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Leopard Predation Thread - Printable Version

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Leopard Predation Thread - Safaricam - 09-06-2014





I was lucky enough while out in the Masai Mara last year to witness a leopard hunt in the region of Intrepids Camp.

We arrived as the female leopard (who I have been since told is called Bahati - meaning Fortune - and daughter of Olive, granddaughter of Bella from Big Cat Diary) had come down from a tree and then emerged from bushes by the track. As you can see from the video above, she rolled in the dust and then appeared to spot gazelle nearby. Instantly her posture changed, she slunk down onto her haunches and crept into the long grass. It was amazing to see how low she could stay, and the stealth with which she moved. As she approached the oblivious gazelle, we watched on from the jeep, and despite standing and looking down at the scene, eventually we lost sight of her too in the grass. Such incredible camouflage when seen in their natural environment!

we waited patiently, holding our breaths, and with my camera trained on the gazelle. Minutes passed but we were all intently waiting and watching. Suddenly, as you see in the video, she exploded out of the grass and around the closest gazelle, who didn't stand a chance, gripping it by the windpipe. Such speed and power was phenomenal to watch - you can see how I jumped on the video!

After it's prey was subdued, Bahati paused to give us a few more photo opportunities and then dragged the gazelle off back to through the bushes. It made me realise how small a leopard is compared to some of the larger cats, as it seemed quite unwieldy for it. We watched it toy with its food in the bushes for a few minutes, and then it disappeared into thick bush (presumably back up a tree again - though sadly I didn't get to witness that). 

The he while event lasted about 15 or 20 minutes I should think, and I barely breathed through all of it. It felt a real privilege to be there to witness such a moment..

Hopefully you can enjoy the video and get a taste of the moment for yourself here:

​https://youtu.be/cljFHUDq8tw


if anyone has further knowledge of the hunting behaviour here I'd love to learn more. Thanks. 

Safaricam

 

 

 

RE: Leopard Hunting Gazelle Video - sanjay - 09-06-2014

Welcome to the forum @Safaricam.

It is very nice to see information from first hand like this one. This was really an amazing moment you captured yourself.
And well narrated it.
Leopards are best hunter among big cats and they reach closer to their prey very effectively compare to other big cats, we can see it clearly in your video. Bahati totally surprised the gazelle before they can predict her presence.

Our forum is still young but have very nice community of wild lovers who have very deep knowledge of wild animals. I am sure you will enjoy reading and posting here.

RE: Leopard Hunting Gazelle Video - Pckts - 09-06-2014

Great to have you here. Welcome.
Your description and vid are greatly appreciated.

Amazing she was able to sneak so close to such a weary and fast animal. 
Thanks again. 

A great hunt by leopard - sanjay - 09-22-2014

This is recent rare footage and camera pics showing why leopards are most deadly predator for his size prey.
This is wonderful experience by Yasmin Tajik, He write in his blog http://www.shalimarstudios.com/blog. His experience is also featured in Blog of Africa Geographic.

In Moremi National Park, Botswana at early morning he saw a rare event when a leopard resting on tree saw a group of impala grazing nearby. She was waiting for them to come under the tree. As soon as the impala arrived under the tree. She drop like bomb on their group and one unlucky impala got caught. She killed her with in fraction of minute.

See the picture sequence posted by him on his blog -

Leopard is stalking the impala group waiting to come nearby

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As soon as group come in range. She leaped down just like rocket.

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She free fall under the gravity on impala group like a dropped bomb.

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With in minute the impala was dead and in leopard jaw

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See was giving some back look to photographers while dragging the dead impala

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She tried to drag the impala upon the tree in order to hide her from other predators, but she fail

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In same sequence, she is trying to drag up the dead impala and again fail

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So she decided to eat some part of her as soon as possible

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She start eating the meal

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She tries again to drag the impala at tree

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She tried to keep the grip on the impala, but it was still heavy to hold on tree

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As a result the dead impala fall down and she also followed her like a gymnast

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She decide to hide the impala behind log and leafs.

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And here is the video of entire rare moments




Thanks to Yasmin Tajik for sharing such an amazing moment,
Note: All copyright belong to Shalimar Studios

Leopard Videos - sanjay - 10-27-2014

This thread is for posting action video of leopards.

I will start with this unique video, Which I saw on facebook, In this video A Leopard stalk and kill a small domestic dog from someone's yard during night. Its from India South.





RE: Leopard and Crocodile interaction - Tshokwane - 06-08-2015

I'm not sure where this happened. I'll try to find out, but this photos were mentioned in one episode of "caught in the act"(the one with Majingilanes and Mapogos).
This series of photos show clearly why the leopard is one of the greatest predators on earth. 

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RE: Leopard and Crocodile interaction - sanjay - 08-26-2015

A zebra mare crossed from the Mara Triangle to the Greater Mara. A crocodile grabbed her right front knee. In the process of trying to escape she launched herself in air and her knee was ripped out. Bleeding profusely she stumbled onto the river bank and collapsed. In a moment a male leopard rushed over killed her and dragged her away from some very disappointed crocodiles. It turned out that the leopard was limping badly from a rear left leg injury and ambushed similar unfortunate prey to get hold of some much needed food to sustain himself while recovering from his injury.

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Photo by Lou Coetzer credit to CNP Safaris

RE: The Leopard (Panthera pardus) - Pckts - 09-01-2015


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Hussain A Nalwala‎Sanctuary Asia

Follow · 6 hrs ·

 



Mara has a lot in store for everyone. Shot this in the morning on day 2 of our visit this time. This Leopard was quite swift to catch the wildebeest and since it is a big animal it was hard to take him home to her kids. (she has 3 little cubs waiting for her )... Share it with your friends if you like..

Leopard Predation Thread - Pckts - 09-10-2015

Since we have one for Lions and Tigers I figured we start one for Leopards.

I'll start us off...
Credit HugeHyena for finding the account

We reported last month that the guides suspected that Slender, the resident female leopard around Kings Pool, might be nursing a cub. And as announced on the Wilderness Safaris Facebook page – she has not just one cub, BUT TWO! She first kept them in the hollow of a jackalberry tree, not far from camp. She then moved them further south into the thick mopane woodland for safety. She’s been seen hunting on a few occasions, including successfully taking down baboons – on one morning they witnessed her killing two! She was also seen sharing one of these baboon kills with a male leopard – a big but quite shy male, suspected to be the father of the two cubs. They should be about a month old by now.

Another female leopard, named the Calcrete Female, was also seen hunting – what a remarkable sighting it was! One of our guides, Moses, and his guests were lucky enough to see the entire kill – from her stalking a large troop of baboons, setting her eyes on a big male and starting the chase, and then finally killing him, dragging him quite a distance and then pulling him up into a tree – a performance of incredible strength, the size of the male baboon almost being the same as this female leopard!

http://www.wilderness-safaris.com/blog/posts/kings-pool-camp-june-2015

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RE: Leopard Predation Thread - Tshokwane - 09-16-2015

Isak Pretorius: "Safari Diary - 14 September 2015


Photo Tour, Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya

The Maasai Mara is an incredible place for wildlife photography where sighting that would usually be a highlight of a day or even a whole safari often gets little or no attention simply because there are so many other exciting wild things happening. This morning we photographed hyenas on a kill with the rising sun behind them. Then it was off to the Mara river for a wildebeest crossing, followed by two male lions walking through the grass in golden light. Elephants on the plains concluded our early morning’s photography before a picnic breakfast was served to our happy photography clients. After lunch and rest time at the camp we embarked on our afternoon drive where we were treated to the perfect visual of a leopard kill. A leopard called Bhati wasted no time as she stalked and then pounced on a male impala right in front of our eyes. The shutters were firing fiercely, but photographs aside, everyone felt privileged to have witnessed this moment which is so rare to see.

Leopard and Impala | 1/2000sec at f/4, ISO 640 | Canon EOS-1D X + EF600mmf/4L IS USM | Aperture priority, 0 EV"

I just saw this image and I love how it captures the struggles of life and death that just nature can give us in such a pure way.

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RE: Leopard Predation Thread - Tshokwane - 09-18-2015

Wildlife Photographer Of The Year: "Wim van den Heever knew that if he continued to follow this leopard for another few days, he might witness something special. She was hunting out on the plains of Namibia’s Etosha National Park, where the lack of vegetation meant that a normal leopard-style ambush wasn’t possible. ‘I was amazed to see her trying to stalk in such short grass,’ says Wim. The first hunt he witnessed failed when the wind changed direction and her scent gave her away. But shortly after, a large male springbok started moving in her direction. As he approached, ‘she just disappeared into the short grass,’ says Wim. ‘Then to my amazement, she launched herself at the ram with incredible agility and strength.’"

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RE: Leopard Predation Thread - Tshokwane - 10-13-2015

Last month during the great wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara there was a big river crossing and then this happened. A leopard who had long learnt of the food sources at crossing time had made the riverside his home.
Credits to David Lloyd Wildlife Photography

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RE: Leopard Predation Thread - Tshokwane - 10-22-2015

Strength & Agility!

A leopard hauls its massive kill up a tree in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
by Archna Singh Photography

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RE: Leopard Predation Thread - Pckts - 10-22-2015

Good lord!!!
Now that is power!
TFS

RE: Leopard Predation Thread - Tshokwane - 10-26-2015

Jamie MacArthur:
The Kiss of Death - Botswana - Last month. The poor Impala literarily took it's last breath at this point

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