Leopard Predation Thread

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Rage2277

animal enthusiast

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#382

06-25-2019, 04:22 PM

Leopards Fight Over Warthog While it Escapes

June 25, 2019

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The saying “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” couldn’t hold any truer than what is seen in this video! It’s a warthog’s lucky day when a rival leopard spots this scene and fights the leopard that is busy killing him, allowing the warthog to escape!

Tarryn Rae, 33-year-old field guide for Mankwe GAMETRACKERS (https://www.mankwegametrackers.co.za), had this once in a lifetime sighting of the warthog escape this past weekend in Pilanesberg!

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Tarryn Rae shared her experience with LatestSightings.com: “On this particular day, I was out with a guest on a 6-hour game drive with lunch. My guest had mentioned to me that the top of his sightings wishlist for the day was a Leopard (Wishful thinking as I don't have the best of luck with Leopard sightings).”

“I must admit, the first three hours were a little quiet as it was still rather cold and no one had seen any big cats. We stopped for a troop of baboons that were walking around and playing on the road. While watching the baboons having a great time, I heard that a leopard had been spotted about 2km up the road we were on.”

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“While we waited for the baboons to move off, we heard that the leopard had climbed down the tree it was in and disappeared. I told my guest about it and said we should head up there anyway and give it a try, maybe it comes out again”

“The game viewer ahead of me had gone to the area where the leopard had been seen and said there was no sign of it. So when we then stopped to look at two small warthogs for a brief second and while watching them, I mentioned to my guest that leopards love eating warthogs. I couldn’t even finish my sentence when my guest said: "there's a leopard!!" - sure as nuts, there was a massive warthog with a Leopard attached to it.”

*This image is copyright of its original author

“The Leopard had just jumped on a warthog which was bigger than him. He had only managed to get a grip of the back of the warthog's neck, putting him an awkward position as the warthog kept trying to fling him off. If the Leopard had to let go at that point he could possibly get injured by the massive tusks the warthog has. The leopard kept hold of his prize, constantly trying to get a better grip, with the warthog giving a high pitched squeal.”

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“They eventually ended up in a bush. I then turned to my guest and said all the squealing is going to attract some attention from other predators. The next thing we looked up and another big male leopard was crossing the road in the direction of the squealing warthog. This was possibly the leopard that had originally been spotted and reported further down the road.”

*This image is copyright of its original author

“He stopped to smell around the trees where the warthog had first been caught and then headed toward the bush where the squealing was coming from. The leopards came face to face with each other and it was almost as though they said: "Let's take this outside" as they started to follow each other out of the bush. I thought the one was dragging the warthog but as they stepped into the clearing we could see the blood all over its face but no warthog insight.”

*This image is copyright of its original author

“They stood eyeing each other out for a second and then the claws came out and a fight erupted. After they had their fight, the intruder that stumbled across the leopard with his warthog became submissive. In the meantime, the Leopards were so busy fighting they didn't notice the very shocked, injured but determined warthog walking out from the bush and make its way towards a burrow. The two then chased each other up a hill and out of sight. They were seen around there a few times throughout the day probably looking for the warthog. ”“This was a first for me! I have never seen a leopard catch something let alone two leopards having a fight. It was really such an adrenaline rush and a feeling of gratitude to be in a position to witness this kind of interaction. It was sad to see the warthog fighting for its life and the squealing does get to you - but you realize that the leopard has to eat too. At the end of this day, it was the warthogs lucky day, if he survived his injuries.”