A ‘paparazzi’ parade of motorists didn’t stop this young leopard from showing his superior hunting skills.
Leopard steps out in full view of motorists
He seemed oblivious to the attention of the motorists as he stalked into the bushveld.
Before beginning, he paused momentarily in the road, a fine display of nature’s beauty and majesty. No doubt the spectators admired his magnificent form as he paused, waiting for the opportune moment to hunt.
Having paused momentarily, it was now back to action for him. This time he walked low, leopard crawling on the ground with a clear target in focus.
It was clear to all watching that the animal was built for hunting. He stalked with silence and stealth. He was a young leopard but he knew the ropes of hunting, and he was about to demonstrate this to all watching.
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The journey of a young leopard from playful cub to skilled hunter begins at an early age. Cubs start learning how to hunt by observing their mother from as young as two to three months old.
Leopard mothers play a crucial role in teaching their cubs the skills they will need for survival. They will bring back live prey, such as small birds or rodents, to give the cubs the chance to practice pouncing, killing, and handling struggling animals.
By the time they are four to six months old, cubs start accompanying their mother on hunts, watching her techniques closely.
However, they typically do not join the hunt actively until they are around nine to twelve months old, when they have gained more strength and coordination.
This leopard was well-trained by his mother. He kept a low profile as he stalked through the bushveld.
His focus was set on something in the distance which the motorists couldn’t see.
He was not put off by the rugged terrain. Leopards are among the most adaptable of the big cats. They can adjust their hunting techniques depending on the habitat.
In dense forests, they employ slow, close-range stalking to ambush prey. In open savannahs, they rely on using bushes and the contours of the land to stay hidden during the approach.
Leopard launches attach
Satisfied he was close enough to his targeted prey, the leopard launched a full-on attack. The skirmish was evident behind the covering of bushes, and in a moment, he brought the prey to the ground.
He then emerged from behind the bushes, carrying a buck; his trophy.
Hunting is a skill that takes time and experience to master. Young leopards often fail in their early hunting attempts, but with persistence and observation, they improve.
Even for adult leopards, hunting success is not guaranteed. Studies show that leopards succeed in only 30 to 40 percent of their hunts, highlighting the challenges of life in the wild.
However, this young leopard definitely gave the audience an impressive show and succeeded in his determined hunting efforts. He aced the whole process, from the observing, to the stalking and then to the catch. He pulled the antelope down and in the end of the clipping, we see him walking through the long grass, a victor!
An animal kill is always an impressive sighting, but what made this one all the more special was knowing that this was a young leopard who was showing forth the might of his skills for the first time.