressed surprise as the leopard sought refuge beneath the car. A few vehicles were parked close by, and the spectators watched the jeep Kgodisa was under closely; certain that the leopard would seen emerge from the other side.
After such close proximity, it’s typical for a leopard to slip quietly away into the nearest bush, thicket, or ravine, returning to the safety of cover. Their retreat is quick, controlled, and silent. They rarely linger once the moment has passed, preferring to vanish as if they were never there at all.
Leopard finally emerges before disappearing into thicket
This is what the leopard did. He eventually took the opportunity to return to the cover of some bushes and long grass For a moment he had held everyone’s attention… however, true leopard-style, he now sneaked off out of view.
As masters of stealth, leopards are incredibly quiet movers. Their padded paws and flexible bodies allow them to stalk within metres of prey without being detected.
The rosette pattern on their coats helps them to disappear into a mix of shadow and vegetation, whether in forests, grasslands, or rocky hills.
Much as Kgodisa was moving alone, leopards are loners by nature. They only come together to mate or when a mother is raising cubs. Each adult maintains a territory marked by scent and claw marks on trees.
This memorable sighting captures a remarkable interaction between nature and the world of man.