Not spotting the leopard hidden in the grass, a sounder of warthogs leisurely walked forward and nearly paid with their lives.
The leopard continued to chase the warthog for a few meters along the road before giving up.
Guide Moosa Varachia and mechanical engineer Jan-Louis Human captured the hunting trip of a leopard in Kruger National Park, Latest Sightings reported on January 18. Jan-Louis and Moosa stated that when they noticed a squirrel making alarm calls, they suspected a leopard was nearby.
“After searching for a while, Moosa spotted a leopard relaxing on a branch, and we stopped the vehicle to observe clearly. Then, we saw a sounder of warthogs walking down the road. The leopard immediately lifted its head and focused on them. We readied our cameras, hoping the predator would succeed,” Jan-Louis recounted.
The sounder of warthogs passed by Jan-Louis’s vehicle and continued along the road. Meanwhile, the leopard climbed down from the tree. As the animal crossed the grass to reach the roadside, Jan-Louis and Moosa could still see the tip of its tail. Eventually, it lay down, perfectly camouflaged among the tall grass.
“For some reason, the sounder of warthogs turned back and started heading towards the leopard’s hiding spot. In the next moment, the leopard sprang from the grass and chased one of the piglets. The others scattered and ran in panic,” Jan-Louis shared.
“The leopard continued to chase the warthog for a few meters along the road before giving up. It then returned, headed towards us, and disappeared into the tall grass along the riverbank,” he added.
Moosa has witnessed many successful and unsuccessful hunts. However, the leopard’s hunt for the warthog happening right in front of them made the scene even more special. Meanwhile, this was Jan-Louis’s first time witnessing such an event, and he was extremely excited.
The leopard (Panthera pardus) is distributed across Africa and Asia. They are opportunistic predators, often hunting on the ground or in trees. Leopards are excellent climbers. During the day, they spend most of their time resting under rocks or in shaded areas among branches. At night, they often hunt instead of sleeping. Their prey includes antelopes, deer, wild boars, rabbits, fish, birds, and various other creatures.
