Tag: leopard

Watch: Leopard leaps onto van and rips off window deflector

A leopard that attacked 15 people in India was captured in video displaying its aggressive behavior by attacking a van.

A leopard that attacked 15 people, including women and children, was captured in video displaying its aggressive behavior by jumping over a residential fence and then leaping onto a van and ripping off its window deflector.

An instant later, the leopard was fleeing down the street, as shown in footage captured Monday by an official from the Indian Forest Service in Jorhat, Assam, India.

The leopard is believed to have left the neighboring Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary in search of food when it went on the attack, as reported by The India Times.

Most of the people who were injured were from the Rain Forest Research Institute campus on the outskirts of Jorhat. Campus residents have been advised to remain indoors.

“Some residents had a close shave as the leopard was roaming,” official Ranjit Kowar told The Times of India.

“The leopard attacked two forest officials in the morning,” forest range officer Iqbal Ahmed told the TOI.

“Many of the injured were bitten and needed hospitalization,” hospital spokesperson Purnima Barua told TOI. “They seem to be out of danger now. But more people with injuries are coming to the Jorhat Medical College Hospital.”

Two children, a woman and two forest officials were among those taken to the hospital.

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“It has become very aggressive,” Kowar told TOI. “We have laid traps inside the campus to capture it. Efforts are on to track it.”

Thus far, the leopard has avoided capture.

Photo courtesy of the Indian Forest Service.

Watch: Leopard runs out of forest and knocks man off his bike

In an apparent case of mistaken identity, a leopard darted out from the forest of Kaziranga National Park and attacked a man riding a bike.

In an apparent case of mistaken identity, a leopard darted out from the forest of Kaziranga National Park in India and knocked a man off his bike as he leisurely pedaled in the bike lane.

The leopard, probably thinking the passing cyclist was prey, went on the attack, hitting the man’s left hip, but it quickly retreated back into the woods as the man got up, gathered his bike and rode across the street to meet up with two other cyclists, all the while checking on his left hip.

The footage, captured by a traffic camera, was shared by SWNS.

“Rangers in Kaziranga National Park, India, have now urged commuters not to stop their vehicles in the area for safety reasons, warning them that the road is in a wild area where animals often cross the road,” SWNS wrote.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Leopard shocked by camouflaged hippo in its fishing hole

The Indian leopard is mostly nocturnal and is known to be elusive and solitary, making this encounter a rare one.

Leopards can run up to 36 mph, and the speed was evident in the video.

Incidentally, the leopard population in India in 2020 was reportedly between 12,000 and 13,500. They are found throughout the Indian subcontinent.

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Watch: Leopard shocked by camouflaged hippo in its fishing hole

A leopard fishing for catfish in a pond that had turned into a mud pit got quite a shock from a huge hippo at Greater Kruger National Park.

A leopard fishing for catfish in a pond that had turned into a mud pit got quite a shock when a huge hippo in perfect camouflage announced its presence, lunging at the intruding feline and scaring it away.

The encounter occurred at MalaMala in the Greater Kruger National Park in South Africa, and the footage was captured by guides Mike Kirkman and Pieter van Wyk and posted on LatestSightings.com.

When the leopard went fishing during the daytime, “little did she know, a hippo was wallowing in the very same area,” Kirkman told LatestSightings.

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Leopards are quite successful when it comes to hunting, with their excellent camouflage being a huge asset. But “the leopard was not as camouflaged as its opponent, Mr. Hippo in this case,” LatestSightings stated.

As it turned out, the leopard caught its catfish, using the cover of darkness to its advantage, as the hippo was out of the mud and grazing for food, as the species is known to do at night.

“This really must have been amazing to see,” LatestSightings stated. “One can really see the insane size difference between these two African beauties.”

Photos courtesy of LatestSightings.

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Leopard’s ‘stunning’ leap showcased in slow-motion video

A rescue leopard at South Africa’s Harnas Wildlife Foundation is an impressive leaper, especially at mealtime.

A rescue leopard at South Africa’s Harnas Wildlife Foundation is an impressive leaper, especially at mealtime.

The accompanying footage, which has garnered millions of views over the past month, shows “Hellboy” leaping nearly 10 feet to catch a hunk of meat tossed over a fence by a caretaker.

“Hellboy in action, slow motion. Absolutely stunning.” The foundation wrote on Facebook.

The footage reveals the power and grace exhibited by Hellboy – and possessed by all leopards – while taking flight and upon landing. (Best viewed with sound.)

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Reads one of the more popular comments: “My favorite of all animals, agile, solitary, silent, adaptive and cunning. I call it the ultimate hunter.”

The Harnas Wildlife Foundation, originally a cattle farm, is a sanctuary for animals in need of care and rehabilitation.

The Namibia facility told FTW Outdoors that Hellboy arrived as a cub after farmers shot his mom in 2011 “as a result of humans-versus-wildlife conflict where farmers retaliate against leopards preying on their livestock.”

Harnas added: “The mom was shot but she had a cub and so the cub came to us. He is to say the least quite a character and an amazing looking leopard.”

Sadly, Helloboy is not a candidate for release because he was hand raised and has lost his fear of humans.“And as such he might come into conflict with farmers,” Harnas stated.

Leopard on golf course no Tiger, but still extraordinary

Tiger Woods step aside, a new cat is in town

Video footage showing a leopard playing with tee markers on a golf course in South Africa has inspired a range of comments and, yes, the name Tiger is raised.

“Tiger Woods… please step aside… Leopard Kruger is playing now,” reads one comment beneath the Skukuza Golf Club Facebook post.

The unfenced golf course is surrounded by a wildlife sanctuary and open to guests of sprawling Kruger National Park, so large critter sightings are not surprising.

“Uninvited spectators are a common sight, hippo, impala, warthog and baboons to mention but a few,” Skukuza states on its website.

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The leopard in the footage is intrigued by the white tee markers and playfully bats both of them before scampering back into the bush.

“Making sure the course set-up is in the right place this morning,” reads the description of a post that has garnered more than 1,000 comments.

One commenter cautioned, “Probably best to play the blue tees today.”

Another joked: “Yup everything works… Now for some breakfast… Here caddie caddie!”

Most comments pertain to the exquisite beauty of the large cat, but attempts at golf humor are a close second.

“I’ll go straight to the 19th hole now, thank you,” a commenter wrote, referring to the golf course bar.

Stated another: “This is when you give your [playing] partner the honor.”

Skukuza, which has no bunkers but plenty of trees, is billed as “one of the most unique 9-hole golf courses in the world.”

Leopard on golf course no Tiger, but still extraordinary

Video footage showing a leopard playing with tee markers on a golf course in South Africa has inspired a range of comments and, yes, the name Tiger is raised.

Video footage showing a leopard playing with tee markers on a golf course in South Africa has inspired a range of comments and, yes, the name Tiger is raised.

“Tiger Woods… please step aside… Leopard Kruger is playing now,” reads one comment beneath the Skukuza Golf Club Facebook post.

The unfenced golf course is surrounded by a wildlife sanctuary and open to guests of sprawling Kruger National Park, so large critter sightings are not surprising.

“Uninvited spectators are a common sight, hippo, impala, warthog and baboons to mention but a few,” Skukuza states on its website.

ALSO ON FTW OUTDOORS: Dentally challenged great white shark greets cage divers in Mexico

The leopard in the footage is intrigued by the white tee markers and playfully bats both of them before scampering back into the bush.

“Making sure the course set-up is in the right place this morning,” reads the description of a post that has garnered more than 1,000 comments.

One commenter cautioned, “Probably best to play the blue tees today.”

Another joked: “Yup everything works… Now for some breakfast… Here caddy caddy!”

Most comments pertain to the exquisite beauty of the large cat, but attempts at golf humor are a close second.

“I’ll go straight to the 19th hole now, thank you,” a commenter wrote, referring to the golf course bar.

Stated another: “This is when you give your [playing] partner the honor.”

Skukuza, which has no bunkers but plenty of trees, is billed as “one of the most unique 9-hole golf courses in the world.”

Watch: Buffalo calf flees leopard, but can it escape lion?

A visitor to South Africa’s Kruger National Park has captured rare footage showing a buffalo calf fleeing an ambushing leopard, only to come face to face with a hungry lion.

A visitor to South Africa’s Kruger National Park has captured rare footage showing a buffalo calf fleeing a leopard that was waiting in ambush, only to come face to face with a hungry lion.

Thankfully for the calf, momma buffalo had the situation under control, at least for the time being.

The footage was captured from a vehicle in late February by Matthew Steyn and featured on Facebook by Latest Sightings, where it garnered more than 5 million views. A longer YouTube version accompanies this post.

Viewers can see the leopard crouching in the bushes, awaiting its chance to strike the calf in the riverbed, and the lion stalking in the background.

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“We stopped in the riverbed to watch a herd of buffalo,” Steyn told Latest Sightings. “Among the herd, we noticed a brand newborn calf that was just starting to learn how to walk for the first time. But, shortly after this, my son spotted a leopard in the reeds, right among all the buffaloes.

“After some time, the rest of the herd seemed to move off slowly, leaving the mother and calf behind – alone. The mother and calf were completely unaware of the leopard. But now, not only the leopard, a lion decided to show up.”

Momma buffalo ends the leopard threat quickly, sniffing its presence and chasing the cat away as the lion, sensing an opening, trots warily toward the calf.

But momma buffalo, an extremely powerful and surprisingly agile animal, quickly blocks the lion’s path and repeatedly chases the king of the jungle into the brush.

It’s unclear how this confrontation ended, however, as Steyn’s family lost sight of the animals after they crossed the dirt road in front of their vehicle.

“Unfortunately, we lost sight of the lion following the calf into the bush, but am pretty sure that newborn wouldn’t have lasted long on the run like that and not being able to suckle,” Steyn said. “Weirdly the rest of the herd never came to their rescue and were in fact headed in the opposite direction.”

–Images courtesy of Matthew Steyn, via Latest Sightings

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Leopard strolls through restaurant as monkeys warn guests

Watch: Four tourists chatting on the deck after breakfast in South Africa were suddenly interrupted by a leopard on the hunt for its own breakfast.

Four tourists chatting on the deck after breakfast at Singita Ebony Lodge in South Africa were suddenly interrupted by a leopard on the hunt for its own breakfast.

Erika Weise, 39, was with two friends and her uncle at the lodge located in Singita Sabi Sand on the bank of the Sand River when the close encounter occurred.

Weise shared her video with Kruger Sightings.

“Vervet monkeys are one of the best ways to know there is a predator around, by listening to their alarm calls,” Weise explained to Kruger Sightings. “This particular morning, vervet monkeys alerted us to the presence of a leopard that made its way onto the upper deck, crossed the lower deck and then made its way from the lodge to remain undetected.”

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The leopard had been stalking a bushbuck in the riverbed in front of the lodge earlier, before it decided to give guests at the lodge an incredible wildlife sighting.

The lodge staff is trained for this sort of encounter and was able to keep everyone calm and silent as the leopard wandered through the restaurant.

“We felt complete awe, reverence, respect and gratitude,” Weise told Kruger Sightings. “What a rare experience to have such an encounter with a leopard. The situation proved that wildlife and people can live and interact with each other in harmony and respect.”

The leopard left the restaurant as calmly as it entered, and continued its pursuit of the bushbuck.

“This was extremely rare for me and all I can say to someone in that situation is to stay calm and respectful,” Weise said.

Photos courtesy of Kruger Sightings.

Leopard gets a ‘jolt’ from sneaky hyena in comical scene

Tourists on safari in South Africa were treated to a comical sighting when encountering a leopard getting startled by an approaching hyena.. It was all captured on video.

Tourists on safari in South Africa were treated to a comical sighting when encountering a leopard awakening from a nap alongside a road. It was obviously unaware of the hyena sneaking up on it.

The incident, which occurred at Sabi Sands Game Reserve bordering Kruger National Park, was captured in video by safari guide Jason Joubert, 33, who shared his story with LatestSightings.com.

“As we watched the leopard wake up and groom, we noticed a male hyena walking down the road in our direction,” Joubert told LatestSightings. “I assume he was following the leopards’ scent.

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“We watched and waited as the hyena carefully approached the leopard, taking a step closer and closer each time and the leopard seemingly oblivious of its sniffing visitor while it groomed its paws. We did not expect the hyena to walk straight up to the leopard and we thought that the leopard would have sensed the hyena right away, but this was not the case.

“The leopard slowly got up, almost still in a sleepy daze, and realized with a jolt that the hyena was now almost face to face! It jolted up in defense and jumped back, snarling and growling, warning the hyena to keep a distance.”

The tourists in the vehicle all laughed at the encounter.

The hyena, realizing there were no leftovers to scavenge on, continued on its way. The leopard growled some more and then went back to grooming, Joubert said.

Photos courtesy of LatestSightings.com.

Cheetah ambushed by leopard, but hardly overmatched

A tourist at South Africa’s Kruger National Park has captured rare footage of a leopard trying to ambush an unsuspecting cheetah.

A tourist at South Africa’s Kruger National Park has captured rare footage of a leopard trying to ambush an unsuspecting cheetah.

Both cats are remarkable predators: the leopard holding an edge in terms of weight and strength, but the cheetah possessing more speed than any other land mammal.

That sets the stage for the scene that unfolded recently in front of Thokozani Phakathi, who sent the accompanying footage to Latest Sightings and described the event as “an unforgettable encounter that I will cherish for as long as my mind, heart, body and soul are together.”

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The video begins with the leopard sauntering alongside and upon a roadway, marking its territory as tourists watch in awe from their vehicles. At about the 1-minute mark the leopard seems to sense the presence of an approaching animal and lowers its crouch and plots a potential ambush.

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At 1:10 the leopard crouches deeper in the grass as the cheetah jogs into the picture. Phakathi said the young male cheetah had been calling out and seemed stressed, perhaps in search of a family member. The leopard, motionless behind a tree, waits until the cheetah is only yards away before charging.

Wrote Phakathi: “Just as the cheetah was a few meters away, the master of disguise pounced for a strike, the cheetah jolted with shock but accelerated and ran for his dear life.

“At some point, it was only the cheetah’s tale separating the two spotted cats, but the fastest [land mammal] on earth seized the moment to live up to his title and dashed off, escaping potential injuries or death as he was no match to that hefty fellow predator.”

The cheetah was too fast, but seemed to realize it had nearly walked into a deadly trap. When Phakathi saw the cheetah after the leopard had left the area “the cheetah was shaken and trembling like a leaf. He was even jumping in fear whenever tree branches were coming to contact with his legs or tail.”

–Images courtesy of Latest Sightings and Thokozani Phakathi