In a remarkable display of predator ingenuity, an African leopard's practical solution to a heavy meal was captured on camera by David Van Zyl, a ranger and guide at Kruger National Park. While driving back to the Jock Safari Lodge, Van Zyl encountered a scene that highlighted the often brutal realities of the wild.
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"I wasn’t on a game drive, but I was heading to town early in the morning when I spotted a sickly hyena not far from the lodge," Van Zyl shared with Latest Sightings. "Predators like hyenas become easy targets when they're not in top form. If another predator crosses their path, they’ll seize the opportunity."
Later that afternoon, Van Zyl noticed drag marks on the road near where he had first seen the hyena. Recognizing these signs as the telltale trails left by a predator struggling to transport its catch, he decided to follow them.
The tracks led him to the trunk of a tree, where he found the leopard with its captured hyena. The big cat, true to its species' behavior, was attempting to hoist the hyena into the tree—a feat easier said than done given the hyena's size.
"The leopard really wanted to get the hyena into the tree, which isn't something you see every day," Van Zyl explained. Despite the leopard's strength and agility, the weight of the hyena proved too challenging.
Undeterred, the leopard devised a practical solution: it began to eat the hyena's stomach contents first. This not only provided a meal but also made the carcass lighter and more manageable to carry.
"In the end, the leopard consumed all of the hyena’s stomach contents overnight," Van Zyl recounted. "Then, it dragged the lighter carcass to a different tree, where it finally succeeded in getting it up into the branches."
This extraordinary event showcases the adaptability and resourcefulness of wildlife, offering a rare glimpse into the survival strategies of Africa's predators.
