A leopard risks climbing into a bird’s nest atop a tree, tightly grasping a juvenile tawny eagle before carefully climbing down.
After a struggle, the juvenile tawny eagle was subdued.
Ally Bradfield, a wildlife enthusiast, and her husband witnessed the incredible hunting scene of a leopard in Kruger National Park, South Africa, as reported by Latest Sightings on September 18. During their morning tour, the couple noticed a car stopped to observe a tall tree about 70 meters from the road. As they slowed down, they realized a large leopard was climbing into the nest of a tawny eagle at the top of the tree.
After a brief struggle, the juvenile tawny eagle was subdued, according to Bradfield. The leopard tightly grasped its prey and carefully descended from the tall tree. Despite slipping at one point, the predator quickly regained its balance and landed safely. Bradfield mentioned that the grass was too tall to continue tracking the leopard once it was on the ground.
“In over 20 years of visiting Kruger National Park annually, I’ve never witnessed anything like this,” Bradfield shared.
The leopard (Panthera pardus) is a large cat species found in sub-Saharan Africa, Northeast Africa, Central Asia, India, and China. Their prey includes antelopes, deer, wild boars, rabbits, fish, birds, and various other creatures. With excellent climbing and swimming abilities, leopards are formidable predators in the wild. They can jump as high as 3 meters.
The tawny eagle (Aquila rapax) inhabits Africa and some regions of Asia. Adult eagles range from 60 to 75 cm in length, with a wingspan of 159 to 183 cm and weigh between 1.6 to 3.1 kg. They typically feed on carrion, insects, rabbits, various birds, and small reptiles.
