Life can be hard for all of the animals that live in the wild, but those that have decided to eke out individual lives without a pack, clan, or pride, often find themselves facing difficult odds that make their lives even harder.
Adam Parker caught this footage in the MalaMala Game Reserve, capturing just how tense life could get for this leopard which found itself targeted by a dangerous pack of wild dogs.
For the safari guests this was a tense interaction between competing predators, but for the leopard this was a life or death situation, where the slightest mistake would end its life at the sharp teeth and claws of the dogs.
When Competitors Collide
Like many other kinds of predators, wild dogs and leopards are competitors for food, one of the most vital resources, in the areas where their territories overlap. This competition can often turn violent when they encounter each other.
Wild dogs are fierce predators with a high percentage of successful hunts, and their ability to run long distances for long periods of time gives them an edge over predators that rely on explosive speed for hunting.
The leopard’s main weapon is its stealth, this crucial ability not only helps leopard’s to hunt, but it means their rivals often fail to spot them, or attack, as they do in this footage.
If stealth fails them, then their best option is to flee, as even a small injury could impede their ability to hunt to the extent that they can no longer sustain themselves.
Until The Very Last Moment
It appeared that this leopard was unsure whether or not to trust to this stealth to make it through the wild dog encounter unseen, or to flee. It lay down low in the center of the road while it tried to determine if the wild dogs had detected it yet.
The big cat made a few abortive attempts to disappear into the bush at the side of the road, but it struggled to commit which was ultimately its downfall. Its stop start movements alerted the wild dogs to its presence, at which point they gave chase and forced the cat to flee.
Now It’s A Party
Once the leopard fled, the signal for the dogs to attack was given, and they began coming out of the bush one by one to join the chase. During their own hunt they’d spread out quite far, but now they were closing in on the commotion.
The leopard was alone, and it would need to act quick if it was to avoid the increasing numbers of angry dogs trying to chase it away and, if possible, prevent it from stealing any of their potential meals.
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High Above The Ruckus
Although it disappeared into the bush rapidly, the leopard could be seen towards the end of Adam’s footage lounging safe and sound in the lower branches of a nearby tree.
It was high enough to be safe from the dogs, and from its vantage point it could ensure the surrounding area was completely safe before risking a return to the ground.
It might not have won the fight, but the fact that the leopard was able to escape the dogs and live to see another day made it a victory for the big cat.
