This video of a leopard attacking a pangolin was filmed by Joren de Jager. Miraculously, the pangolin survived.
Nighttime provides perfect cover for strategic ambush
The leopard had stalked the pangolin under the cover of night. It had silently moved through the grass, its eyes fixed on a slow-moving pangolin.
Leopards are solitary and stealthy hunters. They rely more on patience and surprise than speed. They usually hunt at night or during the cooler hours of dawn and dusk, using their spotted coats to blend seamlessly into the surrounding vegetation.
A leopard will often stalk its prey silently for several minutes, moving low to the ground and using bushes, rocks, or terrain as cover. Once within striking distance, it will explode into a quick and powerful pounce.
Leopard launches surprise ambush on pangolin
With a sudden burst of speed, the leopard pounced onto the pangolin. It aimed to pin the armoured creature before it could react.
Joren was extremely privileged to witness such a spectacular sighting. Seeing a leopard pounce on a pangolin is extremely rare. Both animals are elusive and mostly nocturnal, making such encounters difficult to witness in the wild.
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Pangolins are solitary and shy creatures which spend much of their time hidden in burrows or foraging quietly at night.
Leopards are stealthy hunters which typically focus on more accessible prey like impalas, monkeys, or small mammals.
Sightings of such events are so uncommon that when they are captured on camera, they often draw international attention from wildlife researchers and documentary filmmakers.
Pangolin responds quickly to attack
However, the leopard was not about to have its way so easily. Sensing danger, the pangolin quickly curled into a tight, near-impenetrable ball. The leopard pawed at it, biting at the tough scales.
It even tried to roll the pangolin open, frustrated by its inability to reach the soft underbelly.
What ensued was a tense moment of wrestling. The leopard did everything it could to penetrate the pangolin’s tough armour.
Pangolin escapes surprise ambush
However, taking advantage of the pangolin proved to be fairly difficult and the leopard eventually grew tired and distracted. It stood to its feet and started to move away.
Taking advantage of the moment, the pangolin uncoiled and scuttled away, disappearing into the shadows and underbrush.
Pangolin armour proves to be the perfect defense
The pangolin’s ancient armour proved to be the perfect defense.
Pangolin armour is made of tough, overlapping keratin scales. This is the same protein found in human fingernails and rhino horns. The structure of its armour is one of the most unique and effective natural defense systems in the animal kingdom.
Its scales cover almost the entire body except for the belly and inner limbs.
When threatened, a pangolin will curl into a tight ball as this one did. It will tuck its vulnerable parts inside and present only its hard, razor-sharp scales to the predator.
If the predator persists, the pangolin can lash out with its tail, using the edges of its scales like blades. The scales are so strong that even big cats like like this leopard struggle to bite through them.
A leopard versus a pangolin is a striking example of strength and agility meeting one of nature’s most effective defensive designs.
